Perhaps the strongest example of sheer will in film history.
August 21st 2009 21:17
I recently had a Wizard of Oz movie marathon. This consisted of the original 1939 film, a 2007 mini-series called Tin Man, and the 1978 musical The Wiz, starring Michael Jackson.
A few different takes on Dorothy and the Yellow Brick Road.
Baz Luhrman may be directing a film adaptation of Wicked in 2010.
But back to The Wiz.
The Wiz was an urbanised retelling of The Wizard of Oz with an entirely African American cast. Michael Jackson was the Scarecrow. Richard Pryor was the Wizard. Diana Ross was Dorothy.
Diana Ross was Dorothy?
Isn't she a bit old?
Well, Ross was 33 when the film was made. The character was written as a 24 year old. Ross, despite the fantastic voice, looks a little odd skipping down the yellow brick road and off to the emerald city. Flanked by Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, the character of Dorothy should be the picture of naive youth.
I thought the producers may have chosen Ross for the lead because they wanted a strong African American female presence, a big name who was widely recognised, a positive role model.
Then I read this story:
Perhaps the strongest example of sheer will in film history.
Fabulous!
When Sean Young desperately wanted to play Catwoman in Tim Burton's 1992 film Batman Returns, she constructed a homemade Catwoman costume and attempted to confront Burton and actor Michael Keaton during production. Young showed up at the Warner Bros. lot in character with an entourage of assistants carrying walkie-talkies to track down Tim Burton.
Michael Keaton's comment:
"If the woman could bottle that drive with a sense of humor, she'd be unstoppable."
Sure, she was unsuccessful, but if it had worked we could have said she out-willed Diana Ross.
A few different takes on Dorothy and the Yellow Brick Road.
Baz Luhrman may be directing a film adaptation of Wicked in 2010.
But back to The Wiz.
The Wiz was an urbanised retelling of The Wizard of Oz with an entirely African American cast. Michael Jackson was the Scarecrow. Richard Pryor was the Wizard. Diana Ross was Dorothy.
Diana Ross was Dorothy?
Isn't she a bit old?
Well, Ross was 33 when the film was made. The character was written as a 24 year old. Ross, despite the fantastic voice, looks a little odd skipping down the yellow brick road and off to the emerald city. Flanked by Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, the character of Dorothy should be the picture of naive youth.
I thought the producers may have chosen Ross for the lead because they wanted a strong African American female presence, a big name who was widely recognised, a positive role model.
Then I read this story:
The Wiz was the eighth feature film produced by Motown Productions, the film/TV division of Berry Gordy's Motown Records label. Gordy originally wanted the teenaged future R&B singer Stephanie Mills, who had originated the role on Broadway, to be cast as Dorothy. When Motown star Diana Ross asked Gordy if she could be cast as Dorothy, he declined, saying that Ross, then thirty-three years old, was too old for the role. Ross went around Gordy and convinced executive producer Rob Cohen at Universal Pictures to arrange a deal where he would produce the film if Ross was cast as Dorothy. Gordy and Cohen agreed to the deal. Pauline Kael, a film critic, described Ross's efforts to get the film into production as "perhaps the strongest example of sheer will in film history."
Perhaps the strongest example of sheer will in film history.
Fabulous!
When Sean Young desperately wanted to play Catwoman in Tim Burton's 1992 film Batman Returns, she constructed a homemade Catwoman costume and attempted to confront Burton and actor Michael Keaton during production. Young showed up at the Warner Bros. lot in character with an entourage of assistants carrying walkie-talkies to track down Tim Burton.
Michael Keaton's comment:
"If the woman could bottle that drive with a sense of humor, she'd be unstoppable."
Sure, she was unsuccessful, but if it had worked we could have said she out-willed Diana Ross.
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