You can almost learn more from what DOESN’T work than what DOES.
Excerpt from Sidney Lumet’s Making Movies
Sidney Lumet:
Sometimes a scenic concept gets lost in execution. The idea I had for The Wiz was that reality could be turned into an urban fantasy. We could use real locations but treat them in such a way that the locations would become truly fantastical. But I came to grief on the first location scouting trip. I wanted the Cowardly Lion to be discovered at — where else? — the New York Public Library, Forty-Second Street and Fifth Avenue. Tony Walton, Albert Whitlock and I stood across the street, gazing at the building, for four hours. Whitlock is one of the foremost matte-painting and special-effects cameramen in the business. He was a master at combining painted glass backgrounds with live foreground action. “Albert, when a door opens, can we see sky behind it, rather than the interior of the building?” I would ask. The answer was no. Every idea I had to fantasize that building was, Albert told me, impossible. Slowly my heart sank. We finally decided to build the set in the studio. Then more and more studio work was added to what had originally been a heavy location picture. Fantasy took over to such a degree that the urban quality was lost.
In the most expensive sequence, to be shot at the World Trade Center, we never figured how brutal the wind could be when it was channeled between those two towers. They formed a natural wind tunnel. The hats of the male and female models were very important in establishing “attitude”. And the hats wouldn’t stay on because of the wind. Pins didn’t work. Bands around the back of the head didn’t work. Finally, the bands were placed under the chin. The hats stayed on, but the look was ruined.
From large to small, I felt the concept going out the window.
It was my own fault. I simply didn’t know enough technically to master all departments, particularly special effects. Even though I had very good people in charge, there were just too many departments that were going their own way. I could feel the visual approach leaking out of my hands like water through my fingers.
It happens.
Oh, thank you, Sheila, for posting this. So fascinating! The movie has some really great moments (Michael Jackson’s first number, Evangiline’s number “Don’t nobody bring me no bad news,” Lena Horne as the Good Witch singing, “Believe in Yourself” and especially “Brand New Day”, very excitingly choreographed.
But oh my, some of the bad stuff, really incredible — almost everything having to do with Diana Ross, sad to say. And I can completely see what Lumet is saying about how the various departments got away from him. The concept of taking the REAL urban environment and making it fantastical is so good in theory, but the resulting look is so browned, grayed.
Anyway, tanks!!!
Stevie – you are indeed most welcome.