What a mess this movie is! The charm and innocence of the Broadway production is gone. It's a mean ol' movie full of bad news! Songs omitted or edited out of existence turn this into such a hash that there is nothing to commend it. I directed the stage production at Savannah State University and found it a charming play, full of hope and promise. The movie took all that out. And, when we meet the Wiz, he is pathetic. The Broadway production has him continuing his flim-flam to the very end. Dorothy learns much from all those she meets along the way, but we have an adult Dorothy here -- who should have learned these things when she was 12! The first song of the movie and the play is wonderful. The movie confused the story line of the song so much it was impossible to understand what Aunt Em was singing about. I wish a real Broadway tune smith had done the movie. And, Michael Jackson -- he's too cuddly!