The Wiz (film) as the film was Ross's final theatrical feature. In his book "Blockbuster", Tom Shone referred to "The Wiz" as "expensive crud". In the book "Mr. and Mrs. Hollywood", the author criticized the script, noting, ""The Wiz" was too scary for children, and too silly for adults." Ray Bolger, who played the Scarecrow in the 1939 "The Wizard of Oz" film, did not think highly of "The Wiz", stating ""The Wiz" is overblown and will never have the universal appeal that the classic MGM musical has obtained." Jackson's performance as the Scarecrow was one of the only positively reviewed elements of
The Wiz (film) Thanksgiving Day (attributed to the opening scene of Dorothy's family gathered for a Thanksgiving dinner). The film was released on DVD in 1999; a remastered version entitled "The Wiz: 30th Anniversary Edition" was released in 2008. Extras on both DVD releases include a 1978 featurette about the film's production and the original theatrical trailer. A Blu-ray version was released in 2010. Critics panned "The Wiz" upon its October 1978 release. Many reviewers directed their criticism at Diana Ross, who they believed was too old to play Dorothy. Most agreed that what had worked so successfully on stage simply did not