Yesterday’s behind the scenes post featured Sidney Lumet directing ‘Dog Day Afternoon’. Today, Sidney is back as we take a look at the making of the catastrophic 1977 musical adaptation of ‘The Wiz’. The film was co-produced by Universal Pictures and Motown Records and starred Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Lena Horne and a ‘cast of thousands’ as the saying once went (hundreds is probably more accurate).  It shot for a hefty six months–June through December, 1977 and when it was released the following year tanked in spectacular fashion. However time appears to have been kind to it and it’s often referred to as a ‘cult classic’. The question is–which cult? The answer, apparently, is ‘EST’. Both Diana Ross and screenwriter Joel Schumacher were ardent devotees of Werner Erhardt and sought to include EST teachings, key-words and phrases throughout the movie. We see young Michael Jackson in action and, in a rather extraordinary moment, Lumet showing him how he wants him to dance. The general feeling I take away from this little featurette is sadness–when you’re making a movie everything seems possible, and it certainly feels like a lot of good will and positive energy was behind this thing. Its failure must have been both embarrassing and heartbreaking to all involved. By the way, at 12:10 something odd happens. The doc finishes, but is then followed by several minutes of silent footage of the interior of the Motown offices as well as a small recording room. What is this raw footage doing here? Perhaps it was to be used for an extended version of this doc, one which would no doubt have been demanded from ‘The Wiz’s’ adoring audience…and which was abandoned when that audience failed to turn up.