27 best movie musicals of all-time: Hamilton, Wizard of Oz and more

Best movie musicals: The Wiz

Motown meets The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in this epic fantasy musical from 1978. The Wiz is a musical that even my father talks about to this day.

And when you have a cast that includes such talent as Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor, and Roberta Flack (in an uncredited role by the way), how can you overlook this musical? You just can’t really. This cast alone is so epic that it makes you want to watch this musical on repeat.

While we all know the story of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, you have never seen quite like this. In fact, this fresh take on the Wizard of Oz is so amazing, that you can’t help but think of this movie before even the original movie from 1939 (and that’s saying something when we think about the fact that Judy Garland was the star of that film).

And of course, we have to take a look at the music that helped bring this musical to life. There are so many brilliant songs in this film, but for me, the standouts are, “Ease on Down the Road,” “Believe in Yourself,” and “Home.” Although, most of the music is a standout, which makes choosing just three harder than it seems.

Honestly, if you have never seen The Wiz, then you don’t know what you are missing. This musical is brilliant in the way it takes a classic tale and reimagines it, while still holding true to the basic storyline and message of the original.