To be clear, I was never under any illusion that trying to dj was an easy task. As a party host/long time club-goer-if you put even a bit of effort into doing anything really- it’s a lot of work (and also money but that’s a conversation for another time).
However, now that I’ve been learning not just the gear but what it means to put together a specific idea for a set, I can tell you with certainty this is a wonderful but complicated and time-consuming craft. I was someone who liked to dig for music already, but getting into something that’s niche as is fantasy/sci-fi/horror music soundtracks specifically based on books for Young Adults -well, let’s just say my next book isn’t done yet because I decided to give this a try too. Yeah that’s it.
I wanted to share a little bit about what I’ll be attempting on Friday night by sharing videos and clips from movies in the theme. I decided for Sunday to start with something from The Wiz because as a kid growing up it was one of the few things I recall watching on TV from time to time, particularly on Sunday for family movie days. It was a pretty big deal because of course when we are honest we know that there there is not enough inclusiveness in the scifi/fantasy world -especially in movies. And really, when you know what you want to do and you know who is going to come I do not see the point in throwing a party if you are not even going to try to have something for everyone.
SO I start here.
A few things about the books and movies:
The Wiz is based on the 14-book series that started with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum in 1900.
The first Oz movie was not a commercial success even though the books were a smashing hit.
The Wiz also didn’t start as a box office success but did end with critical success including garnering 5 Oscar Nominations.
In the books Dorothy’s shoes are not red. They are silver. Diana Ross wore silver, Judy Garland wore the red ones.
L. Frank Baum worked for women’s suffrage.
The Wiz is when Michael Jackson started to learn choreography, which he took very seriously.
Quincy Jones, who put together the music for the film, never left the set.
There was backlash over this movie as people called it a movie “for black people” rather than a movie with “black stars” and it had a direct effect on the film’s original box office take and distribution.
Set in modern environments, the film pays tribute to the director’s home city by featuring landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and Coney Island.
I picked this particular clip because I never recalled seeing it in the times that I watched The Wiz on TV as a child. I came to learn that it was, in fact, edited out because it was “too sexy.”
Considering this is a scene about opioid flowers I’m not sure the hot ass ladies are the problem but you can decide for yourself. I present “The Poppy Girls”.