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The Wiz
One of the major movies already playing when Halloween arrived was The Wiz.
Released October 1, 1978, The Wiz was a huge Hollywood musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, starring Diana Ross as Dorothy and Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow.
Yes.
Michael Jackson.
Years before Thriller would turn him into an unlikely horror icon, Jackson was dancing his way through a bizarre, colorful version of Oz.
And here's where the contrast with Halloween becomes hilarious.
One theater could essentially be offering audiences:
“Would you like to see Michael Jackson dance through a magical fantasy world?”
Or:
“Would you like to watch a silent psychopath stalk teenagers?”
1978 was apparently a simpler time.
