movie thoughts: Into the Woods (2014)
Feb. 1st, 2015 12:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
orangerfulI only watched three movies this past month, mostly because we've been marathoning too many tv shows to make time for a 2 hour film. But the one movie I actually went to the theater to see was Into the Woods, the big screen adaptation of the award-winning Broadway musical.
Let me say up front that I am a HUGE fan of the original musical. My parents taped the live performance off of PBS when I was a kid and I watched it over and over. I had the soundtrack and memorized it. I was very nervous about the film from day one of its announcement. And after getting to think about it for a month, I finally have coherent thoughts formed about the motion picture version.
It is really hard to separate my knowledge of the stage production, the FULL STORY, from what we ended up with on screen. I know which songs were cut, which characters were lost, and what moments were missed.
The movie was alright on its own. Obviously it loses some of the charm, being a movie versus stage. I don't think people truly understand the magic of seeing something on stage, having a performer belt out a tune, hit all the high notes, singing with a LIVE orchestra - no retakes, no edits. You can't appreciate seeing the sets shift and move right before your eyes. That is the magic of theater, not the movies.
But the movie did manage to create its own magic.
Okay, let's start with THE GOOD:
- Sets and staging were done right. I like how they kept the Woods set feeling like the stage play, with characters running through it. I felt like they kept the special effects and urge to create ALL THE SETS in check. We had exactly what it needed in terms of locations.
- Cinderella's story: I adore Anna Kendrick and I felt like Cinderella's story was the one left most intact. I really loved the decision to make her final song "On the Steps of the Palace" happening right before us instead of as a story being told. One of the perks of making a big budget movie is you can afford that random castle set. The whole scene played out in a new and exciting way.
- AGONY! : This song stole the entire movie as you could hear everyone chuckling as it got more and more ridiculous. I can only hope this is the clip they use at the Oscars.
- Emily Blunt and James Corden: I've always liked both of these actors but seeing them in these rolls made me love them even more. I was so impressed by their voices. I mean, they weren't Broadway level, but perfect for this movie.
But this is where my frustrations begin...
- Baker and his Father: At first, I didn't think much of the fact that the Baker's Father was cut from the show. He only had one song, how big of a deal could it be? But that one song and the relationship with the Baker and his Father (and his fear of becoming his father) are a HUGE HUGE part of the story that was only made more obvious with the absence of the song during the awkward scene near the end where the Baker wanders through the woods. "No More" is a turning point for that character, it is when he and the audience start to believe in him as a hero and father.
- Agony (Reprise): Also cut was the second rendition of Agony. Again, I dismissed this as necessary. It's funny but it would mean casting a Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and obviously we spent a lot of money on those waterfalls so let's just pass it. Except...now the only infidelity we see with Cinderella's Prince is with the Baker's Wife. And suddenly when Cinderella decides to leave him, it's not quite as clear to the viewer that he is a philanderer and not just oddly attracted to the Baker's Wife. I felt like this hurt her character more than his but also just didn't quite make us despise the Prince as much as we should have. Perhaps they should have put more hints out about him being a jerk, then the song could still be left out but we would also know that he loves the ladies.
- Maybe They're Magic: At first I didn't miss this song either, but by the end I realized removing it totally screwed up the story arc for the Baker and his Wife. The ENTIRE SHOW is about their relationship. She wants a baby and, at first, he is just going along with it. This song shows her determination. It also shows how unsure he is about everything still. He is scared of this big step. She is ready, she is the rock of this relationship and this first song really shows that. And by the time they sing "You've Changed" I really felt the loss of this song, which is what "You've Changed" is a reaction to.
- Hello Little Girl and The Wolf: Sitting back and reflecting, if anything could have been cut, this song probably could have gone. I mean, I LOVE THIS SONG. I think everyone does, but the Wolf is a minor character and his interactions with Red Riding Hood could have been reduced to a conversation. Also, as the only non-Human character, the entire sequence with Johnny Depp in costume felt like we had wandered into a Tim Burton movie. And then Red's song about being eaten, the way that was shot, also felt Burton-y. And very out of place with the rest of the film. I would have kept that song but there had to be a better way of presenting it.
- The Finale: The most powerful, beautiful song, Children Will Listen, is lost as a background piece as the credits start to roll. It is the end of the story, it ties it all together and yet it is barely noticeable as the camera pans over the woods, Streep's voice a distant sound. I'm not sure how this could have been done but I know it could have been done better somehow. We know which characters are dead and which are alive. You bring everyone back on stage during a live show...could we have not created some strange space for our missing cast to return to?
So...it's been hard for me to really decide how I feel about this movie adaptation. I always feel like that if *I* can see the problems and the fixes, then it must be very obvious. This wasn't like Les Miserables when I left the theater ready to punch someone in the face. I left Into the Woods very...unimpressed. Neither happy or angry.
I wanted to love it so much. I wanted to at least enjoy it. But I was left feeling like something was missing. And listening to the full show again, I realized all the parts that were left out. And a good work of art, a good story, all of the pieces are important. You can't amputate something from the main storyline and not expect it to effect the rest of the piece.
TL;DR: 3 Stars and I probably won't rewatch it.
Let me say up front that I am a HUGE fan of the original musical. My parents taped the live performance off of PBS when I was a kid and I watched it over and over. I had the soundtrack and memorized it. I was very nervous about the film from day one of its announcement. And after getting to think about it for a month, I finally have coherent thoughts formed about the motion picture version.
It is really hard to separate my knowledge of the stage production, the FULL STORY, from what we ended up with on screen. I know which songs were cut, which characters were lost, and what moments were missed.
The movie was alright on its own. Obviously it loses some of the charm, being a movie versus stage. I don't think people truly understand the magic of seeing something on stage, having a performer belt out a tune, hit all the high notes, singing with a LIVE orchestra - no retakes, no edits. You can't appreciate seeing the sets shift and move right before your eyes. That is the magic of theater, not the movies.
But the movie did manage to create its own magic.
Okay, let's start with THE GOOD:
- Sets and staging were done right. I like how they kept the Woods set feeling like the stage play, with characters running through it. I felt like they kept the special effects and urge to create ALL THE SETS in check. We had exactly what it needed in terms of locations.
- Cinderella's story: I adore Anna Kendrick and I felt like Cinderella's story was the one left most intact. I really loved the decision to make her final song "On the Steps of the Palace" happening right before us instead of as a story being told. One of the perks of making a big budget movie is you can afford that random castle set. The whole scene played out in a new and exciting way.
- AGONY! : This song stole the entire movie as you could hear everyone chuckling as it got more and more ridiculous. I can only hope this is the clip they use at the Oscars.
- Emily Blunt and James Corden: I've always liked both of these actors but seeing them in these rolls made me love them even more. I was so impressed by their voices. I mean, they weren't Broadway level, but perfect for this movie.
But this is where my frustrations begin...
- Baker and his Father: At first, I didn't think much of the fact that the Baker's Father was cut from the show. He only had one song, how big of a deal could it be? But that one song and the relationship with the Baker and his Father (and his fear of becoming his father) are a HUGE HUGE part of the story that was only made more obvious with the absence of the song during the awkward scene near the end where the Baker wanders through the woods. "No More" is a turning point for that character, it is when he and the audience start to believe in him as a hero and father.
- Agony (Reprise): Also cut was the second rendition of Agony. Again, I dismissed this as necessary. It's funny but it would mean casting a Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and obviously we spent a lot of money on those waterfalls so let's just pass it. Except...now the only infidelity we see with Cinderella's Prince is with the Baker's Wife. And suddenly when Cinderella decides to leave him, it's not quite as clear to the viewer that he is a philanderer and not just oddly attracted to the Baker's Wife. I felt like this hurt her character more than his but also just didn't quite make us despise the Prince as much as we should have. Perhaps they should have put more hints out about him being a jerk, then the song could still be left out but we would also know that he loves the ladies.
- Maybe They're Magic: At first I didn't miss this song either, but by the end I realized removing it totally screwed up the story arc for the Baker and his Wife. The ENTIRE SHOW is about their relationship. She wants a baby and, at first, he is just going along with it. This song shows her determination. It also shows how unsure he is about everything still. He is scared of this big step. She is ready, she is the rock of this relationship and this first song really shows that. And by the time they sing "You've Changed" I really felt the loss of this song, which is what "You've Changed" is a reaction to.
- Hello Little Girl and The Wolf: Sitting back and reflecting, if anything could have been cut, this song probably could have gone. I mean, I LOVE THIS SONG. I think everyone does, but the Wolf is a minor character and his interactions with Red Riding Hood could have been reduced to a conversation. Also, as the only non-Human character, the entire sequence with Johnny Depp in costume felt like we had wandered into a Tim Burton movie. And then Red's song about being eaten, the way that was shot, also felt Burton-y. And very out of place with the rest of the film. I would have kept that song but there had to be a better way of presenting it.
- The Finale: The most powerful, beautiful song, Children Will Listen, is lost as a background piece as the credits start to roll. It is the end of the story, it ties it all together and yet it is barely noticeable as the camera pans over the woods, Streep's voice a distant sound. I'm not sure how this could have been done but I know it could have been done better somehow. We know which characters are dead and which are alive. You bring everyone back on stage during a live show...could we have not created some strange space for our missing cast to return to?
So...it's been hard for me to really decide how I feel about this movie adaptation. I always feel like that if *I* can see the problems and the fixes, then it must be very obvious. This wasn't like Les Miserables when I left the theater ready to punch someone in the face. I left Into the Woods very...unimpressed. Neither happy or angry.
I wanted to love it so much. I wanted to at least enjoy it. But I was left feeling like something was missing. And listening to the full show again, I realized all the parts that were left out. And a good work of art, a good story, all of the pieces are important. You can't amputate something from the main storyline and not expect it to effect the rest of the piece.
TL;DR: 3 Stars and I probably won't rewatch it.
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(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-01 07:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-03 03:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-01 11:27 pm (UTC)The other cuts I think will work for people who don't know the full story. Rapunzel's storyline seemed incomplete to ME, but I think probably most people unfamiliar with the musical will be okay with it, and I think that "It Takes Two" probably gives moviegoers all the information they need on the Baker and his Wife and that relationship, especially since they kept the dialogue where the Baker won't hold his son and his Wife is all, "I cannot take care of him ALL OF THE TIME." However, I would honestly rather cut "It Takes Two" and keep "Maybe They're Magic," if it were me, even though the latter is way more difficult to sing and the Baker would get shafted on screen time. I get the point of the song, but it's never been one of my favorites. Something I never understood in the musical that I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD, all because of emphasis - when the Baker's Wife says, "You would take money before a child," I never realized how key THAT line is to the interplay between the Baker and his Wife. The way Joanna Gleason says it, I thought it meant, "You would take money in front of a child," meaning, he took money in front of Jack. It wasn't until I heard Emily Blunt say it that I realized it meant "you would rather have money than a child?" EPIPHANY.
I missed the Agony reprise desperately, because the first song was SO AWESOME AND SO HILARIOUS that I couldn't help thinking about how hilarious it would have been to hear them singing "Ah well, back to my wife." It would be nice if it were like, a dvd extra, like "Class" on the Chicago dvd, where it wasn't in the movie, but they filmed and included it if you bought the dvd.
I really hate Jack being a kid. I like him so much more as a tenor, and as the loser sleeping in his mother's basement who has to find himself and what he's good at. However, that's just my love of the original, and I know that probably the new audience would think it was weird seeing him as an adult, because that's not the story with which they're familiar.
I actually really liked Hello, Little Girl, and I didn't think I was going to, because Red is so young. I mean, it's gross enough when she's a teenager, but it's SUPER GROSS when she looks like, ten/twelve. However, they kind of embraced the gross with Depp opening his coat like a snake oil salesman and having all the candy, and that set me at ease with it. However, I did think the handling of Red's solo was really, really weird, and maybe would have been better suited by her singing it in her head while she and Granny made the wolf skin cloak, the way Jack's solo is sung while he's climbing down the beanstalk.
I take back every doubt I ever had about Meryl Streep, she was amazing. MERYL I AM SORRY I DOUBTED YOU. The blocking where she turns around at the end of Your Fault and is holding the baby needs to be done in every production ever from now until the end of time, because: AWESOME.
I have totally exceeded the character limit. ALSO AWESOME. I had more to say, but let's just leave it there. Don't like the changes either, but I think most of them will work for people new to the story. Except random Baker's Father showing up at the very end. What the hell, dude. But for the most part, I think they tightened a show that really needs to be tightened if it was going to have a wider audience. I mean. That shit be LONG, yo.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-03 03:34 am (UTC)And same with Rapunzel's non-death. It probably isn't necessary but it really does take something away from the final song.
MERYL SURPRISED ME TOO!
Adapting a musical to the big screen is a tricky job...why does no one ever call us about these things though? Clearly we could have fixed it ALL UP FOR THEM! Sheesh...
(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-02 02:33 am (UTC)This is my first contact with this musical and I have to say I feel pretty much the same. Obviously I couldn't know what was missing but it was really lacking some bridges when it came to character motivation and in making you feel for them, especially when they go from the "happy ending" to the actual ending which felt kind of weak.
It seems like something with a lot of potential and great actors but not the best follow through. The prince, the second prince, rapunzel and the wolf left me wondering why they even bothered hiring actors with those kinds of paycheck requirements. I don't know about the actual musical but they were basically just props for other characters in the movie.
There were good things of course, like what you've mentioned already. I loved the Baker and the wifes' dinamic, Anna Kendrick was spot on, Agony was amazing. 'No one is alone' hit me in the feels and won't be leaving my head for awhile.
I might rewatch again just to see what I missed, but I think I'll try and track down that special or something else that can give me a better glimpse of it.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-03 03:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-03 08:33 pm (UTC)I loved "Agony" and remembered that there was a reprise they cut out, so I was bummed about that. The costuming and set pieces were fantastic, and the girl who was Red absolutely NAILED it. (I would love to have her red cloak--I spent an inappropriate amount of time bargaining whether I could pull off a Little Red Riding Hood costume.)
But I felt like after the end of "Act I," the story started to meander a little and lose focus. I'm not exactly sure what they could have done to make it better, but something was just missing for me. It's a shame--I loved the costumes, the sets, and the music, but something about the execution of the plot fell flat to me.
Maybe if I see it again after it comes out, I'll like it a little more?
(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-07 04:44 pm (UTC)...but I'm ready for Pitch Perfect 2 LOL! I hope that one hits it out of the park.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-02-08 08:27 pm (UTC)I think some kids are mature enough to enjoy the film. Fortunately a lot of the adult stuff goes over their heads but kids in the theater who I saw were bored for the second half of the film.
Agreed about Hello Little Girl and Children will listen. Good points!