Into the Woods

[Airship Ariadne]

I think they did a great job of taking the musical and making a movie of it. Things had to be cut, sure...in a musical with sets designed to look like picture-book cut-outs, breaking the forth wall and talking directly to the audience is fine, but when the movie strives to take you from the audience and place you in their world, breaking that wall ruins that effort, so I can see why the Narrator/Mysterious Man role was cut.

I did, miss the Princes' second version of Agony...mainly because the first one was so wonderfully staged, I couldn't wait to see them singing about the Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

 

[kuleiros]

Never seen the musical. I thought this was well done, but sorry - thought it got a bit long for my taste. I actually fell asleep for most of the end of the movie - right as they were giving the witch all the items. Great singing/costumes/sets though.

Nikki - did I fall asleep here and miss where you told us what you thought of it? I'd love to hear, since you started the topic.

 

[catycatcat4]

I saw it today and thought it was very good adaptation of the musical. They did tame certain things down from the musical, however I wouldn't take a younger child to see it.

I feel like a younger child that can normally handle a movie would be fine.

 

[Airship Ariadne]

I feel like a younger child that can normally handle a movie would be fine.

I agree...they really toned down the stage show...Rapunzel and a few others live through this one who don't in the stage show.

 

[kuleiros]

Was wondering too if anybody else got kind of "creeped out" by the implications of what Johnny Depp's character was singing about Red? And wondering if it came off the same way in the musical? Don't want to be too "graphic" in my impressions/thoughts, but made me pretty uncomfortable, I must sAy.

I also just saw Big Hero 6 (I know, I'm late! LOL) and enjoyed it. Especially laughed every time somebody made the noise of the "fireworks gesture" after the fist bump Hiro taught BayMax. Very cute movie.

 

[tarak]

kuleiros, I'm not sure how much detail I can give without running afoul of board guidelines. But if you were creeped, there's good reason for it. It's not just in the Wolf's song, either. Lot's of creepy subtext in Red's follow-up "I know things now."

 

[kuleiros]

Yup, Tarak - 'zactly. And glad I wasn't so off in my thinking - had me feeling it was "just me".

 

[mytripsandraces]

Was wondering too if anybody else got kind of "creeped out" by the implications of what Johnny Depp's character was singing about Red? And wondering if it came off the same way in the musical? Don't want to be too "graphic" in my impressions/thoughts, but made me pretty uncomfortable, I must sAy.

I also just saw Big Hero 6 (I know, I'm late! LOL) and enjoyed it. Especially laughed every time somebody made the noise of the "fireworks gesture" after the fist bump Hiro taught BayMax. Very cute movie.

I did. I even wrote about that in my review of the movie (for a family travel site, not the DIS). Creeped out is exactly how I felt about that series. An unfortunate modernization of the original story, but probably more understandable in this day and age.

 

[Airship Ariadne]

Was wondering too if anybody else got kind of "creeped out" by the implications of what Johnny Depp's character was singing about Red? And wondering if it came off the same way in the musical? Don't want to be too "graphic" in my impressions/thoughts, but made me pretty uncomfortable, I must sAy.

Let's just say not only does it come off that way in the original musical, they actually toned it down for the movie...changed a few lyrics...and came up with a costume that seemed more playful...let's just say if you can find the dvd of the filmed show with Bernadette Peters, you will understand...the wolf costume makes it clear this is a male wolf...and he is happy to see Red.

It is kind of the point of the song (and, the original tale).

 

[Airship Ariadne]

I did. I even wrote about that in my review of the movie (for a family travel site, not the DIS). Creeped out is exactly how I felt about that series. An unfortunate modernization of the original story, but probably more understandable in this day and age.

I disagree that it is a "modernization" of the original Red Ridding Hood tale...that pretty much is what the tale was about...but Victorian morals have been neutering the old Grimm tales for the past 150 years or so...the show tried to add back in the horror these tales used to include...same with Cindy's step-sisters cutting off parts of their feet and then getting blinded by the birds (though the tale had them losing one eye on the way in to the wedding, and the other on the way out.)

Snow White isn't in this (except and a new love for Rapunzels Prince in act 2's Agony Reprise) but the evil queen in the story is made to wear red hot iron boots and dance till she dies at Snow's wedding...

...we tend to only remember the Disney versions.

 

[mytripsandraces]

I disagree that it is a "modernization" of the original Red Ridding Hood tale...that pretty much is what the tale was about...but Victorian morals have been neutering the old Grimm tales for the past 150 years or so...the show tried to add back in the horror these tales used to include...same with Cindy's step-sisters cutting off parts of their feet and then getting blinded by the birds (though the tale had them losing one eye on the way in to the wedding, and the other on the way out.)

Snow White isn't in this (except and a new love for Rapunzels Prince in act 2's Agony Reprise) but the evil queen in the story is made to wear red hot iron boots and dance till she dies at Snow's wedding...

...we tend to only remember the Disney versions.

Wolf in the old world referred to all "outsiders" - those not affiliated with a town or city or even who had been kicked out of such places and the dangers weren't just sexual, but included theft, murder, etc.

 

[ninecrayons]

Let's just say not only does it come off that way in the original musical, they actually toned it down for the movie...changed a few lyrics...and came up with a costume that seemed more playful...let's just say if you can find the dvd of the filmed show with Bernadette Peters, you will understand...the wolf costume makes it clear this is a male wolf...and he is happy to see Red.

It is kind of the point of the song (and, the original tale).

In November I went to see the original cast of ITW discuss the show, along with Sondheim and James Lapine. The discussion of the Wolf's costume was quote amusing.

When asked to describe how it has transformed, Robert Westernberg stated that it used to be more... "pendulous." Danielle Ferland was joking about how she hadn't realized exactly what the costume was going to look like and was kind of like "Ohhh my god."

Apparently the costume got too many laughs and it was holding up the scene, so they had to scale down the costume to be less scene stealing.

 

[LuvGoofy6]

kuleiros, I'm not sure how much detail I can give without running afoul of board guidelines. But if you were creeped, there's good reason for it. It's not just in the Wolf's song, either. Lot's of creepy subtext in Red's follow-up "I know things now."

Tarak and Kuleiros, my family thought the same thing...definitely didn't feel right.

We saw the movie tonight (my husband, college daughter and myself) and none of us liked it. We liked the Grimms and fractured parts of the movie but truly felt it was too much singing. Yes, we know it's a musical but it was never ending. I agree with what one reviewer said about the movie: "Into the Woods" is a musical fairy tale told as an exceedingly long, run-on sentence.

 

[xchelsearae]

Never saw the musical but I just saw the movie this afternoon and really enjoyed it! Not sure that I would have taken a young child, but a more mature school-aged child might enjoy it fine.

 

[Airship Ariadne]

Yes, we know it's a musical but it was never ending. I agree with what one reviewer said about the movie: "Into the Woods" is a musical fairy tale told as an exceedingly long, run-on sentence.

That's a funny quote...but I just don't get how there can be "too much singing" in a musical?

I guess if you only are familiar with the older musicals, but really, most modern (as in 1970-2010) Broadway shows (nonrevivals) are almost wall to wall singing with the occasional phrase of dialog thrown in.

I love the full version of this, Sondheim is great, and this is one of the best filmed versions of his work...and I think this is a much better adaptation that of his work than Tim Burton's version of Sweeny Todd...I LOVE the old PBS (i think) recording of the show more, as well as last years Lincoln Center PBS special because i bet we can all agree Angela Landsbury in the original (and Emma Thompson in the 2014 version) totally crushed Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett.

 

[kuleiros]

Funny descriptions by all of the Wolf's costume, how and why it evolved, etc.

Thanx also to all who let me know I'm not the only one who felt "that way" about the Wolf's song. Makes me know I'm not alone - and - while "creeped out" am not "creepy" per se.

LOL too at the reviewer quote of a "long run on sentence" - really made me laugh, and explained exactly how I felt, and why I fell asleep!

That's why I love these boards - we pretty much "get" each other!

 

[ninecrayons]

Tarak and Kuleiros, my family thought the same thing...definitely didn't feel right.

We saw the movie tonight (my husband, college daughter and myself) and none of us liked it. We liked the Grimms and fractured parts of the movie but truly felt it was too much singing. Yes, we know it's a musical but it was never ending. I agree with what one reviewer said about the movie: "Into the Woods" is a musical fairy tale told as an exceedingly long, run-on sentence.

Honestly, I feel like Disney is at fault here in how they're marketing the movie. It's a Sondheim musical, which is basically musical composition at its most complex. And yes, is sung through.

However, there's been zero mention of that in the marketing. I saw it on Christmas night and the guys behind me were like "Oh god, more singing? WHY?"

And the feeling of it being told as an exceedingly long sentence? Pretty much Sondheim's signature. He's so into work play and twisting, winding melodies. It's beautiful when done right, though I've often been told it's difficult to sing and to generally keep up with.

They scaled it back some and slowed it down for the movie, but yet I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone.

 

[eliza61]

Tarak and Kuleiros, my family thought the same thing...definitely didn't feel right.

We saw the movie tonight (my husband, college daughter and myself) and none of us liked it. We liked the Grimms and fractured parts of the movie but truly felt it was too much singing. Yes, we know it's a musical but it was never ending. I agree with what one reviewer said about the movie: "Into the Woods" is a musical fairy tale told as an exceedingly long, run-on sentence.

Many critics have said it's not really a musical but more of an opera. Frozen is more of a musical in that there is spoken dialogue then a music number.

ITW is almost all singing, more opera type.

I enjoyed in. I loved the two princes version of Agony. LOL.

My two older sons took me for my birthday. that might not have been the smartest move. LOL.

they enjoyed it but also felt that after the first hour it was moving as slow as molasses.

 

[jpeka65844]

Saw this over the weekend. Liked it. Didn't love it but liked it. I know the show backward and forward, have seen the original PBS broadcast about a million times and was in it in college. I was just listening to the OBC while fixing my kids' lunch.

My biggest beefs were:

1. The slashing of the 2nd act. To me, THAT'S the meat of the show. While the 1st act is more accessible, it's the 2nd act is the whole point. So many layers, so much depth. A lot of that was toned down or gone completely. It took away from the emotional power of the show. No One is Alone is so moving on stage....on film: nothing.

2. The broadness of the acting. I suppose it's the difference between film and stage acting, but the characters onstage are larger than life and "get" what's funny about the material. In the movie, two of my favorite moments/lines were total throwaways that got zero laughs: "Two leagues from here, due east, just beyond the mossy knoll" and "Sometimes I actually ENJOY cleaning!" Maybe that's the director's fault??? And, compared with the broadness of the 1st act, the stark reality of the 2nd act is a beautiful contrast.

However, a few highlights for me were

Streep's "Last Midnight"- LOVED her exit!
Princes' "Agony"- Yes! Broad comedy!
Emily Blunt- I was prepared to hate her but she changed my mind

And I didn't like what they did at the end. To do the "Into the Woods" reprise over the end titles? It should've been filmed and been made a fitting finale.

Okay, back to my armchair.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I love Into the Woods. It's my favorite show and I've never seen it the play in person. My familiarity comes from the recording of the last night of the (almost original) cast available on iTunes.

Here is what Sondheim has to say about the changes, subtractions and additions to his work:

http://www.playbill.com/news/articl...changes-for-disney-into-the-woods-film-322631

When a piece of work changes mediums (stage to screen, book to screen etc) there are almost always changes. Sometimes to sanitize it...sometimes to make transitions easier...sometimes to make it more intimate. I believe this is the case with the film version of Into The Woods.

All that being said...i think Into The Woods is almost perfect. So much in fact, that I have been twice already. To each his own I guess. I have trouble sitting through a Star Wars or Lord of The Rings or Batman (Superhero) movie without resorting to counting my teeth for entertainment.

Go see it.