Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of: <a href="http://www.laughingplace.com/w/blogs/marshal-knight/2015/01/01/into-the-woods-a-different-opinion/" target="_blank"><b>1/1/15 Marshal Knight's Blog: "Into the Woods": A Different Opinion</b></a>
Originally Posted By TMICHAEL A much better review than that of Alex, who I'm afraid shouldn't be reviewing movies other than Disney toons; movies with no challenge to the norm of Happy Endings. Is Into The Woods a great movie? No. It is, however, very much enjoyable and beautifully acted, sung, directed and produced. That, and one of Sondheim's most easily accessible works.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: My sisters and I conjured up this film inside the crystal ball just today. There were some things we liked and some things we didn't like. ORWEN: The acting and singing was great. But the songs, themselves, weren't catchy or appealing enough. I can't remember a single one. Plus there was too much singing. ORDDU: The sets were wonderful. The costumes very good. But some of the plotlines became confusing after a while. At times it seemed as though the story got lost within itself. ORWEN: It was interesting that the 2 different princes were actually brothers. ORDDU: The fate of the wicked stepsisters was amusing--if also grotesque. ORWEN: The ending left some of the audience hanging out to dry. I mean, are we supposed to assume that Rapunzel and her prince had a happy ending? And what became of Cinderella's prince? Did he ever pay the price for his unfaithful deeds? ORDDU: While there was certainly a very noble message toward the end, it could have been conveyed in a more straightforward manner. I think some of what was being thrown at the audience went over its head. ORWEN: Still it wasn't a bad movie. But I'd never call it the best live action film Disney ever did. Too many others deserve that honor first.
Originally Posted By utahjosh I absolutely loved it. I'm familiar with the stage production, and find it brilliant. I know it doesn't have the same type of catchy songs you'd find in Tangled or Frozen or Enchanted - it's a different kind of musical. I love the songs for what they are.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: After further reflection, one more aspect of this film comes to mind. I think it would have been best if the story had ended at the point where the prince publically announced his engagement to Cinderella. ORWEN: Yeah because right after that the story takes off in a whole different direction and added another plot that seemed unnecessary. Why not just let everybody live happily ever after--except for the baddies, of course--instead of adding all that other stuff towards the end. ORDDU: Fairy tales are supposed to be escapism. Towards the end they tried to inject too much of the 'real world' into the story and that defeats the purpose of being a fairy tale in the first place.
Originally Posted By magic0214 I would like to announce that I have officially memorized the entire 15 minute prologue. It may be my proudest achievement ever.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip What made the film for me was that it DIDN'T end at the predictable "happily ever after" moment. Not one of Disney's best live action films, but more enjoyable than most in recent memory.
Originally Posted By utahjosh Witches, the entire point of the story is that real life isn't' like a fairy tail. People are held responsible for their choices. Bad things happen. It sounds like you're hoping it was a totally different movie.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Witches, the entire point of the story is that real life isn't' like a fairy tail.>> Precisely. This is the line from "Children Will Listen" that perfectly sums it all up: "Wishes come true, not free."
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I have relatively no experience with the original musical, and really went into the movie with fresh eyes. I thought it was okay, but it didn't blow me away or anything. I didn't find the music particularly great, and I thought there was a bit too much singing. I guess if I had liked the music more I wouldn't have minded the singing as much. It was just okay for me.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Well, my sisters and I got the point the writers were making--about real life not being like a fairy tale. But isn't that obvious to most people already? Why try to make such a point within a story that's supposed to actually be a fairy tale? Seems rather ridiculous to us. Plus there are already so many other movies and stories out there that make this same point all the time--whether intentional or unwittingly. ORWEN: Yeah, I'd rather let the fairy tales make more inspiring points--like true love conquers all...or truth wins out in the end...or the good guys always win. In fairy tales that's usually what happens. We don't need a movie to point out the realities of life, using a fairy tale as a backdrop when we go to enjoy movies about fairy tales for the exact opposite reason. We want to be taken to that land far, far away--not right back to the world of negative realities.
Originally Posted By tonyanton I love the original musical and thought the film was very well done. I find the music very memorable (some songs more than others), but perhaps its from listening to the original cast recording so much. I've listened to the soundtrack to the film and think it will join the original cast on my regular playlist...something the 2002 Broadway revival never did (I enjoyed the production, just not some of the cast as much). For folks thinking there was too much singing, at least four main songs were cut from the original show, plus an assortment of smaller sung pieces sprinkled throughout. Regarding the somber post-Happily Ever After part, the film actually tones down quite a bit, including the original end of Rapunzel's story from the musical (I won't spoil it here for those that don't know). As another poster said though, that is the point of the story here...the mash-up of fairy tales followed by an examination of what happens after, etc.
Originally Posted By tonyanton I love the original musical and thought the film was very well done. I find the music very memorable (some songs more than others), but perhaps its from listening to the original cast recording so much. I've listened to the soundtrack to the film and think it will join the original cast on my regular playlist...something the 2002 Broadway revival never did (I enjoyed the production, just not some of the cast as much). For folks thinking there was too much singing, at least four main songs were cut from the original show, plus an assortment of smaller sung pieces sprinkled throughout. Regarding the somber post-Happily Ever After part, the film actually tones down quite a bit, including the original end of Rapunzel's story from the musical (I won't spoil it here for those that don't know). As another poster said though, that is the point of the story here...the mash-up of fairy tales followed by an examination of what happens after, etc.
Originally Posted By magic0214 That's why I said it was the best, truly. It pulls the curtain behind those happy ever afters in a way that is so true to life (minus an actual giant...). I can't stop listening to album. I walk to my classes on campus, so I play the prologue in the morning and lip-synch it (not knowingly). I get some weird looks, BUT I CAN'T STOP!
Originally Posted By basil fan Into the Woods has never been among my favourite musicals. It's good, as was the movie, IMO, but not something I need to see over and over again. Although I do like pathos, at least sometimes, I find this tale too ambiguous for my taste. Too much singing? Hey, it's a musical, right? The cast was good, except Prince #1 wasn't handsome enough to suit me, considering the role he played. The Parent Trap <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/disney/separated.html">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/...ted.html</a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I saw the film over the weekend and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I had seen a local production of the show a few years ago, and just found the whole thing to be overwhelmingly grey and oppressively bleak (though a well done production). The film certainly doesn't have a happy ending, but it felt like there was a lot more resolution than what I remember from the play In part, I think it really helped to see the giant and the battle. In the live version, they had a booming offstage voice and a floodlight coming in from above to represent the giant (with actors staring up at it, out of sight from the audience), which made it somewhat underwhelming when it was defeated. I think that being able to fully realize their danger and the battle scene helped make it feel like something was accomplished by the end, rather than a continuation of the bleakness While it wasn't my favorite movie I've ever seen, I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting. It still seems like a somewhat odd fit for Disney, but it was well made
