Into the Woods Official Movie Thread — Page 133

Yea Rapunzel's death was definitely cut because of Disney, not because Marshall wanted to.

The death is what makes the Witch say and do all she does the rest of the show. It being changed is a really bad thing. It's like it's not the true Into the Woods.

It's why I wish Disney didn't do this, even though it's Johnny Deep and Rob Marshall's work with Disney that got this film made in the first place.

And if Marshall really changed it because he thought it'd be too comical...he's the director, he could just make it not comical!

Oh, I wish...

Updated On: 11/16/14 at 03:41 PM

"Now the fun starts-- industry screenings start on Thanksgiving Day here on the left coast. We've reserved our seats for the Friday 11-28 7pm screening on the Disney lot. Can't wait. We're avoiding all listens to the released soundtrack clips till then."

Report back with your thoughts!


There will be screenings every week (and eventually every day) in the upcoming weeks

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I think as long as the Witch still "loses" Rapunzel all will be fine. Apparently, the movie is still dark according to those who saw it already.

The reason I find Rapunzel's death change wrong is because it also changes the emotions and motivations of the Witch for the rest of the story than was originally intended.

Your child running from you, saying they never want to see you again, is not the same as seeing your child die before your eyes. Yes, we can debate forever how they are SIMILAR. But they are not the SAME.

This film will have great emotions and power and meaning, but not the same emotions, power, and meaning that the original had. Not the SAME.

The lyrics the Witch will sing, "No matter what you say, children won't listen. No matter what you know, children refuse to learn" won't make as much sense in this film because originally the Witch told Rapunzel not to run (as I remember, correct me if I'm wrong) and then she does and get's trampled to death. That original event really makes a lot of sense with "no matter what you say, children won't listen" and just her dying out in the world is part of the whole "children won't listen" and mentions of "the world" lyrics the Witch sings. But in this film, changed, Rapunzel running away to perhaps find a better life, without the prince (and if she gets stuck with a cheating prince, who may not even be cheating in this film, it's better being a princess in a roomy castle with him who may still love her, even love her even if he cheats on her, than dying, and she could always run away from him) is at odds with Meryl saying Rapunzel should have listened to have a better life. Rapunzel's off to living a better life. Meryl singing that if she listened she'd have a better life makes no sense then.

If I am wrong and Rapunzel does end up having a terrible ending, off crying somewhere, that is less bad and comes close to the film's change being fine. But like I already said, it still won't be the SAME emotions for the Witch. And it changes the sense behind the Witch's "Last Midnight". In that song, though we have debated what happens to the Witch, we know she is leaving the group and probably can't ever be with Rapunzel again (until the ending where maybe their ghosts meet again...). In the original, Rapunzel's death made a lot of sense out of the Witch leaving that world, because there was no one there in that world the Witch cared about anymore. But with Rapunzel still alive, in a way she's leaving Rapunzel.

Sure, Rapunzel saying she never wants to see the Witch again is close to the Witch never getting to see her again, but not the SAME as death which not only means she REALLY CAN'T ever see her again, but her child had the most horrible thing happen to her, and it is more emotionally upsetting for the Witch. Those kinds of feelings for the Witch, all the rest of it, all that won't be in this film.

Updated On: 11/17/14 at 11:54 PM

I don't think this got posted. Sorry if I missed it. This profile of the film offers some interesting details on the recording of the music.




VARIETY - Rob Marshall Boldly Explores Disney’s Take on Twisted Tale ‘Into the Woods’

Updated On: 11/17/14 at 02:00 AM

Agreed with everything MagicalMusical. Taking out her death really sort of screws up the Witch's characterization for act 2. She sings LAST MIDNIGHT because she has no one left in the world. The Witch would never leave the world if Rapunzel was still in it. But whatevs, thanks Disney...jerks.

I will not "STFU" just cause you don't like my opinion. Get over yourself.

I think the audience reaction to Rapunzel's death is an extremely valid point. Even in the original production, it's met with a laugh. It lacks the power of, say, the death of the Baker's Wife- or even Jack's Mother.

Rapunzel has disowned the Witch and runs away with very little, if any, hope of reconciliation. That is just as effective as an off-screen squish.

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Sorry Shakin, I'm on Wildcard, Kad, and TonyaFanatic on this one as they do bring up some very good points. I remember that one of my older cousins did see the original Broadway production and she remembers some light laughing when The Witch reveals that Rapunzel was dead.

So in the end, giving Rapunzel an ambiguous ending and keeping the others deaths was a smart move for James Lapine and Rob Marshall.

I think Rapunzel wandering out into the unknown is definitely more terrifying then her just getting stepped on.

"It's not like Rapunzel even gets her Prince in the end (I would assume, if the "Agony" reprise character beat is carried over in dialogue)."

In the trailer you see her riding off with him on his horse. According to those who have seen the movie, that's the final shot we see of her.

Any idea how to get into those screenings?

Everyone is forgetting that Rapunzel goes crazy and will never have a happy marriage to her prince. The last shot that you see of her may be her on a horse with her prince, but they're riding away into the sunset sunset directly into a miserable life. Hopefully the audience will get that and find her ending incredibly sad.