Into the Woods Official Movie Thread- Page 190
Into the Woods Official Movie Thread
Showface
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/14
#4725Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/2/15 at 8:50pm
I noticed more beautifully subtle moments:
How the Wife's ghost was gently touching the baby's head as she sang the No One is Alone reprise
The vermin dropping beneath the Witch's cape when she first appeared
#4726Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/2/15 at 9:18pm
That blog post is probably one of the more laughable things I've read about the movie... and I'm counting posts in this very thread in that.
I mean, this is an actual quote from that blog post:
"If “fans” are so easily accepting these changes, then who knows what may lie in store for us when the Pippin, In The Heights or Wicked movies are eventually released."
It all boils down to "they changed the property I liked so now it sucks." That's it. That's the majority of the fan criticism that I've seen.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#4727Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/2/15 at 10:26pm^ Exactly.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
beautywickedlover
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/07
#4728Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:05amI went back today. Emily Blunt's performance was even more lovely than I remembered and I also enjoyed Anna Kendrick's performance even more. I also noticed that the Wolf had candy in his jacket when trying to convince Little Red Riding Hood to leave the path. I could not tell what it was the first time I saw the movie. I also thought that Meryl's singing was more powerful during this screening.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#4729Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:15amHow old was the Baker when his dad left? Did he have to raise himself?
#4730Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:21am^ I've been asking that myself. Do we know?
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#4731Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:27am
I don't think so. It's vague in both the musical in the movie. The dad in the movie looked super old already back when he stole the beans, so maybe he just died of natural causes. Maybe he was trying to do right by his son after losing his wife and daughter, but the strain was too much. Maybe he went out to get baking supplies and dropped dead one day and the Baker never knew.
Updated On: 1/3/15 at 12:27 AM
#4732Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:39am
I'm surprised the creators haven't given us some light on that topic, or have they before? I do love the line in the musical: "Because the Baker had lost his mother and father in a baking accident—or so he believed." Tom Aldredge's delivery of that line was perfection.
But to go off-topic. Some exciting chart updates.
The soundtrack has hit the iTunes top 5 at #5. It's still #5 on Amazon's top 100 in music chart, and is #7 on Amazon's paid MP3 albums chart.
Updated On: 1/3/15 at 12:39 AM
#4733Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:42am
I didn't see the movie till today, so I was avoiding this thread, then posted this in the Rob Marshall thread.
STRAY QUESTION FIRST: If the Baker knows that Rapunzel is his sister, why doesn't he ever express a desire to meet her?
Here's what I posted in the other thread:
===
I don't think there is anything in my delayed reactions that will be at all remarkable after every other Sondheim lover has weighed in.
I was mostly happy that the various depths and profundities of the lyrics came through, despite the cut songs. And the only one of those I missed was "No More," which I think could have been fashioned into a brilliant solo of self-realization for James Corden, bit it would have required a new set of lyrics by Sondheim.
I loved all the performances except Johnny Depp. James Corden absolutely blew me away--even though I've been a fan of his since History Boys, I didn't think he would THIS good.
All the women were great, from Meryl down to Cinderella's sisters. Lilla Crawford surprised me several times, Chris Pine surprised me in simply rising to the level of the material, Billy Magnussen delighted me with line readings like "Your hair...I like it."
The music sounded magnificent, the movie unfolded as a musical, the fairy tales were tied together at the end, perhaps even more satisfyingly than they are tied together in the stage play.
I really wish he had written a new "No More" for the Baker.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#4734Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:49amHe can meet her in the sequel. That's why she lived.
#4735Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:58am
Speaking of the soundtrack...how do y'all feel about the breakout song from the movie being "Agony"? That seems to be the song everybody's talking about and buying on iTunes. The bootleg video on YouTube has 120,000 views.
Myself, I'm torn. On the one hand, Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen did a great job, Rob Marshall did some fantastic directing, and I'm just happy young girls are putting ANY Sondheim on their iPod.
On the other, I sort of wish the 'breakout' song had been one that has more significance in the show. "Agony" is a great song, but it's sort of unremarkable if you compare it to the pantheon of Sondheim songs - entertaining, sure, but not in the same league as, say, "Send in the Clowns" or "Somewhere".
Everybody's talking about 'Agony' but they're not mentioning 'Children Will Listen' or 'No One is Alone', and it would be nice if they did because those songs are more central to the theme of the movie than a duet by a couple of vain young princes about how difficult it is to get to their girls.
Any thoughts??
Updated On: 1/3/15 at 12:58 AM
#4736Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 1:06am
Sure, "Agony" might be the most popular (and one of of my favorites) on the album, but it's not even on the iTunes top 100 songs. The overall success of the album hitting the top 5 is much more noteworthy than the popularity of "Agony." Given that so many people are purchasing the album, they are certainly being exposed to a lot more than "Agony."
Updated On: 1/3/15 at 01:06 AM
#4737Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 2:01am
The first two times I saw the film "Agony" was the only song to get applause, and that was in two different theaters on two different days. I was taken aback but obviously people have fallen in love with it.
#4738Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 5:58am
It's vague in both the musical in the movie. The dad in the movie looked super old already back when he stole the beans, so maybe he just died of natural causes. Maybe he was trying to do right by his son after losing his wife and daughter, but the strain was too much. Maybe he went out to get baking supplies and dropped dead one day and the Baker never knew.
In the musical, he merely abandons his son though he was told his father died in a baking accident. He does come back into his life as the Mysterious Man and has some interactions with the Baker and aids him in dispelling the curse. Toward the end of Act I the Witch reveals him to be the Baker's long-lost father, and then he drops dead on the spot. So in the stage show, at least, he looks after his on from afar.
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
#4739Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 9:00am
Sondheim's advice to a young director who was about to stage Into the Woods was once: "Get a good prince."
With one cute prince who can hit the notes and nail the comedy, "Agony" is an easy crowdpleaser.
With two cute princes who can hit the notes and nail the comedy--and who bare their chests while splashing in a babbling brook--"Agony" seals the deal with the two key demographics for a movie musical: teenage girls and homosexual men.
What's not to like?
tallybro
Swing Joined: 6/7/12
#4740Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 9:11am
"Yeah, Sondheim has never struck me as a strict non-compromiser. All of his early lessons came from longtime industry professionals who taught him the necessity and value of compromise, starting with Oscar Hammerstein. He's a realist. Realists can be great artists, too."
From the trivia section of Sweeney's movie in imdb:
"Composer Stephen Sondheim, notoriously protective of his stage works, long resisted offers to film this story. When Tim Burton expressed interest, however, Sondheim relented when pleased with Burton's vision for the project and on the condition that the composer would maintain casting approval. Burton would only agree to direct with Johnny Depp in the lead, and though Sondheim feared Depp's vocals would be too "rock oriented," the composer approved the actor after a vocal audition. To approve the casting of Helena Bonham Carter, and to combat any rumor of nepotism (as Carter and Burton were romantically involved), the actress sent Sondheim no less than twelve audition tapes of her singing. Very impressed with her vocals, Sondheim immediately approved the actress. Also, in his recent book about his career as a songwriter, "Finishing the Hat" Sondheim states that this is the only adaptation of one of his works for the screen that he approves of."
Also, Sondheim has never allowed any production of Company to turn Robert gay, even involving lawyers in it from what I've read.
So, he IS protective of his work.
As I posted on the imdb forums, it seems to me from the interviews that Sondheim was a lot more satisfied with Sweeney's movie. He kept saying how Sweeney was the first true adapted musical movie, instead of a film version of the stage version. On the ITW's interviews however, he says stuff like "It's a lovely cast", says great things about Meryl and Marsh, but never says or implies that he liked the movie or not, he simply doesn't mention it. What do you guys think?
#4741Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 9:34amI must say, Chris Pine certainly rips his shirt open with a lot of gusto...
#4742Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 9:55amIt's hard to believe he liked Sweeney when he let Burton horribly direct Helena.
broadwayboy223
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/2/14
#4743Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 10:00amActually Sondheim let Billy Porter direct company with a gay Bobby at some college. I read an article about it.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#4746Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 11:18am
So quick question in a long post: I saw the film the day after Christmas and really loved it. I came home and read the script, which can be found legally here as part of Disney's awards campaign.
https://www.waltdisneystudiosawards.com/downloads/into-the-woods-screenplay.pdf
The final scene with Rapunzel, her prince and the Witch, happens in the script as so.
R’S PRINCE
My darling. Are you all right? Why did
you run off?
RAPUNZEL
I was afraid.
R-PRINCE
You never have to be afraid. Now come
with me.
WITCH
She’s not going with you!
(To RAPUNZEL)
You will come with me.
Now, I didn't remember the line "You never have to be afraid." as being in the movie. When I saw the film again last night, it was, infact, gone. But I have to wonder, why? I like it. It's even used here in this social media image.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-You-Never-Have-To-Be-Afraid-INTO-THE-WOODS-Social-Media-Image-20141228
It is not a big deal, I was just curious as to why it may have been cut? Any ideas?
#4748Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 12:16pm
Actually, Maddie, I wondered the same thing. The only conclusion I can come to is that the script was only a guide and the lines weren't said verbatim.
To me this is OK, because the verbatim dialogue written for Rapunzel and her prince contains a lot of "My darling"s and other sort of contrived lines. Their dialogue in the movie seemed a lot more natural, what little there was of it.
Billy seemed to ad lib a lot - his lines "Bad idea!!" as he's rappeling down Rapunzel's hair, in addition to "Your hair! I like it!" aren't in the script either).
That said, I sort of wish they had used the line too - I like that Rapunzel's prince would say this to her, since it evokes a sincere concern that's the complete opposite of Cinderella's prince's phoniness.
But, my guess is that when they shot the scene Billy just didn't say the line and Rob Marshall liked what he got, so it wasn't used. As you say, it's really odd considering that's the line that got used in his character poster, but that's the way it goes. Rapunzel's prince doesn't actually have any other lines in the movie that would have worked, I don't think. Aside from "Agony", he has maybe half a dozen lines tops.
Updated On: 1/3/15 at 12:16 PM
#4749Official Into the Woods Movie Discussion Thread
Posted: 1/3/15 at 2:30pm
^Yeah, that was the same conclusion I came to.
"Aside from "Agony", he has maybe half a dozen lines tops."
And at least half of them are,"Rapunzel(.)(?)(!)"
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