I'm sure Disney has a carefully planned marketing strategy for this one. I doubt that they're going to change it based on some quotes Sondheim gave (though I'm sure their heads exploded when it became the main headline on IMDB.com and a topic of discussion o numerous outlets). Having said that, I cannot wait for a preview. Still, the movie is a few months apart, so we might not see one in another month or two.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
Stopping to think about it what bothers me is Disney has a history of dressing up misogyny as girl power.
They're into misandry now. That godawful Maleficent didn't have one redeemable male character. They're either portrayed as inherently evil or ineffectual. In fact, the more masculine a character looks (e.g. brawny, facial hair), the more evil he is. Young Stefan and Prince Phillip are still boys/young men, with willowy figures and delicate features, so they're not evil yet; however, Young Stefan is a thief and Phillip is a cipher who can't accomplish his main task (i.e. waking Aurora). There are no positive male characters in this movie. It seems the only way they can make a woman a heroine is to make all the men horrible or inept by comparison. Meanwhile, the inexplicably named Maleficent is totally reformed, and the only "bad" things she does is in retaliation for a man's betrayal and violation of her. Thus, justified.
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
I meant that the male characters are evil for no apparent reason whereas Maleficent is given a reason for why she curses Aurora, which is shown to be just a momentary lapse in judgment. Throughout the film, she's inherently good and looks after the flora and fauna and later Aurora, which goes against the very meaning of her name. (Might as well have renamed her Beneficent.) On the other hand, King Stefan, who is a kind, loving, concerned father in the animated film, is evil in this new reimagining for evil's sake.
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
Thanks BroadwayBenny, but then I don't see how the "Lament" intro makes sense to what Rapunzel got changed to doing in this film. "This is the world I meant, couldn't you listen? Couldn’t you stay content, safe behind walls, as I could not?” doesn’t sound like it fits what Rapunzel does.
It has more to do with what the witch is feeling than what happens to Rapunzel. She lost her daughter, whether she is alive or dead, in the witch's eyes, she failed because she couldn't keep her in the tower
But "This is the world I meant" is referring to the world that killed her. It isn't quite the same if it's the world that just drove her off. It actually means the opposite in that situation, because Rapunzel is better off out of the tower than trapped in it, as opposed to when she is killed where she would have been better off safe in the tower. The Witch's feeling are the same, but the words don't match. Of course, I doubt anyone would think into it so far.
"But "This is the world I meant" is referring to the world that killed her. It isn't quite the same if it's the world that just drove her off"
Exactly. The Witch's downfall may seem anti-climatic if Rapunzel is still living. LAST MIDNIGHT ( assuming it hasn't been gutted and taken out by Disney) won't have the edge that it should have.
Do we know for sure if that line was even kept? I remember when I heard the audio of Meryl it sounded like Rapunzel runs off on her horse and the Witch goes right into: "No matter what you say, children won't listen".
Yes, that audio clip starts off with Rapunzel running away and then the Witch goes into "No matter what you say, children won't listen..." That's the part they've kept.
Or maybe when crazy-Rapunzel finds the Witch, and the Giantress is on the loose destroying everything, that is when the Witch tells her: "This is the world I meant, couldn't you listen? Couldn't you stay content? Safe behind bars..."
And then Rapunzel steals the Prince's horse and the Witch reacts saying: "No matter what you say, children won't listen..."
Maybe, but to me that sounds out of place. "This is the world I meant...." sounds like it should be more about the Witch's loss of the daughter that she loved rather than a "I told you so" to Rapunzel.
I'm glad everyone sees the problem I mean, but I'm also glad to hear maybe the words and lyrics have been changed/removed for there to be no problem at all. Even though I still wish it was like the original show.
By the way, I didn't notice this till now, but in the Original Cast Recording the Witch's Lament includes the lyrics "Now you know what's out there in the world. No one can prepare you for the world. Even I. How could I, who loved you as you were? How could I have shielded you from her? Or them?" But that's not in the video recording of the original cast! Why didn't they include that? It's so integral as well as the most sad, powerful part to me.
^^^ That section was cut during previews and has been removed from all other productions. Also cut was a bunch of "A Very Nice Prince". I was disappointed because it is very powerful, but the show is 3 hours long.
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir
Sally Durant Plummer, the American Playhouse video recording is only 2 hrs. 31 mins.
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
Nice cover. But you said the show is, not was, 3 hours long.
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
Thank you Sally Durant Plummer. That was all very informative and I'm glad you agree with me it was powerful and it's a shame it was cut. I think they could have kept that one part and removed all the others they did and it would be short enough, but oh well.
Updated On: 6/28/14 at 11:43 PM