All in Stage To Screen

Into the Woods - Film Review - Magic Beans Have Expiration Dates

Into the Woods - Film Review - Magic Beans Have Expiration Dates

Mark Robinson
Stage To Screen, Cinematters

I must preface this review by making my readership aware of my deep love affair with the stage musical of Into the Woods. James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim constructed a piece of theatre that was very personal for me and, through myriad viewings of the original Broadway cast, the show has become, not only an emotional outlet for me, but an important influence in how I view and respond to the world. 

It is with a heavy heart, then, that I left the movie theatre this Christmas Day feeling like I was given a very uneven film treatment of Into the Woods. There is a tremendous amount to admire, but there is also a tremendous amount to disappoint. Director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Lapine, in fits and starts, have crafted an Into the Woods that is streamlined and spare, having excised much of the piece's humor, heart, and gravitas in an effort to keep the film moving.  

Stage to Screen - The Original Annie Film

Stage to Screen - The Original Annie Film

Mark Robinson
Stage To Screen

With all of the talk about the revised and updated film version of Annie set to be released on December 19th, 2014, it prompted me to start thinking about the original 1982 film adaptation that I grew up watching. It is true that this version is misguided by director John Huston and the adaptation from stage to screen does nothing to lessen the amount of sugary optimism that comes at you like a molasses enema. I still, however, have a fondness for portions of the film, especially the deliciously droll comedic turns from Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, and Tim Curry.

Into the Woods We're Forced to Grope - Clinging to Our Sense of Hope

Into the Woods We're Forced to Grope - Clinging to Our Sense of Hope

Mark Robinson
Stage To Screen

Is there anything weighing more heavily on the mind of the musical theatre nerd right now than what we are going to get out of our Christmas present this December 25th? For many of us, a film of Into the Woods has been a LONG TIME coming. I don't think that there is a Stephen Sondheim musical with more cinematic possibilities than Into the Woods. The opportunities for cameras to wend their way through gnarled trees and blowing leaves. The reveal of entering a glade to find a beloved character sharing both their wishes and their flaws. The possibility for gorgeous costumes and an art design to rival any Merchant-Ivory film? The amping-up of the orchestrations to augment Jonathan Tunick's already lush, evocative arrangements. A complex, interweaving story, as labyrinthine as the titular woods themselves. An adult approach to fairy tales that makes them fresh, relevant, and deeper in meaning than we could ever hope to extract from any Disney incarnation of our childhood. And what about beanstalks, giants, gilded carriages, doorless towers, and magic, all handled very cleverly onstage but screaming for a chance at cinematic interpretation? Into the Woods should make a wonderful film and there is every reason for us to greet it with both anticipation and  trepidation. Remember: Into the Woods cautions us to be careful what we wish for