I feel kind of bad about reviewing Into the Woods (2014), because I’m a big ball of “meh” about it. Oh, there were some great aspects to it, but those were dragged down by others. However, I’m probably the only one of us to actually see current movies while they’re current, so I thought I should post about it. My review can be summed up as: yes, yes, no, yes.
The Story: Yes
The story is cute! Yes yes, let’s mash up all the fairy tales AND explore their darker sides. I am so totally on board with this. My second favorite fiction genre is fantasy, and I love books that are twisted or fleshed out versions of fairy tales. At least in the West, we’re raised on fairytales. To this day, my copy of Tasha Tudor’s Book of Fairy Tales remains on my bookshelf, as a reminder of the many hours my mother spent reading those to me.
This doesn’t just apply to books, though. I also generally or quite liked Ever After, Ella Enchanted, Maleficent, Mirror Mirror, Snow White and the Huntsman, and most of the Disney movies.
So yes, I liked very much that Into the Woods was all about the fairy tale mash-up AND the darker side of fairy tales. I mean, who doesn’t love things from the original Grimm’s tales, like Sleepy Beauty waking up pregnant with twins, or the ugly step-sisters cutting off toes to fit into the glass slipper?
The Acting: Yes
The performances were very good! Meryl Streep as the Witch, Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, James Corden as the Baker, and Emily Blunt as the Baker’s Wife were all particular standouts. Chris Pine was also entertainingly cheeseball as one of the Princes. I found the characters of Little Red Riding Hood and Jack annoying, but I’m guessing that’s probably the character, not the acting. I did think Johnny Depp was kind of cheeseball as the Wolf, but his part was surprisingly (and thankfully) minimal.
The Music: No
Here’s where we get to it: THE MUSIC SUCKED.
Now, I quite like musical theater. In fact, when I was in high school, I just may have been a total Les Miserables geek. As in, I’ve seen the stage version at least 4 times. I have sung along to the soundtrack probably 100,000,000,000,000,000 times — I could still sing you every note/word if you asked me (don’t ask me). I have seen all of the modern film versions. I also have voluntarily enjoyed many other musicals, including Evita, A Chorus Line, Mamma Mia!, Wicked, Grease, Annie, Mary Poppins, Dreamgirls, The Sound of Music, The King and I, Godspell, and Anything Goes. (Full confession, I think The Phantom of the Opera is crap, and I don’t get the appeal of Rent).
So I have ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM with people randomly bursting into song, or singing their dialogue, or pausing the story to sing a song about their motivation or some flowers. I’m down. (Unless a chandelier is going to fall into the audience while mealy girls sing).
Oh, and I should say that I’ve never seen Into the Woods before this film version.
But this music? IT WAS INTERMINABLE. IT WAS THE SAME SONG, OVER AND OVER OVER. AND OVER. AND OVER. I almost stuck a fork in my ear when the credits came up and we were treated to “INTO THE WOODS INTO THE WOODS” ONE MORE TIME.
I can’t say much more. The singing was passable on the part of the performers. But apparently Sondheim had run out of ideas for melodies, because I REALLY felt like it was one interminable song that never resolved, never crescendoed, never finished, NEVER EVER EVER.
Okay. I have to stop thinking about this music now.
The Costumes: Yes
So here’s the good news. Colleen Atwood’s costumes were STUNNING, and here is your proof that I’m fine with taking historical costume and having fun with it: I LOVE that she twisted and mashed up eras and sometimes went with pretty and sometimes went with crazy! I have NO problem with this when it’s either A) appropriate or B) done well with commitment. Luckily, here we have both, plus Atwood’s incredibly talented skills. Furthermore, given that the film is all about twisting and mashing-up fairy tales, it made perfect sense that Atwood twisted and mashed-up historical eras.
If you’re interested in the costumes, we’ve been posting a ton of news articles to our Facebook page. Here’s a roundup:
(Copied and pasted from Facebook because I will defend Sondheim on ALL the websites!)
I will be posting an article about the costumes on Clothes On Film soon so please add that to your list when it goes up! I’m also writing an article for The Sondheim Review which I believe will come out in June.
I completely disagree about the music! If you want the same song over and over go to Les Mis. Sondheim’s work for Into the Woods is gorgeous, combining traditional aspects of musical theater (big opening and closing numbers, reprises, etc) and putting his own twist on them. He takes different musical themes and develops them as the story and characters evolve. The show is as much about a musical journey as a plot journey. Same for the lyrics, which cleverly twist and turn. His genius is especially evident when there’s a reprise and you can see how the language has subtly shifted to echo plot/character development. The music and lyrics are so layered and complex, and on the surface you may not see it but really studying this show shows Sondheim’s typical genius.
BUT I LOVE LES MIS! Or, at least my 17-year-old self does. I’m sure if I had seen Into the Woods on stage first, especially with the fabulous Bernadette Peters, my opinion would be different.
To be fair I do enjoy Les Mis as much as the next girl, but it’s certainly no Sondheim. The original cast also features the incomparable Joanna Gleason as the Baker’s Wife! And a large wolf peen. I remember watching the video with my parents when I was really little and feeling rather awkward.
Into the Woods is kind of in my blood because my mom photographed the original production. In fact I wouldn’t be here without Sondheim because my parents’ first date was to see Sunday in the Park with George. I came full circle last winter when I was in a concert production of Sunday in the Park, my mom says that both her and my dad cried.
If you haven’t seen it yet, please watch the Bernadette Peters version – many of the songs were cut down (or completely left out) in the movie version, which changes the dynamic entirely and leads to the repetitive monotony. The reprise of the princes’ song alone is worth it, IMO.
Hell, the Bernadette Peters version is worth it because BERNADETTE PETERS. She makes everything awesomer.
And in the Bernadette Peters version, the plotlines aren’t chopped all to hell. (Act 2 got it the worst.)
Oh man, can I just watch the evil stepsisters part? I just love their costumes, it’s like fantasy 18th C a la Ab Fab! Once again the bad girls get the best clothes.
So true, Loren!
I was so not thrilled with the music, but I can’t really blame the actors. They did a beautiful job with what they were working with. But what they were working with sucked monkey butt. All of the imperfect rhyme and the dissonance and repetition… agh!!
YES.
I’m super late in this comment,but have you considered taking a look at the 1991 filmed version of the Broadway Show?
Cinderella and her step family are wearing 1830s style gowns, complete with Apollo Knots for hair.
I’m not so sure about the other characters, I know Jack and his mother had unfortunate bigginses.
I don’t think you can say you love musical theatre when you’re not familiar with Sondheim. He can be an acquired taste for some, but ignorance is no excuse. Les Mis is a half-step above Andrew Lloyd Weber in terms of good musical theatre. That is, it’s schmaltzy and pandering.