Friday 5: 5 Wicked Thoughts (A Sort of Review)

5 Wicked Thoughts

After months of movie hype, we finally saw Wicked (Part 1). Did it live up to the hype? Was it as good as the Broadway show? Was it better? We have thoughts on that... and they may contain spoilers.

1. I loved the nods to The Wizard of Oz.

From the direct references to the film to the explanations of why things are the way they are in the original story, Wicked is both a tribute and an education! Among my favorites are the use of the original film's title font for this film, explaining why the brick road is yellow, and having Elphaba ride a bicycle with a basket that looks a lot like Miss Gulch in the MGM classic.

2. It features some great cameos.

Aside from a main cast full of Broadway people, there are some great cameos for the eagle-eyed theater fan. Both the show's composer and book writer pop up in Emerald City. Did you catch Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman  in "One Short Day"? Or how about former Elphaba Stephanie J. Block greeting Glinda in Munchkinland? Of course, the best cameos - which were really small roles - were Broadway originals, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel as the stars of "Wizomania."

3. Excellent expansion of the stage version.

Speaking of "Wizomania," I loved the way the "show" became a centerpiece of "One Short Day." Kristin and Idina were delightful, and their chemistry was remarkable. They have not lost a thing in the intervening 20 years - Idina's battle cry was a thrill. But the number also provided more backstory on what the Ozians believe about the Wizard's mythology. Another expansion I loved was the whole story and flashback to Elphie's childhood. It explains so much and deepens the characters of both Elphaba and Nessarose (and also their father). Then there's the fuller details and use of the Grimmerie that really heightens our understanding of her powers. There are many things added that genuinely enhanced the whole story, and especially some of the darker themes (the rise of fascism, racism, and a dangerous "other"ism) that would have made the stage version even more compelling. Plot holes are filled, and I think (so far, anyway) I much prefer the film to the show. It didn't feel like 2 hours and 40 minutes to me.

4. The score has never sounded better.

I guess it's not really fair to compare a 23 piece pit orchestra with a symphony orchestra with a 100+ members. Jonathan Beard's orchestrations are gorgeous and the end credits scoring is truly beautiful.

5. The intensity of the film made it feel like an adventure film as much as a musical.

There were several scenes that were very intense in tone, content and visuals. The "No One Mourns the Wicked" sequence was pretty frightening. The intense screams of the Munchkins and the burning of the Wicked Witch in effigy raised the hair on the back of my neck. Then there's the transformation of Chistery into a flying monkey (and all of the others), and Madame Morrible's (Michelle Yeoh) full reveal as an evil sorceress. But I especially loved the build up and filming of the "Defying Gravity" sequence. I think I held my breath through the whole thing!

I could do another Friday 5 on just the cast (I may just do that) - heck, I could do 5 on Jonathan Bailey all by himself. Thanks for reading!