I’d be curious to see the other takes because Ariana Grande said they did a ton of takes of her with the torch, and that she varied her level of grief in each so I think there was a deliberate choice to use a take where Glinda is doing much better to appear strong, steadfast, and like yes she really is happy/proud that she’s gone and that there are other takes where her sadness and pain isn’t as well hidden. I think it’s a smart director choice as to not overly show the story’s hand to the audience as to how she’s feeling. You can see the pain if you know but her job is to be resolute and good. And she’s good at it and the film wants to show it.
So, a fun fact: According to Kristen Chenoweth (the woman who sang with Idina) who was the original Galinda, the higher Galinda sings, the more she is lying.
@@ulricaandrae4381 lol well, the canonical subtext of that song is how attracted they are to each other, and that isn't hidden or difficult to see, but even textually, it's just them butting heads in their first meeting because they're so different. It's quite obvious how close to each other they become and how much they grow to care for one another. They're both heartbroken about separating at the end of act 1, it's not something they want to do.
Coming in as a fan of the stage musical, this adaptation was almost beat-for-beat identical. They just stretched out the scenes more to give them room to breathe, and most changes they _did_ make from the stage show were honestly for the better imo.
I’ve heard the same from my friend! I haven’t seen the musical but she said that the movie is a lot better paced than the musical as the theatre version tends to have some fast pacing issues
@@RaffaCakey yes i have heard that the first half feels very fast paced, then after intermission it has a sudden pacing drop that can leave the audience feeling a little bored before the big climax. So, seeing that they stretched out some scenes for part 1 of the movie since that felt fast in the play, i'm interested to see how they handle part 2. hope that made sense, and I could be completely wrong about the pacing btw, just what i've heard.
I loved how they both gave Glinda and elphaba a softness and vulnerability. The really silent barely whisper singing at the beginning of “I’m Not That Girl” was breathtaking.
That “he’s beginning to believe” edit was perfect 😂 I’ve seen the movie a few times and STILL get chills every time I see that part of Defying Gravity.
You hit the nail on the head. When I saw it the first time, I literally felt breathless when the credits rolled. I hadn’t felt that in a screening since Argo. I sat there for a few minutes, shaking my head, trying to decompress from all the tension that had built up. I will never forget that feeling. It was special
Man this movie was beautiful, I cried when they danced at the club together, I cried during I’m not that girl, I cried when she saw her reflection falling as a child. So much emotion for 3 hours - and I watch it again and again cuz it’s SO GOOD. Cynthia is my Elphaba
The poppy situation in the classroom is a nice little Easter egg to the original Wizard of Oz film. The Wicked Witch of the West casts a spell on Dorothy and her companions as they cross a field of poppies. If you notice, Dorothy and another character are the only ones who do not fall under the spell. The scene in the classroom is a foreshadowing as to what you can expect in Part 2.
The second it started it panned over the yellow brick road and showed a glimpse of Dorothy and her friends I literally had tears from start to finish, the wizard of oz is so important to me and this movie was incredible!
Great reaction video and review. Watching people who initially think the movie isn't for them and with no background on the play has become one of my favorite things about this movie. To watch as people get slowly pulled in and then being surprisingly affected by it is awesome. I think that many people are very surprised by how relatable and emotional the story is, which is great to see. I love how you told people who may have the same initial thoughts to give it a try, because you know how they felt then and also know how you felt afterwards. Also, the Defying Gravity scene was really well-edited and, you're right...there is something about the way the sound and build-up was constructed that does physically affect you. Plus, there is this moment of complete quiet/no sound right before she inhales and belts out that final line...you can hear a sound almost like someone pulling all of the air out around everything before she sings it. You're the first person I've seen notice it like I did when I saw it in the theater. Hopefully you'll see it sometime in the theater. I saw it in IMAX 2D and it was amazing visually and for the sound. Hope you get to experience that (maybe if they re-release it before Part 2 comes out in November). Definitely worth seeing it on the big screen on so many levels.
🙌 5/5 yaaaas! Nice review. Went to see this with my almost 7r old at the theatre- she looooved it, i looooooved it, we laughed, we cried, and we have re-watched it since, we cant stop singing the songs, it really blew our expectations! Not too many movies these days that have this kind of effect on people. Glad you enjoyed it too! 😊
My friend dragged me to watch this movie while I was whining how I hate musicals and why are we even going there. After the movie I was speechless for a moment. After while I could only say: I f love it
43:15 Let them cry! They've earned it! 😅 The colour saturation was fine with me because that really anchored it in the realistic and gritty world of the Wicked books. Technically Elphaba and her entire family are all Munchkinlanders so they would all have to be played by people with dwarfism if that direction was taken.
I appreciate that at least they gave the Munchkinlanders a unified aesthetics of red or dark curly hair and "peasant" clothing. They definitely looked distinct from the Shiz students and the residents of the Emerald City, even if the representation of people with dwarfism was completely erased.
When the color palette being a bit muted is the worst thing you can say about this film, it definitely deserves a five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great and thoughtful reaction and commentary 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾☺️😎
I actually saw it yesterday in a theater, and yes the music is incredible. I have heard Popular & Defying Gravity for many, many years. I'm glad it was finally adapted for film as I've never had an opportunity to see it on-stage and can finally place the songs in context. As an FYI, the scene when they sing the history of Oz & the Wizard, the two singers, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, were the original Elpheba & Glinda from the stage performance.
I’ve been seeing wicked since 2004, I saw Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth’s understudy I was crying nearly the entire time. I lived in NYC so I’ve seen the show like 25+ times and 14 different Elphaba’s and Cynthia was a perfect casting, I went in totally blind bc I wanted to avoid spoilers. I was floored. This was spectacular and magical exactly what I needed to hear and I’m trying to find my thing to,catch myself. It’s clear how much Ari just loves Glinda so much. I’m looking forward to “No Good Deed” bc I will melt 💚🩷 Also seeing Defying Gravity live and then cut to black for intermission is such a jarring moment and really impactful.. also there’s no green dye or fabrics in Munchkinland. I Thought the desaturation was a nod to the begin of The Wizard of Oz and the sepia tone.
46:30 The Wizard of Oz movie gave people the idea that all Munchkins had dwarfism but in the original books they can be as short as Dorothy or just as tall as the average adult. Also height equates to class status so Munchkins would marry taller to have more influence. They also had children play adult Munchkins. IRONICALLY… Peter Dinklage has advocated against people with dwarfism “only being cast” as characters with dwarfism. Which is why Snow White’s dwarves were changed to CGI dwarves (also dwarves are mythical creatures within the context of Snow White which plays a part in it). So I really think his influence actually ended up causing a lot of harm to his own community because he was most likely only thinking of himself when he said that.
Unfortunately he was and with what was changed for the upcoming Snow White live-action, that really made other actors with dwarfism hate Peter because according to some of them, they had already started auditions for the seven dwarf roles and then when Peter said all of that and made Disney change their mind, they lost out on potentially the roles of their careers that could have brought them their big breaks
It shows the power of the MGM Wizard of Oz. Munchkin came to mean "little people" and the ruby instead of silver shoes. There was a movie that came out called "Under the Rainbow" with Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher in 81 that really stoked the kindle that was a point of controversy with Little People of America because of the "midget" exploitation in cinema going back to the original film. So yeah.. munchkins aren't all little people and all little people don't need to be cast as stereotypical mythical little creatures. Personally, I'm glad we're getting the CGI dwarves that look like the cartoon versions. Real life dwarfism doesn't give you those proportions with huge heads, noses and beards.
For a bit of context with the Munchkin people's size, in the original novel that the 1939 movie is based on, they are described as slightly shorter than the average human, approximately the same size as Dorothy. For the Wizard of Movie it was all about visuals. They were breaking barriers in terms of what had been done on screen. To really emphasize that they were shorter they instead decided to make them little people. The Wicked stage play and movie are based on the Wicked novel by Gregory Maguire. He decided to base the Munchkins on the original "shorter than the average human" description, rather than the 1939 movie version. For the stage play, it's extremely difficult to find a constant supply of little people singing, and dancing actors who could perform on Broadway, touring companies, and international versions. So the play version cast full size humans instead. For the movie, they did attempt to cast short actors as Munchkins, but to ensure little people weren't missing out on roles, they gave them scene's elsewhere in the movie (which you pointed out), and cast Peter Dinklage.
“They’re in a land with talking animals, but they have a problem with her being green?” They hate the animals too. In Elphaba and Nessarose’s family, the animals are the hired help. This is literally the central plot point of the story. Elphaba confronts the Wizard and Madam Morrible about their subjugation of animals, and they demonise her for it. That’s why she’s the “wicked witch”. She stood up to the people who were amassing power by subjugating others, so they started spreading propaganda about her.
Yeah I also think it's funny how commentors talk about Galinda as the rich girl, but forget that Elphaba and Nessarose are literally the governor's daughters. The only way that Elphaba is less priviledged than anyone else as Shiz is because her father is emotionally abusive to her and favors Nessa. It's more accurate to think of her as a class traitor.
@@sandpiperr Fair. Tbh, I think Wicked has a fairly interesting view of popularity - that it's something almost entirely within your own control. Glinda isn't popular because her family is richer than the rest of Shiz, she's popular because she's the kind of girl who knows how to craft her image. Fiyero has immediate attention because he's a prince, but he STAYS popular because he's a hot bad boy who pulls everyone into his orbit. Elphaba is rich and academically successful, but she's green, doesn't try to make friends, picks fights, and sides with the Animals. To be clear, I'm not criticizing Elphie. The whole point of Wicked is that being "unpopular" doesn't make you truly Wicked. But it's a rather unique angle the story takes, and from my memory of high school (Shiz is a university, but tbh it feels much more like high school), it's more accurate. Most kids don't actually care who your parents are, they care if you're fun to be around.
@@thesensiblesupervillain4625 Well...I don't know about enitrely within your control. I do agree that the social dynamics at Shiz don't feel like my experience of university, they feel more like that of grade school. I'd actually say middle school rather than high school! Yes, it's not about who your parents are, but it is about appearances! Let's face it, the reason that Galinda and Fiyero are liked isn't because they're fun. They're actually both the types who, if you know people like them in real life, are...better in small doses, is probably the nice way to put it! It's not because they're rich either because everyone at Schiz is rich. It's because they're hot, and the reason that Elphaba is an outcast is because she's green. Because her apperance deviates from the norm. That's also why Nessarose isn't popular. She's not an outcast the way Elphaba is, but she's overlooked and invisible, because her apperance deviates from the norm. Since her deviation from the norm is in the form of being in a wheelchair it's not socially acceptable to outright bully her they way they do Elphaba, so people just avoid her. Which, in my experience, is totally accurate to grade school! Anything different is bad.
Great overview. For me, this is the movie of the year, and it's nice to see you give it a deserved 5 IMO. Saw the stage show years ago and couldn't remember much of it, but the film was moving, funny and vastly entertaining. It looks as though the standard bias against lighter-in-tone films over heavy dramas during awards season will keep it from doing much at the Oscars, but I'm hoping "Wicked: For Good," which I believe is supposed to be more serious in nature, turns out as well as Part 1, and isn't taken for granted (for actual wins) next year, including Erivo and Grande.
You described the end perfectly.I sat in my seat in the theatre and wept for 10 minutes and I wasn’t alone.The music sucked it out then replaced it is perfectly said.The acting,the choreography,the authenticity.The release was perfectly timed when we needed it most.The leads sang live..I am addicted to the music.. Thanks for not overreacting but lead us on the journey. Music is the universal language.
Quick FYI - "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" -- the book on which the play is based -- predates the publication of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone" by two years. 1995 for Wicked, 1997 for HP:PS/SS. So Shiz existed in publication before Hogwarts.
I've seen discourse from other actors who are little people who have spoke on how amazing it is to have little people cast into ordinary roles, as just everyday people in Emerald City, as opposed to only being cast in stereotypical little person roles.
Great reaction sir!! I live in the Palm Springs area and we are currently having our International Film Festival and this past friday, January 3rd, was the Awards Gala event, which is a smaller scale version of the Academy Awards. Prior to the event the stars arrive on the red carpet and fans can stand across the street and watch the stars arrive. Some stars are nice enough to come over and sign autographs and take pictures. Cynthia , Ariana, and John all came over and patiently greeted us, they were all nice and we loved it!! You might think about going to a film festival some time, they are so much fun for movie fans like us.
After i saw the movie i immediately excused all the weird interviews as well because as far as im concerned Cynthia can do what she wants moving forward 😂
Have literally been stalking your channel for your reaction and I’m watching now! Always nice to see your reactions! This movie was both beautiful and had amazing talent all the way through. Def. Ready for Wicked Part II! 😊
In the book, Boq is described as "an unusually tall munchkin". But there is a reason for him to be tall (maybe not why, exactly, but a reason for it). I won't spoil it.
The other woman you saw with Idina Menzel is Kristin Chenowith. Idina played Elphaba and Kristin played GaLinda in the original Broadway musical. Which was actually adapted from a book. However the book is much darker so they did not really adapt it very well. I also believe the vocal training Ariana got had her channel Kristin's Voice. Especially her singing voice. Ariana dies not normally sing that way. But she is also a Broadway kid. In the end Cynthia blew it out of the water.
Elphaba comes from the phonetic pronunciation of L. F. B. - L. Frank Baum. When Elphaba reaches the cliffs in The Wizard and I, we see bluebirds flying over the rainbow. All the main characters foreshadow things to come; e.g. Boq introduces himself as Boq Woodsman.
omg I needed this so badly, thank you so much for sharing! I have loved Wicked for as long as it has existed, first seeing the stage show when it toured to Toronto in 2005, reading the whole book series, and seeing the Broadway show in NYC where the production value in their dedicated theatre outdoes the touring show in every way. I wanted everyone to love this movie as much as I knew I would and being able to share in the emotions, as well as discovering the insane soundtrack and discovering this backstory with you as your first exposure was so satisfying in that regard. I'm so glad they did everything possible to make this movie a great representation of the stage show, from the set to the incredible casting. Ariana Grande did so much to encompass Galinda's character and, in my opinion, she saved this movie and nobody else would have been an acceptable fit. From fighting to save the iconic "the wizard will see you now!" line in "One Short Day" to insisting that "Popular" be respected as it was originally and not changed to the planned Hip-Hop version Chu wanted, she was the Galinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands, that everyone who loves the stage show needed. Part 2 will have an original song explain the reasons some of these introduced characters make up Dorothy's squad, why the silver slippers are enchanted before they're stolen by Dorothy, etc., and of course will feature the song that will break entire (and probably social media after that) cinemas showings "For Good". Part 1 ended in the perfect spot, right where the stage show would break for intermission and return to and Oz that's done a bit of a fast-forward. I'm so excited for all of, hopefully you will make a similar video for Wicked: For Good! "Similar" because you should consider seeing the second part in a cinema for the full experience. Back, post-commentary: I think the complaints about the dull colours were a bit of a stretch to find something wrong with this otherwise perfect adaptation. The books don't necessarily paint the picture of a bright and cheerful Oz, and for that matter, the Emerald City is just a drab, normal city that locks emerald-lensed glasses onto everyone at the gates so everything seems like it's made of emeralds. They do the round green glasses in the stage show but I'm glad they just went with an actual emerald city for this, it is much more magical and theatrical.
I believe the director mentioned in interviews that he intentionally didn't cast little people as Munchkins because a lot of little people nowadays don't like seeing themselves always being cast as "fantasy/non-human" characters (like Dwarves, Christmas Elves, or Munchkins), because it unintentionally contributes to the mockery/discrimination their community often faces in the real world. Obviously not ALL little people feel that way, but it's currently enough of a controversy within their community that the director felt it might be best to just avoid the issue if possible.
@@FlixTalkhowever, we did see an Ozian in the background of one short day who has dwarfism! there was also another wheelchair user in that song as well
Seeing it for the fourth time in the theater on Thursday. I can’t get enough. It’s so hard not to leave spoilers about who characters are and what happens. I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN SO BADLY LOL
Ok, at the end of your critique, you were talking about Cynthia singing into a microphone, presumably in a studio. They turned the set into a studio. When they were in the tower at the end, they used radio transfer mics as they climbed the stairs...When Cynthia put her hat on in front of the window at the top of the tower, they had installed a microphone in the brim of her black hat. She and Ariana sang that all live....not in a recording studio!!!! That's why you can hear her last intake of breath so clearly right before her "battle cry!" BTW, I've listened to a lot of the interviews by Chiu. That information was from him or one of the sound guys.
The clever audio mixing you hear is because they wanted to sing live during the stunts …so if she was actually flying through the air …how her voice would naturally change with tone. This also helped with the emotion on softer songs ….clever move
Re: Little People as Munchkins - in the book Wicked there are actually two classes of Munchkinlander, essentially. Some are diminuitive in stature, and they frequently refer to Boq as short in the book, while the Thropp sisters are not. It's very much depicted as a class difference, playing into elitism and segregation themes that are very prominant in the novel. I believe it's said at one point that every Munchkin with brains (their words) married into height at some point in their family tree. I do think we should have had more little people in No One Mourns the Wicked, particularly given what we find out in act 2 about certain policies in Munchkinland and this theme of class difference, and how those residents in particular might feel about the death of the Wicked Witch.
I’m not sure why it’s so hard to believe that talking animals exist in this world but also that they don’t like green skin. It’s clear, being green is not common and talking animals are. Besides, discrimination in real life is so arbitrary and random as it is.
How munchkins were described in the Original Wizard of Oz books: " They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age (12), although they were, so far as looks go, many years older." They were cast as little people in the movie, but that isn't how they were described necessarily. A "well-grown" 12yo girl would be roughly 5'2-5'4. The munchkins in this movie are portrayed as being shorter than some of the others, but not as little people, which is faithful to the source text.
And like... it's important to understand what the movie changed about the original material and know that the Broadway musical took from both for it's inspiration, as does this film. The "Jeweled" shoes, for example were changed to "Ruby Slippers" in the movie because they wanted to show of the Color Film technology, but the silver is correct to the book. Just as another example.
The color saturation was a nod to the OG movie which took advantage of the new (at the time) Technicolor. It was also a cinematic choice to really highlight the difference between drab Kansas and the world "over the rainbow."
Interesting you said that you related her experience to the X-Men because in recent interviews she's came out and said that she would love to play storm in upcoming X-Men movies. And there are even some reports that marvel has approached her looking to cast her in the MCU
Some fun facts according to what I saw on Twitter: 1) Steve Martin and Bryan Cranston were considered for the wizard. 2) Amy Adams, Amanda Seyfried, and Anne Hathaway were considered for Glinda. 3) Sheryl Lee Ralph (Barbara on “Abbott Elementary”), Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca on “Ted Lasso”), and Imelda Staunton (Umbridge in Harry Potter) were considered for Madame Morrible.
Sheryl Lee Ralph had also already played Madame Morrible on Broadway, loved Michelle Yeoh but I can’t ant help but imagine how good Sheryl would’ve been in this.
I think part of the problem is that some people confuse Braum's story with McGuire's. McGuire is a student of children's literature and his choices were purposeful.
It's better on the second viewing because I noticed things I missed the first time. For example, I love that Madame Morrible tells Elphaba that she could only decipher one or two words from the Grimmerie & in the One Short Day number, the hologram of the Wizard repeats the same word over & over again. In regards to the Munchkins, I totally get the nostalgia of wanting them to be a certain size. Peter Dinklage was involved with the film & he's personally very against casting little people in those kind of roles because he believes it reinforces negative stereotypes. He made a big deal about the upcoming Snow White film's dwarves of not wanting little people cast, which is why the film uses CGI dwarves that look horrible IMO. No hate to Peter Dinklage - I love him & he has the right to his opinion. I just hate the look of the dwarves I've seen the trailer. Jon Chu worked with Marissa Bode to make sure the entire production was inclusive & accessible for her & Cesily Taylor, who played the younger version of her character. I can only imagine Chu took Peter Dinklage's views into account when creating the film. I also don't want to spoil anything, but it's actually very important in the second half that Boq be normal sized. I know Ariana & Cynthia were emotional during the interviews & it gave a bad impression to a lot of people. A lot of those interviews were right after the US election, which made many people more emotional than they'd normally be. I love how bonded they are from this experience together & thought they CRUSHED their roles. Elphaba has been my favorite character for almost 20 years from now. I expected Ariana's singing to be excellent, but her acting blew me away, & I want worship Cynthia now -- her voice is like butter & her acting seemed effortless. I'm someone who loves to critiques things to death, so I could definitely find things that I'd do differently (like the color grading or the lighting issues), but I think the film is a wonderful experience overall. I don't think it was the best film of 2024, but it was definitely my favorite. Thanks for sharing your reactions. It was really fun. I can't wait for part 2!
I was very nervous about this after seeing it on Broadway! But this was done amazingly. You muted hey 3 battle cry at the end though, lol why? Hamilton in Disney+ is also an AMAZING musical. It's from the stage but it's freakin phenomenal.
There was a warning at the video's start informing us that a lot of the music had to be muted to avoid copyright strikes. I imagine that the battle cry would be a very easy target for whatever program it is that UA-cam uses to identify possible copyright strikes to look for.
I’m sure someone else has mentioned it but Munchkins varied in height in the OZ books and in the Wicked book height was a status symbol in munchkin land. The munchkins all having Dwarfism was another of the changes MGM made.
How different is the film from the stage play? It changes a few minor things but follows the music and story to perfection. It's one of the best and most accurate musical to film adaptations I've ever seen.
You’re gonna LOVE part two!! I’ve seen the stage musical twice and I love act 2! Act one is the prequel. NO SPOILERS I PROMISE Then part two is gonna take place 5 years later and start off right before Dorothy the show what’s going on behind the scenes while Dorothy is there up to the melting! You’re gonna love it!
I originally saw the Wizard of Oz in its third release in 1955, but being only five at the time, I only remember the tornado - of which I was terrified of, despite living in Queens, NY. A couple of years later, the very first book I ever read was Ozma of Oz, the third book by L. Frank Baum in the series. It also had the original numerous fabulous John Neill illustrations, showing how Baum envisioned his characters. Later on, I read the first few books, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy & the Wizard of Oz. The guy had the zaniest imagination. For instance, in the first book, the Tin Woodsman relates how he came to be. He was in love with a Munchkin girl, but in order to keep from losing a good servant, the Wicked Witch of the West enchants his axe. Each time he uses it, he cuts off another part of his body but is able to get a local tinsmith fashion him a prosthetic replacement until he is all tin. But the tinsmith forget to fashion him a heart. Without that, he no longer loved the Munchkin girl and forgets all about her. The Wizard actually gives him a heart in the book (although like the MGM movie, he doesn't seem to need it to be kind). But in a later book, the appropriately named Tin Woodsman of Oz, after telling his origin story to a young boy, the boy asks how come after he got his heart, he didn't go find the girl and marry her. This starts him on a quest to find her. Along the way, he and boy encounter a rusted motionless tin soldier. The soldier, after being oiled up, tells of the same experience when he fell in love with the same girl after the tin woodsman goes off. The three of them finally find the tinsmith. Come to find out, he saved all their original body parts. In one cabinet, the tin woodsman finds his original head, and the two of them have a conversation. The tinsmith had at one point fashioned a "meat" man out of the parts of both, giving him the tin soldier's head. The frankenstein creation woos the Munchkin girl and they marry and are very happy. I have yet to see Wicked but I've read the plot. The MGM movie departs from the original story in many ways, and it seems Wicked comes up with yet something new, with roots in the books and the MGM story. For my tastes, while I do love the MGM movie, another favorite of mine is Disney's 1985 Return to Oz. It was panned at the time as being too scary for kids, and most people were upset because it wasn't really a sequel to the MGM movie. (MGM had purchased the rights to the first book and Disney, all the rest. Disney had to very careful NOT to step on MGM's version. Disney did pay a ton to money to reuse the ruby slippers.) Return is based very closely on a blend of Ozma of Oz with bits from Land of Oz. If you haven't read the books, you might be freaked out by the characters and events in this movie. Many Oz fans feel, however, this is a sort of love letter to the books. Also, the books have long been in the public domain. You can find a copy for free on Google books - try to find one with the original illustrations. As YOUNG children's books, they are actually somewhat sort and a very easy read. I also strongly suggest you watch and react to Return to Oz. In the first book, there are FOUR witches. The Good Witch of the North (who looks like gray-haired grandma) send Dorothy to the Emerald City. We NEVER hear from her again in any of the books (I think) and we never learn her name. The Wicked Witch of the West is NOT green, looks nothing like Margaret Hamilton, carries an umbrella (to keep from getting wet) instead of a broom. There is also Glinda, the Good Witch of the SOUTH who eventually sends Dorothy home. She does have red hair (like the Billie Burke version) but not the fluffy gown nor the bubble transportation. She does appear every so often in the sequels, but it is the rightful heir to the throne, Ozma, who is the dominate character in every book after she is introduced. You are right - being green is not a big deal in the Oz of Baum's creation, which included Jack Pumpkinhead (the direct inspiration for Tim Burton for his Jack in the Nightmare Before Christmas), a wind-up mechanical man (Tik-Tok), an human-sized bug (Professor HM Wogglebug, TE - Highly-Magnified and Thoroughly-Educated), a boy with 20 legs like a caterpillar (Tommy Kwikstep), human-like creatures who travel on four wheel (the Wheelers), and the Gump, a pair of couches, with a Gump head, palm fronds for wings, and a broomstick for a tail, who flies. Also a princess who has interchangeable heads.
Glad you saw it its very faithful to play or should say musical saw it in Sanfranciso back in 2009 when saw poster wicket had come home so i know premier in Sanfranciso and then move to Broadway in 2003 for me its story of two witches gone to cinema in dublin .done so beautiful that gives more time tell full story were play happens so quick love your review on wicket
Compared to most people I know, I think I’m one of the few odd ones out who did not like the movie version. I have seen the show on Broadway numerous times and love it on stage. A friend dragged me to the movie and afterwards told him I wasn’t impressed with the movie at all, that I’d rather spend the $300 for premium Broadway tickets before I’d spend the $10 for a movie ticket again.
I saw the stage play like 3 days after seeing this... AND I SHOULD'VE SEEN THE STAGE PLAY FIRST!?!?! There's just absolutely NO ONE who will compare with whatever local troop I saw do it... Ariana Grande was simply MINDBLOWING AND PHENOMENAL IN THIS!!!!
The munchkins in the book are not little people, they're just short. Their is a character in the book who is is a little person though. I haven't seen the play so I don't know if he'll be in the second half. He's the guardian of The Clock if the Time Dragon. It's mentioned in the first scene.
To answer your question, I think this was an incredibly faithful adaptation of the Broadway show. I've seen the play 4 times and I can tell you that much of the dialogue in the film is taken verbatim from the stage show. The play itself is an adaptation of the 1995 book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. The book, however is much, *much* darker. There is a lot of sex and profanity so it was lightened up considerably for the stage to make it more family friendly.
Just to add to your discussion about the (lack of) little people in this film... In the books, the munchkins of Munchkinland are (on average) a few inches shorter than non-munchkins. This is because of taller people integrating into Munchkinland and genetically diversifying the population. In the books, there were still SOME people that were much shorter than average, but that was the minority since there were so many that had been genetically mixed with taller people. So the film was at least accurate in its portrayal :)
listening to you describe how it felt to hear her sing defying gravity i was thinking to myself “this is a straight man experiencing being gagged for the first time. congrats on the new gay terminology, you were gagged by her performance.”
In the original book of Wicked the munchkins were not represented as little people so John M. Chu chose to cast normal sized actors to pay homage to the original
46:23 munchkins weren’t actually dwarfs in the books, and ironically, peter dinklage is a big reason why little people don’t get cast as “munchkins”💀 I wouldn’t be surprised if the reason they did hire a few actual adults with dwarfing, though I think most of the munchkins in the wizard of oz were actually children, was so that they could pay them little to nothing
Boq; I would do anything for you AND HE DID. HE LEFT HIS FAMILY.HIS BABY stawwwwpppppppp😭😭💀💀💀 On a Serious Note, Wicked is my favorite musical and I love that it was handled by people who love the material as well! Favorite movie of 2024 and I hope that part two will be my favorite movie of 2025💖💚
The munchkins are the EXACT height they should’ve been. In every book, writing, and play of The Wizard of Oz and Wicked they are the SAME HEIGHT as DORTHY. The film “The Wizard of Oz” did not follow the story in many ways. The height of the munchkins, the color of the shoes, even the appearance of most of the characters- it is one of the worst book to film renditions that exists.
First there is the book Wicked - life and times of Wicked Witch of the west, than musical, and here we have musical adapted to the film. Musical change some things that are in the book, but its made very well. Well book is darker. Sorry for my english.
I think they didn’t want the Munchkins to be little people for multiple reasons. Firstly, it wouldn’t make sense for Boq to be little when it comes to the events of part 2. Secondly, the Munchkins in the original movie were played by little people for comedy. It wasn’t respectful.
Watch again,and pay attention to Glinda's eyes. She is putting up a front. She is actually sad her best friend has died. They never hated each other.
Yep, the start of a great performance- Grande is very funny as so many are mentioning, but she's also heartbreaking by the end of the movie.
….yes, died…………..
Well they did hate each other at first.
I’d be curious to see the other takes because Ariana Grande said they did a ton of takes of her with the torch, and that she varied her level of grief in each so I think there was a deliberate choice to use a take where Glinda is doing much better to appear strong, steadfast, and like yes she really is happy/proud that she’s gone and that there are other takes where her sadness and pain isn’t as well hidden. I think it’s a smart director choice as to not overly show the story’s hand to the audience as to how she’s feeling. You can see the pain if you know but her job is to be resolute and good. And she’s good at it and the film wants to show it.
@@Hey_Jamie 👀 😗
So, a fun fact: According to Kristen Chenoweth (the woman who sang with Idina) who was the original Galinda, the higher Galinda sings, the more she is lying.
Glinda doesn’t hate her in the beginning she’s hiding how she really feels because she has to
Well, the loathing song says differently?
She doesn't have to. She chooses to be on the side of evil because it benefits her.
@@ulricaandrae4381 lol well, the canonical subtext of that song is how attracted they are to each other, and that isn't hidden or difficult to see, but even textually, it's just them butting heads in their first meeting because they're so different. It's quite obvious how close to each other they become and how much they grow to care for one another. They're both heartbroken about separating at the end of act 1, it's not something they want to do.
@ I know they are. But my interpretation is that they don’t like each other in the beginning bc they are both prejudice.
@@ulricaandrae4381 he was talking about Glinda in No One Mourns the Wicked
Coming in as a fan of the stage musical, this adaptation was almost beat-for-beat identical. They just stretched out the scenes more to give them room to breathe, and most changes they _did_ make from the stage show were honestly for the better imo.
I’ve heard the same from my friend! I haven’t seen the musical but she said that the movie is a lot better paced than the musical as the theatre version tends to have some fast pacing issues
@@RaffaCakey yes i have heard that the first half feels very fast paced, then after intermission it has a sudden pacing drop that can leave the audience feeling a little bored before the big climax. So, seeing that they stretched out some scenes for part 1 of the movie since that felt fast in the play, i'm interested to see how they handle part 2.
hope that made sense, and I could be completely wrong about the pacing btw, just what i've heard.
I loved how they both gave Glinda and elphaba a softness and vulnerability. The really silent barely whisper singing at the beginning of “I’m Not That Girl” was breathtaking.
I love how much they changed Nessarose's scenes to update the ableist language, too.
That “he’s beginning to believe” edit was perfect 😂 I’ve seen the movie a few times and STILL get chills every time I see that part of Defying Gravity.
💯 I felt it too👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾☺️😎
Omg, that edit killed me.
Yes! A very funny edit indeed. 😂❤
You hit the nail on the head. When I saw it the first time, I literally felt breathless when the credits rolled. I hadn’t felt that in a screening since Argo. I sat there for a few minutes, shaking my head, trying to decompress from all the tension that had built up. I will never forget that feeling. It was special
Man this movie was beautiful, I cried when they danced at the club together, I cried during I’m not that girl, I cried when she saw her reflection falling as a child. So much emotion for 3 hours - and I watch it again and again cuz it’s SO GOOD. Cynthia is my Elphaba
This comment has me weak. Not them dancing at the club 🤣🤣
In the club 😂😂😂
Not the club 😭
Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith were the original Elphaba and Glinda in the Broadway version.
I'm surprised he did say Elsa 😂😂😂 that's where people usually go first.
THEY DON'T HATE EACH OTHER! THEY BECOME BEST FRIENDS.
The poppy situation in the classroom is a nice little Easter egg to the original Wizard of Oz film. The Wicked Witch of the West casts a spell on Dorothy and her companions as they cross a field of poppies. If you notice, Dorothy and another character are the only ones who do not fall under the spell. The scene in the classroom is a foreshadowing as to what you can expect in Part 2.
The second it started it panned over the yellow brick road and showed a glimpse of Dorothy and her friends I literally had tears from start to finish, the wizard of oz is so important to me and this movie was incredible!
They sung live, also Cynthia sang while in a harness and flying and was able to sound so amazing.... she nailed it
Great reaction video and review. Watching people who initially think the movie isn't for them and with no background on the play has become one of my favorite things about this movie. To watch as people get slowly pulled in and then being surprisingly affected by it is awesome. I think that many people are very surprised by how relatable and emotional the story is, which is great to see. I love how you told people who may have the same initial thoughts to give it a try, because you know how they felt then and also know how you felt afterwards.
Also, the Defying Gravity scene was really well-edited and, you're right...there is something about the way the sound and build-up was constructed that does physically affect you. Plus, there is this moment of complete quiet/no sound right before she inhales and belts out that final line...you can hear a sound almost like someone pulling all of the air out around everything before she sings it. You're the first person I've seen notice it like I did when I saw it in the theater.
Hopefully you'll see it sometime in the theater. I saw it in IMAX 2D and it was amazing visually and for the sound. Hope you get to experience that (maybe if they re-release it before Part 2 comes out in November). Definitely worth seeing it on the big screen on so many levels.
🙌 5/5 yaaaas! Nice review. Went to see this with my almost 7r old at the theatre- she looooved it, i looooooved it, we laughed, we cried, and we have re-watched it since, we cant stop singing the songs, it really blew our expectations! Not too many movies these days that have this kind of effect on people. Glad you enjoyed it too! 😊
My friend dragged me to watch this movie while I was whining how I hate musicals and why are we even going there. After the movie I was speechless for a moment. After while I could only say: I f love it
43:15 Let them cry! They've earned it! 😅
The colour saturation was fine with me because that really anchored it in the realistic and gritty world of the Wicked books.
Technically Elphaba and her entire family are all Munchkinlanders so they would all have to be played by people with dwarfism if that direction was taken.
I appreciate that at least they gave the Munchkinlanders a unified aesthetics of red or dark curly hair and "peasant" clothing. They definitely looked distinct from the Shiz students and the residents of the Emerald City, even if the representation of people with dwarfism was completely erased.
When the color palette being a bit muted is the worst thing you can say about this film, it definitely deserves a five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great and thoughtful reaction and commentary 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾☺️😎
this was a great reaction, I saw it in the theatre and your right the sound was AMAZING and touching.
I actually saw it yesterday in a theater, and yes the music is incredible. I have heard Popular & Defying Gravity for many, many years. I'm glad it was finally adapted for film as I've never had an opportunity to see it on-stage and can finally place the songs in context.
As an FYI, the scene when they sing the history of Oz & the Wizard, the two singers, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, were the original Elpheba & Glinda from the stage performance.
I’ve been seeing wicked since 2004, I saw Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth’s understudy I was crying nearly the entire time. I lived in NYC so I’ve seen the show like 25+ times and 14 different Elphaba’s and Cynthia was a perfect casting, I went in totally blind bc I wanted to avoid spoilers. I was floored. This was spectacular and magical exactly what I needed to hear and I’m trying to find my thing to,catch myself. It’s clear how much Ari just loves Glinda so much. I’m looking forward to “No Good Deed” bc I will melt 💚🩷
Also seeing Defying Gravity live and then cut to black for intermission is such a jarring moment and really impactful.. also there’s no green dye or fabrics in Munchkinland. I Thought the desaturation was a nod to the begin of The Wizard of Oz and the sepia tone.
46:30 The Wizard of Oz movie gave people the idea that all Munchkins had dwarfism but in the original books they can be as short as Dorothy or just as tall as the average adult. Also height equates to class status so Munchkins would marry taller to have more influence. They also had children play adult Munchkins.
IRONICALLY… Peter Dinklage has advocated against people with dwarfism “only being cast” as characters with dwarfism. Which is why Snow White’s dwarves were changed to CGI dwarves (also dwarves are mythical creatures within the context of Snow White which plays a part in it).
So I really think his influence actually ended up causing a lot of harm to his own community because he was most likely only thinking of himself when he said that.
Unfortunately he was and with what was changed for the upcoming Snow White live-action, that really made other actors with dwarfism hate Peter because according to some of them, they had already started auditions for the seven dwarf roles and then when Peter said all of that and made Disney change their mind, they lost out on potentially the roles of their careers that could have brought them their big breaks
Honestly Peter really fucked up on that end. Dwarfism could be a lot more normalised now if it wasn’t for his input but here we are
It shows the power of the MGM Wizard of Oz. Munchkin came to mean "little people" and the ruby instead of silver shoes. There was a movie that came out called "Under the Rainbow" with Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher in 81 that really stoked the kindle that was a point of controversy with Little People of America because of the "midget" exploitation in cinema going back to the original film. So yeah.. munchkins aren't all little people and all little people don't need to be cast as stereotypical mythical little creatures. Personally, I'm glad we're getting the CGI dwarves that look like the cartoon versions. Real life dwarfism doesn't give you those proportions with huge heads, noses and beards.
Can confirm that Defying Gravity in IMAX sold out opening weekend I literally thought I could float out of my seat. Insanely powerful.
For a bit of context with the Munchkin people's size, in the original novel that the 1939 movie is based on, they are described as slightly shorter than the average human, approximately the same size as Dorothy. For the Wizard of Movie it was all about visuals. They were breaking barriers in terms of what had been done on screen. To really emphasize that they were shorter they instead decided to make them little people. The Wicked stage play and movie are based on the Wicked novel by Gregory Maguire. He decided to base the Munchkins on the original "shorter than the average human" description, rather than the 1939 movie version. For the stage play, it's extremely difficult to find a constant supply of little people singing, and dancing actors who could perform on Broadway, touring companies, and international versions. So the play version cast full size humans instead. For the movie, they did attempt to cast short actors as Munchkins, but to ensure little people weren't missing out on roles, they gave them scene's elsewhere in the movie (which you pointed out), and cast Peter Dinklage.
“They’re in a land with talking animals, but they have a problem with her being green?”
They hate the animals too. In Elphaba and Nessarose’s family, the animals are the hired help.
This is literally the central plot point of the story. Elphaba confronts the Wizard and Madam Morrible about their subjugation of animals, and they demonise her for it. That’s why she’s the “wicked witch”. She stood up to the people who were amassing power by subjugating others, so they started spreading propaganda about her.
Well yeah , I found that out later lol
Yeah I also think it's funny how commentors talk about Galinda as the rich girl, but forget that Elphaba and Nessarose are literally the governor's daughters.
The only way that Elphaba is less priviledged than anyone else as Shiz is because her father is emotionally abusive to her and favors Nessa.
It's more accurate to think of her as a class traitor.
@@sandpiperr Fair. Tbh, I think Wicked has a fairly interesting view of popularity - that it's something almost entirely within your own control. Glinda isn't popular because her family is richer than the rest of Shiz, she's popular because she's the kind of girl who knows how to craft her image. Fiyero has immediate attention because he's a prince, but he STAYS popular because he's a hot bad boy who pulls everyone into his orbit. Elphaba is rich and academically successful, but she's green, doesn't try to make friends, picks fights, and sides with the Animals. To be clear, I'm not criticizing Elphie. The whole point of Wicked is that being "unpopular" doesn't make you truly Wicked. But it's a rather unique angle the story takes, and from my memory of high school (Shiz is a university, but tbh it feels much more like high school), it's more accurate. Most kids don't actually care who your parents are, they care if you're fun to be around.
@@thesensiblesupervillain4625 Well...I don't know about enitrely within your control.
I do agree that the social dynamics at Shiz don't feel like my experience of university, they feel more like that of grade school. I'd actually say middle school rather than high school!
Yes, it's not about who your parents are, but it is about appearances!
Let's face it, the reason that Galinda and Fiyero are liked isn't because they're fun. They're actually both the types who, if you know people like them in real life, are...better in small doses, is probably the nice way to put it!
It's not because they're rich either because everyone at Schiz is rich.
It's because they're hot, and the reason that Elphaba is an outcast is because she's green. Because her apperance deviates from the norm.
That's also why Nessarose isn't popular. She's not an outcast the way Elphaba is, but she's overlooked and invisible, because her apperance deviates from the norm. Since her deviation from the norm is in the form of being in a wheelchair it's not socially acceptable to outright bully her they way they do Elphaba, so people just avoid her.
Which, in my experience, is totally accurate to grade school!
Anything different is bad.
@@sandpiperr You're 100% correct, and I don't really have anything to add. Very well said
Great overview. For me, this is the movie of the year, and it's nice to see you give it a deserved 5 IMO. Saw the stage show years ago and couldn't remember much of it, but the film was moving, funny and vastly entertaining. It looks as though the standard bias against lighter-in-tone films over heavy dramas during awards season will keep it from doing much at the Oscars, but I'm hoping "Wicked: For Good," which I believe is supposed to be more serious in nature, turns out as well as Part 1, and isn't taken for granted (for actual wins) next year, including Erivo and Grande.
You described the end perfectly.I sat in my seat in the theatre and wept for 10 minutes and I wasn’t alone.The music sucked it out then replaced it is perfectly said.The acting,the choreography,the authenticity.The release was perfectly timed when we needed it most.The leads sang live..I am addicted to the music.. Thanks for not overreacting but lead us on the journey. Music is the universal language.
Quick FYI - "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" -- the book on which the play is based -- predates the publication of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone" by two years. 1995 for Wicked, 1997 for HP:PS/SS. So Shiz existed in publication before Hogwarts.
I've seen discourse from other actors who are little people who have spoke on how amazing it is to have little people cast into ordinary roles, as just everyday people in Emerald City, as opposed to only being cast in stereotypical little person roles.
Great reaction sir!! I live in the Palm Springs area and we are currently having our International Film Festival and this past friday, January 3rd, was the Awards Gala event, which is a smaller scale version of the Academy Awards. Prior to the event the stars arrive on the red carpet and fans can stand across the street and watch the stars arrive. Some stars are nice enough to come over and sign autographs and take pictures. Cynthia , Ariana, and John all came over and patiently greeted us, they were all nice and we loved it!! You might think about going to a film festival some time, they are so much fun for movie fans like us.
The performer opposite Idina Menzel is Tony, Emmy and Grammy award-winning Kristen Chenowith.
After i saw the movie i immediately excused all the weird interviews as well because as far as im concerned Cynthia can do what she wants moving forward 😂
Have literally been stalking your channel for your reaction and I’m watching now! Always nice to see your reactions! This movie was both beautiful and had amazing talent all the way through. Def. Ready for Wicked Part II! 😊
In their world, animals always talked. So it is not out of the ordinary. To us, it is strange.
In the book, Boq is described as "an unusually tall munchkin". But there is a reason for him to be tall (maybe not why, exactly, but a reason for it). I won't spoil it.
🤔😮
🤖
@@GessAttidon't spoil it for people with completely unsubtle hints
The other woman you saw with Idina Menzel is Kristin Chenowith. Idina played Elphaba and Kristin played GaLinda in the original Broadway musical. Which was actually adapted from a book. However the book is much darker so they did not really adapt it very well.
I also believe the vocal training Ariana got had her channel Kristin's Voice. Especially her singing voice. Ariana dies not normally sing that way. But she is also a Broadway kid.
In the end Cynthia blew it out of the water.
This was beautiful to watch. Thank you for sharing your reaction with us💞
I actually took my mom and sister to see the movie in IMAX the day before Thanksgiving. The movie was so worth seeing in IMAX!
Elphaba comes from the phonetic pronunciation of L. F. B. - L. Frank Baum. When Elphaba reaches the cliffs in The Wizard and I, we see bluebirds flying over the rainbow. All the main characters foreshadow things to come; e.g. Boq introduces himself as Boq Woodsman.
omg I needed this so badly, thank you so much for sharing! I have loved Wicked for as long as it has existed, first seeing the stage show when it toured to Toronto in 2005, reading the whole book series, and seeing the Broadway show in NYC where the production value in their dedicated theatre outdoes the touring show in every way. I wanted everyone to love this movie as much as I knew I would and being able to share in the emotions, as well as discovering the insane soundtrack and discovering this backstory with you as your first exposure was so satisfying in that regard. I'm so glad they did everything possible to make this movie a great representation of the stage show, from the set to the incredible casting. Ariana Grande did so much to encompass Galinda's character and, in my opinion, she saved this movie and nobody else would have been an acceptable fit. From fighting to save the iconic "the wizard will see you now!" line in "One Short Day" to insisting that "Popular" be respected as it was originally and not changed to the planned Hip-Hop version Chu wanted, she was the Galinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands, that everyone who loves the stage show needed. Part 2 will have an original song explain the reasons some of these introduced characters make up Dorothy's squad, why the silver slippers are enchanted before they're stolen by Dorothy, etc., and of course will feature the song that will break entire (and probably social media after that) cinemas showings "For Good". Part 1 ended in the perfect spot, right where the stage show would break for intermission and return to and Oz that's done a bit of a fast-forward. I'm so excited for all of, hopefully you will make a similar video for Wicked: For Good! "Similar" because you should consider seeing the second part in a cinema for the full experience. Back, post-commentary: I think the complaints about the dull colours were a bit of a stretch to find something wrong with this otherwise perfect adaptation. The books don't necessarily paint the picture of a bright and cheerful Oz, and for that matter, the Emerald City is just a drab, normal city that locks emerald-lensed glasses onto everyone at the gates so everything seems like it's made of emeralds. They do the round green glasses in the stage show but I'm glad they just went with an actual emerald city for this, it is much more magical and theatrical.
9:44 I can’t believe you said this and didn’t edit in the famous part from Mean Girls of Damien in the crowd going “She doesn’t even go here!” Ahahah
he put it in earlier in the video lol
My bro was fighting tears hard at the end of Defying Gravity lol
I believe the director mentioned in interviews that he intentionally didn't cast little people as Munchkins because a lot of little people nowadays don't like seeing themselves always being cast as "fantasy/non-human" characters (like Dwarves, Christmas Elves, or Munchkins), because it unintentionally contributes to the mockery/discrimination their community often faces in the real world. Obviously not ALL little people feel that way, but it's currently enough of a controversy within their community that the director felt it might be best to just avoid the issue if possible.
Interesting. I've seen interviews with the opposing views. I wish they would let those actors decide for themselves if it's appropriate or not .
@@FlixTalkhowever, we did see an Ozian in the background of one short day who has dwarfism! there was also another wheelchair user in that song as well
Seeing it for the fourth time in the theater on Thursday. I can’t get enough. It’s so hard not to leave spoilers about who characters are and what happens. I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN SO BADLY LOL
Ok, at the end of your critique, you were talking about Cynthia singing into a microphone, presumably in a studio. They turned the set into a studio. When they were in the tower at the end, they used radio transfer mics as they climbed the stairs...When Cynthia put her hat on in front of the window at the top of the tower, they had installed a microphone in the brim of her black hat. She and Ariana sang that all live....not in a recording studio!!!! That's why you can hear her last intake of breath so clearly right before her "battle cry!" BTW, I've listened to a lot of the interviews by Chiu. That information was from him or one of the sound guys.
I've loved the books, seen, and loved the play, and now the movie. Can't wait for part 2.❤❤❤ .
Me too
Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenewith are the original Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway!
The clever audio mixing you hear is because they wanted to sing live during the stunts …so if she was actually flying through the air …how her voice would naturally change with tone. This also helped with the emotion on softer songs ….clever move
Definitely will be here for part II reaction 😍. I'm excited to see You discover everything that comes ahead.
Re: Little People as Munchkins - in the book Wicked there are actually two classes of Munchkinlander, essentially. Some are diminuitive in stature, and they frequently refer to Boq as short in the book, while the Thropp sisters are not. It's very much depicted as a class difference, playing into elitism and segregation themes that are very prominant in the novel. I believe it's said at one point that every Munchkin with brains (their words) married into height at some point in their family tree. I do think we should have had more little people in No One Mourns the Wicked, particularly given what we find out in act 2 about certain policies in Munchkinland and this theme of class difference, and how those residents in particular might feel about the death of the Wicked Witch.
I’m not sure why it’s so hard to believe that talking animals exist in this world but also that they don’t like green skin. It’s clear, being green is not common and talking animals are. Besides, discrimination in real life is so arbitrary and random as it is.
Yeah I don't get why so many people don't realise that even fantasy worlds have rules and norms, even if they are different from ours
How munchkins were described in the Original Wizard of Oz books: " They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age (12), although they were, so far as looks go, many years older." They were cast as little people in the movie, but that isn't how they were described necessarily. A "well-grown" 12yo girl would be roughly 5'2-5'4. The munchkins in this movie are portrayed as being shorter than some of the others, but not as little people, which is faithful to the source text.
And like... it's important to understand what the movie changed about the original material and know that the Broadway musical took from both for it's inspiration, as does this film. The "Jeweled" shoes, for example were changed to "Ruby Slippers" in the movie because they wanted to show of the Color Film technology, but the silver is correct to the book. Just as another example.
The color saturation was a nod to the OG movie which took advantage of the new (at the time) Technicolor. It was also a cinematic choice to really highlight the difference between drab Kansas and the world "over the rainbow."
Interesting you said that you related her experience to the X-Men because in recent interviews she's came out and said that she would love to play storm in upcoming X-Men movies. And there are even some reports that marvel has approached her looking to cast her in the MCU
Thanks!
Thank you!
Some fun facts according to what I saw on Twitter:
1) Steve Martin and Bryan Cranston were considered for the wizard.
2) Amy Adams, Amanda Seyfried, and Anne Hathaway were considered for Glinda.
3) Sheryl Lee Ralph (Barbara on “Abbott Elementary”), Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca on “Ted Lasso”), and Imelda Staunton (Umbridge in Harry Potter) were considered for Madame Morrible.
@@francescar9845 oh Hannah would have been great also
Sheryl Lee Ralph had also already played Madame Morrible on Broadway, loved Michelle Yeoh but I can’t ant help but imagine how good Sheryl would’ve been in this.
Hooray!!! I've been anxiously anticipating this reaction. This is gonna be fun. LFG!!
I think part of the problem is that some people confuse Braum's story with McGuire's. McGuire is a student of children's literature and his choices were purposeful.
Your going to love Part 2
It's better on the second viewing because I noticed things I missed the first time. For example, I love that Madame Morrible tells Elphaba that she could only decipher one or two words from the Grimmerie & in the One Short Day number, the hologram of the Wizard repeats the same word over & over again. In regards to the Munchkins, I totally get the nostalgia of wanting them to be a certain size. Peter Dinklage was involved with the film & he's personally very against casting little people in those kind of roles because he believes it reinforces negative stereotypes. He made a big deal about the upcoming Snow White film's dwarves of not wanting little people cast, which is why the film uses CGI dwarves that look horrible IMO. No hate to Peter Dinklage - I love him & he has the right to his opinion. I just hate the look of the dwarves I've seen the trailer. Jon Chu worked with Marissa Bode to make sure the entire production was inclusive & accessible for her & Cesily Taylor, who played the younger version of her character. I can only imagine Chu took Peter Dinklage's views into account when creating the film. I also don't want to spoil anything, but it's actually very important in the second half that Boq be normal sized.
I know Ariana & Cynthia were emotional during the interviews & it gave a bad impression to a lot of people. A lot of those interviews were right after the US election, which made many people more emotional than they'd normally be. I love how bonded they are from this experience together & thought they CRUSHED their roles. Elphaba has been my favorite character for almost 20 years from now. I expected Ariana's singing to be excellent, but her acting blew me away, & I want worship Cynthia now -- her voice is like butter & her acting seemed effortless. I'm someone who loves to critiques things to death, so I could definitely find things that I'd do differently (like the color grading or the lighting issues), but I think the film is a wonderful experience overall. I don't think it was the best film of 2024, but it was definitely my favorite. Thanks for sharing your reactions. It was really fun. I can't wait for part 2!
41:47 you put it perfectly. its literally breathtaking
I was very nervous about this after seeing it on Broadway! But this was done amazingly. You muted hey 3 battle cry at the end though, lol why?
Hamilton in Disney+ is also an AMAZING musical. It's from the stage but it's freakin phenomenal.
There was a warning at the video's start informing us that a lot of the music had to be muted to avoid copyright strikes. I imagine that the battle cry would be a very easy target for whatever program it is that UA-cam uses to identify possible copyright strikes to look for.
I’m sure someone else has mentioned it but Munchkins varied in height in the OZ books and in the Wicked book height was a status symbol in munchkin land. The munchkins all having Dwarfism was another of the changes MGM made.
I like your vibe, and this reaction was amazing! 🩷💚
Appreciate you thanks 🙌🏽
@@FlixTalk of course :)
oh she not only tried she did it. That's skills right there 👏🏻
I'm sure someone has already told you but Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenowith were the original Elphaba and Galinda in the Broadway musical
nice genuine reaction
You know,Goldblum has played all sorts of roles.
Glinda and Elphaba remain best friends always.
How different is the film from the stage play? It changes a few minor things but follows the music and story to perfection. It's one of the best and most accurate musical to film adaptations I've ever seen.
You’re gonna LOVE part two!! I’ve seen the stage musical twice and I love act 2! Act one is the prequel. NO SPOILERS I PROMISE Then part two is gonna take place 5 years later and start off right before Dorothy the show what’s going on behind the scenes while Dorothy is there up to the melting! You’re gonna love it!
I originally saw the Wizard of Oz in its third release in 1955, but being only five at the time, I only remember the tornado - of which I was terrified of, despite living in Queens, NY. A couple of years later, the very first book I ever read was Ozma of Oz, the third book by L. Frank Baum in the series. It also had the original numerous fabulous John Neill illustrations, showing how Baum envisioned his characters.
Later on, I read the first few books, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy & the Wizard of Oz. The guy had the zaniest imagination. For instance, in the first book, the Tin Woodsman relates how he came to be. He was in love with a Munchkin girl, but in order to keep from losing a good servant, the Wicked Witch of the West enchants his axe. Each time he uses it, he cuts off another part of his body but is able to get a local tinsmith fashion him a prosthetic replacement until he is all tin.
But the tinsmith forget to fashion him a heart. Without that, he no longer loved the Munchkin girl and forgets all about her.
The Wizard actually gives him a heart in the book (although like the MGM movie, he doesn't seem to need it to be kind). But in a later book, the appropriately named Tin Woodsman of Oz, after telling his origin story to a young boy, the boy asks how come after he got his heart, he didn't go find the girl and marry her. This starts him on a quest to find her. Along the way, he and boy encounter a rusted motionless tin soldier. The soldier, after being oiled up, tells of the same experience when he fell in love with the same girl after the tin woodsman goes off.
The three of them finally find the tinsmith. Come to find out, he saved all their original body parts. In one cabinet, the tin woodsman finds his original head, and the two of them have a conversation. The tinsmith had at one point fashioned a "meat" man out of the parts of both, giving him the tin soldier's head. The frankenstein creation woos the Munchkin girl and they marry and are very happy.
I have yet to see Wicked but I've read the plot. The MGM movie departs from the original story in many ways, and it seems Wicked comes up with yet something new, with roots in the books and the MGM story.
For my tastes, while I do love the MGM movie, another favorite of mine is Disney's 1985 Return to Oz. It was panned at the time as being too scary for kids, and most people were upset because it wasn't really a sequel to the MGM movie. (MGM had purchased the rights to the first book and Disney, all the rest. Disney had to very careful NOT to step on MGM's version. Disney did pay a ton to money to reuse the ruby slippers.)
Return is based very closely on a blend of Ozma of Oz with bits from Land of Oz. If you haven't read the books, you might be freaked out by the characters and events in this movie. Many Oz fans feel, however, this is a sort of love letter to the books.
Also, the books have long been in the public domain. You can find a copy for free on Google books - try to find one with the original illustrations. As YOUNG children's books, they are actually somewhat sort and a very easy read. I also strongly suggest you watch and react to Return to Oz.
In the first book, there are FOUR witches. The Good Witch of the North (who looks like gray-haired grandma) send Dorothy to the Emerald City. We NEVER hear from her again in any of the books (I think) and we never learn her name. The Wicked Witch of the West is NOT green, looks nothing like Margaret Hamilton, carries an umbrella (to keep from getting wet) instead of a broom. There is also Glinda, the Good Witch of the SOUTH who eventually sends Dorothy home. She does have red hair (like the Billie Burke version) but not the fluffy gown nor the bubble transportation. She does appear every so often in the sequels, but it is the rightful heir to the throne, Ozma, who is the dominate character in every book after she is introduced.
You are right - being green is not a big deal in the Oz of Baum's creation, which included Jack Pumpkinhead (the direct inspiration for Tim Burton for his Jack in the Nightmare Before Christmas), a wind-up mechanical man (Tik-Tok), an human-sized bug (Professor HM Wogglebug, TE - Highly-Magnified and Thoroughly-Educated), a boy with 20 legs like a caterpillar (Tommy Kwikstep), human-like creatures who travel on four wheel (the Wheelers), and the Gump, a pair of couches, with a Gump head, palm fronds for wings, and a broomstick for a tail, who flies. Also a princess who has interchangeable heads.
Glad you saw it its very faithful to play or should say musical saw it in Sanfranciso back in 2009 when saw poster wicket had come home so i know premier in Sanfranciso and then move to Broadway in 2003 for me its story of two witches gone to cinema in dublin .done so beautiful that gives more time tell full story were play happens so quick love your review on wicket
This is just act one that relationship runs deep
Compared to most people I know, I think I’m one of the few odd ones out who did not like the movie version. I have seen the show on Broadway numerous times and love it on stage. A friend dragged me to the movie and afterwards told him I wasn’t impressed with the movie at all, that I’d rather spend the $300 for premium Broadway tickets before I’d spend the $10 for a movie ticket again.
And all their singing was live!
I like the poster too. ❤
I saw the stage play like 3 days after seeing this... AND I SHOULD'VE SEEN THE STAGE PLAY FIRST!?!?! There's just absolutely NO ONE who will compare with whatever local troop I saw do it... Ariana Grande was simply MINDBLOWING AND PHENOMENAL IN THIS!!!!
The munchkins in the book are not little people, they're just short. Their is a character in the book who is is a little person though. I haven't seen the play so I don't know if he'll be in the second half. He's the guardian of The Clock if the Time Dragon. It's mentioned in the first scene.
Ariana & Cynthia have great chemistry
I wouldn't mind shipping them
the movie is based on the play. There weren’t any little people in munchkin land
That really was breathtaking. 10:50
I love Jef Goldblum too.x❤😊
The color pallete not being saturated ,mak3s Elphaba sow up more. If it had been saturated she was have just blended in.
The prince isn’t affected by the poppies because he isn’t human…
The Munchkins are adapted from the book, not from the WoO movie. That’s why most of them are not as little.
To answer your question, I think this was an incredibly faithful adaptation of the Broadway show. I've seen the play 4 times and I can tell you that much of the dialogue in the film is taken verbatim from the stage show. The play itself is an adaptation of the 1995 book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. The book, however is much, *much* darker. There is a lot of sex and profanity so it was lightened up considerably for the stage to make it more family friendly.
In the original Wizard of Oz, who falls asleep in the poppy field and WHO stays awake?
I looove your reaction!
Thanks! 🙌🏽
Wait until part 2
In the lore there are normal sized people in munchkin land. There not distinctively little people it’s a place
Great reaction thank you!
Just to add to your discussion about the (lack of) little people in this film... In the books, the munchkins of Munchkinland are (on average) a few inches shorter than non-munchkins. This is because of taller people integrating into Munchkinland and genetically diversifying the population. In the books, there were still SOME people that were much shorter than average, but that was the minority since there were so many that had been genetically mixed with taller people. So the film was at least accurate in its portrayal :)
listening to you describe how it felt to hear her sing defying gravity i was thinking to myself “this is a straight man experiencing being gagged for the first time. congrats on the new gay terminology, you were gagged by her performance.”
Lol whatever it was...I felt it
In the original book of Wicked the munchkins were not represented as little people so John M. Chu chose to cast normal sized actors to pay homage to the original
46:23 munchkins weren’t actually dwarfs in the books, and ironically, peter dinklage is a big reason why little people don’t get cast as “munchkins”💀
I wouldn’t be surprised if the reason they did hire a few actual adults with dwarfing, though I think most of the munchkins in the wizard of oz were actually children, was so that they could pay them little to nothing
Boq; I would do anything for you
AND HE DID. HE LEFT HIS FAMILY.HIS BABY
stawwwwpppppppp😭😭💀💀💀
On a Serious Note, Wicked is my favorite musical and I love that it was handled by people who love the material as well! Favorite movie of 2024 and I hope that part two will be my favorite movie of 2025💖💚
Wicked was not based on the 1939 film! In the book Wicked the citizens of Munchkinland are not little people, and their heights very.
The munchkins are the EXACT height they should’ve been. In every book, writing, and play of The Wizard of Oz and Wicked they are the SAME HEIGHT as DORTHY.
The film “The Wizard of Oz” did not follow the story in many ways. The height of the munchkins, the color of the shoes, even the appearance of most of the characters- it is one of the worst book to film renditions that exists.
Ahh gotcha. Thank you
First there is the book Wicked - life and times of Wicked Witch of the west, than musical, and here we have musical adapted to the film. Musical change some things that are in the book, but its made very well. Well book is darker. Sorry for my english.
I think they didn’t want the Munchkins to be little people for multiple reasons. Firstly, it wouldn’t make sense for Boq to be little when it comes to the events of part 2. Secondly, the Munchkins in the original movie were played by little people for comedy. It wasn’t respectful.