Review: INTO THE WOODS Bluray, DVD Offer Behind the Scenes Magic

Though the magic of the woods is not as spectacular on a TV as it was on the big screen, the vast majority of INTO THE WOODS' enchantment admirably makes the transition to the small screen. Last Christmas, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved Broadway fairy tale took the big screen by storm with a star-studded movie adaptation, and last week Disney released DVD and Blu-Ray versions full of bonus features. Despite all of the extras on the disks, INTO THE WOODS' main draw is still its incredible stars. With a cast of Hollywood A-listers and Broadway alums, all of whom prove more than capable of handling Stephen Sondheim's uniquely intricate and intellectual music and lyrics, this very well might be the most effectively adapted movie musical of the past half century. The lush orchestrations, the gorgeous settings, and the spectacular cast are just as bewitching as they were in the movie theatre.

For those uninitiated, INTO THE WOODS examines what happens to some of the Brothers Grimm's most familiar characters after their fairy tales end. By journeying into the woods, they all get their wishes, but what becomes of their lives afterward? Is it happily ever after for all; or are their unanticipated consequences for getting everything that you have ever wished for?

It should go without saying that compressing a two and a half hour musical into a neatly packaged 120 minute film required some editing. Those familiar with the stage production will likely observe that a number of characters, songs, and scenes have been deftly removed, and you might notice a few lyric and key changes as well. However, none of the adjustments, overseen by Sondheim and book writer Lapine (who also wrote the screenplay), undermines the piece's message or integrity.

In fact, director Rob Marshall made the difficult decision to cut THE SONG "She'll Be Back," which Sondheim wrote specifically for Meryl Streep's Witch to sing on screen. However, when broaching the subject with the Master, Marshall assured Sondheim that it would in fact appear as part of the DVD release. Having seen the song, which The Witch sings after her "daughter" Rapunzel chooses THE PRINCE over her, it makes sense why the creative team decided to cut it; THE SONG doesn't maintain the plot's forward trajectory, as Sondheim's songs are wont to do. However, seeing Streep, one of the greatest actors of this, or any, generation be the first to breathe life into a brand-new Sondheim song is fascinating.

In addition to Streep, Marshall, a five-time Tony nominee, assembled a talented group of big-name Hollywood stars and rising Broadway favorites, who were each able to imbue their character, through both word and song, with the pathos necessary to make the darkly comic fairy tale work.

Tony-winner James Corden and Golden Globe-winner Emily Blunt play the film's emotional center as The Baker and his wife. Their quest to fetch a bizarre set of ingredients for The Witch is what binds all of the disjointed fairytales together. The new host of CBS's THE LATE LATE SHOW, Corden blends his incredible comedic timing with an Everyman quality that is more sympathetic than most Bakers.

It was Blunt, however, that is the film's vocal revelation. She is as an actress of equally striking beauty and talent, and she more than holds her own with her more musically accomplished castmates. Her voice is occasionally more clipped and popish than we are used to in the role, but never once did it impact my appreciation of her performance.

The one major casting disappointment is Johnny Depp as The Wolf. Despite his acting prowess, between SWEENEY TODD and INTO THE WOODS, we are now all well aware that he simply doesn't have the vocal chops to pull of Sondheim.

Rounding out the megastars in the cast are Tony and Oscar-nominee Anna Kendrick and STAR TREK Captain, Chris Pine, as Cinderella and her prince. Kendrick, who has made a name for herself as Hollywood's go-to musical girl, is as neurotically charming as Sondheim's Cinderella should be. Though she takes fewer pratfalls than her stage counterpart, she is as funny as she is conflicted. I didn't think that the role carried nearly as much weight on film as it does on stage, but the triple-platinum recording artist took full advantage of every note and syllable that she was given. Her rendition of "No One Is Alone" is the most poignant and heartwarming moment of the film.

Likewise, Pine, along with Rapunzel's Prince (Tony-nominee Billy Magnussen), provides the comedic highlight of the movie. While I don't want to spoil the ludicrousy of the scene, every moment in their duet, "Agony," is brilliantly staged and performed. The scene reminded me of bits from Golden Age comedy teams like Martin and Lewis, Hope and Crosby, and Kelly and O'Connor.

The rest of the main ensemble provides strong supporting performances as well, including from Tracey Ullman (Jack's Mother), two-time Tony winner Christine Baranski (Cinderella's Stepmother), Lilla Crawford (Little Red Riding Hood), Daniel Huttlestone (Jack), and MacKenzie Mauzy (Rapunzel).

Nearly all of the movie's central cast participates in the behind-the-scenes features; showing audiences almost every aspect of the movie's filming; from working on Green Screens with imaginary giants to meeting Sondheim for the first time. One of my favorite things about DVD extras is seeing how unrealistic things are made to look so realistic on screen, and Marshall and company took pains in pulling back the curtain to show INTO THE WOODS' tricks. Seeing the filming of some of The Witch's magic was especially exciting. Also, I really enjoyed the fact that the glass slippers weren't the special shoes that Kendrick got to wear during shooting!

Another nice feature that you get on the DVD (and that I will use to skip back-and-forth to all of Kendrick's songs) is the ability to jump directly to specific songs in the film.

I believe that INTO THE WOODS has made the best transition from stage to screen of any musical since THE SOUND OF MUSIC in 1965 (including classics like CABARET, GREASE, and CHICAGO; the former two differing greatly from their stage versions). However, despite the phenomenal performances, an expert script, and sweeping orchestrations, INTO THE WOODS never captured my imagination like a story of love, magic, and danger should. That being typed, the special Bluray features are a fantastic insight into the world of both film making and movie musicals. It would be a mistake for any fan of either to miss out.

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Did you bring home your copy of INTO THE WOODS? What was your favorite bonus feature? Let me know what you think in the comments below, or on Twitter @BWWMatt. Also, make sure to follow @BWWMoviesWorld for all of the biggest news from the world of movies.

Photo Credit:
1) DVD Cover: Walt Disney Studios
2) James Corden and Emily Blunt: Walt Disney Studios
3) Meryl Streep: Walt Disney Studios

(Portions of this article originally appeared in the author's December 19, 2014 review of the film)

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