WICKED
A large part of what makes The Wizard of Oz so fascinating is the darkness hidden beneath the story’s wondrous, child-friendly exterior. L. Frank Baum’s original novel is a fairy tale involving magical creatures and whimsical locations, but it also has a man of power ordering a little girl to murder his enemy in exchange for her freedom. Then there is the iconic 1939 film adaptation, a feature with a disturbing production history yet also a reputation as one of the greatest movies ever made – a “bad miracle” of sorts. Later spinoffs and reimaginings have maintained this trend. The Wiz depicts a Wicked Witch (or Evilene in this version) who runs a sweatshop, while the dark fantasy Return to Oz includes decapitated heads and shock-therapy sessions for Dorothy Gale. No matter how the wonderful land of Oz is depicted, there is always a dark, political undercurrent to it. Even the original book is often interpreted to be an allegory for the Populist Movement.
It was probably only a matter of time until Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West came along. Gregory Maguire’s 1995 revisionist novel puts Oz’s politics front and center by re-characterizing the villainous Wicked Witch. Changing around some parts, it brings out the obvious: The Wizard is a tyrant and the Witch, now named Elphaba, only wants to be left alone – after the return of her dead sister’s shoes. This take on the story clearly resonated with people enough for it to be made into what became one of the biggest Broadway musicals of all time. Turning its main leads into giant stars, earning millions upon millions of dollars, and still being talked about 20 years after its premiere, it was inevitable that Wicked would eventually become a movie.
A film version was passed around and put in development hell. It required director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) to get Wicked out of its rut. His adaptation cuts the musical into two features to allow more depth in the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), an outcast in Oz due to her green-colored skin who eventually becomes the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked – or Wicked: Part One, as the opening credits sneakily reveal – covers the first act of the Broadway show, depicting Elphaba’s time in Shiz University and her rivalry-turned-friendship with Galinda (Ariana Grande) as the two become disillusioned with the land of Oz. Consistent with the recent trend of duologies, this film acts as a 160-minute tease for the next installment. It provides enough background and characters to get everyone excited to see how it ends – yet it still feels off.
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