Movie Review: Into the Woods - 1991

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Performances, songs, humor in first act

Cons: A few technical issues; not for kids

The Bottom Line:

Fractured fairy tales

Light act one, dark second half

Great music as well

Musical Journey into a Darker Fairy Tale

This DVD features a recording of the original Broadway Cast of Into the Woods. The show is a Stephen Sondheim musical that won several Tony Awards, including Best Score and Best Supporting Actress for Bernadette Peters' Witch.

This musical takes several familiar fairy tales and one new one and combines them for a fresh, fun journey. A baker and his wife have learned that they are under a curse from the witch next door and can't have any children. To lift the curse, they must find the cape as red as blood, the cow as white as milk, the hair as yellow as gold, and the slipper as pure as glass. Fortunately for them, they are going into the same woods that Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Rapunzel are entering. As the couple stumble over the fairytale characters, they all interact and their happily ever after may depend on each other.

While act one ends pretty traditionally, the second act picks up "Later." Things don't quite work out as well as everyone expected them to, and they once again find themselves entering the woods to deal with their new challenges. Complicating things is the appearance of a giantess who wants revenge for the death of her husband.

The first act is a perfect musical comedy with some wonderfully original moments. You know how the stories will end, but they twist a little before they get there, taking you by surprise. The second act is much darker in tone. While it still has its funny moments, it is much more serious. But the dramatic turn works well, and what started out as a fun romp turns into a powerful story. Still, because of this, I have a hard time recommending it for children.

The cast does a wonderful job. It's really hard to pick out a highlight because everyone works well together to make it so good. Obviously, Bernadette Peters is great as the Witch. She is menacing but also funny. Joanna Gleason is great as the Baker's wife. Her deadpan delivery of some of the lines is hysterical. The final standout is Kim Crosby as Cinderella. She brings real heart to the part, and you can't help but root for her.

And, of course, there is the music. While parts are spoken, this almost boarders on opera as at least half of the play is sung. There are no show stopping dance numbers here, but each song is great at moving the story forward or revealing character. As the second act darkens, the songs become more serious and give us something serious to think about after we are finished watching. Yet the more serious moments are broken up with songs such as "Agony," which the two princes sing in act one and reprise in act two. It's very funny.

Since this is a recording of a live stage performance, it took me a little while to get used to it. This isn't the normal movie work that we're used to watching. Still, the camera captures everything important on stage; can't imagine a better seat in the house. The sound is mostly good, but occasionally a line or two is hard to hear. Still, these technical issues are minor.

The DVD is just a bare bones version; there's nothing outside of the musical. But it's still worth getting since you will want to watch it many times.

Teens and adults will love this musical's sense of humor and be moved by its emotion. It provides all the joys of a stage play in the comfort of your own home. Buy it today and get ready to journey Into the Woods.