For the past twelve months, fans of the “Wicked” movie have been eagerly waiting for the release of its sequel “Wicked: For Good”. The film was released exactly one year after the first film with the down time between acting as an intermission to pay homage to the stories original form.
The movies are based off the two act Broadway musical that is also based on a book. Since this story has been told in many forms, there is a large fan base coming from all over. Because of this it is a story that should be handled with care, and the first film did exactly this. The two installments were filmed one after the other so it seemed promising that the sequel would do the same.
The second part of the story showcased the vocal strength of leads Ariana Grande, as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo, as Elphaba, just as the first had. Through filming with live vocals and practical sets with minimal CGI, they were able to continue the story seamlessly. What made the first film so captivating was its ability to capture the same feeling that live theater can evoke and transfer it to the silver screen.
Although they tried to keep the majority of the story true to the original musical, the film took some creative liberty making a few changes and additions. They were careful not to make any changes that would alter the overall story and message of the film. One major change that was made was the choice not to show the face of Dorothy at all in the film. This was a decision that was made in order to keep the spotlight on the main storyline as the story of Dorothy, as seen in the original “Wizard of Oz” film, is only a fleeting moment in this film.
Along with this there were a few songs added to the movie. The first being Elphaba’s solo “No Place Like Home”, which occurs as she tries to convince the animals to not flea Oz and to stay and fight for their home. Just as she has them convinced, a familiar face from the first film appears all grown up. The Cowardly Lion appears to tell the animals that it is Elphaba who is the reason that he is so cowardly although she saw saving him and allowing him to learn to speak was the right thing to do. The Lion’s speaking part is not something that happens in the live musical production, but it further expands and strengthens the activist plot of the story.
Another song that was added to the film was “The Girl in The Bubble”, which is sung by Glinda as she reflects on her role as a public figure. Glinda had never gotten a solo piece until this moment, and it almost feels wrong that it was never there. The song beautifully captures her character’s complexity and connects the audience to her conflicting emotions on a much deeper level.
Overall, I do not feel as though any of the changes or additions hindered the impact of the story. If anything, they only added to the complexity of the story and its characters. This makes for a much more engaging experience that could only be shown through film as stage productions only have a certain amount of time to tell a story.
The “Wicked” movies are a perfect representation of taking a piece of art, such as a musical production set for stage, and turning it into something just as special while honoring its original form. They appeal to all audiences. Fans of musical theater, film buffs, and casual movie watchers alike. These films have opened a new world of potential musical movies and could be considered modern classics that will continue to inspire the future relationship between cinema and musical theater.
Nora Lee is a Dakota Student Section Editor. She can be reached at [email protected].
