As someone who has grown up watching “The Wizard of Oz” multiple times, I must say that my perspective on this classic film has significantly shifted after seeing “Wicked: Part 1”. It’s like peeling back layers of a complex onion, revealing hidden depths and nuances in the characters that were previously unknown to me.
Beware! Spoilers for the first part of the musical “Wicked” lie ahead. This discussion doesn’t delve into what happens in Act 2, so fear not about any spoilers from there. If you haven’t watched the film yet, it’s still playing in cinemas, so go catch it!
As a child, I frequently watched “The Wizard of Oz” on repeat; it was one of my favorite movies. However, I didn’t revisit it until after I saw the stage play “Wicked” in the theater just before its 2024 cinematic release. Though I had seen the musical on Broadway a couple of years prior for the first time, I barely recalled the storyline and could only sing along to the popular songs. Consequently, I went into the movie adaptation with a vague understanding of how the original film influenced it.
Following my departure from the production of “Wicked” and giving it a 5-star rating, I promptly watched “The Wizard of Oz” once more. To my surprise, my perspective on the original movie’s characters has undergone a significant shift entirely.
When Glinda Comes Down In Munchkinland My Feelings Were Very Muddled
As a child, The Good Witch wasn’t someone I gave much thought to alongside The Wizard of Oz. She was simply a striking woman who materialized in a bubble at the beginning and end of Dorothy’s adventure, and I rarely associated her with The Wicked Witch.
Well, that’s totally changed now.
As “Wicked” began with “No One Mourns The Wicked,” and Glinda arrived in her bubble to speak to the Munchkins about the deceased witch’s demise, it was evident to me that she was skillfully concealing her true feelings about the situation. By the end of the movie, it became apparent that Glinda and Elphaba were once close friends who went their separate ways in a deeply emotional split. Watching the 1939 film left me with a sense of sadness weighing heavily on my heart.
In summary, Glinda started as a contrasting, sugary-sweet witch alongside the Wicked Witch, but evolved into a multidimensional character whose decision not to accompany her friend Elphaba had profound, lasting consequences for both. I’m intrigued to understand the thoughts and feelings that filled Glinda during her interactions with the Munchkins in both “The Wizard of Oz” and “Wicked,” as her history with Elphaba brings a fresh layer of sadness to these encounters.
I’ve Never Been A Fan Of The Wizard…Now, I Can’t Even Empathize With Him
Looking back, I’ve come to realize that the mysterious wizard wasn’t exactly top-notch. Truth be told, he was keeping up a facade and deceiving an entire land about his true abilities. Yet, when I watched “The Wizard of Oz” as a kid, I never saw him in such a negative light.
Nevertheless, Wicked indeed shifted things significantly. He not only conceals his true identity and power from his supporters, but he’s also deeply involved in a sinister scheme. The sight of him and Madame Morrible gleefully discussing the monkeys developing wings and plotting to make them spies was abhorrent. To add insult to injury, his ambition to exploit Elphaba’s powers for personal gain is reprehensible!
At first glance when I viewed The Wizard of Oz, I perceived this character as struggling like a fish out of water, striving to succeed. However, upon closer examination, there’s much more depth to that role in the original movie. The new musical, though, served to highlight the leader’s genuine motivations and self-serving nature more clearly.
I Have A Lot More Empathy For The Wicked Witch Of The West
Currently, I’m far from being the first or last person to express this sentiment, as it’s the essence of the musical “Wicked”: I find myself deeply empathetic towards the Wicked Witch of the West. The production is designed to reveal Elphaba’s backstory and explain her transformation into The Wicked Witch, and her early hardships offer a compelling explanation for her later choices.
Yet, my appreciation for the story of Wicked, be it on Broadway or in the cinema, has always been unwavering. However, experiencing The Wizard of Oz anew, having not watched the original film since childhood, presented a fresh perspective. This time around, I understood the Wicked Witch’s tale from a different angle.
Given her deep compassion towards people, particularly those who are victimized or unique, and considering the hardships she’s experienced herself, it was heart-wrenching to watch the witch in The Wizard of Oz.
As she moved throughout the original film, thoughts crossed my mind about whether her actions could have been a deliberate performance – perhaps she was feigning and putting on an act. It also struck me that she seemed overwhelmed by these sinister expectations. All of this made me question her character as I watched the Wicked Witch of the West harass Dorothy and company, since the Elphaba we encountered in the early stages of “Wicked” wouldn’t have acted that way.
Also, Between Wicked And The Wizard Of Oz, I Can’t Stop Thinking About The Monkeys
In relation to my bewilderment over the Wicked Witch of the West’s unexpected actions following the play “Wicked”, let’s briefly discuss the role of the monkeys. The musical’s character Elphaba is steadfast in her compassion towards animals – she rescues a lion with Fiyero, advocates for Dr. Dillamond, and is deeply troubled when she accidentally gives the monkeys the ability to fly.
In the original movie, encountering the Wicked Witch with monkeys was somewhat unexpected. But in this version, I perceived their relationship differently because she doesn’t mistreat them as servants or slaves (in “Wicked” specifically). Instead, it seems as though they are her loyal companions, almost like minions without the negative connotation.
After seeing the musical Wicked, it struck me that perhaps the monkeys had a purpose in accompanying her, as the Wizard was indeed very cruel to them.
Indeed, the new musical adaptation has significantly altered my viewpoint towards both principal and supporting characters from the original film.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how watching Wicked: Part 2 will influence my thoughts about the initial movie! But since we have to wait until it hits the big screen in 2025, why not take advantage and stream The Wizard of Oz using a Max subscription? And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to catch up on Wicked: Part 1 at your local cinema right now!
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2024-11-29 03:37