How a $50 Million Disney Musical Became a Dark Fairy-Tale for Adults
In short: Rob Marshall’s 2014 adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods defied traditional Disney expectations. By securing a modest budget and a star-studded cast willing to take pay cuts, the production brought a complex, morally ambiguous story about the consequences of our wishes to the big screen.
The film, directed by Rob Marshall and written by James Lapine, adapts the 1987 Broadway musical into a fantasy that weaves together the stories of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood. Unlike typical fairy-tales, the narrative explores the aftermath of 'happily ever after.' After the Baker and his wife break a curse to have a child, the characters face the grim reality that their actions have lasting, often tragic, consequences. The story’s shift in tone during the final act—where characters must confront the death of loved ones and the moral weight of their choices—was a point of both praise and criticism.
Marshall’s vision for the film was deeply influenced by the post-9/11 era, finding resonance in the song 'No One Is Alone.' To maintain the integrity of the original work, the production utilized a rigorous rehearsal process, with cast members like Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Johnny Depp recording vocal tracks before filming began. This allowed for precise synchronization between performance and music. The production was notably cost-conscious; Disney provided a $50 million budget, which was relatively small for a fantasy film, leading many A-list actors to accept significantly reduced fees to participate.
The film’s technical execution was equally ambitious. To create Rapunzel’s 30-foot braid, hair designer Peter King engineered a complex extension using 27 wefts of real Russian hair, dyed in six different shades. The final sequence of the film was achieved through a digital blend of three separate shots, spanning from a location crane to an aerial drone in Wales and an overcast sky in New York. While the film received generally positive reviews and three Academy Award nominations, it remains a distinct entry in the Disney catalog for its willingness to embrace the darker, more cynical themes of the original stage production.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Into the Woods (film)
- Also: Wikidata — Into the Woods · CC0
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