Let me start by saying that my expectations weren’t very high when it came to Into the Woods. My only experience with the musical was my daughter’s 5th grade middle school production a few years back. She was fabulous dwarf! Now that I have watched Disney’s Into the Woods on Blu-Ray, I realized that she was, in fact, a write-in part for the junior edition. I also realized that the story does, indeed, make sense! Things were a little vague in the middle school show. The feature film version was amazing. The story was one of adventure and humor and suspense with a little romance thrown in for good measure. First off, I knew Johnny Depp had a part as the Big Bad Wolf so, being that I am a groupie, I was fully committed. Next, Meryl Streep cannot do anything wrong in the acting world so I knew her part as the witch would be outstanding. She did not disappoint. Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, James Corden and the kids, Daniel Huttlestone and Lilla Crawford, rounded out the cast as Cinderella, the baker’s wife, the baker, Jack (of beanstalk fame) and Little Red Riding Hood. Into the Woods is a fairy tale mash up that takes the classic stories to a new level. Usually we find these stories ending with “happily ever after.” Not to be a spoiler, but Into the Woods sticks fairly close to the cautionary tales that were originally written for children. Yikes! The music flows seamlessly from one tale to another as the characters interact with one another. Be sure to watch the bonus features to get behind the scenes access to the actors and production team as well as the talented composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The Cast as Good as Gold and Deeper into the Woods are packed with gems about the actors, the set design, costumes, and of course, the music. Disney’s Into the Woods, now available on Blu-ray is a must have for your Disney collection. Even if you think you aren’t into musicals, you will be singing “Into the Woods” for the rest of the day. You may even find yourself skipping along to grandma’s house or searching for some magic beans.
