Half One’s Wizard Of OzConnections, Defined

Spoilers for “Depraved” observe.

Jon M. Chu’s new musical fantasy “Depraved,” which is formally known as “Depraved: Half I,” in keeping with the title card, is predicated on the hit 2003 Broadway present that was, in flip, primarily based within the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire. The novel, in itself, was a reimagination of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 kid-lit basic “The Fantastic Wizard of Oz,” however Maguire took his ebook’s major inspiration from Victor Fleming’s 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz,” arguably probably the most well-known film of all time. In making an 85-year cycle from the display screen, to the web page, to the stage, after which again to the display screen, “Depraved” retains quite a lot of the iconography and primary aesthetics of Fleming’s movie and repackages them for a contemporary sensibility. 

A few of what audiences will see in “Depraved” will really feel pure, as the appear and feel of Ozhas bled into the mass subconsciousness, unable to be moved. Different references are extra particular, drawing from small moments of “The Wizard of Oz” for little in-jokes. 

The premise of “Depraved” is that the Depraved Witch of the West was really a delicate, oppressed soul, hated for her inexperienced pores and skin, who was merely the sufferer of betrayal and propaganda. Her actual title was Elphaba. Maguire’s ebook restages the Wizard as an authoritarian dictator who had a political motive for making the Depraved Witch into Ozs “villain”; leaders should, he feels, assemble their constituents in opposition to a villain. Galinda, the Witch of the North, is reimagined as a catty ex-college roommate and good friend of the Depraved Witch who needed to betray her for private causes. 

In Baum’s authentic ebook, in fact, the Depraved Witch of the West wasn’t a green-skinned crone in a black cloak, however a pale-skinned punker with an eye fixed patch and silver footwear. The Witch’s pure inexperienced pores and skin was taken from Fleming’s film. Under you may discover a few of the ways in which “Depraved” connects to “The Wizard of Oz.”

Fleming, I ought to pause to notice, was the one credited director on “The Wizard of Oz,” and whereas he did do the majority of directing, he left the movie early to work on “Gone With the Wind.” George Cukor made many inventive directorial selections on the film earlier than capturing started, and Fleming merely took over, leaving these selections in place. After Fleming left, King Vidor took over and directed a lot of the Kansas scenes, together with the “Someplace Over the Rainbow” quantity. For readability’s sake, I will proceed to confer with the movie as Fleming’s. 

The essential look of Fleming’s movie knowledgeable the pink-and-green shade scheme seen all through “Depraved.” Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) was made to look inexperienced, like Margaret Hamilton. Galinda, as she was performed by Billie Burke, wore a big pink ballgown, so the Galinda of “Depraved” is now a pink-obsessed valley woman sort. She’s performed by pop star Ariana Grande. 

In Fleming’s movie, the Depraved Witch wears a pointed black hat, conventional for witches as they’re offered in pop media. On the planet of “Depraved,” the black hat was a present from Galinda to Elphaba. Galinda offered the hat as a possible accent for an upcoming dance occasion, secretly hating that hat and desirous to prank Elphaba. Elphaba finally ends up embracing the hat, because it matches the remainder of her black ensemble. 

The Depraved Witch additionally wears a black cloak and rides a flying broomstick. These two objects in “Depraved” are rapidly handed to Elphaba within the Emerald Metropolis after she and Galinda have run afoul of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). She makes use of her black magic to study to fly and flees the Winkie guards. It appears she stored these accoutrements into the occasions of Fleming’s movie. The Winkie guards may higher be often called the “Oh-Ee-Oh” troopers outdoors the Witch’s fort.

One of many characters in “Depraved,” a Prince Charming-type named Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) describes himself as a Winkie, implying that he might grow to be one of many Winkie guards. Followers of Maguire’s ebook, nonetheless, will know that one thing a lot totally different is fated for the character. A enjoyable reference: Fiyero enters the film in a horse-drawn carriage, and the horse, whereas not carefully seen, is clearly altering colours. It is a reference to the Horse of a Totally different Colour seen in Fleming’s movie. 

Talking of the Wizard, in Fleming’s movie and in Baum’s ebook, the person himself — really a mild-mannered human from Omaha, Nebraska — used intelligent machines and particular results know-how to look threatening to guests. Within the ebook, he is a big floating head to Dorothy, a goddess-like lady to the Scarecrow, a flaming ball of fireplace to the Cowardly Lion, and a fanged beast to the Tin Woodman. In Fleming’s movie, solely the enormous floating head was retained, whereas the human Wizard was performed by Frank Morgan. In “Depraved,” the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) additionally retains the enormous head, this time envisioned as an enormous, sensible puppet. The Wizard is not so guarded about it, although. He emerges from behind his curtain after just a few moments of puppetry. 

Late within the movie, the Wizard reveals a brand new infrastructure plan for the Land of Oz: a brick highway akin to the Roman Roads of historic occasions. All roads would result in the Emerald Metropolis, and would prolong to each nook of the nation. The Wizard has a mannequin constructed, however building hasn’t begun but. He simply would not know what shade the bricks must be. Perhaps Galinda and Elphaba could have some enter … 

One of many plot factors of “Depraved” is the systematic suppression of speaking animals. For causes that will not be made clear till later within the movie, the speaking animals of Ozare being faraway from positions of authority and compelled to dwell in cages the place they’ll by no means study to talk. One in all Elphaba’s professors at Shiz College is a speaking goat named Dr. Dillamond (Peter Dinklage) who will probably be apprehended by the native Ozzian police. The apprehension scene will function a timid lion cub in a cage, used for example of how animals may be tamed and made … cowardly.

Elphaba will free the lion cub and launch it into the woods. One may suppose that lion will develop as much as be somebody important. Additionally enjoyable: Elphaba flees with the cub in a bicycle basket, very a lot the identical manner Mrs. Gulch (Hamilton) kidnapped Toto in 1939. 

In each Baum’s ebook and in Fleming’s film, the Depraved Witch of the West has a military of blue-skinny flying monkeys to do her bidding. In “Depraved,” we lastly learn the way these monkeys acquired their wings. It appears that evidently the Wizard has a grimoire in his possession, known as the Grimmerie. There is a spell in that ebook that may instantaneously trigger simians to grow to be avian. Will Elphaba learn the spell? It appears seemingly. 

Munchkinland remains to be on the outskirts of Oz, though it appears to be like very totally different, and the Munchkins are not performed by little particular person actors. Like in Fleming’s movie, nonetheless, there’s a massive celebration in Munchkinland when a Depraved Witch is killed. “Depraved” really opens with the demise of the Depraved Witch of the West, and audiences see the puddle she has been diminished to. That is, as everyone knows, a reference to Dorothy’s melting her with a bucket of water. It is price noting that since “Depraved” is simply the primary a part of a two-part movie collection, there are certain to be extra references when “Depraved Half 2” opens in theaters subsequent yr. 

“Depraved: Half I” is now taking part in in theaters.