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Disneys Oz pic gets Sam Raimi to commit...
- Thread starter WDWmazprty
- Start date
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
The real story is here:
http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/dis...aimi-to-commit-rabbit-hole-scribe-to-rewrite/
http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/dis...aimi-to-commit-rabbit-hole-scribe-to-rewrite/
maelstrom
Well-Known Member
Erm... I really don't know how I feel about this. It really depends on what direction they're going to take with it. If they're just trying to redo the Judy Garland film, then I think it's a bad idea. If they do something a little more "out there", like the Tin Man miniseries from the Sci-Fi Channel, then maybe I can see it happening. However, as much as I love him, I don't want to see Robert Downey Jr as the great and powerful Oz. Also... there are A LOT of Oz books... maybe they could use one or more of them to weave this new movie... I want to see Ozma!
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Um, I disagree, if you're saying that the original film "The Wizard of Oz" needs to be remade. How so? It's note-perfect in every respect, including the special effects (it's amazing how convincing the cyclone scene is, even today. I've seen the Oz film on the big screen, and the cyclone scene is both convincing and breathtaking). Good movies don't need to be remade. BAD ones do...like Disney's own Haunted Mansion movie (glad it's getting a second chance).
Now, if this is a prequel, and it's done in the original film's spirit, then cool, I'd love to see it. But we don't have enough info yet to know whether or not that's the way the film-makers plan to do it. I hope it's not done in the dark, gloomy eldritch style of the Potter movies. That's not right for Oz at all, but film-makers tend to follow trends rather than create anything new...so I'll be keeping an eye on this movie to see what develops...but in the meantime, I'm rather skeptical, having suffered through the truly terrible "Return to Oz" movie (Dorothy gets electro-shock therapy? What the F???)
jt04
Well-Known Member
Yes, I think a bit darker like Potter but entertaining. There are too many instances when the original OZ is too campy for my taste. Not saying a remake should not have any comic elements but it should emphasize modern 3D tech with a billiant soundtrack as the story is already written. I agree with your premise to a point but modern film making demands some stories be remade for a modern audience no matter how classic they are IMO. And we will always have the original.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Well, if you really think the original is "campy"...we'll have to agree to disagree about this. The original is a movie that's been beloved and celebrated for generations. How anyone could improve upon it, or even match it, in terms of song, story, cast, production values...that's a pretty tall order. Technically we can do things now they couldn't back in 1939, that's true...but there isn't a technically-brilliant film of recent memory that resonates with audiences the way the original "Wizard of Oz" does.
Here's the twister scene from the movie...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhPu5AHDMHM&feature=related
I think it's still amazing and effective even after all these years...try watching it with a good set of speakers....AWESOME!
And here's a little extra goodie...this is a deleted scene from the original film using the "twister"...it is simply breathtaking...remember, it's not the tools, it's how you use the tools, that matters...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWkf5L6ooEM&feature=related
jt04
Well-Known Member
Calling it "campy" is not insulting it. It is what it is and the movie is a classic. But a new take on the story with a darker more serious tone would work well with today's audiences. That was my only point.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
But why does Oz need to be darker and more serious? It's not Middle-Earth, and was never intended to be.
jt04
Well-Known Member
LOL. I doubt it would be as serious as LOTR. My guess is somewhere between the Potter and LOTR but I'm just assuming they don't plan to make a comedy or musical. And the original had some dark intense moments for sure. I think they will try to make a film with wide appeal not a straight remake.
For example I think the wicked witch and Oz will be considerably darker. I think Haunted Mansion will be similarly intense. Disney will be careful how they toe the line because they won't want to scare off families so it won't be R rated or anything. Ultimately time will tell.
Mammymouse
Well-Known Member
Bad idea - I can't imagine a remake of Oz - it would never measure up no matter who does it or how many cgi's they use. Now if they do a toally different one of Baum's stories that's a "horse of a different color"!
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Quite right. Any Oz remake would be compared with the original, and likely fall short. Such as that "Return To Oz" movie Disney made years ago...or that horrible Muppet version.
gerryu21220
Member
The title, Oz: The Great And Powerful, seems to suggest something other than a remake, as if it is more about Oz himself. Of course, the original title sounded as if it were all about the Wizard as well, but was not.
They quite obviously can't remake a classic film like that, so I'm guessing this more than likely will draw from the other Baum tales and focus on other aspects of the Land of Oz. I hope...
They quite obviously can't remake a classic film like that, so I'm guessing this more than likely will draw from the other Baum tales and focus on other aspects of the Land of Oz. I hope...
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Me too. It could be an interesting film.
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
I totally agree. A remake of the original film/story will always be compared to the original film.
stitch2008
Member
This is correct. The film is more about the Wizard himself. His back story and where he comes from.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Huh. Well, I just read online that part of the plot of "The Great and Powerful" involves, well...I'll just paste a synopsis of the supposed plot. Spoilers follow! BEWARE!
(Seriously, I'd turn back if I were you... :drevil: )
According to Pajiba, the Wizard is a “snake-oil salesman” who enters the Technicolor world of Oz after escaping the vengeful husband of his latest sexual conquest. Once in Oz, he lies to the natives, claiming to be a wizard. This deceitful Casanova soon falls for Glinda the Good Witch, and spurns Theodora prompting her to becomes a bad witch and team up with the downright evil Evanora to destroy Oz. Now the “fast-talking huckster” has to redeem himself by joining forces with his beloved Glinda to save all of Oz!
Here's the link: http://thefilmstage.com/2010/10/15/new-details-on-raimis-oz-the-great-and-powerful/
Argh. All I can say is...goodbye, yellow brick road...
(Seriously, I'd turn back if I were you... :drevil: )
According to Pajiba, the Wizard is a “snake-oil salesman” who enters the Technicolor world of Oz after escaping the vengeful husband of his latest sexual conquest. Once in Oz, he lies to the natives, claiming to be a wizard. This deceitful Casanova soon falls for Glinda the Good Witch, and spurns Theodora prompting her to becomes a bad witch and team up with the downright evil Evanora to destroy Oz. Now the “fast-talking huckster” has to redeem himself by joining forces with his beloved Glinda to save all of Oz!
Here's the link: http://thefilmstage.com/2010/10/15/new-details-on-raimis-oz-the-great-and-powerful/
Argh. All I can say is...goodbye, yellow brick road...
gerryu21220
Member
LOL! This plot sounds a lot like some of the early discarded concepts for character backtories for the 1939 film.
jt04
Well-Known Member
I don't believe this refers to the Disney project. I think there is more than one Oz project underway. :veryconfu
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
A quick Google of "Oz: The Great And Powerful" results in:
Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013) - IMDb
Directed by Sam Raimi. With Robert Downey Jr.. This is a prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) by L. Frank Baum, told from the point of view of the...