10th Anniversary of “Into the Woods”

It has been a decade since the production of Into the Woods, released in 2014, captured our fairy tale favorites but with a twist that digs deeper than the usual happily-ever-after we were made to believe.

By Isabella Cruz

In the iconic scene from Into the Woods, the witch tells the Baker and his wife how to break their family curse.

“Into the Woods” was created by James Lapine based on Stephen Sondeim’s musical in 1986, directed by Rob Marshall and produced by Walt Disney Pictures revolves around fairy tale characters–Cinderella, Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and a Baker with his wife collecting an item from each of the stories by entering the woods to lift a family curse preventing them from having a child by retrieving a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. Even though the couple succeeds and the other fairy tales get their “happily-ever-after,” we all know of. It takes a darker turn as little mistakes all of the characters make come back to them and begin to affect others' endings.

James Corden as the baker and Emily Blunt as his wife truly made a good duo and showed how powerful love can be as long as they are together. Meryl Streep was an amazing example of the remarkable evil witch in the story.  I loved how she displayed her character and how she foreshadowed and reflected the character's actions in her song “Last Midnight,” which gave chills to the views and dramatic effect we all can love. 

Just her acting and her singing truly give a chilling effect, and if viewers listen to her words closely, it bring an unforgettable thrill. In a line from her song “Stay with Me,” she spoke, “Stay a child while you can be a child.” The movie is a musical, so do not be surprised if there are scenes where they start singing out randomly, but the songs can all be catchy to hum along to. This movie gets a thumbs-up based on the detail added to the characters, the lyrics, and the plot. It balances humor and a meaningful impact as a viewer. 

All of the cast members performed amazingly in their roles, like Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, Emily Blunt, and Meryl Streep. They all displayed impressive voices, and Johnny Depp appeared as the wolf in the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Some characters had British accents. Jack, played by Daniel Huttlestone, had a noticeable accent, and it just adds to his character. His song, “Giants in the Sky,” showed a young boy’s excitement and his remarkable voice, especially since he sang quickly, and that is a difficult thing to do. I find it crazy how a fifteen-year-old boy was able to have such talent. 

The main drawback for some viewers is that it will cause a shift and confusion towards the end, especially towards the younger audience who have difficulty understanding fully what is happening. There is cheating and sexual temptation involved.  Into the Woods explores the theme of responsibilities, reminding the audience that pursuing desires will come with a cost, a journey that can be more meaningful than the destination. 

The movie seems so unknown or forgotten, and people should consider watching it to celebrate their 10th anniversary since the movie came out. It delivers a powerful message: our actions can come back with consequences that can impact the people around us and relate to life. It’s perfect for people who enjoy their fairy tales with a twisted turn of events and a deep message hidden.