[ wicked-film ] Write about CGI, look up side-kicks

Author: CodingCellist

content/en/post/wicked-film-is-surprisingly-good/index.md

@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ title: "The Wicked Film Is Surprisingly Good"
 subtitle: ""
 summary: ""
 authors: [thomas-e-hansen]
-tags: [misc,films,review]
+tags: [wicked,misc,films,review]
 categories: [sprout]
-date: 2024-12-23T23:38:17+01:00
+date: 2024-12-24T15:32:17+01:00
 lastmod:
 featured: false
 draft: false
@@ -34,26 +34,43 @@ made you want to watch the rest; it was an approximately 2½ hour _part one_
 (I've been burnt by that so many times); and it was a film remake of a -- very
 popular -- musical, which _can_ go well, but some just really don't. And, I must
 admit, I had my doubts as to pop-star-turned-actress Ariana Grande. However, it
-turned out I shouldn't have been worried: the film was an absolute blast!
+turns out I shouldn't have been worried: the film was an absolute blast!
 
 
 ## Not Just a Filmed Musical
 
 The whole "film version of a musical" can go terribly when the studio, rights
 holders, or whatever go "Hello, I like money!" and just stick a poorly placed
 camera in front of what is essentially an on-stage musical, but without the
-experience of seeing it live, and with the camera adding very little. Wicked is
-not that. The crew behind it have very clearly gone "Okay, this is based on a
-musical, which is usually on a stage. But. What can we do with film technology
-that you wouldn't be able to do on stage?" And it works!
+experience of seeing it live and with the camera adding very little. The Wicked
+film is not that. The crew behind it have very clearly gone "Okay, this is based
+on a musical. But. What can we do with film technology that you wouldn't be able
+to do on stage?" And it shows!
 
+### The CGI
 
-### The Props (TODO: kulisser?)
+There are certain parts of the story which are enhanced by having access to CGI.
+For example, when Elphaba walks through a forest with little clam-like plants on
+each side, which open and reveal sparkling, glowing strands of colour, and then
+close again as the mood changes from hopeful to sad during the scene. You could
+probably have done something along the same idea on stage, but not as nicely.
 
+Then there are more "classical" uses of CGI as well: Dr Dillamond, the goat
+professor who teaches history at Shiz, has been CGI'd as a real goat (and the
+other talking animals as well); and the gold and emerald-green, steampunk train
+to the City of Oz. The film mixes green screen and CGI with an abundance of real
+(as in, physically constructed) sets, which I felt was a welcome breath of fresh
+air. Speaking of...
+
+### The Sets
+
+(there are about 2-3 pages worth of carpenters and plasterers in the credits)
 
 ## The Actors and Characters
 
-* Galinda "side-kicks" are phenomenal.
+* Galinda's "side-kicks" -- played by Bowen Yang from Saturday Night Live, and
+  Bronwyn James, are phenomenally annoying (in the best of ways). There is some
+  definite Mean Girls energy in there, and it is wonderful to watch  ^^
 
 ### They Can Sing