Hollywood has a thing at the moment for reconfiguring readily identifiable brands: at one end of the spectrum, we have the inventive and imaginative breeze of creativity blowing away the cobwebs of of sequel-itis; at the other, tired and cliched attempts to flog life out of already expired franchises. When the advantage is taken, it comes from leveraging – but not exploiting – familiarity. Even if there are only so many stories waiting to be told, the least one can do is to at least tell ‘em a bit differently than the last time.
L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz is the perfect vehicle for this creativity/chicanery: he did produce 13 (count ‘em!) sequels to the original, untapped territory that would keep studio execs and other beancounters happy for an age. But (and I assume you know the story of Dorothy from Kansas, the cowardly lion, the tin man, the scarecrow and so on; if not, what on earth did you do with your childhood?) Oz, the Great and Powerful actually goes in the other direction, mining the unwritten backstory to Dorothy’s adventures along the yellow Brick Road. Who exactly was the Wizard, and how did he wind up in Oz?
We find out soon enough that Oscar Diggs – Oz to his nearest and dearest – is a charlatan and a huckster, a jobbing magician in a travelling circus who flees for his life after unwisely importuning the wife of the resident strongman. This is Kansas, so a twister is readily at hand; a hair-raising whirlwind later, he finds himself in a beautifully serene, yet very strange and alien landscape.
I have the feeling that James Franco is a perfect fit for the role of Oz, though it is hard to say precisely why. There is something about the theatrical conceit that shapes Oz the Great…the film that suits him, I suppose; his side-gigs as writer, poet, teacher and musician have shaped him in the mould of an uber-mensch for our post-modern, constantly self-referential age. Or maybe it’s just that he seems to have the self awareness not to take himself too seriously, just like this cinematic alter ego.
Anyway Oz – once in Oz – is told that the people of the land are under the thumb of Glinda, the wicked witch who killed her father, the kindly king; they await the fulfilment of the prophecy promising a mysterious wizard who will free them from their bondage. It is but a slight sleight of hand for Oz to ascend to the pulpit. I mean, this is a kingdom we’re talking about here. With a throne, and a castle and riches beyond compare. And it does help that Theodora (Mila Kunis), the naive but impetuous estranged sister of Glinda, takes a shine to him on sight. Oz always had dreams of greatness. Now, he can transcend even these and enter the realms of grandeur.
But this is a strange and magical world, where things can never be quite as they seem. Evanora – played with chilly efficiency by Rachel Weisz – reminds Oz that all this will be his once only after he has gotten the task of disposing Glinda out of the way. It won’t be easy; there are hordes of bloodthirsty flying baboons (don’t ask, I don’t know either) in his way, for one thing, and all he has on his side – aside from his “magic” powers – is Frank, a winged monkey (a cute CGI-aided turn by Zach Braff) who inadvertently vows fealty to the magician. It’s hardly surprising that by the time he does track down Glinda (Michelle Williams), we learn that his adventures are just beginning…
Despite – or because of – the big guns brought out to play (Sam Raimi, responsible for the original Spiderman franchise, had a $200m budget to play around with), Oz feels like a very safe film, wary of take chances and very keen to tick all the cinematic demographic boxes necessary to ensure a crowd-pleaser (and profit-earner). Of course this won’t work, as it very rarely does except in the few films where completely unconsciously, a film strikes several chords all at once. (Finding Nemo, for instance. The first and third Toy Story films. Possibly Shrek, although all the good work was undone in the tiresome sequels.)
One must remember that once cut and diced, Oz the Great..is essentially a fairy tale. And no amount of post modern gimmickry is going to elevate it far enough above this source without rendering it meaningless i.e. rendering the reconfiguration pointless. So one hopes that Franco’s wandering eye and lecherous smile will pass over the heads of younger viewers. The CGI effects are impressive, but conventional; the visual palette evoking the Technicolor freshness of Judy Garland’s Oz is a cute aside, but essentially contextless. (To get a sense of how this particular visual touch can count for something, you could do worse than watch Todd Haynes’ Far From Heaven.)
At a shade over two hours, Oz the Great… feels at least half an hour too long; it’s a shame, because the first fifty minutes did feel very much like an adult apology for the transient yet engaging and fun shenanigans that follow. Ultimately, there aren’t any real surprises to Oz The Great and Powerful. But that’s not always a bad thing.
An aside: I’m sure y’all know the old urban myth to the effect that Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon syncs perfectly with the Judy Garland version of The Wizard of Oz. If anyone ever finds out what album works best with Oz the Great… do let me know. Except if it is Lady Gaga. There’s craziness enough in the world as it is…
Oz, the Great and Powerful is currently showing in Israeli theatres, click here for Tel Aviv showtimes.
