Rating: 
Summary: Into the Woods
Review: You don't have to go "Into the Woods" for a good time. Just watch it at home, in the comfort of your own couch. This musical is wondrous, incredible. Watch it once, you will never forget it. Watch it twice, you will love it. Watch it three times, you will covet it. Watch it again and it will be yours forever.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: This is a video you can't afford to miss. As with Sunday in the park... Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine take it away again. It has parts that made me cry, like No One Is Alone, and lines to make you laugh, such as the line spoken by Cinderella's Prince, "I was raised to be charming, not sincere." The cast is amazing, but the best actress in the show was Bernadette Peters. She brings the witch to life, and I found myself forgetting where I was because I was so wrapped up in it. This is one of the best musicals brought to the silver screen. Add this one to your collection as soon as you can!
Rating:
Summary: Stephen Sondheim's Hit Broadway Musical
Review: In the 1980s, Bernadette Peters established her reputation as the Queen of Broadway. Into the Woods, a Stephen Sondheim musical, was one of her great triumphs. This musical is an allegory on the numerous themes we see in fairy tales; it also combines several well-known tales into a cohesive whole (Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella, etc.). As a musical, there are a lot of songs, most very cleverly written and some of them even hummable for the general audience. The musical has a lot of amusing moments and is quite enjoyable in all. The overall plotline is a little complex, but basically, it follows the general storyline of the above fairy tales to their conclusion, as accompanied by the smart Sondheim songs (he also wrote for West Side Story, Gypsy, and Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, in case you didn't know). However, that is only the first half of the play. The first half has more tunes and is more amusing. The second half, however, shows the consequences of what has transpired from the completed fairy tales. In a sense, it continues the storyline before the EVER AFTER (which is one of the names of the songs, by the way). The second half, then, is the more serious of the two. In fact, it's rather a bit of a downer after such a fun first half. Nonetheless, it still has a few memorable tunes, such as No One is Alone. Bernadette Peters has a role as a witch in the musical. Also of note is Joanna Gleason, who won a best actress Tony Award for her amusing role as the baker's wife. Everyone sings well, especially these two actresses. The musical also garnered two more Tonys for best score and best book. Just a few words on the DVD, which I bought. This is essentially the broadcast version of the live musical, as shown several years back on PBS. The picture quality is decent, and the PCM (not dolby digital) sound quality is okay, too, considering this was from a TV broadcast. There are no extras at all on the DVD, unfortunately, although the musical does run for over 2 and ½ hours, and there are a generous number of bookmarks so you can easily access your favorite song. Bottom line - this is a very good Broadway musical and certainly worth viewing. The DVD transfer is acceptable, though a few extras, like cast notes or maybe even subtitles for sing-alongs would have been appreciated. Still, I can safely recommend this DVD!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful video of a great musical
Review: This is a very enjoyable video. I watch it with my kids - we all enjoy the music and the story is great. It combines the the stories and fates of a lot of familiar fairy tale characters, but it adds a twist. They all have to go "Into the Woods" to find something that they think will make them happy. The video taping of the live Broadway show is excellent. I have loved this musical for several years - I have seen a live version of it twice and really enjoyed it. The acting by the major stars is superb. Joanna Gleason and Bernadette Peters are especially good.
Rating:
Summary: Into the Woods
Review: One of the most enjoyable Broadway musicals you'll ever see! The incredible Stephen Sondheim is the composer-lyricist of this hilarious musical comedy led by an expert cast of performers. The Tony award-winning Bernadette Peters, 1987 Best Actress Winner Joanna Gleason, the amazing Chip Zien, and many more! Stephen Sondheim's Tony winning score is full of beautiful melodies and hilarious farcical musical numbers. For a great viewing experience, buy this video! I can't get enough of it!
Rating:
Summary: Enchanting journey
Review: This musical is one of the great contemporary pieces of our time. Lapine manages to take a lot of old stories and put new twists on them. Add the award-winning musical score and you have yourself a wonderful movie. Believe me, I've starred in a production of this musical and even after months of hearing the songs and knowing the plot, I still found the entire movie enchanting throughout. Also, it doesn't put that dampening Disney twist on everything and make it so sappy and boring you can't watch. People die, fight, lie, and generally act like PEOPLE. The Grimm brothers would be proud of this production. The actors and actresses, the costumes, the songs, the set...everything is unforgettable and is sure to be a favorite in any household.
Rating: 
Summary: Into The Woods: Brings Childhood Tales Into One Great Show
Review: The opening number draws you in and you learn who each character is, and what they're struggling with. The stage is set up in a functional way, and each character is seen and heard from individually. As the show progresses, the tales all mesh as one, but the main focus is on the Baker and his wife. They were cursed by their Witch neighbor, the awe-inspiring Bernadette Peters, for something the Baker's father did years ago. They need to collect, a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, a slipper of pure gold and hair as yellow as corn if they ever want to have a child. The cow comes from the tale, "Jack and the Beanstalk", the cape comes from, "Little Red Riding Hood", the slipper from, "Cinderella", and the hair from, "Rapunzel". The Witch is turned back into her beautiful self, once this potion is concocted, the Baker and his wife have a child, and they all live happily ever after-- until Act Two! Act Two opens similarly to Act One. The characters all tell about their new lives, and the new problems that go with it. The whole village is shaken when a giant is scouring the land for the murderer of her husband. If you recall, "Jack and the Beanstalk", the murderer is Jack. The villagers want to save Jack, but the Witch knows that the giant will stop at nothing to get the guilty party, even if it means destroying the whole village! As the Witch so appropriately says, "You're so nice! You're not good, you're not bad. You're just nice. I'm not good, I'm not nice, I'm just right! I'm the Witch! You're the world!" Not wanting to live in the midst of these selfish and petty people, the Witch decides to disappear. The giant is slain, and the fairy tales end in ways that even the Grimm brothers could have never imagined. THE END
Rating:
Summary: A better told version of fairy tales
Review: The very first time I saw "Into the Woods" I was 7 years old and as soon as I watched it I absolutely fell in love with it. The entire play is just wonderful. I just love how they tied in each fairy tale together without making them clash. This is definately a musical I would watch over and over again and never get tired of it. Bernadette Peters gives an outstanding performance in portraying the witch and the other actors are magnificent. This is an absolute classic. I LOVE IT!
Rating:
Summary: Into the Woods, Into the Spotlight
Review: This video is great. It has mix between a lot of fairy tales. The songs have tunes that u just cant help but sing along to. And the rounds singing is awesome. The cast is wonderful, and I think that this is one of the greatest movies, and should be watched more often. Especially in maybe music classes at schools. Thats what got me hooked!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Performances...
Review: Being a fan of Bernadette Peters, I bought this musical on a leap of faith. I knew nothing about it prior to buying it, but am I ever glad that I did! Once I pressed 'play', I couldn't stop it until the very end! Bernadette Peters sings what I consider to be one of her finest roles. Joanna Gleason shines as the baker's wife, and there is no doubt in my mind as to why she won best actress for this role. Chip Zien is also wonderful as the baker, and I completely fell in love with him when he sang his first note. Whether a fan of one of these amazing singers, or just a fan of Broadway itself, I recomend this musical.
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