I just finished reading The Art of Immersion: How the Digital Generation Is Remaking Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and the Way We Tell Stories by Wired writer Frank Rose. The book provides an overview of all the changes taking place in our connected, interactive, game-ified culture, more than justifying its lengthy title in the process. As someone who's interested in interactive storytelling in addition to more linear film narratives, I found the book to be packed with flavor crystals of brain candy (how's that for an endorsement?). Here's the first chapter, free:
The Art of Immersion was released in February of this year and is currently available in hardcover, Kindle, and iBook editions (it won't be out in paperback until February 2012). Here's a short video about the book itself:
How about you guys, what have you read recently that you'd recommend to other filmmakers and storytellers?
The first time I saw Wicked was in Boston with my roommate after her boyfriend dumped her, and I got to take his ticket. So, I will forever be grateful to that dummy because I had an amazing time.
The Wicked movie seems like it has been delayed forever, but when John Chu stepped in to direct, dates were set, the cast was announced, and we had full steam ahead.
Now, the movie is here, and I was so excited to be in a packed theater watching.
The movie is split into two parts, with the second coming out next year.
So today, I want to go over the ending for part one and explain it to you.
Sound good? Let's defy gravity together.
'Wicked' Movie Synopsis
The movie begins in the wonderful land of Oz, right after Dorothy has kileld the Wicked Witch of the West. All of Oz celebrates her defeat.
But then, Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, begins to tell us a much different story, the story of Elphaba Thropp, known to us as the Wicked Witch.
Elphaba was born with emerald-green skin, faces prejudice and misunderstanding due to her pigmentation. As she grows up, she has no friends and is cat out, but her father loves her and supports her. Eventually, Elphaba goes to Shiz University to study sorcery.
Shiz is run by run by Madame Morrible, who is a bit of a mystery to us.
At Shiz, Elphaba forms an unlikely friendship with the popular and bubbly Glinda, who is her roommate (and out narrator at the top).
Despite their differences, they navigate the challenges of school, social pressures, and even find themselves drawn to the same charming man, Fiyero. He's handsome and seems perfect.
Morrible sees a lot of potential in Elphaba, and begins to tutor her in order to help her release her magical powers.
But as Elphaba and Glinda get deeper into school, they discover all is not well in Oz. Elphaba learns the the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not the kind leader he appears to be.
Elphaba learns from Dr. Dillamond, a talking Goat professor, that Animals across Oz are being stripped of their rights and voices.
Hoping her idol, the Wizard, will intervene, Elphaba attends a lively night at the Ozdust Ballroom with Glinda and Fiyero, where their friendship deepens and so does their trust in one another.
However, the next day brings grim news as Dr. Dillamond is forced to retire, replaced by a professor who cruelly experiments on animals.
Elphaba and Fiyero, disgusted, free a lion cub from the professor's clutches. Summoned to the Emerald City by the Wizard, Elphaba is tricked into casting a spell that gives the Wizard's monkey guards wings, revealing his true tyrannical nature.
Horrified, Elphaba flees, branded a Wicked Witch by the manipulative Madame Morrible, who was tricking her the whole time.
Glinda tries to convince Elphaba to surrender, but Elphaba chooses to fight for the oppressed. Bidding a tearful farewell to her friend, Elphaba uses her magic to escape the city, soaring into the unknown on a broomstick.
As Elphaba embraces her newfound identity and her extraordinary powers, she sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the fate of Oz.
'Wicked' Ending Explained
That was a pretty crazy turn for part one of the story, but it was also such an emotional and entertaining journey.
At the end of Wicked Part One, Elphaba is tricked into casting a spell that gives the Wizard's monkey guards wings. This proves ot her that the people in power are wrong and trying to use her.
It sets the story up for Part II, as Elphaba rejects the Wizard's offer and vow to fight against him, solidifying her position as an enemy of the state and showing the audience why she was called the "Wicked Witch."
Elphaba has to embrace her new identity and become a symbol of the resistance against the Wizard.
In choosing to do what's right, Elphaba has also created a rift between herself and her best friend Glinda. In a tearful goodbye, they acknowledge their diverging paths.
There is no certain future of friendship, as it appears they're going into battle.
This was a crazy ending that set us up for so much to come in the next part.
I just finished reading The Art of Immersion: How the Digital Generation Is Remaking Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and the Way We Tell Stories by Wired writer Frank Rose. The book provides an overview of all the changes taking place in our connected, interactive, game-ified culture, more than justifying its lengthy title in the process. As someone who's interested in interactive storytelling in addition to more linear film narratives, I found the book to be packed with flavor crystals of brain candy (how's that for an endorsement?). Here's the first chapter, free:
