I finally got an opportunity to see Into the Woods with the family tonight. I was immediately struck by how quickly the archetypes and moral messages looped into what is a really well done musical escapade. Fairy tales have always been archetypal morality stories. Tor blogged about fairytale archetypes, highlighting the top five. It reminded me of the archetypal nature of story characters in general and how, in general, stories are built around recognizable archetypes in order to provide the reader with short cuts to understanding the characters.
The film itself was richly layered with morality bombs dusted with modernity. I was especially pleased at the take on Cinderella, a girl who looks for her prince but recognizes quite quickly that finding that person on the pedestal isn’t necessarily a dream come true. I can relate, having found and realized the futility of trying to love that particular individual years ago.
In the end I found myself doing what the stories were designed to make us do. I reflected on my own life, situations, and habits. I think that makes for a good movie watching experience.