...A luring fairytale by L Frank Baum, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ gets a Gujarati connect and a 3D look. And more interestingly, NRG Palak Patel from Los Angeles, USA is the co-writer and executive co-producer of the film, ‘Oz: The Great and Powerful’. Priya Adhyaru-Majithia conducts an exclusive interview with Palak Patel for his achievement.
Princess dancing with beast, princess kissing a frog, a street flutist luring rats away from a town, so on and so forth! As children, all of us have heard these ‘Once upon a time…’ fairy tales, luring ourselves into merry land and the dreamy skies. But to watch a fairy tale in three dimensions is definitely a far cry from its verbal narration and one with a strong male character is a must watch for all.
Released on International Women’s Day, March 8, ‘Oz: The Great and Powerful’ promises its viewers a new world of fairy tales with rich production design, huge film sets and lots of colour. Interestingly, the film has a special connection with Gujarat, as its co-writer and executive co-producer of the film; Palak Patel is a non-resident Gujarati (NRG). Palak has worked tirelessly with screen-writer Mitchel Kapner to re-present a fairy tale otherwise written 100 years ago.
Currently posted as vice president of production and development at Spring Creek Pictures, which is associated with Warner Bros and HBO, Patel has worked on many film such as Analyze That, Looney Tunes, Envy and Monster-In-Law. His name also features in the credit line of Hollywood films including Cats & Dogs, American Pie 1, 2, 3, Final Destination 1 & 2 and Snow White – And The Huntsman. Patel in an interview with DNA After Hrs shares his thoughts about how the film would fair in India and also highlights details about the making of the film.
Will the film meet viewers’ expectations?
Yes it will, even though I think the bar is set quite high by the audience for this film since ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is a beloved classic spanning across many generations. I think what Disney, the producers, and our director have achieved is staying true to the spirit and the world that L Frank Baum created and wrote almost 100 years ago. We make respectful nods to the original classic, while looking at Baum’s own work and putting that on the screen. We hope the viewers will not only be emotionally moved by the wonderful characters that our writers have adapted, but also be amazed by the lavish production design Robert Stromberg has created to bring to life the richness that is present in Baum books which was also captured by the 1939 film.
Has modern technology affected the charm and humour of the 1939 Hollywood classic?
I think there was no better time to make this film than right now. With the invention of 3D, the technology that’s been created in the last 10 years in cinema is beyond one’s imagination. The extent to which CGI has been able to realistically capture facial features, landscapes, and virtually anything, I feel the modern technology not only creates a realistic world filled with fantastic creatures, characters, and landscapes, but they also give it a dimension of charm and humour to it that is enjoyable for all. The vision that Sam Raimi had for this — to capture the tone and style of Baum’s work, as it is, couldn’t have been executed 15 years ago — it’s the perfect time for this film to be made and seen.
What does it offer to children?
I think this film offers many things to children than just entertainment. First and foremost, this film introduces an entirely new generation of movie-goers to the wonderful world of Oz. While the 1939 classic is fantastic, and stands on its own, this gen-next film captures certain landscapes, colours, architecture, and design in a manner that couldn’t have been done decades ago. Also the film will be a visual introduction to the beautiful world found in all of Baum’s 14 books that children today will witness unlike their forefathers who only have the 1939 film as reference. We hope after seeing this film, children from across the world will read Baum’s books and about the dozens of characters and storylines he’s created.
Do you think director Sam Raimi has brought the legend of Oz back to life?
In our (all the producer’s)mind, Sam Raimi was the perfect director. He has little child-like quality to him, he’s frivolous on the set, full of passion and ideas, and acts like a kid building a sandcastle when he’s directing. That personality and characteristic really reflects and is also present in every frame of this film. He has five children, and unlimited imagination and warmth which I think shows in the film. Sam’s also a technical master, a true movie director who started with low budget films and finding innovative ways to place the camera. He slowly graduated to big budget movie director taking advantage of the Hollywood studio toys that are given to him while making such movies. But he still has that innocence, humour, warmth, and emotion which also reflects in every frame of the film he makes. We were lucky to have him on board as he has really captured the world of Baum better than we ever could have imagined.
How do you think young Indians will react to this film?
I hope they enjoy the film, but more importantly, I hope this film introduces them to Baum’s books. There’s an entire world and dozens of characters we haven’t even explored yet in the film that are in those books, and I hope the film inspires them to read those books. It’s pure escapism, yet grounded enough characters and storylines that I think they will be emotionally moved by, and at times relate to or identify with.
What makes the 3D in this film special?
I personally believe that only 3D should be used in select films and not all. I think when you’re creating a world full of exotic colours, limitless imagination, larger than life landscapes filled with beautiful architecture and castles, one must use 3D. Before we commenced filming, our director attended a 3D school to understand 3D and its best use. There are many sequences in the film that take advantage of 3D better than most of the 3D films made out there. That was a conscious decision on Sam’s part; he really wanted the film to be a fantastic roller-coaster ride that takes your breath away. We hope the audience walk away with the same ecstatic feeling after they see this movie. The world that Baum created through his books should be viewed in 3D because it’s rich in colour, design, and landscapes.
Are there any special angles in the film that will resonate with Indian audience?
I think the heartbeat of this film is about being selfless and not selfish, that’s Oscar’s journey in the film. The idea of helping others before helping yourself is the main theme of the story, one that I think would resonate with the class system in India. It doesn’t matter what’s your bank balance, where you live, what your caste system is, what matters is what kind of person you are. We shouldn’t dismiss people based on their whereabouts and bank balance. Another aspect of the film that will resonate with Indians is that of family.
