In the beloved classic story "The Wizard of Oz," one of the most iconic characters is the Maleficent Witch. Portrayed as the primary antagonist in the tale, the Maleficent Witch captivates readers with her mysterious appearance and bewitching powers. Throughout the narrative, the Maleficent Witch embodies the embodiment of evil and presents a formidable challenge for the story's protagonist, Dorothy, and her companions. From the moment the Maleficent Witch is introduced, her presence is palpable. Clad in a flowing black gown and adorned with a pointed hat, she conveys a sense of darkness and foreboding. Her green, menacing skin and long, crooked nose add to her air of malevolence.
Mother Gothel from Tangled
Desperate to keep her youth and beauty, Gothel kidnaps Princess Rapunzel, whose magic hair she needs, and locks her up in a tower for 18 years. Selfish.
The only clear thing seems to be that once MGM released The Wizard of Oz with Dorothy s green-skinned nemesis, green witches began to appear everywhere and anyone green-skinned from then on was almost always equated with bad. I pity the make-up designer their job if they have to include all the Disneyland and product data on Maleficent s official colors for their final decision.
Her green, menacing skin and long, crooked nose add to her air of malevolence. With her piercing gaze and cackling laugh, the Maleficent Witch exudes a sinister aura that leaves a lasting impression on both the characters within the story and the readers outside of it. What truly sets the Maleficent Witch apart is her remarkable magical abilities.
The Maleficent Witch from the Wizard of Oz
Ever since the first rumor linking Angelina Jolie and the movie Maleficent there have been mock-ups of Ms. Jolie's face in "costume" for the leading role. Now that there's finally a director attached (as announced less than a couple of days ago), no doubt we'll see many more takes on Ms. Jolie as evil-fairy since she remains confirmed for the title role. The fan effort at the head of the post is my favorite version from the pickings at the moment.
I'm actually really looking forward to this movie. Reading Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen by Serena Valentino a couple of years ago I was pleasantly surprised to see that Disney was OK with Snow White's Evil Queen getting re-envisioned so thoroughly and so (chillingly) believably. (It's a wonderful, well written and beautiful book - highly recommended!) I also know Ms. Valentino had been considering the angle she would take if she were asked to re-write Disney's Sleeping Beauty from Maleficent's point of view, back when Fairest of All was published, and am curious as to her ideas. I wish she was a consultant for the story development but with Linda Woolverton (who wrote the screenplay for Disney's Beauty & the Beast and co-wrote on The Lion King) at the script's helm it's unlikely. I do know that if real complexities are being written into the role (which is supposed to be the whole point of the movie) that Angelina Jolie without doubt has the acting chops to pull it off and is probably about the right age now to be believable too.
But will they turn her green?
I find it interesting that in the majority of mock-up pictures Ms. Jolie is given the Wicked treatment. If you look at Disney's Sleeping Beauty Maleficent does have a greenness about her skin but I never really thought of her as "green" like the Oz movie's Wicked Witch of the West or Elphaba in Wicked. Instead I assumed she was somewhat pasty from avoiding sunshine (and all other good things), from messing around with vile substances and potions and that perhaps she had a sense of decay about her as well (I guess zombies are often portrayed as green too but I don't think Maleficent is in the zombie category). I also always thought of Maleficent as a sorcerous fairy rather than a witch as well so why did she get green around the gills * for the Disney animated feature?
Considering Baum never described the Wicked Witch of the West as green and the illustrations for his story never suggested it either, where did this association of witch/evil woman = green come from? Wasn't green always considered a fairy color, no matter which side they were on? Was the decision to make the WWof theW green-skinned based in anything historical to do with witches at all or was it a make-the-most-of-technicolor decision like the changing Baum's silver slippers to ruby was?
Luckily the internet hive mind has some interesting and plausible ideas on this.
From this Wizard of Oz forum HERE:
Regarding your question on Oz message board about origin of green-skinned witches -- I am pretty sure that there are none prior to the 1939 WofO movie. And the reason the movie had one probably has more to do with showing off the capabilities of the technicolor process than with any precedent in folklore. I'd make a guess that there might have been some influence from the discovery (late in the 18th century, with popularity all through the 19th century in dyes for wallpaper, paint, and fabrics) of copper arsenate as a bright green color that was cheap and easy to manufacture. The dye was poisonous, based as it was on arsenic and in a lot of 19th (and early 20th) century fiction you can find references to arsenic green or even just bright green as a poisonous color. There might be a further association of green with poisons and with magic-working because the drink absinthe (notorious in late 19th/early 20th century culture as a poisonous-but-intoxicating-and-poetically-inspiring drink -- the poisonous and the inspirational elements of its reputation seem to have been a good deal exaggerated) usually had enough chlorophyll in its manufacture to come out green in color, and absinthe was nicknamed "la fee verte" (the green fairy -- should have an acute accent-mark on the first e).
And a couple of other ideas that repeat all over the web (with these excerpts being the best summaries that seemed to make at least a good amount of sense - source HERE):
1) The stereotype of the green-faced witch with the crooked nose stems from the so-called "burning times" or the Inquisition. Women were persecuted and beaten severely and tortured to "confess" to witchcraft before being burned, hanged or beheaded. These women were paraded through the town before execution and looked frightful due to the beatings and torture. Their faces were horrible shades of green from the bruises, their noses and teeth were usually broken, among other things. This is the last sight people saw of the accused and "convicted" witch before her death. Pretty messed up, eh?
2) The "green" witch has some roots in Celtic Mythology. Sometimes, witches were depicted with green skin or red hair. Both green and red are colors associated in Celtic tradition with fairies. There has always been a connection between fairies and witches, both being thought of as being not quite of this world. An old description in Britain for a fairy or a human being who was thought to have psychic abilities was "greensleeve" or "green jacket". The association of green with the otherworld was so strong that at one time it was considered unlucky to wear green because it might incur the wrath of the fairies who considered it their own color.
My two cents (which probably has nothing to do with influencing anything at Disney - or MGM - BUT does tap into fairy tales and myths at large and does pre-date Sleeping Beauty by a number of years) is to mention C.S. Lewis' Lady of the Green Kirtle/ Green Witch/Emerald Witch/Queen of Underland from his Narnia stories with "poison colored skin" (in The Silver Chair) also transforms to a giant snake/dragon-like creature. Considering the source, you know the use of green for this formidable and evil woman is most likely to have been based in mythic traditions. But then maybe he saw The Wizard of Oz too!
The only clear thing seems to be that once MGM released The Wizard of Oz with Dorothy's green-skinned nemesis, green witches began to appear everywhere and anyone green-skinned from then on was almost always equated with "bad". I'm guessing that had at least an unconscious effect on Maleficent's skin color for Disney's Sleeping Beauty and I have to wonder: will a live-action movie be able to pull off a green-skinned Maleficent/Angelina Jolie, will they go for more human tones or will they try something completely different?
(Amazing what one picture will get me thinking!)
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* Or did she? This blogger HERE did quite a bit of research trying to determine the real color of Maleficent's skin according to Disney but it turns out if wasn't easy to do.
To confuse the issue a little further, there was a (very!) limited line of cosmetics released by Mac and Disney called Venomous Villains this year in which Maleficent had a whole cosmetic line of her own. See HERE for pictures of all the products and descriptions, along with directions on how the stores should display them, which is fun to look at when you think about it being put on an actual human (including, of course, Ms. Jolie). See HERE for an excellent description of the colors used (about half way down the page for Maleficent). Why am I even bothering telling you this? Because, and here's the quote:
Jennifer Balbier, the vice president of product development for M.A.C Cosmetics, said about the line: "Disney gave us the colors used when these characters were drawn throughout their history."
I pity the make-up designer their job if they have to include all the Disneyland and product data on Maleficent's "official colors" for their final decision.
Luckily the internet hive mind has some interesting and plausible ideas on this.
Throughout the narrative, she employs these powers to thwart Dorothy and her companions at every turn. From creating deadly storms to summoning flying monkeys as her minions, the Maleficent Witch wields an arsenal of spells and enchantments that make her a formidable adversary. Her ability to transform Dorothy's friends into a scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion further demonstrates her malevolent nature and her willingness to use her powers for evil purposes. However, beyond her appearance and powers, the Maleficent Witch serves as a symbol of the negative aspects of humanity. Representing greed, envy, and a thirst for power, the Maleficent Witch embodies the darkest aspects of human nature. Her desire for the ruby slippers, which possess the ability to grant immense power, reveals her insatiable craving for control and dominance. In this way, the Maleficent Witch serves as a cautionary tale, reminding readers of the dangers of succumbing to their baser instincts. The Maleficent Witch's role as the main villain in "The Wizard of Oz" also highlights the theme of good versus evil. Throughout her encounters with Dorothy and her friends, the Maleficent Witch represents the overarching evil that the protagonists must overcome. Her constant attempts to hinder their progress and her persistence in pursuing her malicious agenda create tension and suspense, driving the narrative forward. In conclusion, the Maleficent Witch from "The Wizard of Oz" is a captivating character that both fascinates and frightens readers. Through her appearance, powers, and symbolic representation of negative human traits, she serves as a memorable antagonist in the story. The Maleficent Witch's presence and actions enhance the themes of good versus evil and the importance of resisting temptation, making her an integral part of the narrative's enduring legacy..
Reviews for "The Maleficent Witch from the Wizard of Oz: How she challenges traditional ideas of beauty"
1. Susan - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Maleficent Witch from The Wizard of Oz". The performance lacked depth and the storyline felt forced. It seemed like the actors were just going through the motions without any real passion or understanding of their characters. The special effects were also underwhelming and didn't create the same magical atmosphere that you would expect from a production based on The Wizard of Oz. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this show if you're looking for a captivating and memorable theatre experience.
2. John - 1/5 stars - I couldn't stand "The Maleficent Witch from The Wizard of Oz". The acting was terrible, the dialogue was cheesy, and the costumes were tacky. It felt like a low-budget production that lacked any creative vision. The storyline was disjointed and didn't make much sense, leaving me confused and uninterested throughout the entire show. I can't believe I wasted my time and money on this production. Save yourself the trouble and skip this one.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - "The Maleficent Witch from The Wizard of Oz" was a letdown for me. The performances were lackluster and failed to capture the true essence of the iconic characters from The Wizard of Oz. The pacing was slow, and there were moments where the show felt dragged out. The set design and costumes were also subpar, lacking the grandeur and magic that should accompany a performance like this. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and disconnected from the story. I wouldn't recommend this production to others.
4. Michael - 3/5 stars - "The Maleficent Witch from The Wizard of Oz" had its flaws, but it was still somewhat enjoyable. The acting was hit or miss, with some actors delivering strong performances while others fell flat. The storyline was decent, but it lacked the depth and complexity that I was hoping for. The production value was also average, with some impressive moments but overall nothing extraordinary. If you're a fan of The Wizard of Oz, you might find some entertainment value in this show, but don't expect to be blown away.
5. Rachel - 2/5 stars - "The Maleficent Witch from The Wizard of Oz" failed to deliver the enchanting experience that I was anticipating. The acting was mediocre at best, with some actors struggling to convincingly portray their characters. The script felt cliché and offered little originality. Additionally, the set design and costumes were unimaginative, lacking the vibrancy and whimsy that should accompany a production based on The Wizard of Oz. Overall, I left the theatre feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. I wouldn't recommend this play to others looking for a captivating and magical experience.