"The Wizard and I" by chasarumba, commentary by theanonsisters
Title: The Wizard and I
Vidder: chasarumba
Fandom: Ashes to Ashes
Link: http://chasarumba.livejournal.com/43780.html
Commentary By: theanonsisters
Originally posted to vid_commentary
Ashes to Ashes features DCI Gene Hunt (played by Philip Glenister) from Life on Mars. He is joined by an experienced female detective and trained psychologist from the 21st century, DI Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes), who wakes up in 1981 after being shot in 2008. She concludes that she is either a second away from life, or a second away from death, because of the detailed notes she has studied from Sam Tyler, when he found himself back in time in 1973 after a car accident.
Song Choice
The Wizard and I from the show Wicked, performed by Idina Menzel
Lyrics:
When I meet the Wizard
Once I prove my worth
And then I meet the Wizard
What I've waited for since...since birth
And with all his Wizard wisdom
By my looks, he won't be blinded
Do you think the Wizard is dumb?
Or, like Munchkins, so small-minded?
No! He'll say to me,
"I see who you truly are
A girl on whom I can rely"
And that's how we'll begin
The Wizard and I
Once I'm with the Wizard
My whole life will change
'Cuz once you're with the Wizard
No one thinks you're strange
No father is not proud of you,
No sister acts ashamed
And all of Oz has to love you
When by the Wizard you're acclaimed
And this gift or this curse
I have inside
Maybe at last I'll know why
Oh, what a pair we'll be
The Wizard and I
Yes, what a pair we'll be
The Wizard and...
Unlimited
My future is unlimited
And I've just had a vision
Almost like a prophecy
I know -- it sounds truly crazy
And true, the vision's hazy
But I swear, someday there'll be
A celebration throughout Oz
That's all to do with me!
And I'll stand there with the Wizard
Feeling things I've never felt
And though I'd never show it
I'll be so happy, I could...melt!
And so it will be
For the rest of my life
And I'll want nothing else
Till I die
Held in such high esteem
When people see me, they will scream
For half of Oz's fav'rite team:
The Wizard
And I
The Vid
The vid is gorgeous to look at, if you are familiar with the show you'll appreciate immediately how Chasa has made it brighter and more colourful, it really shines so you're immediately captivated. This also works for me in a way I'm sure was not be intended by the vidder; one of the things I find interesting about a fairy tales is by nature they're sweet stories that are really all about death and betrayal so I love the bright bubbly colours and plinky music when it's all about a dying woman's last seconds.
chasarumba describes The Wizard and I as cracky but given how much The Wizard of Oz is referenced in Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes, I don't think I'd call it that myself. Stories like The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are obvious inspirations in Mars and Ashes.
0.15
When I meet the Wizard
Once I prove my worth
Alex's arrival in 'Oz'. Most A2A vids will use Alex's shooting at some point in the narrative but most will use the present day Alex being shot (dead?) by crook Arthur Layton. Chasa matches Layton's shot fired in cold dusty 2008 with Alex in her gorgeous blood-red dress falling to the ground when she meets Gene Hunt for the first time. This representation of Alex being wounded works perfectly with the fairy tale trend.
0.20
And then I meet the Wizard
What I've waited for since...since birth
This is a beautiful transition between older and younger Alex and the ceiling lights now look like sunlight being thrown onto the wall in the second clip.
1.00
'Cuz once you're with the Wizard
No one thinks you're strange
No father is not proud of you,
No sister acts ashamed
Both Alex (Ashes) and Sam Tyler (Mars) have deep rooted issues with dead or in some other way departed loved ones that they work out in their comatose/dying states.
1.20
And this gift or this curse
I have inside
Maybe at last I'll know why
The Clown tempts Alex with the dark secrets of her past. Once she knows the truth peace will follow...or will it? Would Alex be better off remaining blissfully unaware that her father hurtled into mental breakdown.
1.25
Oh, what a pair we'll be
The Wizard and I
A humourous moment as Alex struggles to work harmoniously with Gene Hunt.
1.50
And I've just had a vision
Almost like a prophecy
Alex discovers more about her childhood. The tinkly music makes Tim's wink look all the more sinister while I know -- it sounds truly crazy
And true, the vision's hazy brings back Tim's alter ego and Alex's tormentor, the Clown. Again, light hearted music as the terrifying 'vision', the Clown appears on the TV set.
2.12
The music reaches a cymbal-clashing climax and so does Alex's quest to unravel the mystery of her parents' death. Their car explodes, she fails. But fairy tales are usually about self-discovery in failure so...
2.25
And I'll stand there with the Wizard
Feeling things I've never felt
Alex has made more than one important discovery about her past; She now knows who comforted her when she needed it most.
2.41
And I'll want nothing else
Till I die
A clever little reintroduction of Layton's bullet reminding us that this is probably all in Alex's head.
2.54
For half of Oz's fav'rite team:
The Wizard
And I
With the revelation about Gene at the site of her parent's death, Alex looks at him differently, they are a team now. I even liked the background clip for the credits, it was a cosy, intimate little shot of Alex and Gene sitting in Luigis, echoing their comfortable new relationship.
View the memories
Watch for updates
Vidder: chasarumba
Fandom: Ashes to Ashes
Link: http://chasarumba.livejournal.com/43780.html
Commentary By: theanonsisters
Originally posted to vid_commentary
Ashes to Ashes features DCI Gene Hunt (played by Philip Glenister) from Life on Mars. He is joined by an experienced female detective and trained psychologist from the 21st century, DI Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes), who wakes up in 1981 after being shot in 2008. She concludes that she is either a second away from life, or a second away from death, because of the detailed notes she has studied from Sam Tyler, when he found himself back in time in 1973 after a car accident.
Song Choice
The Wizard and I from the show Wicked, performed by Idina Menzel
Lyrics:
When I meet the Wizard
Once I prove my worth
And then I meet the Wizard
What I've waited for since...since birth
And with all his Wizard wisdom
By my looks, he won't be blinded
Do you think the Wizard is dumb?
Or, like Munchkins, so small-minded?
No! He'll say to me,
"I see who you truly are
A girl on whom I can rely"
And that's how we'll begin
The Wizard and I
Once I'm with the Wizard
My whole life will change
'Cuz once you're with the Wizard
No one thinks you're strange
No father is not proud of you,
No sister acts ashamed
And all of Oz has to love you
When by the Wizard you're acclaimed
And this gift or this curse
I have inside
Maybe at last I'll know why
Oh, what a pair we'll be
The Wizard and I
Yes, what a pair we'll be
The Wizard and...
Unlimited
My future is unlimited
And I've just had a vision
Almost like a prophecy
I know -- it sounds truly crazy
And true, the vision's hazy
But I swear, someday there'll be
A celebration throughout Oz
That's all to do with me!
And I'll stand there with the Wizard
Feeling things I've never felt
And though I'd never show it
I'll be so happy, I could...melt!
And so it will be
For the rest of my life
And I'll want nothing else
Till I die
Held in such high esteem
When people see me, they will scream
For half of Oz's fav'rite team:
The Wizard
And I
The Vid
The vid is gorgeous to look at, if you are familiar with the show you'll appreciate immediately how Chasa has made it brighter and more colourful, it really shines so you're immediately captivated. This also works for me in a way I'm sure was not be intended by the vidder; one of the things I find interesting about a fairy tales is by nature they're sweet stories that are really all about death and betrayal so I love the bright bubbly colours and plinky music when it's all about a dying woman's last seconds.
chasarumba describes The Wizard and I as cracky but given how much The Wizard of Oz is referenced in Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes, I don't think I'd call it that myself. Stories like The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are obvious inspirations in Mars and Ashes.
0.15
When I meet the Wizard
Once I prove my worth
Alex's arrival in 'Oz'. Most A2A vids will use Alex's shooting at some point in the narrative but most will use the present day Alex being shot (dead?) by crook Arthur Layton. Chasa matches Layton's shot fired in cold dusty 2008 with Alex in her gorgeous blood-red dress falling to the ground when she meets Gene Hunt for the first time. This representation of Alex being wounded works perfectly with the fairy tale trend.
0.20
And then I meet the Wizard
What I've waited for since...since birth
This is a beautiful transition between older and younger Alex and the ceiling lights now look like sunlight being thrown onto the wall in the second clip.
1.00
'Cuz once you're with the Wizard
No one thinks you're strange
No father is not proud of you,
No sister acts ashamed
Both Alex (Ashes) and Sam Tyler (Mars) have deep rooted issues with dead or in some other way departed loved ones that they work out in their comatose/dying states.
1.20
And this gift or this curse
I have inside
Maybe at last I'll know why
The Clown tempts Alex with the dark secrets of her past. Once she knows the truth peace will follow...or will it? Would Alex be better off remaining blissfully unaware that her father hurtled into mental breakdown.
1.25
Oh, what a pair we'll be
The Wizard and I
A humourous moment as Alex struggles to work harmoniously with Gene Hunt.
1.50
And I've just had a vision
Almost like a prophecy
Alex discovers more about her childhood. The tinkly music makes Tim's wink look all the more sinister while I know -- it sounds truly crazy
And true, the vision's hazy brings back Tim's alter ego and Alex's tormentor, the Clown. Again, light hearted music as the terrifying 'vision', the Clown appears on the TV set.
2.12
The music reaches a cymbal-clashing climax and so does Alex's quest to unravel the mystery of her parents' death. Their car explodes, she fails. But fairy tales are usually about self-discovery in failure so...
2.25
And I'll stand there with the Wizard
Feeling things I've never felt
Alex has made more than one important discovery about her past; She now knows who comforted her when she needed it most.
2.41
And I'll want nothing else
Till I die
A clever little reintroduction of Layton's bullet reminding us that this is probably all in Alex's head.
2.54
For half of Oz's fav'rite team:
The Wizard
And I
With the revelation about Gene at the site of her parent's death, Alex looks at him differently, they are a team now. I even liked the background clip for the credits, it was a cosy, intimate little shot of Alex and Gene sitting in Luigis, echoing their comfortable new relationship.
View the memories
Watch for updates