STACK #150 Apr 2017

DVD&BD FEATURE

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BEGINNER’S GUIDE

They'll put a spell on you!Wizards are as intrinsic to the fantasy genre as noble heroes, elves and dragons, and without their magical abilities, entire realms would be overwhelmed by dark forces. Words Scott Hocking

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#13 - MOVIE WIZARDS When it comes to fantasy cinema, witches far outnumber wizards. However, wizards dominate two of the genre's biggest and most popular franchises, so there's no shortage of wand-waving, spellcasting and sorcery on the screen.

Making', which transforms Uther Pendragon into the likeness of the Duke of Cornwall so that Arthur can be conceived. The spell also spectacularly backfires on Merlin when he teaches it to Helen Mirren's malevolent Morgana, who uses it to imprison him in a diamond-hard mist beneath Camelot. (Note: A younger incarnation can be found in the BBC series Merlin , 2008–2012.) He has many names – Mithrandir, Greyhame, Stormcrow – but we know him best as Gandalf, the Middle-earth mage of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003) and The

mein, can be quite sprightly and fearless. They can also be very hard to kill – returning from the dead in different guises or offering advice from beyond the grave, depending on the individual's powers. WHERE TO START The first movie wizard you should be off to see is The Wonderful Wizard

WHAT TO EXPECT The common definition of a wizard as "a man who practices magic" conjures images of those who pull rabbits out of hats. As far as the fantasy genre is concerned, which is what we're discussing here, a wizard is a wise and wily old man with a long grey beard who carries a staff and dodders around a dimly lit room filled with scrolls, ancient texts and jars filled with powders. You know the type. Then along came J.K. Rowling to subvert the stereotype; creating an entire Wizarding World and introducing a young boy hero playing with his wand. Wizards suddenly became cool and a profession to aspire to, although the perils of fooling around with magic remain constant. Wizards are as intrinsic to fantasy as noble heroes, elves and dragons, and without them, entire realms would be overwhelmed by dark forces. They are usually the first to sense the oncoming of great evil and their wisdom and spellcasting prowess are invaluable assets to a kingdom. They are usually benevolent but can be ruthless when required, especially if the stakes are high enough and the fate of a world hangs in the balance. Evil wizards that practice the dark arts are usually referred to as warlocks, sorcerers and necromancers. Wizards will frequently mentor a young apprentice or become an indispensable companion on a quest, and despite their elderly

Hobbit Trilogy (2012–2014) who's brought to life by the great Ian McKellen in the role he was born to play. Middle- earth wizards are a powerful and strange bunch – they resemble old men but are actually immortal beings charged with protecting the world from Sauron. That's how Gandalf the Grey managed to return as Gandalf the White after telling a Balrog it "SHALL NOT PASS" and plummeting to his doom. A wily wizard who can

of Oz. L. Frank Baum's novel was first adapted for the screen as a silent feature in 1925 but it was Victor Fleming's glorious 1939 Technicolor version, TheWizard of Oz , that introduced the title character to an adoring audience and the pop culture zeitgeist. This particular wizard has the power to send young Dorothy back

to Kansas and agrees to do so in exchange for a broomstick belonging to a certain Witch of the West. He's also a trickster – initially appearing as a bulbous floating head before being exposed as a puffy-faced middle-aged guy in a suit, who eventually makes good on his promise and more. The Wizard of Oz is more of an incidental character in a film that's all about Dorothy and her newfound friends, but in name alone he's one of cinema's most iconic wizards. The most famous of wizards, Merlin, can be found in John Boorman's definitive screen treatment of the Arthur legend: Excalibur (1981). British actor Nicol Williamson plays him as a batty sorcerer adept in the 'Charm of

command moths, eagles and the respect of the Elves, Gandalf is a pivotal player in Middle-earth history. Having accompanied Bilbo Baggins on an unexpected journey to reclaim the dwarven realm from the dragon Smaug in The Hobbit , Gandalf was also instrumental in the defeat of Sauron in The Lord of the Rings – forming the Fellowship of the Ring and leading the final battle of Mordor with Aragorn. Other Middle-earth wizards you'll encounter in both trilogies are Saruman the White (the legendary Christopher Lee) and Radagast the Brown (former Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy). The wizards of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series (2001–2011) resemble a bunch of kindly

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APRIL 2017

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