This Satisfaction Month, we proceed to rejoice the illustration of LGBTQ+ folks in media right here on CinemaBlend because the month itself was created as a option to commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Because the first Depraved: For Good trailer lastly dropped throughout the first week of June, it’s a good time to speak concerning the lasting influence of the musical’s connection to the queer group.
From its roots in The Wizard of Oz to the approaching launch of Depraved: For Good this November, the cultural phenomenon has lengthy discovered a deep reference to queer folks. Let’s get into it, as a result of it’s an vital piece of its legacy.
The Wizard Of OzHas Lengthy Been Thought Of As Queer-Coded
You’ll be able to’t actually speak about Depraved with out going manner again in time and beginning with The Wizard of Oz. Based mostly on the Ozbooks from L. Frank Baum, one of the iconic motion pictures ever made by Hollywood is after all 1939’s The Wizard of Oz film starring Judy Garland. It’s a classic-interval to each fan of cinema, nevertheless it additionally holds a variety of significance to the queer group.
No, there’s not explicitly any LGBTQ+ characters within the musical fantasy, however there’s one thing about Dorothy leaving her black and white world to go “Someplace Over The Rainbow” that does make it explicitly queer coded. When Dorothy arrives within the lovely Technicolor world of Oz, she finds solace in a bunch of outsiders like herself coming collectively to guard her. The film’s “discovered household” story has resonated with queer audiences for many years, particularly earlier than there have been precise queer characters anyplace to be present in media. There’s additionally this camp high quality to the film that has lengthy served as inspiration for the queer group, significantly by way of drag queen performances.
And today The Wizard Of Oz is so intertwined with the LGBTQ+ group that it’s onerous to even separate the 2, such because the saying “pal of Dorothy” changing into a code homosexual males used to determine one another and themselves again within the day when many extra have been closeted. Or, there being hypothesis that The Wizard Of Oz partially impressed the Satisfaction Flag being a rainbow as a reference to the movie as nicely, per Queer Websites by David Higgs (through Google Books).
There’s additionally the piece that Judy Garland is hailed as a homosexual icon, too. LGBTQ+ scholar Nathaniel Frank mentioned (through EW) as a result of she “in contrast herself to a wind-up doll, manufactured by adults for his or her leisure” and was “was by no means capable of actually be herself. And but, when she carried out, she exhibited this stage of genuine emotion,” she developed such a outstanding following of homosexual followers who might determine along with her struggles, and got here in droves to assist her throughout her profession.
The Depraved E book Makes The Romantic Undertones To Glinda And Elphaba’s Relationship Canon
With all that historical past in context, let’s transfer over to Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Depraved: The Life and Instances of the Depraved Witch (which turned a collection of 4 books). The novelist, who’s homosexual himself, determined to discover the origin story of the Depraved Witch by way of his e-book collection earlier than it could turn into the hit musical just a few years wanting a decade later that everyone knows and love. After years of readers sensing some romantic stress between Elphaba and Glinda within the e-book, together with by way of the characters sharing a kiss in a single second, Maguire mentioned this to Them in 2024:
That was intentional, and it was modest and restrained and refined in such a manner that one might think about that a type of two younger ladies had felt greater than the opposite and had not wished to say it. Or maybe as a result of a novelist cannot write each scene, maybe when the lights have been out and the novelist was out having a smoke within the again alley, the women had intercourse within the mattress on the way in which to the Emerald Metropolis. I wished to suggest this chance, however I didn’t need to make a declarative assertion about.
Within the e-book itself, Elphaba and Glinda by no means get into an official relationship collectively, however there’s completely some romantic stress between the pair all through in a manner that might be seen as a romance for individuals who need to ship them, or a posh friendship for individuals who need to see it too. As Maguire shared within the above assertion, he didn’t need to make a “declarative assertion” about their relationship, and so he didn’t. This actually carries over to the musical and the film, although there’s by no means a kiss within the musical from Stephen Schwartz.
Elphaba’s Arc Is A Queer Allegory, Too
Relating to Depraved the e-book and musical, it’s additionally price noting that apart from a touch of romance between its two fundamental feminine characters, maybe even better is the queer allegory on the heart of Depraved Witch’s arc. In each variations Elphaba, has to cope with the ramifications of being completely different (since she has inexperienced pores and skin), and thru her journey to turn into the Depraved Witch she accepts herself for who she is. Significantly by way of the music “Defying Gravity,” she finds energy in being inexperienced, and chooses to lean into it relatively than conceal who she is. The music is considered a homosexual anthem similar to The Wizard Of Oz’s “Someplace Over The Rainbow”.
The Films Function Quite a few Queer Actors
And in terms of the solid of the Depraved motion pictures, the manufacturing has stayed true to the queer historical past of the title by casting predominantly LGBTQ+ actors in most of the fundamental roles. Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba), Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero). Marissa Bode (Nessarose), Bowen Yang (Pfannee) and Bronwyn James (ShenShen) are all queer actors.
So, there’s little doubt The Wizard of Oz and Depraved belong to the LGBTQ+ group, and have linked so deeply to the queer group for years. However maybe what units it other than different extra area of interest new LGBTQ+ motion pictures is that the fantastic thing about the Great World of Ozis the way it’s made to attraction to everybody. Whether or not you’re a homosexual one that loves the Glinda/Elphaba relationship, or somebody with no ties in any respect to this context, it’s clearly been made for anybody to get pleasure from and really feel linked, and can proceed to for generations to come back. We will’t look ahead to Depraved: For Good, which is a part of the 2025 film launch calendar to hit theaters on November 21.