STACK April 2017 Issue 150

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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
BEGINNER’S
GUIDE
#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.
[Note: Not all titles discussed are available on DVD and Blu-ray. Check the JB website.]
32 APRIL 2017
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