Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps is a charming family fantasy film that has a genuine heart! The sub-title is a bit awkward since it becomes important only at the end. It is directed by Michael Hines who also was the director of the BBC comedy, Still Game. The film is written by Greg Steinbruner, his first movie script, who also stars as the Goatherd. His production company is the Paper Canoe Company which is also co-founded with his wife, Tami Stronach. Steinbruner and Stronach have an introduction to the film and note the inspiration was a Neverending Story mural in Brooklyn.
They were also fortunate to have the work of the Jim Henson Creature Shop for the talking animals. The effects shops' work includes The Storyteller’s Dog and other fairy tail-like animals in The Storyteller (1987-1988) show. Also, the creature effects for The Neverending Story III (1994). Hanes noted that it was important to film the puppets on locastion in Scotland. Paper Canoe was looking for art like the “hand painted 80’s style.” Renato Casaro, the artist of The Neverending Story poster was contacted, he had not retired, because it was “technically the digital age” that ended demand for works of art like painted posters. I want more posters like Casaro’ artwork, not Photoshopped flyers.
There are many touches like the poster and the cast that makes the film special. The movie is a Fathom Events screening for July 28 and 30th. In some mist, whispers are heard, and then lightning! Then, we hear at the end a cry, “Ogre!” We get “25 Years Later”, an odd transition, since the intro is mysterious. The narrator, Sean Astin, tells about the “Green-eyed Lady of Banebow", a nod to the Sugarloaf song? Astin has done other fantasy work besides Lord of the Rings such as the tv miniseries, Dorothy and the Witches of Oz (2012). He also mentions the Princess, the only daughter of the King, their land is the Contented Kingdom that is plagued by ogres.
Fighting men take on the ogres played by David A. Sweet and Johnny Vincent, but they are defeated. The ogre faces are not scary, most of their faces are covered by strips of cloth. Then, we get introduced to the lonely Goatherd (Steinbruner), awkward with a bowl cut. Steinbruner starred in the horror film, Wake Me When I Leave (2015). His description, "lonely" is used a few times, really to hint at the song from Sound of Music (1965), though he doesn't have goats around. I wouldn't have minded a few songs, from the 80's, or medieval royalty free music. The names have the simple fairy tale quality, King, Witch, but need at least first names for a film. Astin voices his companion, Dog.
He passes the woods where Goatherd catches glimpses of a woman dancing in white. A Cupid looses an arrow, but it hits a milk jug and our hero falls. The narrator says, “It was just the beginning.” At his home, the Goatherd pulls out the golden arrow, I think the milk would be a love potion. It would also be worth more than a few goats! He also has as a group; the cynical Goose (Jennifer Saunders), Sheep (Eddie Izzard), and Donkey (Bill Bailey). Saunders voiced Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2 (2004). Izzard voiced Reepicheep in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). Bailey was in the fantasy sequel, Nanny McPhee Returns (2010). Comedy greats, but their parts are cameos here just to comment and make references to memorable lines to 80’s films.
His Mother (Pauline McLynn) disapproves of her son. McLynn was in the brilliant drama, Last Night in Soho (2021). This is unusual since the farmer mother usually supports her son in fairy tales. He does get some encouragement from the Neighbor (Reginald D. Hunter) which was confusing. I wasn’t clear if he was the Mother’s boyfriend since he is interested in the well being of her son. Hunter voices J’onn J’onzz in The Sandman audio series. At the castle, the King (Stuart Bowman) has betrothed the Princess (Matha West). Bowman starred in the historical dramatic series, Versailles. His king has a floppy hair and is quite silly. West was in episodes of the Wold War II mini-series, The Pursuit of Love (2021).
The princess shrugs off suitors like Princess Jasmine that are all inept like Prince Brad the Muscular (Gareth Morrison), funny name! The Holy Woman (Moyo Akandé) is the confidante of the Princess. Akandé is in the historical drama, Tetris (2023). Also at the castle is Goatherd and his Neighbor wants him to talk with a woman. She signs to another man that she doesn’t like his smell. This might be a common problem for those times. The woman smacks into our hero and ends up with a bucket on her head! A slapstick role that isn’t really developed, but all’s well that ends well as Shakespeare would say. At the dinner table with Mother and Neighbor(?), Goatherd says that he “never had a sweetheart”, we see why with his clumsiness.
Mother says he is cursed since birth! She says, “all his life he was invisible to love”, sad. Neighbor suggests that he visit the Hag of Banebow to break the curse.The next day, he heads to the woods with his animal friends, and out of it, a soldier stumbles out. This is the Captain of the Guard (Daniel Portman). Podrick Payne was played by Portman in Game of Thrones. I think he would make a great lead for this film. He says the ogres ate his horse! Goatherd removes a spine from the captain’s leg and binds it with cloth. This gets gratitude from the captain who leaves. Goatherd then sees the ogres feeding, he tries to hide, but knocks himself out against a tree! He wakens at the Witch's house.
The Witch (Stronach) has a dark cloak and she asks him what is his wish. Stronach played the Childlike Empress in Neverending Story, which is in the film's promotion, and she had retired from acting in films. She was in Paper Canoe Company productions and has a contemporary dance company, Tami Stronach Dance. The Witch is mysterious and skeptical about the man. The Goatherd says, “I wish for a wife.” Strange, his wish is not break the curse. The Witch asks, “Mirror, mirror” and summons the image of her mother, The Wise Woman (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and father, The Alchemist (Christopher Lloyd). Aghdashloo played Chrisjen Avasarala in the sci fi show The Expanse. She voices Dragon in this year’s fantasy movie, Damsel. Besides the Back to the Future films, Lloyd was also in Dorothy and the Witches of Oz. Both parts are also cameos.
The Witch agrees to grant the wish, but the Goatherd has to accomplish his three tasks and give up his firstborn child to the Witch! The first task is to lift a caber, a long tree trunk, 10,000 times! A Scottish sport is to Tossing the caber. He struggles to lift the caber, sneezing and hiccups. The Goatherd is dedicated in finishing the task. It reminds me of The 13th Warrior (1999) finds himself with a heavy sword and asks about it. He is simply told, “Grow stronger.” The Goatherd is dedicated in finishing the task. It reminds me of The 13th Warrior (1999) finds himself with a heavy sword and asks about it. He is simply told, “Grow stronger.”
He manages to develop muscles and lifts the caber as the Princess walks away. It takes 11 months, but finally he gets to his next task, enter the ogre’s keep and slay the Ogre King (Greg Hemphill)! Still, the Goatherd is given for his task - a wooden spoon! He has to be cleve He manages to develop muscles and lifts the caber as the Princess walks away. It takes 11 months, and gets the admiration of The Witch with his new muscles. Finally, he gets to his next task, enter the ogre’s keep and slay the Ogre King (Greg Hemphill)! Still, the Goatherd is given for his task - a wooden spoon! He has to be clever to defeat the greatest threat to everyone! This will also leaves what will be the last impossible task, the Dance of A Thousand Steps! There is the Goatherd’s curse, The Princess, and also the Witch! Man and Witch has twists to the romance, magic, and fun in the Contented Kingdom!
Four Cabers out of Five!
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