Sweeny Todd - has anyone seen it yet?

[GargoyleWB]

Just saw it last night, I can only give it a barely passing average. Most of my dislikes were with Tim Burton’s staging of the film (and I normally love his directing).

It was shot with way too many closeups, half of the film was full-face frames of the stars singing. I quickly lost interest in the faces of the actors and started getting distracted by the makeup details. Depp is a brilliant physical actor and his range and talent never shone through because of the tight shooting.

Most of the musical numbers were single-set monologues, a sole figure singing in a single room or setting, which became boring quickly. While the music was generally nice, I felt like I was listening to a soundtrack to a Powerpoint presentation of the actors. There was just nothing visually interesting going on during most of the numbers. The monologuing of the content also meant that there was very little interplay between the actors.

The lyrics of the songs were often drowned out by the orchestra swells, there were a couple of scenes where I simply gave up trying to follow the songs at all. For a musical where dialogue and plot is supposed to be carried by the lyrics, this is a very bad mark against the production.

Overall, it’s probably the worst Burton film I recall seeing, the only time I’ve seen one of his films and wished that it could have been done by a different director.

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

I thought it was a little claustrophobic, too, but I assumed that was part of the effect; making a statement about the claustrophobia inherent in stratified Mid-Victorian society and the narrow, filthy streets of London, or something like that.

My daughter and I drove all the way to Springfield to see it this afternoon, it not having arrived in Decatur yet, and may not, if past appearances of Difficult Tim Burton Films in Decatur’s two megaplexes are any indication (“they don’t–appear, that is”).

Anyway, I thought it was well worth the drive, if only as a cultural artifact, as I always enjoy watching Tim Burton work, but you couldn’t say it was a feel-good movie.

I too was baffled by our previews: MammaMia, Cloverfield, 27 Dresses, Stepup 2, The Ruins. Bwah? Obviously it’s a Teen demographic, but…at a Tim Burton filmization of a Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical?

And I too wish that Alan Rickman had been given more to do than walk through the part of Token Bad Guy.

Johnny Depp was basically mesmerizing–if he’s on screen, you’re looking at him. We liked the way Jack Sparrow popped out momentarily during the last scene with Judge Turpin.

And HBC looked, amazingly, absolutely gorgeous, even made up as a cross between Wednesday Addams and the Bride of Frankenstein.

Borat was hilarious, and a little sad, as the Italian barber.

But the high point of the movie for my daughter was–GILES!!! OMG, Giles was in it!

[long parental pause]

This guy steps up and says something to Sweeney, a single sentence. And I completely miss the dialogue that follows, because La Principessa completely freaks, she’s wiggling around in her seat, squeaking with excitement, “It’s Giles! It’s Giles!”

Um. Okay. Whatever. Evidently we’re seeing Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd starring Anthony Stewart Head…

[Thudlow_Boink]

@Duck Duck Goose

I too was baffled by our previews: MammaMia, Cloverfield, 27 Dresses, Stepup 2, The Ruins. Bwah? Obviously it’s a Teen demographic, but…at a Tim Burton filmization of a Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical?

Yes, I too was baffled by the choice of previews shown before the movie (and I probably saw it in the same theater you did). I don’t remember which movies they were for, just that I invariably said to myself after each one, “I want to be sure and avoid that movie!”

[storyteller0910]

@Duck Duck Goose

And I too wish that Alan Rickman had been given more to do than walk through the part of Token Bad Guy.

It’s too bad, actually. In the original stage version, Judge Turpin has his own solo song, which, in addition to adding depth and ambiguity to the character, would have greatly pleased the surprisingly large legion of viewers with impure feelings about Alan Rickman.

But I guess they figured having Rickman strip to the waist then whip himself to climax while singing a prayer for forgiveness might have been a bit too much. Go figure.

[HazelNutCoffee]

@storyteller0910

But I guess they figured having Rickman strip to the waist then whip himself to climax while singing a prayer for forgiveness might have been a bit too much. Go figure.

Damn. They took this part out? I want my money back.

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

@Thudlow Boink

and I probably saw it in the same theater you did).

The Parkway Pointe, prolly? Nice theater. Nobody there. I’ll be VERY surprised if this thing comes to Decatur.

The preview for Stepup 2 made me lean over and remark to my daughter, “Looks like Flashdance revisited.”
She said, “…what’s flashdance?”
Thank you, Lord.
Nothing makes me happier than to have my children be completely unacquainted with the turkeys of an earlier era.

[Darth_Nader]

@Duck Duck Goose

Johnny Depp was basically mesmerizing–if he’s on screen, you’re looking at him. We liked the way Jack Sparrow popped out momentarily during the last scene with Judge Turpin.

Huh. My wife just went and saw it again today, and she swears that:Edward Sissorhands broke through for a moment during Pirelli’s high note.

[Cervaise]

@Thudlow Boink

I too was baffled by the choice of previews shown before the movie

My guess is, the studios are flummoxed at the film’s probable demographic, so they’re throwing a bunch of trailers against the wall to see what sticks.

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

@storyteller0910

It’s too bad, actually. In the original stage version, Judge Turpin has his own solo song, which, in addition to adding depth and ambiguity to the character, would have greatly pleased the surprisingly large legion of viewers with impure feelings about Alan Rickman.

But I guess they figured having Rickman strip to the waist then whip himself to climax while singing a prayer for forgiveness might have been a bit too much. Go figure.

Just wanna post for posterity’s sake, in case anybody’s looking through the archives for info on this, that I just watched the Angela Lansbury/George Hearn 1982 version on DVD, and for the record, it does not have the flagellation scene.

I’m disappointed, of course.

[choie]

Just wanna post for posterity’s sake, in case anybody’s looking through the archives for info on this, that I just watched the Angela Lansbury/George Hearn 1982 version on DVD, and for the record, it does not have the flagellation scene.

The 2001 concert version on DVD, which features George Hearn, Patti LuPone, and the San Francisco Symphpny, does include the Judge’s Johanna as performed by Timothy Nolen. (Whom, by the way, I saw perform as Sweeney at the New York City Opera. It was surreal to see him fifteen years later as Turpin!) It’s a very good production, and I definitely recommend it. The rest of the cast includes Neil Patrick Harris as Toby (very sweet voice, too), opera singers Stanford Olsen and John Aler as Pirelli and the Beadle, respectively, and Davis Gaines as Anthony.

[GargoyleWB]

@Duck Duck Goose

I thought it was a little claustrophobic, too, but I assumed that was part of the effect; making a statement about the claustrophobia inherent in stratified Mid-Victorian society and the narrow, filthy streets of London, or something like that.

You are a born real estate agent…“cozy”, “rustic”, “classic charm”, “a hobbyist’s dream”

[DocCathode]

I loved it. It had its failings, but I loved it.

I have an old PBS performance on tape (Lansbury and I think Hearn). I was used to a Todd who is an ordinary man pushed too far. Depp’s Todd is a man who is burned out. He hardly expresses emotion because all his years of hating and scheming have torn the emotion out of him. I felt his Todd worked for that reason. After he loses his chance to slit Turpin’s throat, he doesn’t have a great rage because there’s no rage left in him. He only realizes that he doesn’t just want revenge on Turpin, but on the whole society that allows Turpin. Keep in mind that when we see Turpin sentence a child to death, nobody objects or asks for mercy. This is a Todd who can’t love Lucy and Johanna even if he did get them back. He has no love left. I felt this was wonderfully shown by Depp’s dead expression during By The Sea.

I thought Carter did her best. But, for me, she’s too young. Her Mrs Lovett could easily satisfy her desires for money and adoration by becoming a whore. I think Lovett needs to be past her child bearing years (thus her love of Toby is all the greater), hopeless and powerless. Carter’s Lovett is sexy. Sexy equals power over men and hope for the future.