*** Official SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET Discussion Thread

Sean Laughter · 12-03-2007, 11:18 AM

I think the days of everyone loathing movie musicals are gone, or at least are on vacation for a while - so long as the material and score are of a certain style.

Hairspray has that nice 60's sound, with enough of a hint of modern pop, and is an overall feel-good enough show that it was a decent hit. It got away being unabashedly a musical without having to make the musical numbers overtly "fantasies" in someone's head.

I can't see Sweeney Todd being a hit or bringing in huge box office, unless the teenage girl contingent just can't get enough of Depp looking all emo goth. It's a dark, violent musical that's rated R. The material certainly doesn't have any of the cheese associated with movie musicals (or what the public that doesn't frequent live theater associates with musicals in general). As I've said before, it's certainly an acquired Sondheim taste.

The musical numbers you can hear on the website don't sound bad, but some of the behind-the-scenes stuff I've seen of Depp in the studio recording the songs seemed kind of lifeless. Leaving me wonder who the music director was giving him some feedback. I'm reminded of one of the extras on the Hairspray Blu-Ray (I guess it's on the DVD too), where Marc Shaiman was telling one of the actors they were being too reticent in the studio and that when it came time to act the scene they'd hate to feel restrained by the track that was recorded in the studio. Perhaps that is the characterization Depp was going for from the beginning, but this seemingly less manic Sweeney is certainly something I'm going to have to see to judge properly. If it's a nice gradual progression from reserved to manic it can work, as I do sometimes feel people that play him start him out far too crazy and insane right at the beginning of the piece.

In any event, we'll see. I'm glad the material is getting the respect it deserves and isn't being toned down for a PG-13 rating. Anyone producing this piece should know what they were getting into from the get-go.

For future Sondheim movies though, maybe the success of "Enchanted" will get someone to do "Into the Woods" next.

Chris Will · 12-03-2007, 07:37 PM

Well, I watched the clips on the website and my fear seems to be coming true. Depp can't sing at all, this will kill the movie for me. I just don't like the style of his singing in the vids and think it will hurt the movie.

DavidPla · 12-04-2007, 09:55 AM

I guess I see it completely differently. I think Depp sounds great! I LOVE the raspy in his voice, the hurt, the anger. This is in my opinion what has been missing from the stage show for so many years. From what I've seen so far, Depp is better than any Sweeney Todd performed I've seen.

Sean Laughter · 12-04-2007, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Will

Well, I watched the clips on the website and my fear seems to be coming true. Depp can't sing at all, this will kill the movie for me. I just don't like the style of his singing in the vids and think it will hurt the movie.

Sweeney can be sung in many different styles, IMO. In a very disciplined manner or not. If it's not going to be sung in a disciplined or trained voice though, it had better have some really good acting carrying the context of the songs though to make it work.

Alot of this is personal opinion I suppose, because I really have never liked George Hearn in the role, vocally anyway, but many people seem to swear by him.

Depp seems alot closer to Michael Cerveris in style, though Cerveris seems to be more overtly emotional and angry vocally than Depp seems to be. My fear is that, from what I've heard so far, Sweeney just sounds indifferent in Depp's interpretation.

Robert Crawford · 12-21-2007, 08:23 PM

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GerardoHP · 12-22-2007, 03:43 PM

I saw it yesterday. Not being a huge Tim Burton fan, I was not surprised by my reaction to the movie. Overall, I five it a 7.5.

Why not more? Well, for one, I found it rather static for a musical. Some scenes, for example the NOTHING'S GONNA HURT YOU scene, reminded me of THE WIZ in how static they are, the camera and the editing never dancing with the music as they should in a musical, and the overall effect never quite becoming visceral enough.

Depp and Bonham Carter are, as I expected, adequate but not spectacular. Then again, I'm one of those people who found Angela Lansbury's tragic-comic turn as Mrs. Lovett unforgettable, and it was hard to adjust to Bonham Carter's underplayed, icy Mrs. Lovett. I thought she brought her character down way too much, if that makes any sense.

The rest of the cast is very good and the production design, as one would expect from Burton, is impeccable.

Chris Will · 12-22-2007, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GerardoHP

never dancing with the music as they should in a musical

Not trying to be rude but, from this comment, I guess you haven't scene many dramatic musicals (on stage or screen). Dancing is not required IMO. Les Mis, Phantom Of The Opera and Miss Saigon are great examples of musicals with very little to no dancing in them.

I haven't seen Sweeney Todd yet but, after listening to the soundtrack a few times I have warmed up to Depp's singing and am looking forward to see this.

GerardoHP · 12-24-2007, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Will

Not trying to be rude but, from this comment, I guess you haven't scene many dramatic musicals (on stage or screen). Dancing is not required IMO. Les Mis, Phantom Of The Opera and Miss Saigon are great examples of musicals with very little to no dancing in them.

Seems like you misinterpreted my intended metaphor that a STATIC (i.e. stationary) camera does not work well, in my opinion, with screen musicals, where the camera should "dance" and the editing "punctuate" that "dance", even when there's no dance on the screen. I'm not trying to speak in riddles. While ST has some moments where the camera work seems to resonate to the music, on many occasions it doesn't.

And for the record, I see as many musicals on stage and screen as I can get to, and I'm a huge fan of the genre.

DavidPla · 12-24-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GerardoHP

Well, for one, I found it rather static for a musical. Some scenes, for example the NOTHING'S GONNA HURT YOU scene, reminded me of THE WIZ in how static they are, the camera and the editing never dancing with the music as they should in a musical, and the overall effect never quite becoming visceral enough.

What's odd about the example you chose is that "Nothing's Gonna Harm You" is a lulaby so to have the camera moving around defeats the purpose of the scene. It's supposed to be soft, caring, slow and soft so that when it is later sung in the sewers it counters being dark and scary. For a scene that dances with the music look no further than the "Epiphany" scene or the Perelli scene.