Sean Laughter
Screenwriter
- Joined
- Aug 3, 1999
- Messages
- 1,384
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.
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.