Sweeney Todd

[dalekboy]

Watched Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd tonight, based on the Stephen Sondheim musical. This is the sort of movie that is made just for me. Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter (who I'm pretty sure wants to have my babies), Timothy Spall, and Alan Rickman, working together on a dark musical.

As a film it was ok, but as a musical it didn't work. Which means essentially that as a film it didn't work. Now I'm left to wonder whether the musical was always bad, or whether Burton's adaptation of it is rubbish.

For me, if I don't come away humming a single song, or even remembering them, it's a failure. And if Sharon, who is a song-stuck-in-the-head magnet, isn't caught by any of them, then that's badness times two!

I just watched Deep Roy's songs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to get the taste out of my mouth.

Comments

[tearsxintherain.livejournal.com]

I didn't think it was so great either.. visually beautiful though, but then Burton always has that side nailed ;)

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

Oh it looks gorgeous, but is otherwise kind of blah.

And I have to admit, much as it looks gorgeous, I'm a bit over Burton's washed out gothic look. He's overdone it, though for this film it's kind of right regardless of his excesses elsewhere.

[tearsxintherain.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know what you mean.. I didn't walk out disappointed, but I certainly haven't wanted to watch it again..

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

This is the reason why I so rarely buy a film I haven't already seen - you never know when it's going to be a dog, even from talent you know and like. I would have been quite annoyed at missing out on the other potential films I could have owned if I had bought this instead of renting it.

[tearsxintherain.livejournal.com]

It's mad though - I was in HMV last night and they had tons of films on sale for less that it would've cost to rent them!!

But I have waaaay too much *stuff* already, so I'm only buying films I've seen and definitely want to watch again. And again. And again. ;)

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

I now have the rule of four. If I don't think I'll watch it four more times in my life, I don't need to own it.

Only exceptions are historically important films, which as a film buff I need to own or I shall die.

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

We saw it for our friday monthly movie thing. Yeah. It didn't overwhelm us either.

Maybe one song that I remember.

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

One song, you're doing well. If you can call it that.

I almost want to see the musical to see if it's as bad.

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

Bits of it anyway. The 'we'll serve anyone' bit.

[king-espresso.livejournal.com]

Epic fail, that one. I've loved the musical since the 1970s and there are a couple of things majorly wrong with the Burton adaptation. Sweeney Todd is played by a baritone! Not someone trying to sound like David Bowie. If you can get a copy of the filmed stage version starring George Hearne and Angela Lansbury, you can track how much of a difference having a solid baritone makes. It takes the character to a new level of darkness.

[mireille21.livejournal.com]

Interesting, because i would have said it was the musical as the problem just as much as the film. Not really any catchy tunes or memorable songs, which a good musical shoudl have surely.

[damienps.livejournal.com]

That's the best one.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

I just watched Deep Roy's songs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to get the taste out of my mouth.

At the cinema, after the first of these, I embarrassed poor Jon by saying loudly, "That is the best thing I ever saw."

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

I've seen them I-don't-know-how-many times, and they still always make me laugh with delight.

[lilysea.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd, actually...

[tommmo.livejournal.com]

I was completely non-plussed by Sweeney Todd. I thought Depp coasted his way through it and Alan Rickman was virtually sleep-walking. The songs were a bit naff and overall the whole thing had too much of a "Falling back on the good ol' Burton/Depp partnership" feel to it.

However, I thought Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall and Sasha Baron Cohen all gave really good performances. Shame Depp chewed up all the screen time.

I think I may have upset the Johnny Depp Fangirl Brigade when I gave my rather negative review of it during last year's "2007 in Film" panel ;)

[tommmo.livejournal.com]

Whoops, that was meant to be a general reply, not a reply to your specific comment Lily :)

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

Well, we'll just have to argue bitterly about it.

Fuck that agree to disagree crap! Pistols at dawn!

[andrewdaley.livejournal.com]

It looked good and it was gory to boot, but the music was the big let down. If it had just been a straight-out drama without the musical bit it would have been perfect. Shame about that.

Deep Roy rocks my socks. I can't believe you met him. I loved his turn in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He must have had so much fun making that film.

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

If it had been a straight drama, I think it would have been awesome. But I actually like a good musical, and sadly this wasn't one, though by Terry's comment, that comes down to the casting/singing. So at some point I'll have to check out the stageplay in some form, so long as they haven't taken their cue from this film.

I didn't meet Deep Roy, it was only a dream I had, sadly. He is someone I'd like to meet though. His turn as the Oompa Loompas was really hard work. Having to film every dancing Oompa Loompa separately, learn all the choreography, try to sing (he discovered he couldn't actually sing)... it was a big, hard role. But he got well paid, at least.

Michael Anderson, the dwarf from Twin Peaks, is another. I remember a mate of mine did meet him, and then started to talk to me about how at the same event he met some other 'name' actor or director, and I told him to shut up and go back to Anderson. Apparently the backwards dialogue thing had been his party piece for years, and Lynch didn't know about it when he cast him. Lynch was so impressed at how easily he could do the lines backwards, he gave the actor a lot more lines to read.

I've always wanted to write a script casting a small person in an important role, and never once referencing their height.