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

[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.