Sweeney Todd Official site is up and FULL of music- Page 3

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 1:28pm

I've listened to the stuff on the website several times, and I think that Carter is just fine. She doesn't have a big voice, but her line readings are full of character. Like at the beginning of A Little Priest - the Waste/Has/Had/Has readings are very different from any previous version, but have exactly the comic effect desired.

And as best12bars said, there are some passages where the melodic content is more specific than I've previously heard. In By the Sea, when Mrs. Lovett sings "Don't you want to know" the actual musical line sounded better than I've heard before.

Like I said, it's a small voice, but Carter seems to complelely pull it off with a funny sort of sexy sweetness. And face it, there have been far worse actual instruments than hers in lots of movie musicals . That in itself could be a thread!

[James885]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 1:32pm

First things first..... I LOVE the orchestrations! It just sounds so much bigger and fuller. Everyone sounds great. Depp and Rickman sound fantastic on Pretty Women. It's a little strange hearing a child sing Pirelli's Miracle Elixir, but I think his voice is going to grow on me. The actress who plays Johanna (Her name escapes me) has a lovely voice. I wasn't sure about Carter's voice at the start of A Little Priest, but she grew on me throughout the song. And I liked her Worst Pies.

[TheBoyDownstairs]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 1:46pm

I really liked the kid playing Toby in Pirelli's Miracle Elixir, adored Green Finch and Johanna was quite nice as well, they all sound like kids.

Carter was very hit or miss for me, thought she was pretty bad in A Little Priest, fairly good in By the Sea and I was loving Worst Pies in London right up until "I can't hardly BLAME them" For me the thing that is really bothering me is her inability to sustain a note...really irked me.

I don't like Depp at all, hearing this clip plus having seen clips of it, I think Epiphany is a real mess, very disappointed in it. I dont like his voice at all, he was at his best in A Barber and His Wife and that was still well below acceptable in my book.

I am still beyond excited to see this though, because the visuals have been great and most of the cast sing quite well, i can just deal with not liking Depp and Carter's vocal flaws.

[Anddou]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 1:55pm

The orchestrations are great, so score is easy listenable, I think, Steven Sondheim "the quite totally unknown composer in Czech" will have brand new fans here in Czech Republic! I really enjoyed all samples, and I think, it is a great collaboration at all. I hope, the movie will be really great, but we will see...
Updated On: 11/29/07 at 01:55 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 2:00pm

"I think Epiphany is a real mess, very disappointed in it."

Same here.

[mauriposa]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 2:09pm

Ahhhhhhhhh! I need to see this now.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 3:02pm

LOVE, LOVE, LOVETT!!! Haha. Sorry, I had to.

Firstly as much as I loved the revival, it's soooo nice to have the full lush orchestrations.

I love everyone, including Carter. I think she's fine. Granted she wouldn't handle on stage at all, but since it's film I feel her subtleness is fine...and quite good I might add.

Depp sounds fantastic, I'm really pleasantly surprised! And the boy playing Tobias. Holy cow! If he sounds this good now I can only imagine what he'll be like ten years from now. I think ladies and gents, that we have a young star in the making.

And isn't the young man playing Anthony also playing a young Voldermort in the next Harry Potter film? So many Potter people in this film.

All in all. SOOOOO AWESOME!!

[DMsquared2]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 3:47pm

"For me the thing that is really bothering me is her inability to sustain a note...really irked me."

I agree. I thought I would not like Depp as much as Carter but it's turned out to be the exact opposite after listening to these clips.

I love "Green Finch", "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir" and "Johanna" and yes, the orchestrations are gorgeous!!!

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 5:52pm

I first off,I want to say that this in no way is to be a mean comment at all, just an observation.

Ok, so please answer me this. To be honest, I am glad that the singing voices of Depp and Carter are very respectable for the movie, but, find them average, but better than expected, but if we were to hear these voices not knowing who these people were and or if they were just some unknown performers from a regional or community production, we would be so panning them now. This board would be so negative about their voices, so why do we still give them credit-- because they are famous? Again, if these were too unknowns and they sang the same way Depp and Carter did, would we be praising them? I think not!

Comments!

Updated On: 11/30/07 at 05:52 PM

[lovinlovett]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 6:09pm

I've listened to these songs several times now and I have to say I love Johnny Depp's Sweeney. He kind of sounds like David Bowie (think Labyrinth)to me. I love 'No Place Like London'. Epiphany is the only one of his that I don't care for too much, but that seems like a very difficult song to sing.

I must say that I'm not too crazy about Helena's voice but I'm trying not to judge too much until I see her. Did you ever see the behind the scenes footage from the film of My Fair Lady? Remember how Audrey Hepburn sounded when she sang (before they dubbed in Marni Nixon)? Helena's voice reminds me of Audrey's original singing - not horrible but not great...and very weak. Well, we'll see. She certainly looks great in the part and I'm willing to give her the benefit of a doubt.

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 6:26pm

"This board would be so negative about their voices, so why do we still give them credit-- because they are famous?"

No because they are really good actors who obviously have a deep understanding of the very difficult roles they are playing and acquit themselves admirably. If I ever saw a community theater Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney with the nuance and talent that's already available to listen to, I would be floored. And we haven't even SEEN the performances. Beyond vocal prowess, film acting lives or dies on the ability of an actor to invest a subtle characterization visually.

Movies are personal, close-up and conversational. The approach to the material and the subtle way that the stars have tackled the material is what will make this movie resonate for audiences.

This score has always been about character first. What I've heard has the stamp of fully developed characters telling a tragic tale with comic interludes.

I couldn't ask for more from a translation to film.



Updated On: 11/30/07 at 06:26 PM

[lovinlovett]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 6:36pm

Bravo! Well said.

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 7:40pm

i think Helena voice is just going to take some time to get use to. were use to hearing a stronger singing voice singing the part. I'm sure her voice will be alot more affective when we get to see the whole movie and her acting the part as well.

[Eos]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 8:01pm

This may have already been covered, but reading all of the comments about the vocal talents of Johnny Depp and HBC make me wonder - should we expect them to sound amazing?

I mean, yes, they could have cast any number of actors who would have been stronger singers, but Depp and Carter aren't really singers, right? Are we supposed to expect them to even come close to actors who have done these roles on the stage?

I am amazed by the voices of so many musical theatre actors - I would never assume a film actor would be able to come too close.

[Jon]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 8:01pm

And the 99% of the film audience who has never heard the score before won't care AT ALL.

[Eos]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 8:05pm

And the orchestrations truly are gorgeous and sound intact - that's good enough for me!

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 8:54pm

Thanks, everyone, great responses.

[artsamore]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 10:29pm

I don't understand why we have to make excuses for Helena's singing. I have read people saying that "her voice will require getting used to", "we are just not accustomed to the sound as we are so used to Angela and Patti" and "it is film so the performances and the singing are more visual" and for me none of this is true.

I "saw" Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the voice was still not great, I "saw" Madonna in Evita and it did not save the underwhelming singing, heck I even saw Sarah Michelle Gellar in Once More With Feeling and her singing was still bad! I know we all want this movie to be great, and I think with Johnny's performance and evrything else it will be. For me, Helena's singing leaves a lot to be desired from the songs and what they are about.It is not about her having a giant sound or singing it the way I know, I just want a better interpretation of the character through her songs.