Helena Bonham Carter To Star as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd Film — Page 3

Well if she can sing, HBC would have been perfect for the John Doyle version. I hope you aren't insinuating that Patti actually thought she'd be asked to star: she's probably still waiting for that movie of THE BAKERS WIFE to roll around too :)

I'm sure she didn't expect it, Michael, but if I were her, I'd want to know there was someone either a)as close to as talented as I, and/or b)with major ticket-selling power to justify my not being cast.

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If Collette, Winslet or Streep had been cast, I would be much more excited about seeing this movie...just my opinion. I don't know how the masses will feel, but I know that I am extremely disappointed.

Ugh.

This makes me mad.

EH!

Maybe she will be good?

It is just there are people who would have been better.

"I don't want to see it quickly dissappear from theatres."

I don't want this either, but unfortunately, that is probably what will happen...

We still have to wait to hear about Anthony, Johanna and The Beggar Woman. Burton could still make some good choices.

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I am trying to grasp why people who would have seen it otherwise are so quick to write it off and wait for the DVD because of the Helena Bonham Carter casting?

It seems safe to assume that we are all fans of musicals if we are posting on a Broadway message board. That in mind, if you are are type to believe that not seeing it would make a statement or that petitions work for things like this, wouldn't it send a better message to the film industry if we all saw it regardless of the casting to let them know that we want more movie musicals ? (assuming that we do).

I know it isn't an issue of the $10 because most of us are dropping down cash a couple of times a week to see theatre and often times people are paying hundreds of dollars to see the same show multiple times. A lot of us even pay to see shows that we think will be horrible just to say we saw it and have seen everything that opened. Why would this film be any different from that?

I just don't quite get how being on board with Burton and Depp can change so much simply from becoming Burton/Depp/Bonham Carter.

Burton seems like the key here. We all knew the film would take a different perspective when he was signed on rather than the tone from someone who might have been darker and (in my opinion) a better choice like Sam Mendes or Christopher Nolan. If you supported Burton and the vision that we all are assuming he will have then how can the addition of Bonham Carter really change your willingness to see the film?

Honestly, I am not sure this film would have been a commercial success regardless of who was playing the role of Lovett unless the vision was shifted so far out there that it further alienated the fans who are debating this casting right now.

If we are to believe all of the speculation that Sondheim has significant creative control over his material then I have to trust that and believe he will prevent terrible choices from being made.

*nods* Great post, Pat.

I called it on this very board the day the project was announced..Burton took the project for her.

Ugh. Seriously? ...Argh!

I could still see her as the Beggar Woman but... blah blah blah. I'm starting to become seriously concerned. (I know that should have happened long ago but still...)

It's probably going to be cast with Burton's usuals.

The more I hear about this whole project, the worse it sounds. Better to have no movie of this classic show, than a bad one. I have a feeling this could cause the death of movie musicals. CHICAGO made a brilliant transition from the stage to film, because the people behing it understood how important it was to faithfully represent the source material. The casting was excellent. So far, this stinks! I love SWEENEY TODD, but I have grave doubts about this...What happened to Meryl Streep? Miss Carter is a wonderful actress, but totally miscast here, in my opinion. Can she sing? It seems as if they are trying to cast this film with people who have lilttle or no musical ability. MISGUIDED!!!!