Helena Bonham Carter To Star as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd Film- Page 8

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 5:49pm

Correctino- Danny Elfman is working closely with Mr Burton

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 5:51pm

Stephen Sondheim is direclty involved in the project including the approval of all casting. He must have liked HBC.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 5:54pm

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Burton only knows how to tell one story, and that story must center on an emo man-boy, so he's going to make Sweeney Todd into precisely that. His "quirky with a side of goth" aesthetic was perfect for the world of Dahl, at least, but Sondheim isn't Dahl.
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Totally agreed Plum.

As stated earlier in the thread, the casting points more to them becoming carictures, rather than characters.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 5:59pm

"I am sure Sondheim would not want a bad movie made with his work."

A Little Night Music

[TheaterJunkie]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 6:45pm

Helena Bonham Carter what a bore!!! Can Tim Burton please not use one of his regulars!!! About a thousand people would be better in the part!! I AM SO MAD!!!!!!!!

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:04pm

On the upside, do you think they'll cast Winona Ryder...maybe as the beggar woman? If she's cast, then it could be a Burton movie all-star cast. Sure she can't sing, but it's not like any of that matters for this movie.

Updated On: 10/18/06 at 07:04 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:06pm

Winona Ryder hasn't been in a Tim Burton film in a very, very long time. Plus she steals.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:14pm

A lot of people steal, she just got caught.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:15pm

I officially hate Tim Burton (before people jump on me, I always disliked him before this.)

It's especially funny because we ALL joked about it, and now it's true.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:24pm

Winona Ryder should play Patti LuPone in a tv movie.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:27pm

All I have to say to this is...

"Big Surprise"

[OtherDaryl]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:31pm

She wouldn't be my first choice, but it seems inevitable with Burton directing. She is, however, a very fine actress, and I believe she will be just fine.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:33pm

discuss

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:35pm

I really like that scene in AiA.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:40pm

I enjoyed basically all of her scenes.

How about when she calls the ambulance for Pacino and identifies herself as the ghost? FIERCE!

EDIT: What about Glenn Close? She is also a Burton alum (Mars Attacks) and certainly has the Musical Theater chops...

Updated On: 10/18/06 at 07:40 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:44pm

I love Ms. Carter's work, however, I just don't see her in this role. I just hope that Mr. Burton knows he is doing the film version of what many many theatregoers, people in the theatre and even some critics call a masterpiece. I also like his work. I love the darkness of it and I think that will work for this film, but the casting, so far for me, leaves a bit to be desired. Depp and Carter work well in his films, but my God, do they have to be in all or most of them?! I was unaware that Streep was being considered. Now THAT I would love to see! JMHO

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 7:47pm

I also love the scene when her and Louis are reciting the Kaddish.


Aaand...as for Helena. I can't really say anything that hasn't been said, and I'm going to wait until I hear them sing and/or see what the movie will look like before I decide whether or not it's going to be bad.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 12:18am

Elfman is probably not going to be involved in this, as per Burton's interview with Harry Knowles on AICN.
Ain't It Cool News

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 12:51am

well i can see how it's disappointing cause everyone wanted to cast there favorites in the movie but its not like she won't act the hell out of the part have you guys seen any of her movies?? now her pulling off singing is what we should all be kinda nervous about. if she can sing i think she will be great..when it comes down to it no matter who would of been cast in the part some people still wouldn't of been happy.

[roquat]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 2:30am

ARE THEY OUT OF THEIR FREAKING MINDS?????

I actually was holding out hopes of a good (or at least interesting) interpretation of "Sweeney" from Tim Burton. If you watch his "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" it looks almost like training for "Sweeney"--the set design, camera angles, the way Christina Ricci is made up and costumed (like Johanna).

Also the singing aspect doesn't horrify me as much as...well, everything else. Whoever plays Lovett on film can fake the singing to a degree.

It's just...Bonham Carter and Depp still look (and act) like deranged children. "Sweeney" is about the bitternees and corruption that come with experience. Both of them have yet to grow up onscreen.

[handsome]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 2:46am

Can any of these actors sing? How are they going to bring justice to this score, which just happens to be Sondhiem's masterpiece. What does Mr. Sondheim have to say about this?

Posted: 10/19/06 at 6:19am

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I really think people are far too worried about singing. If you are an actor you have trained your voice to a degree and you can elicit emotion with it. On Broadway you need solid technique so that your voice won't give out on you. But in a movie you only have to do it once, so if you aren't using proper technique who really cares. If you want to hear Sweeney sung technically-well, we have plenty of recordings of that to listen to. If you want to see the beautiful monologues/dialogues set to music (read: songs) and acted by very talented screen actors, go see the movie!

I know that I kind of cringe when I hear someone hit a note without proper technique...but let me just say that I loved the casting for the Phantom in the movie...sure he was not a technically great singer, but his voice made me feel something. He didn't need to hit a soaring high note that was well-mixed and reached all the way up to the balcony...he just had to make the movie-going audience feel something with the note, and he did. Sure he was straining to hit it. Sure he wouldn't last doing the role on stage. But...so what?

That said, a non-singer couldn't even fake Johanna or the Beadle, but we only have our casting for Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney right now. Mrs. Lovett can TOTALLY be kinda spoken-through. Sondheim totally wrote it to sound conversational anyway, I feel. Sweeney maybe needs more of a singer. But if Depp has to kinda scream-sing the high notes it won't be the end of the world. I say only worry if we find out that Johanna doesn't have any vocal training...

On a sidenote, I would cum in my pants if Jake Gyllenhaal gets Anthony. I feel that "Johanna" needs a technically trained singer, but as long as Jake Gyllenhaal knows how to use his head voice when appropriate I can't see it being that bad. But then I hear he CAN sing anyway and lost out to Ewan for Moulin Rouge (as did Heath Ledger, hehe)...

[Tir Na Nog]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:48am

I have a feeling a lot of people are gonna be sticking their feet in their mouths when this film comes out. Since when can Helena Bonham Carter not be counted on? She even made planet of the apes semi watchable.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 12:38pm

Here is an interview with Tim Burton where he discusses the approach he will take on the film's look as well as Danny Elfman and Christopher Lee's involvement:
Tim Burton Interview

[WhoCouldBeBlue]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 2:24pm

Ugh!

Helen should have been given the role of the Beggar Woman... a great character role, but NOT Mrs. Lovett.

Mrs. Lovett should be played by none other than TRACEY ULLMAN. Now THERE's a woman more than capable of carrying the role!