Johnny Depp talks a little about Sweeney Todd movie- Page 4

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 4:48pm

I say we cast Toni Collete as Mrs. Lovette and have atleast one good factor to the film

[catstagestud]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 4:54pm

I think that Depp could do a great job and I thought at one time he was in a band before becoming an actor; but I'm not sure...I'd just heard it from a friend the other night when we were talking about him and the possibility of Sweeney.

I saw Prarie Home Companion last night and I think Streep would be the definitive Lovett...there's something about her that is so alluring and she it really the epitome of a chameleon actress. I think she could be brilliant with Lovett...we'll see tho.

Cheers,

Christopher

[gustof777]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 5:00pm

Toni Collete! She'd be brilliant as would Streep (duh...she's Streep!lol) yeah there is no doubt we have brilliant Mrs. Lovetts but out of curiosity who would you rather have play Sweeney? I know Kelsey Grammer (sp?) has done the role onstage...but i don't think is bankable enough. Obviously if anyone gets the role its Johnny but are there any other appropriate celebrity alternatives?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 5:27pm

No other casting has been announced yet and remember, this is a film, not a stage show. Things that work on stage will not work on film. The current film script will surprise you, but not disappoint. Sweeney, by nature, is a quiet figure. Depp will be great. And yes, he can sing. He was being "demure" in his interview.

Sondheim, although proud of the original version, always wanted the show to be more intimate. The whisper of the blade... Sweeney is sitting beside you and will scare the hell out of you. This is one of the reasons he loves the current production. It sneaks up on you and in his words becomes very "unsettling". Expect the same for the film.

I can't speak of casting yet, but when I learn, I'll tell what I can.

Also, generally, the musical numbers and vocals are usually recorded BEFORE shooting a film musical. Looping will occur post production to fix any changes after editing. Elfman will most likely score the film (of course with Sondheim's musical themes). Don't expect "Green Finch" or "Epiphany" to be in the film. These pieces won't translate. Per Sondheim's request, the film is to be approached as a film, not a direct translation of the Broadway production. And, again, he is very happy with the current script and Burton doing it. (Burton has been writing him since the original show came out, so he won't "screw it up with his twisted mind". Trust me, they are of very like minds (including Depp--also a fan of the show)!

EDIT: Yes Depp did have a band. He was a musician when he started his acting career. (Nicholas Cage sent him on his first audition...)

Updated On: 7/6/06 at 05:27 PM

[TomMonster]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 6:53pm

Geez guys, I didn't mean to kill the thread! I love the casting ideas...

Meryl would be great, Toni too

Now, sticking to the Burton canon of actors, Judge Turpin or even Beadle should be played by the great goofy Jeffrey Jones who has been in most of his movies. What about Catherine O'Hara? Winona? Alec? Geena?

Let's have some fun, until we know... (who knows, maybe some of our ideas will get back to the creators :) )

Updated On: 7/6/06 at 06:53 PM

[keggss23]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 6:55pm

I would love to see Cyndi Lauper or Streep as Lovett w/ Helena Bonham Carter as Beggar Woman.

[DiamondGirl]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 7:05pm

"Well, you sure seemed not to know! Both the examples you gave are from movies made years ago. They wouldn't do that in a million years nowadays."

Actually, a number of the songs from the HEDWIG film were recorded live, as well as "Over the Moon" from RENT.

Not sure how I feel about Johnny Depp. He's a great actor, but I don't know if he's right for the film. The singing is definitely part of it (I can't imagine him as a baritone), but even aside from that, he doesn't strike me as a Sweeney. The poster who said he'd be the most "boyish" Sweeney Todd ever has the right idea.

As far as casting from the Tim Burton canon, what about Christopher Lee for the Judge?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 7:16pm

Christopher Lee is a GREAT idea for the Judge!

If you have problems seeing Depp as Sweeney, just look back at some of the stills from Scissorhands... In the scene where he dresses himself, he looks exactly like the original Sweeney design! White shirt, dark pants with the suspenders. Once he finds his character image he's pretty committed to it. (remember that in "Sleepy Hollow" he used Angela Lansbury as an inspiration...and Keith Richards for the Pirate movies)

Updated On: 7/6/06 at 07:16 PM

[DiamondGirl]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 8:57pm

Yeah, I've heard both of those stories. I think my biggest problem is that I find Depp much more interesting when he's giving a comical, quirky performance (Ed Wood, Benny & Joon, Sleepy Hollow, Don Juan DeMarco, etc). A lot of his more serious roles haven't stood out to me. Not that they're necessarily bad, just that they don't seem up to the level of some of his quirkier performances. And while Sweeney Todd has some darkly comic moments in it, I like a fairly straight portrayal of the title character. Who knows, though? He may surprise all of the naysayers and doubters.

I don't know. Maybe I'm just resisting the idea because Michael Cerveris is so awesome.

[gustof777]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 9:03pm

I probably stand alone on this but I would love to see Christopher Walken tackle Sweeney but I don't think he can sing

[achancetofly]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 9:28pm

No, I've actually been pulling for Christopher Walken as Sweeney for quite a while...I think he would do perfectly. And I know he has a theatre background, and I'm pretty sure he's done singing work as well..But yeah, you're not alone.


And nice Bare avatar, by the way. YAY BARE!

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 7/6/06 at 9:52pm

I think Megan Mullally would be great opposite Depp as Mrs. Lovett.

[paulie23]

Posted: 7/7/06 at 12:38am

There is only one John that could do screen Sweeney Todd proper... and that is John Malkovich.

[EdmundOG]

Posted: 7/7/06 at 1:07am

We need an actor who is capable of delivering a deeply moving performance. Someone who you can clearly tell has lived a hard life just by looking at them. Someone physically imposing, with the body of someone who's been on an Australian prison farm for 16 years, and could survive a month on a raft besides. Someone whose face is beaten and scarred to the point that his own neighbors, employees, and enemies that had watched his every move would look him in the eye with nothing more than a faint deja vu. Someone who can sing.

In other words, we need Ron Perlman.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 7/7/06 at 1:55am

OMFG no Epiphany? I'm really sad now...

I hope they have the graveyard prelude scene, however.

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 7/7/06 at 12:17pm

I don't know, I personally have great confidence in this film in the hands of Burton/Depp. Johnny Depp is indescribably capable of morphing into a character that no one saw coming. I have a sincere respect and trust that he would make a unique and original sweeney. While his singing may not be on the same par as George Hearn, you never know... a quieter sweeney does not mean less intense.
As for Burton, I think Big Fish really proves that he's capable. While the imagery is more fantastic than would be fitting for Sweeney, I believe this film more than any shows Burton's ability to translate words into a production that invokes feelings from the audience and really makes the audience think. He is a great thinker, in my opinion, who asks questions with his films rather than answers them, and I think that motif would lend an interesting slant to Sweeney. Like I said, I might be overly trusting, but I do have an enormous amount of faith here, and I'm not usually a huge fan of this musical.

PS: I could be wrong, but I'm fairly positive that most of the music for "The Producers" movie was recorded/performed on set and touched up in the studio. Just offering one more example.

[worrell4077]

Posted: 8/14/06 at 3:44pm

"As far as casting from the Tim Burton canon, what about Christopher Lee for the Judge?"

DiamondGirl,I had the same thought cause he would seem like such a perfect choice to play the judge.

I think Depp can pull it off, I mean this isn't the first time Tim Burton chose someone not many people wanted for a role in a movie. If you remember Tim is the one who wanted Michael Keaton for Bruce Wayne/Batman in the original movie, when after he was cast millions of fans protested that they were going to make a campy movie, but of course we all know how that turned out. So, I think with the proper voice training, Depp could pull it off.

Now, since Burton is doing it of course Helena Bonham Carter will be in it, and I think that she will either be Mrs. Lovett or The Beggar Woman. I had a thought maybe Freddie Highmore for Tobias,and maybe Glenn Shaddix(Otho from Beetlejuice)as The Beadle.

What about Martin Short for Pirelli? He can sing and he's very funny and probably could do the part justice. I couldn't think of anyone for Johanna or Anthony.
________________________________________________________________
Crewe:"You're not hearing it right. I hear it in sky blue, and you're giving me brown."
Tommy:"That's cause you're paying us s***."
Updated On: 8/14/06 at 03:44 PM

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 8/14/06 at 3:48pm

I still think Tim Burton could make this great WITHOUT it being a musical version. I'd love to see it as just a regular film.

[snl89]

Posted: 8/14/06 at 4:17pm

am I the only one who thinks its cute, AND admireable that johnny admits he's not the BEST of singers right now? :) I really like that he's not all "oh yeah, I can totally do it, no problem!" it shows he appreciates how difficult doing a musical can be, and is not taking the task lightly. And that he knows he's going to need to work hard to be good enough vocally. And, being a HUUUGE depp fan, I have full confidence that if he does this movie he will do an AMAZING job. Judging by the fact that he's been spectacular (in my opinion) in every single movie I've seen him in (which is quite a few- at LEAST 5 or 6, prob more), I dont believe he'd take on a project if he didn't think he could do it complete and full justice. I truly believe that if they start the project and he doesn't think his voice is up to par, he wont do it. Either he'll back out, or discuss the idea of doing a non-musical, or something else like that, but I just cant imagine that he'd let himself be simply mediocre or even bad in a movie. He has NEVER been less than amazing before, and I have absoltutely no reason to believe this would be any different :)

[Julian2]

Posted: 8/14/06 at 4:46pm

Ok, what about Victor Garber? Not as Anthony obviously, but as the Judge or something, maybe a cameo. Maybe even Sweeney. I mean we know he can handle it vocally, and he is a bankable actor.

[NJRae]

Posted: 8/14/06 at 4:52pm

I'm sure with the right vocal coach Johnny Depp will be more than fine. I am actually related to a prominent broadway actor by marriage. I have never met him and would never claim to know him but my aunt talks about him often. One of my favorite stories is how when he was starring in his first musical (he started out doing plays) she said she called him and said, "I didn't know you could sing!" and his response? "I couldn't. I got a vocal coach and learned!". He has gone on to many more musicals and has won many awards.

If he can do it . . . :)

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 8/14/06 at 4:52pm

If they can make Paris Hilton sing, Depp will sounf just fine as TODD. It will definitly be a film though, probably along the lines of Fosse's Cabaret.


Would love to see Lauper as Lovette though.