Sam Mendes SWEENEY TODD- What Might Have Been? — Page 3

Apparently Mendes was to make a film with much fewer songs than the ultimate Burton version.

I am surprised to see so much negativity about Bonham-Carter's performance. I thought she was great! She was spunky and funny at times but she was so much more poigniant and human than previous ones. Her singing was great in the context of the film, it obviously isn't as impressive as, say, Patti Lupone when you're listening to it on a CD.

I couldn't care less about whether the movie's Lovett "lived up" to her predecessors. I was, in fact, looking forward to a fresh and exciting new interpretation on film. When I saw LuPone in the revival, I was stunned by her re-invention of the role--she still got the laughs, but in a much crueler, subtler, more deadpan manner than Lansbury. I assume Bonham-Carter (and Burton) were heading in that direction, but they ended up with just "dead."

There were no laughs at all in the (packed) theatre where I saw the film. There seemed to be dead air around all of Lovett's line readings--you could feel the energy leaking out, and the discomfort in the audience. She didn't seem to have the slightest interest in revitalizing Sweeney, or making money, or enjoying life--in fact, "life-loving" is the last adjective I'd apply to her as an actress in ANY of her performances. With Sweeney drained and withdrawn as well, it was "Night of the Living Dead." Who cares if they get killed when they don't seem alive to start with?

I'm only dwelling on this because I love SWEENEY and have been looking forward to the movie for so long, and there were several elements that worked brilliantly (Alan Rickman's judge, "Pretty Women", "Not While I'm Around", the Beggar Woman's and Judge's deaths, "By the Sea"). I'm not insisting the movie match the stage show--I'm most disappointed in the fact that I don't think it was made to work in movie terms. If anything, Burton was TOO faithful at times--I wish he had slipped in a flashback or two to help us identify with Lucy (it's a movie, why not show her poisoning herself, in the asylum, becoming the Beggar Woman, etc., while Lovett is explaining at the end? It would have taken a couple of seconds and might have made all the difference.)

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Samuel French handles the licensing and they have copies of the script you can buy for about 10 dollars

"I did not say it was proof they "did not get it" I said it was proof that the film was flawed."

Ok sorry. Just because people walking out think it is a flawed film does not mean it is. I mean these people could just hate musicals or violence. Who knows. Some place, at some time, someone walks out of every movie. I had people walking out of michael clayton, atonement, no country for old men and eastern promises this year! Four of my favorite films of the year. Maybe they thought they were flawed but i sure didn't and you can't PROVE art is flawed. You can't prove acting, movies, music, paintings, or any art form is good or bad. Nothing to measure it by.

Lovett's cheerful opportunism? what? Have you heard the lyrics "A woman alone,With limited wind,And the worst pies in London!Ah, sir, times is hard, Times is hard!" the way Helena played it was just as great as Angela and Patti in my opinion.

Updated On: 12/24/07 at 01:24 AM

JoshuaEads (or anyone else) if you’re interested in reading the original penny dreadful that Sweeney Todd is based on here is a link to a free online copy:
The String of Pearls

roquat it is clever, but saying Helena is not an actress is joke. She is one of the best. Have you seen Howards End, A room with a view, the wings of the dove (should have won the oscar), fight club, margaret's museum, conversations with other women. Helena works well in Burton films, she happens to be his partner. She worked with him before they even got together. Besides Sondheim said he got final say in Lovett. I get you did not like her in this film but don't bash this woman as an actress. She has worked really hard since the 80's and has done beautiful work in the uk.

I am not trying to convince you she is a good actress. i am just trying to explain that she is a hard working actress with a lot of acclaim. You clearly don't like her and you have the right to that opinion but don't write her off as bad. You just don't see it. I have the same problems with Hilary Swank but i can respect the fact that people like her and clearly she moves some people. Tim Burton would not direct Gypsy and Carter would not play Rose so that has nothing to do with what we are talking about. They don't fit the project. To each his own. I thought whe was outstanding, and gave a really honest and moving performance.

Updated On: 12/24/07 at 05:29 PM

"I did my audition
On Tim Burton's mattress
'Cause I'm a nonsinging
Nondancing nonactress"

Wow. I was going to go through and state why I think your previous points aren't valid, but after reading that I'm not going to waste my time.

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Wow....I am really just amazed by these debates. It has been a long time since I have seen a performance that I truly thought was lacking(Helena in Sweeney)and really had nothing to offer in regards to an interpretation, but so many others are claiming to love. Usually there would be at least something for me to say..."okay I see that" but not with Helena. She gave a performance lacking depth, motivation and purpose yet she is getting raves by a lot of you.

Is she getting a pass because she has done(moderately)good work in the past? Is it just blind praising of a classic musical on the big screen now being introduced to the masses? Or is it because since so many of us here are such musical theater diehards that someone like Helena...."I am so brooding and dark and dirty and intense" interests you because she is so different. Since she is the total opposite of glitzy, fake smiling, jazz hand musical fare, is that why she is being praised here? It truly is amazing.

its called an opinion.

In the not too distant future, musical comedy mavens will be able to take the DVD of a movie like Sweeney Todd and plug in any actor your little heart desires for a particular role. You could have Liza, Patti, or even Mr. Travolta play Mrs. Lovett. You will be able to add back all the songs the film makers didn't get your permission to cut. For a little extra money, you will be able to adapt the movie to the style of a director you want. You can have the Mel Brooks Sweeney, the Rob Marshall Sweeney, the Clint Eastwood Sweeney, the Wes Anderson Sweeney, etc.

I have seen the Tim Burton Sweeney and liked everything about it. I did not want to see Johnny Depp play the role like Len, George, Michael. I wanted to see his take on the role. I did not want to see Helena play Mrs. Lovett like Angela or Patti. I wanted to see her take on the role.

If you think there was no humor in the movie, you weren't paying attention. The way the humor was played onstage would not work in a movie. You need to learn the difference between acting onstage and acting on camera.

Sweeney Todd is a great musical and like all great plays and musicals, there are many ways to play the characters. The joy of seeing different productions is to see what each actor brings to and finds in the characters. The is no joy in seeing the same thing from production to production. It is one thing to say you prefer one actor's interpretation to another actor's interpretation; it's another thing to dismiss an actor's take on a role because it didn't match another actor's take. I am not interested in museum theatre.

Ray - Don't cast your Oscar vote until the nominations are announced.