Sweeney Todd Feedback- Page 2

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:14am

One recurring question was whether the musical nature of SWEENEY TODD would turn off some young male viewers who might otherwise be interested in another Depp-Burton collaboration. In answer to this, an audience member recounted the following incident: after seeing a trailer for TODD before a screening of THE HEARTBREAK KID, two young men in the row in front of her turned to each other and enthusiastically cried out, ‘F*CK yeah!”

Reminds me of opening night for Tim Burton's CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY when Charlie doesn't get the Golden Ticket in his birthday chocolate:

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Ah, it's all right...
AUDIENCE MEMBER #2: Shut up, John!

But seriously, that's awesome.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:21am

Not that I would have gone to see Heartbreak Kid. But if I and my roommate, a fellow actor, had seen the trailer that night we would have had the same reaction. So thats really not telling us much.

I do love how they say the targets are "Fans of the Musical" and "Adult Alternative" which is just a polite way of saying "The Gays" so really shouldn't they just combine those two audience targets?

[mateo]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:26am

and I guess these two young men LOOKED straight?


I want to hear their opinion once vibrato kicks in.


Really, I hate the young-straight-male movie goer. Every movie is made for them- and those few that are not are considered in trouble - and need to find some way to reel them in... ala Sacha Baron Cohen in Sweeney and Will Ferrel in The Producers.

Updated On: 10/24/07 at 11:26 AM

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:30am

While I can agree with some of your points Mateo, I don't think SBC casting was to draw in the straight male demographic. Honestly most people don't even know his name, they just know him as Borat. I don't think slapping his name on a musical is gonna bring in the frat boys. I honestly think Burton just made a wise casting choice based on the fact that the man is a comedic marvel. If it was a case of "Bringing in the straights" they'd market the trailer as "Fight Club's Helena Bonahm Carter and Borat's Sacha Baron Cohen"

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:34am

Thank you guys for the input!

Good to see they kept the main body intact.

I adore BALLAD, but I see why and how it will work like a frame

[tazber]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:36am

happy with the songlist, but damn! I'm gonna miss Kiss Me.

[kec]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 11:52am

The Internet Movie Data Base also has some comments:
IMBD Sweeney Todd Message Board

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 12:17pm

I'm actually with Mateo. I don't really understand why every movie is made to appeal to the straight college/teenaged male demographic since there are hardly ever any blockbusters of this ilk.

At any rate, not much mention of Helena Bonham Carter which worries me, but everything else sounds great and I'm nearly epileptic with excitement!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 1:02pm

Ronin,

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that. Almost all blockbuster movies (that make an excess of $120M) have strong appeal to teenagers, and in particular young men...

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 1:23pm

But aren't those more family movies or movies designed to appeal to broad audiences? The movies pretty much everyone goes to see?

I mean the Fight Clubs and Grandma's Boys of the world. These movies don't exactly make piles of money and they're clearly aimed at teenagers and college students (preferably male). Movies like Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Boondock Saints, etc...

I guess the silly boy comedy movie is making more money these days thanks to Will Ferrell, Steve Carrell and Judd Apatow and such, but then again the movies are getting better too (sometimes).

Updated On: 10/24/07 at 01:23 PM

[tazber]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 1:37pm

Pretty all the summer blockbusters are geared to that male 18-30 demo.
That's a huge chunk of change.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 2:31pm

It's very simple. 18-30 year olds regularly go to the movies. More often than any other demographic group.

As one friend put it, "They'll see anything," which is only partially true, but he has a point. They go out to a movie almost every weekend.

The biggest market out there is the "family" audience, but they don't go to see everything released. If you can make a good (enough) family film, you'll be golden. You can pull in everyone. But if you're movie "kinda sucks" they will stay away in droves.

Appealing strongly to the 18-30 year old crowds (actually it's 18-25), you've pretty much got a solid chance at a guaranteed audience.

It's the closest thing to a "sure bet" in Hollywood (which has no sure bets), and when you're risking millions of dollars and many future jobs, it pays to target that audience.

Even if they have no taste and will go to see "crap," time and time again.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 2:35pm

I was wondering if Judge Tupin's version of Johanna was included. Looks like it is not.

[artscallion]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 2:55pm

No. The keyhole scene is there, but no song.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 3:25pm

I can see why they cut it. It might have seemed pretty gratuitous on screen.

I see what you're saying Best12. Here's hoping the names Johnny Depp and Tim Burton gets them into the theaters (which I have no doubt it will). The movie will probably open really strong, it's just a question of whether it can keep up the box office.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 3:35pm

These reports are making me so excited! How long 'til December?

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 3:59pm

"I mean the Fight Clubs and Grandma's Boys of the world. These movies don't exactly make piles of money and they're clearly aimed at teenagers and college students (preferably male)."


Ronin, obviously you either have never seen Fight Club or didn't understand it at all...

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 4:04pm

So I guess the cut songs are: Ballad of Sweeney Todd, Ah Miss, Johanna (Turpin's version), and Kiss Me (though this could be included in Ladies...fingers crossed). And I guess we don't know the details of the final sequence (like whether it includes City on Fire or not).

Overall, I'm very pleased with those cuts. Knowing that songs would have to go, I think they made the right choices. I'm shocked about the Ballad, but I guess it actually makes sense to cut it. Ah Miss and Johanna won't really be missed by me...though I'm very sad about Kiss Me and I hope part of it is still somewhere to be found (but I guess I understand why it wouldn't work as well on screen). Now that I think about it, for a show with so much music, I think ST fans should be very pleased.

I'm a little worried that none of the commenters on that Johnny Depp website have said anything specific about Priest...I hope it is still devilishly funny.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 4:19pm

Are we sure the Ballad won't play over the opening or closing credits?

Neither were part of the film at the screening last night.

[broadway86]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 4:19pm

That feedback was a great read, but I'm surprised that there wasn't one mention of Carter. Not even her name, let alone her performance.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 4:24pm

I don't get that either, but it seems to be a regular occurrence with her. I realize that this is a "Depp movie" and has been served up as such, but I think Helena is pretty great. A Room With a View, Fight Club, Howards End, etc. Her only Oscar nod is for Wings of the Dove. She always seems to fade into the woodwork with general audiences, and I find her very interesting and talented on screen.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 4:37pm

someone is talking about her...oscarwatch moved her in "the likely to be nominated" category.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 4:38pm

Sweet!

I repeat the following for those "in the know"...

Are we sure the Ballad won't play over the opening or closing credits?

Neither were part of the film at the screening last night.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 4:41pm

doodle--speaking of OscarWatch.com... where the hell did they go?

Looks like they're being sued by the Academy for copyright infringement.

Ooops.

Are they called something else now?

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 10/24/07 at 5:04pm

"Ronin, obviously you either have never seen Fight Club or didn't understand it at all... "

Seen it, read it, but you can't deny its popularity with teenagers and college students!