Sweeney Todd Movie Review Thread- Page 14

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 12:24am

I'm going to see it again tomorrow, so I will probably have more to say (as far as little intricacies are concerned).


Her timing is exquisite – from the crunching of a roach to pounding the daylights out of a piece of dough.

Actually I didn't find it extraordinary at all. Almost all of the character's jokes fell flat.

And those 2 examples are literally written into the lyric, so I don't think it was too difficult to smack a roach with a rolling pin when, in the lyric, it says "No you don't!- Goodness knows I try..."

It should be noted, my dear, that I was in an radiant mood when writing out that review. Ergo - because I was so immediately taken with the film a lot of what I wrote tended to be lenient on the positive side. Since I am going for a second viewing, I can guarantee I will have much more thought out opinion.

Updated On: 12/26/07 at 12:24 AM

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 1:07am

Fabulously well articulated review, roquat.

You helped articulate many of the things I was feeling about the film and Carter's performance.

I do have to say that I feared that Burton would do the whole film like "By the Sea" in his colorful quircky style, and can't say I would have enjoyed it more if he had.

But a contrast was neccesary, there was no contrast from the dreariness other than the bried flashback scene.

[iliketheater]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 1:50am

HBC's singing was distracting.

Alan Rickman was fantastic, these are the roles he's made for.

I was delightfully surprised with Depp's vocal abilities.

Overall I enjoyed the film.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:18pm

I know this isn't the right board for this, but the board I posted on seems to have vanished. The debate was actually about Ethan Hawke "dissing" Angela Lansbury at the Tony Awards. The argument going back and forth was that Ethan had been in the touring company of ST back in 1980 or '81, but was ultimately dismissed b/c his behavior had offended Ms. Lansbury (before I go further, I love them both and am not taking any sides). Without going into the reasons for Ms. Lanbury's displeasure, I have resarched this and there is no mention of Ethan's having been in that tour at all -- as was pointed out, he would have been only 10 or 11 years old at the time. So, ALL I'm asking is, was Ethan involved in that tour? That's my ONLY question and if sometone can direct me to another, more appropriate board, I thank you in advance.

[artscallion]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:22pm

I saw that thread before it disappeared. Someone was pulling legs. He was never involved with it.

[Bal]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:36pm

This is what I wrote in my journal immediately after seeing the movie:

So I saw Sweeney Todd (merry Christmas), and I really liked it.

However...

1. Johnny Depp had no humour whatsoever. Now, I get that Sweeney is back and he's pissed, but A Little Priest isn't funny if Sweeney and Lovett aren't enjoying themselves.
2. Mrs. Lovett has no conscience! Wipe those tears away, Helena, or we'll all realize you don't really get this role and we'll fire Tim Burton and his casting couch!
3. I know character-developpy songs aren't really movie-tastic, but... I missed them. Characters didn't have enough screen time, I felt. Also, Johanna didn't do *anything*. Kiss Me, I though, was necessary because they didn't give her and Anthony much time together...which came across as awkward.
4. Mrs. Lovett has to be able to sing.... if not really well, not in a thin, little-girl voice. Mrs. Lovett knows her *&^#, is sure of herself, and is out to get what she wants. We are supposed to aympathize with Sweeney; Mrs. Lovett is the real villain of the piece.....Except here. Here, she's on an episode of Degrassi Junior High and she's dealing with her problems.

Anyways, it's a really good movie, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it 'the best movie musical ever made', as did one critic.

Pthbt.

Oh, and

5. I missed the ridiculous Irish accent, and the name Danny O'Higgins. Oh well.

Sacha Baron Cohen rocked my face off anyway.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:58pm

He wasn't even attempting an Irish accent.

That was East End Cockney comin' out of Borat, just like Sweeney and Lovett!

[artscallion]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 5:14pm

Two things...

-People keep saying they miss "Kiss Me." While I'll agree that Anthony/Johanna could have benefited from a little more character development, is it really "Kiss Me" that would be the best way to do that? Or would another new song or dialogue or added scenes be a better way to go. Kiss me just seems a poor choice for film to me. Too much cross singing patter for a movie audience to process.

- A lot of people are also saying they miss the executioner line. To me that seems like an odd thing to miss. I've always thought it was the most awkward line in the show. What does it mean? Following his request for Judge on the menu, she offers executioner. That means Sweeney to me. Why would she have Sweeney pies? Maybe she means executioners in general, but they're certainly not talking about judges in general. It just always strikes me as an awkward line and one I'm glad was cut.

[Bal]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 8:40pm

Johnny Depp would probably be my favourite flavour of pie, artscallion.

Upon further reflection, I wanted to say that I loved the way the 'Johanna' reprise (where Sweeney and Anthony are singing) was filmed, but it lessened the impact of the end... however, I don't know how they could have avoided those delightful spurts of arterial blood. Ah well.

[ByTheSea920]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 10:41pm

artscallion- haha, Sweeney pies! Thank you for giving me the best laugh I've had all day! Anyhoo, I always interpretted the executioner line to be Lovett flirting with Sweeney. Because they're both executioners, in a way, and she's offering herself to him. I doubt that's what was intended by the line, but that's just the way I always heard it. :)

Also, I just got the Sweeney companion book yesterday, and it's incredible. The pictures are beautiful. I can't stop looking through it.

Posted: 12/26/07 at 11:06pm

2 things i keep thinking about:

by not allowing Johanna to show any personality & keeping her in a victim role, Burton himself is keeping her caged.
she's almost become a prop rather than a character.

when Toby is locked in the dark bakehouse, with the horrors created by Sweeney & Mrs Lovett, Burton means to show us what a traumatic experience this is for the boy... yet, we, the audience have been locked in a dark room with the horrors created by Burton for the past or hour or so.

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 12/27/07 at 9:31am

Saw it yesterday and trying to keep in mind that the movie is not the stage musical and the medium is totally different.

What I initially think though is I didn't like it. The 'look' was consistent and gloomy but it seemed to be hitting one-note all the time. Most of the dialogue, especially from Sacha and HBC were very monotone and there were several moments where I couldn't understand a bloody word they said!

By far the best performances were the actors playing Tobias, Anthony (maybe a bit too deer-in-the-headlights but still good), and Alan Rickman. Excellent! To me, he made it seem as though the Judge really wants to feel love. He just goes about it the wrong way, often substituting erotica for sincerity. It was just strange I felt somehow sorry for him during his death.

Depp was fine. Nice and refreshing. Didn't blow me away, though. I expect an Oscar nod at most.

I was particularly bothered with the fact the Londoners didn't sing very much in this. In fact, they didn't at all. It pissed the hell out of me that all the orchestrations in "God, That's Good" suggested a chorus to be singing their part, and there was none. Makes me wonder if WB just ran out of money.

The movie was consistent with it's idea and I'll give them that. And Mister Sondheim is happy with the movie and that's fine with me. It was just not at all how I thought it should look. Moments that should have been downright hysterical (however dark) got a stiffled laugh in the theatre I was in. Strangely, the only thing in this film that was downright terrifying was Mrs. Lovett's death. It was spooky while only being mildly gruesome.

It's just my opinion. Others enjoyed this movie and I'm happy to hear it's getting raves. I just didn't like it...

[artscallion]

Posted: 12/27/07 at 2:55pm

I went to see it a second time today. I did the 10am showing and was surprised, and pleased, to find that I was one of twenty-five other people seeing it that early.

The reason for this second 'review' is to suggest to people, like myself, who were not thrilled with it on first viewing, to see it a second time.

I loved it this time. All of my picky complaints and quibbles from the first time fell away this time and I just loved it. Why? I think there are two reasons:

Firstly, I went to a different theatre that had the volume turned up much higher. It made a complete difference in the excitement level of the whole thing. None of the numbers felt flat. I could understand every word, whereas I felt everyone was mumbling the first time I saw it. It just brought everything up a notch and it brought the intense moments to whole new heights of intensity.

Secondly, I think I went into my first viewing with a ton of anticipation and expectations, all fueled by clips and trailers and discussions. I spent the whole movie noticing what was there and what wasn't. All these thoughts had the added distraction of whether or not each element exceeded, fulfilled or was a disappointment in relation to my anticipation and expectations.

This time I already knew what it was, what was missing, changed, disappointing, etc.. I had no anticipation or any need to even think of the film in relation to anything outside of itself. I was able to focus, lose myself in it and actually see it for what it was. I found no fault with it at all, this time.

I think to enjoy this film you really, really need to let go of the stage version, the missing ballad, the absence of Kiss Me, all that chatter. You can't wonder how old is Toby and why isn't Anthony like a real sailor. All that chatter is based on things we know from knowing the stage show. None of it applies to this animal. And all of it takes away from your being able to appreciate this movie.

As an example, for the first time today, I was able to see Anthony, not as a the Sondheim character I'd been carrying around, but as the surreal, odd, Tim Burtonesque character, who is good but just off/odd enough to make you nervous. It made all the difference.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 12/27/07 at 3:25pm

"Mrs. Lovett has no conscience!"

Depends on the Lovett...but I like those that do. I think they're more interesting. Angela's didn't. I think Patti's and Helena's did.

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 12/27/07 at 3:29pm

Artscallion, excellent post. You have highlighted 2 very important points.

1. As I have said in another thread, I strongly encourage everyone to see this movie in a theater with a state-of-the-art sound system. This is the most thrilling orchestration and sound that I have heard in a movie theater in recent memory. Those opening organ chords really get my heart pounding, in a big way!!

2. I had read very few reviews before I saw it the first time, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I allowed myself to see only a few clips. I had never seen Sweeney Todd in any form on the stage. I think this lack of exposure definitely helped my enjoyment of it. I had no preconceived notions about how this movie should be. Therefore, I didn't nit-pick about cast choices, song choices, blocking, etc. I just allowed this incredible film to unfold before me and I enjoyed it immensely.

Did I mention how AMAZING this movie sounds?

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 12/27/07 at 3:55pm

"Angela's didn't [have a conscious]. I think Patti's and Helena's did."

Funny, I would have said that Patti's didn't and Angela's did. *shrug*

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 12/27/07 at 10:39pm

Finally saw the film tonight. Despite some minor problems, I absolutely loved it. Helena was astonishing.

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 12:10am

The 'look' was consistent and gloomy but it seemed to be hitting one-note all the time.

Agreed.

Earlier in the thread someone said that it was so consistently dreary and Todd's parlour was so dark that you'd expect to go in and get killed.

Aside from knowing the Judge's eventual death was coming, the film and parlor were so dark that it didn't come as a shock at all when he was killed. The song Pretty Women is so opposite the thoughts going through Todd's head that it normally creates such a contrast up to his murder, but this time the darkness made it seem much more inevitable.

I like feeling like Sweeney may just drop the razor and start dancing with the Judge to the gorgeous ballad they're singing. Well, I mean I wouldn't want that to happen, but like feeling it's a possibility rather than just inevitable gloom.

[Dancinqueen123]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 1:42am

I saw the movie tonight and dragged one of my friends along with me. I was a little nervous about seeing it with her because she's not into musicals (we were talking once and she said,"Musical theatre-you call it passion, I call it crap"). But it turns out that she loved it! So that makes me happy.

About the actual movie, I don't really know what to say. I've never seen the stage version so I really have nothing to compare the movie to, but I really liked it.

[Craww]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 5:39am

I liked it. I didn't agree with all the cuts and changes (I missed the chorus a lot in God, That's Good), but I did agree with more things than I disagreed with. There were small details that irked me. While the orchestrations sounded wonderful, and the vocals themselves were often good enough, the way they mixed the vocals in duets seemed very off to me.

I find it strange that, when casting was announced, I had quite a bit of confidence in Helena and very little in Johnny. I ended up mostly disliking Helena's performance (almost entirely because of the quiet, whispery vocals) and very much liking Johnny's performance.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 11:13am

I'm one of those people who was cautiously enthused about HBC the first time -- with niggling reservations about her vocals --, and felt blown away at the 2nd viewing (which was at the Ziegfeld, the best place in the world to see and hear this film -- and frankly, HBC.) I agree with Artsc. above about letting go of expectation on 2nd viewing. The film just happened in front o me, without my analysis and held-breath (this time, I didn't pause to miss "Kiss Me"). And I felt transported immediately, that wall of Sondheim sound and that extraordinary art direction and cinematography (I disagree -- the sameness of the palatte, save "By the Sea" -- was a unifying artistic decision rather than monotonous.) I feel as I ultimately did the first time: for those of us who've been fans of this material for 25 years or more -- I saw an early preview at the "Uris" -- this is the movie we might've hoped for, so true to the original vision in many ways, yet translated into cinematic terms. I cannot wait to see it again.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 11:45am

Here is my review of Sweeney. I saw the movie on Dec. 27, 2007.

I saw "Sweeney Todd" ... and it was an "experience." I neither liked it...nor disliked it. It was an interesting film. Rather, I was looking forward to how closely the film followed the musical.

Johnny Depp: I was pleasantly surprised at his voice. His singing was an eye-opener. He was thoroughly menacing when he needed to be.

Helena Bonham Carter (mrs. lovett): Dear Helena: Maybe 6 more months of additional vocal lessons would have helped. Perhaps... The poor dear can't carry a tune in a basket. Her voice reminded me of Keira Knightley... "very thin." I did note her tenderness to Toby. That was touching.

Jayne Wisener (Johanna): Young and fragile. She had a pleasant voice.

Alan Rickman (Judge Turpin): He really creeped me out.

Timothy Spall (Beedle): Evil evil man.

Sacha Cohen (Pirelli): A surprising voice. totally smarmy.

Jamie Campbell Bower (Anthony): The first thing I thought when I saw him was he reminded me a great deal of Austin Scarlett (a first season designer on "Project Runway"). As talented as he was, I couldn't decide who was prettier.. him or Johanna. His voice was so-so.

Ed Sanders (Toby): I was very impressed by this kid. I thought he had the best voice of the entire cast.

The film: I wasn't too keen on the bloody scenes, so I covered my eyes each time Sweeney dispatched his victims. Speaking of the "bloody scenes", I thought the blood looked more like red poster paint than anything else. Overall, it was an eye-opening experience. However, I much rather preferred the musical over the film.

from RC in Austin, Texas

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 11:52am

You forgot to mention how the blood's singing voice was...

[Pippin]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 11:59am

Artscallion, I feel the exact same way on my second viewing. The first time I saw, it, I still loved it, but wasn't completely sold on Carter, or Depp.

On the second, knowing what to expect, and how they were going to approach the characters, it really allowed me to see the genius in both the direction, and the performances of the two leads. Carter is wonderful in this role, and While her Lovett is not as big as a stage Lovett, I beg to differ with people who claim she is underplayed, or "doing nothing". It is a pitch perfect performance, and she always has something going on in her character. It is subtle, but for me, that makes it all the more exciting.

[Craww]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 12:14pm

I found myself taking advantage of every single non-singing moment Helena Bonham Carter had to enjoy her performance. It wasn't the vocal ability I had a problem with, it was the vocal quality and the quietness. I saw it more as a direction problem, because I think she performed it to the best of her ability. None of my family (only one of whom is familiar with the score) had a problem with her, so I don't technically feel she did badly.

I liked the chance it gave me to see Sweeney more forefront, since I always focused more on Mrs. Lovett before the movie forced my attention in another direction.