Sweeney Todd; Filmimg starts feb 5th

I still can't believe my Sweeney Todd is going to be the next Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

I know it's still gonna be fantastic b/c Sam Mendes is involved, and Stephen Sondheim seems to approve it's just that...

...it will strike Hot Topics around the country and that's no good.

As long as the movie serves justice...then i'll be fine.

My feeling about Johnny Depp playing Sweeney was summed up very nicely by Elaine Stritch in the Company documentary:

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

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Oh, I think Johnny Depp will be fantastic. The man can play anything. But can he sing? Let's hope.

i just hope he doesn't change all the songs like in charlie & the chocolate factory <-- that made me sad, I wanted to sing and all my songs were missing

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Tim Burton + Johnny Depp = Hot Topic. EVERYWHERE. However I'll probably end up buying t-shirt a plenty.

Let's hope nobody else at my school does that, especially the people who think they're better than everyone else because they like anime.

Updated On: 8/16/06 at 07:13 PM

Doesn't Sweeney sing some foreboding bass notes? Can Depp sing those?

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I think people should forget about some sort of faithful version of the Sondheim musical with this project. Even Sondheim himself doesn't expect or want that (and has said so in interviews). It just wouldn't work to have everyone singing operatically for 90% of a film version, so expect major cuts to the score. Non-Broadway fanatics would reject a movie set in 1850's London where people burst into song every two minutes. I assume Burton is mostly looking to capture the feel and mood of the piece and use the music sparingly at appropriate times throughout the story. To me, that's fine. First and foremost, make a GOOD movie. If we want to see and hear the full Sondheim version, we can watch the DVD of Lansbury/Hearn taping.

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Updated On: 8/16/06 at 07:35 PM

I echo what Margo says, and as somebody who has actually read the John Logan script, I can confirm that it is NOT a slavishly faithful adaption. Songs are cut, characterizations are rethought: it's a different beast from the Broadway musical. And this was all before Tim Burton puts his thoughts into it!

It has been a long time since I have seen a Tim Burton movie I really liked. But Tim Burton movies tend to make money. That's all I care about honestly - is for the film to be successful. We have the original production on tape. A hit film based on a Sondheim musical could open the door big time not only for other filmed Sondheim adaptations but other movie musicals as well.

I couple of people have pm'd me about the script. Here is a link to my thoughts on it. The draft I read is back from when Mendes was attached. Logan is still the credited screenwriter, but Burton will surely be putting a lot of new ideas into it.

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=900683#2258346

This will be a very hard sell to the general public IMO

Would much rather see Follies

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Tim Burton likes to make things dark, but with a little bit of child-like feautres. I am sure that the tempo's will be changed, and I AM indeed very upset that Danny Elfman will be having the creative freedom, but I think that Sondheim has most likely seen the script. I just hope Elfman doesn't ruin the show's integrity. Though, I am sure that he will.

The casting will most likely be recycled from Burton's other movies. Helena Bohnam Carter will probably be in it. I think that Depp is a wise choice for Sweeney, marketing/sales wise, but for the pleasure of the people the know the show very well, he is a terrible choice. Burton will probably jam the movie full of ill-humour, that isn't proper for this peice. I don't thin kthat he can sing, but I bet that they will mix hios voice with a real singer's in the film.

This film is going ot be depressing, and possibly the death of Sweeney Todd. We'll have young girls gonig ot see it just to see Johnny, and to faun over him. This movie is gonig to become a trend. It is gonig to become the love for the "gothic/ emo/ punk" kids, and they'll be buying Sweeney merch. at Hot Topic.

So sad.

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"I AM indeed very upset that Danny Elfman will be having the creative freedom, but I think that Sondheim has most likely seen the script. I just hope Elfman doesn't ruin the show's integrity. Though, I am sure that he will."

Wait a second. When was Danny Elfamn mentioned in any of this? Just because it is a Tim Burton movie does not mean they are going to have Danny Elfman come in and supply music.

broadwayxminixidina, what exactly do you mean "the death of Sweeney Todd"? I would love for this movie and this show to become mainstream. If anything, with Depp's name attached, this will most like be a finacially sucessful, and if the movie is done right (such as Chicago) it will be artistically sucessful.

I for one, cannot wait.

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