Sweeney Todd; Filmimg starts feb 5th — Page 5

When I heard about this, I immediately thought of Helena Bonham Carter for Mrs Lovett. Now I see she is one of the people tipped to play the part . She would be perfect ( remember her in Branagh's Frankenstein?). She is that bit older than she was and capable of hamming it up beautifully.

Carter is not tipped to play the part.

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You know why RENT partially failed? Team America! Who can take that musical seriously after "Everyone has AIDS"?

Okay, I'm exaggerating, but RENT was untimely, IMO. HIV while still a problem is not exactly as virulent anymore; plus the HIV in movie things has been done before (Philadelphia, anyone?) And having people in a movie who are openly gay is no big deal anymore, either. If RENT had been released in the 90's, it might have done better. Also, the cast didn't help. The movie had absolutely no star pull.

As for Sweeney, people need to stop suggesting Broadway people for the cast. I mean, you can all you like, but it's not going to happen. Patti LuPone is known to us Broadway fans, but if you mention her to Mr. Joe Not a Musical Fan, he'll be like "Who?" You have to compromise and find people WITH talent who are also well-established movie/TV stars and thus have some box office pull.

I'm rather nervous about the movie, but also kind of excited. I'm sure I'll be let down as I always am, but it doesn't hurt to dream, does it?

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Not any musicals about the Holocaust, though... Also, RENT is fatally flawed in its plot. There are a lot of people who are going to look at the musical and go "Get a job already." A LOT of critics felt that way, especially with the older cast.

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*shrug* Despite their reaction, it's still been done before. I'm just saying that RENT was considered revolutionary back in its day, but now it's sort of old hat. And as I said, Team America's parody of it did NOT help. This is just what I think; I could very well be wrong. I do agree that it was a bad movie, and that hurt it too.

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Rav: Bet Elfman does the orchestrations/conducting

SURPRISED! But thrilled to hear it.

Sasha Baron Cohen (Pirelli)

Ok, that made me ridiculously giddy.

Because Ruth is a name.....

Here's an article about who Johnny is taking singing lessons with...
Depp Singing Lesson

I'm actually quite in love with the idea.
I am, of course, as apprehensive as anyone about amateur singers attempting Sondheim, but if there were a non-singing movie of it released I know he would be AMAZING.

I don't think one can compare a movie being made of this to a movie being made of Phantom. There's SOOO Much more production value in Sweeney. Much more opportunity for interesting scenes, instead of Webber's stand-around-and-sing staging.

I can totally see this working, but as others have noted the score would have to be reduced. I could see maybe five of the songs being kept, The Ballad, Pirelli's Magical Elixer, Pretty Women, maybe Johanna and perhaps another that can be worked in.
Yes i KNOW that means, A Little Priest, By the Sea, Green Finch many other favs would be gone but if they are going for a more conventional story mode the songs would no longer be driving the story forward and would actually drag the film. BUT that's just my take.