Sweeney Todd; Filmimg starts feb 5th- Page 5

[Ghosthost999]

Posted: 9/12/06 at 8:18pm

It opened with 3 mill, went on to 51 and I live in the LA area and everytime I went to see it it played to full to near full houses months into its run.

[Andrew Lowe Watson]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 9:31am

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.

[Gregster]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 9:42am

Who is doing the casting?

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 9:58am

Carter is not tipped to play the part.

[BwayStar]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 11:19am

Bob Hoskins (Judge) and Sasha Baron Cohen (Pirelli) to be announced shortly. La la la.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 1:27pm

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?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 1:43pm

RENT's failure has nothing to do with subject matter. It failed because it was bad - end of story. The Holocaust isn't timely either, yet there are dozens of wonderful films about it.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 1:46pm

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.

[luvliza89]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 1:47pm

"And having people in a movie who are openly gay is no big deal anymore, either."

Tell that to the number of people who booed when Angel and Collins kissed when I saw the movie in theaters.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 2:00pm

*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.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 2:04pm

I think overall, it just wasn't a well made enough film to be that successful, but with better marketing it probably could've made at least 10-20 million more.

[EltonJ]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 3:14pm

Rav: Bet Elfman does the orchestrations/conducting

[BwayStar]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 3:20pm

He's not. It's Paul Gemignani.

[EltonJ]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 3:26pm

SURPRISED! But thrilled to hear it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 3:34pm

I hear Ruth Buzzi's all-but-landed Lovett, BwayStar.

What do you know about that?

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 3:46pm

Sasha Baron Cohen (Pirelli)

Ok, that made me ridiculously giddy.

[BwayStar]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 3:57pm

Ruth would be great.

[30/90 Playout]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 6:00pm

Because Ruth is a name.....

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/13/06 at 7:53pm

PHANTOM may have sold out theatres in NYC and LA but apparently that wasn't the case with most of the film markets around the country.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 9/14/06 at 12:36pm

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

[BwayStar]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 6:40pm

YAY!

[Sugarpop69]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 9:51pm

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.

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 10:33pm

but if there were a non-singing movie of it released I know he would be AMAZING.

I absolutely agree, and its why I'm feeling a little uneasy about this movie. I think Tim Burton is a good director and if this was a non-musical version of Sweeney, (based on one of the plays, maybe?) I'd feel that Burton would be perfect as the director. BUT, because it is a musical, I'm a little apprehensive. Movie musicals are all about the transition from dialogue to song and it takes a good concept and a great director to make it work. Rob Marshall had a great concept; others didn't.
I personally think that a director who has worked in the theater might be better at directing a movie musical, but we'll see how this turns out.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:02pm

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.

[Sugarpop69]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:03pm

On the plus side, you know that Tim Burton is always going to bring an incredible point of view to the table. He's not going to try to just video tape a stage show of it.

I'm always excited when movies are made of musicals. Anything to keep us economically viable you know? I'd rather see a movie made of a musical than a musical made of a movie.

And as for the note above about transitioning from singing to acting... I think that since Sweeney IS a through sung musical, it could be a catastrophe to try to film it any other way, ala Rent re-writes. Personally I think that it's a lot less disruptive to the audiences' suspension of disbelief.
Updated On: 10/12/06 at 11:03 PM