Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Movie Review: cockroaches & Mr. Depp
Summary: 5 Stars
the cockroaches did an excellent job...i so applaud them....not undermining the actors of course....got your attention perhaps? do i care? did sweeney??? should i say what happened like so many of these so called critics on here have let out the spoilers to you just knowing about this musical?---i will not do that...i will be like sweeney and not let you know a thing you are going to witness once you sit in "the chair"...a broken heart created that chair....a broken justice system that lets those with higher powers have what they want made the blood flow from??????...anyway, this production is so true to the one i witnessed on broadway with michael cerevis as the -heart- butchered- barber-...i do not want to give any of this storyline away anymore than i have to those that have yet to witness such a site of johnny depp in song and in ?????....so i will just tell you that i feel that if you just _ _ _ _ _ _____ !!! ok? (remember, it is all cherry syrup...mmmmm)Movie Review: A Worthy Addition to the Sweeney Todd repertoire
Summary: 4 Stars
Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd is wonderful. It's a typical Burton piece, beautiful, stylized, and funny - but weird. I thought the segment in which Johnny Depp's Sweeney sang "My Friends" was incredibly strong, both musically and artistically. Burton's imagination and Depp's talent were both impressive. Depp is certainly not a professional singer but he is more than adequate vocally and nobody is better dramatically.
I thought the decision to cast very young actors, they were all teenagers at the time, in the roles of Anthony, Johanna, and Toby was inspired. Ed Sanders as Toby was particularly impressive. He was only 13 or 14 but he really can sing.
I also enjoyed Jayne Wisener as Johanna. Although she was only marginal musically, her youth and beauty made Judge Turpin's obsession with her entirely believable. In fairness to Wisener, I should point out that Johanna's role has traditionally been taken on the stage by classically trained coloratura sopranos, which Wisener certainly is not.. A change was made to her character in the film. In the stage version she is palpably nuts and ends up shooting the asylum keeper, Fogg, after Anthony rescues her. In the movie she is just sad and na?ve. I thought that it worked.
My only caveat to Burton's Sweeney is that it is haunted by the ghosts of George Hearn and Angela Lansbury, the quintessential Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett. Both have great voices and are strong actors but, alas, Lansbury is in her 80s and Hearn in his 70s. Where are they when we need them.
Hearn's and Lansbury's absence from Burton's Sweeney made it inevitable that Depp as Sweeney and Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett would be compared to them - a contest that Depp and Bonham Carter would have to lose. Bonham Carter was barely adequate vocally. Nevertheless, I found her songs to be mostly effective and she shone dramatically. Despite her character's often monstrous conduct, Bonham Carter gave us a Mrs. Lovett who is pitifully sad but somehow sympathetic. Ultimately, she is her own worst enemy, the victim of her obsession with Sweeney.
I give both Depp and Bonham Carter high marks for even being willing to take on this viciously difficult piece. Sondheim's music is closer to opera than it is to traditional musical theater and I can think of nothing in the repertoire that is as hard to sing as Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett's songs.
Despite its cast's vocal limitations, Burton's Sweeney stands on its own as a brilliant musical homage to classic horror movies. Highly recommended, 9 out of 10.
Movie Review: A brilliant adaptation brilliantly filmed
Summary: 5 Stars
"Sweeney Todd" has long been my favorite of Stephen Sondheim's works, even though I've never had the pleasure of seeing it live (I own the Broadway album and have watched the Broadway production DVD). Needless to say, I had some trepidation about this film project, since the trailers in advance of the film's release didn't make it clear how much singing would actually take place. I also had some concerns about length, since the stage production runs a bit long. For various reasons, I missed seeing the film in its theatrical release, but I picked up this special edition DVD last week when it came out.
I've now watched/listened to the movie five times; I was absolutely delighted the first time through, and my appreciation for it grows each time. It's clear that Sondheim was closely involved in reshaping, and combining, cutting down, and eliminating musical numbers (and the text), and in some cases modifying the lyrics themselves -- and in my opinion, it's all for the better. The movie never lags, never drags -- once it starts, it moves quickly from point to point to its Greek tragedy conclusion. And of the eliminated numbers, the only one I really miss is "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" (which shows up instrumentally in a few spots).
As for Tim Burton's direction and Johnny Depp's acting, they were both made for "Sweeney Todd". I am so used to Len Cariou's Todd from the Broadway album that I wasn't sure how Depp would bring the necessary gravitas -- vocal and acting -- to the role. But he pulls it off. His Demon Barber is more wraith-like, more detached, almost ghostly -- note his lack of response all through the 'By the Sea' number, not to mention "Johanna" -- but all the more chilling for that. The rest of the cast is great as well, and Depp and Helena Bonham Carter such a natural chemistry that I was surprised to learn they had never acted together before.
My complaints are relatively minor and are endemic to "Sweeney Todd" itself. First, Helena Bonham Carter's character is, frankly, hard to understand at time, due to her thick accent and use of slang. Second, Sondheim likes to write fast, complicated, and overlapping lyrics, which sound wonderful when performed but can be a pain to decipher. (When I bought the Broadway album, one of the first things I tracked down was the "Sweeney Todd" libretto.) However, the DVD itself offers a wonderful solution: you can turn on English subtitles.
I am listening to the movie even as I type this ("...'twas Pirelli's miracle elixir..."). My wife's been gone visiting family the past two weeks, and I do most of my work on my laptop sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter. I stick the DVD in to play and simply listen to the soundtrack, occasionally stopping to watch the film itself over my shoulder.
As I said, a brilliant adaptation, brilliantly filmed. ..bruce..
Movie Review: He shaved the faces of gentlemen, who never thereafter were heard from again...
Summary: 5 Stars
I must begin by saying that I saw Sweeney with the original cast on Broadway in 1979. I was 14 years old...thanks Mom and Dad for being so progressive!! This musical (and Sondheim) has been my favorite ever since. Anyway I did have certain preconceived notions about this when I heard it was being made into a movie by Tim Burton. I used to really love Burton, but lately well, not so much. I had visions of Goldberg-esge staging and typical Burton visuals. Burton can't seem to let go of pale-faced dark-eyed make-up, and bit of machinery-gear-type props, but otherwise, he did a great job getting away from this.
I am not going to tell the entire plot because (to quote Sondeim): "what happens then, well that's the play and he wouldn't want us to give it away...not Sweeney..."
Anyway, I bought this and actually hesitated for a week before watching it. I was afraid my great experiences with the story would be forever tainted. But, nevertheless, I began. I heard the overture during the opening credits and was very excited that it was performed with an orchestra and lush arrangement (rather than electric guitars or something.) I saw the opening scene (missing the opening ensemble song) and braced myself for Depp's singing. However, when I heard Depp begin, I was pleasantly surprised. See, my first experience with Sweeney was Len Cariou. He played it similarly to Depp. He was not so much over the top, evil-incarnate; but more quiet, vengeful, sorrowful, and wronged. Cariou is also on the original cast-recording, which is available here on Amazon (Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979 Original Broadway Cast) and very good!) The DVD I have of the stage-production (Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Broadway) (Snap Case)) stars George Hearn who plays the part a little harder, a little angrier. I prefer the softer, more pitiful Sweeney; the villian needs to show a real motivation, Depp makes him real. This works with the score as the music isn't violent-crazy. It has more of an undercurrent of "something is going to happen"or "someone peering around the corner." A thriller--not a slasher. Cariou's voice and body were more large and haunting than Depp's, but for the feeling itself, Depp seems to have captured it.
Helena Bonham Carter has taken the Angela Lansbury role of Mrs. Lovett. Well, any theater fan knows these are huge shoes to fill. She tries, her voice isn't bad, it just is so diminutive. Mrs. Lovett is not a diminutive character! If you haven't heard it, you must listen to "the Worst Pies in London" by Lansbury. She is fantastic; she nearly steals the show with this song alone; no comparison to Carter. Carter does seem to come alive more as the film continues, plays her version of Lovett well, and does have a nice devious-ness to her! Her interpretation of the character, indeed makes you look at her a different, but effective way. Johanna's song (though shorter) is wonderfully performed in this version. I actually loved the orginal singer, but it was quite operatic; this portrayal was much more accessible. Anthony is also very good in the movie version (played by Jamie Campbell Bower.) Compared to original cast, he seemed younger and very appropriate for the naive, young-lover character. Pirelli (Baron-Coen) is also surprizingly good in the film. Great casting jobs all around.
I am not sure why they changed Lucy's role to not-quite-as-crazy. Toby was also less "witted" in the stage version, this one was just younger. Maybe not PC anymore to have a mentally-challenged stereotyped character (which isn't a bad thing.) Judge Turpin and the Beadle's roles were slightly different in the stage version (they had a wonderful duet!), but Rickman indeed plays a convincing antagonist (I will always associate him fondly with the movie "Die Hard.")
They did a great job with the "A little Priest" even though the switch to comic-relief is a little more effective in a live performance (you get to hear the audience laughing.) There is wonderful orchestration throughout the whole movie, I am so happy they didn't try to reduce it to a bunch of some pop songs and or add some new Top-40 ballad. I do miss the workers' whistle and I sorely miss my favorite ensemble..."Attend the tale of sweeney todd, his skin was pale and his eye was odd..." but understand why it probably would not work in the movie. I would have liked to hear it over the end credits.
I understand that this is not a movie-version of the stage play, it is a movie ~based~ on the the theater play. Still, it is quite similar and it is interesting to compare and appreciate the differences in the two versions. If you have never seen the stage-version or listened to the original cast recording; you owe it to yourself to buy or rent them. If you have never heard of Sweeney Todd before this film, I think you will enjoy this version of the dark tale.
I like the 2-disk set as it contains (besides the feature film) interviews with Sondheim, "making of" feature, history of the story, special effects discussion, and info on the original stage productions.
Burton has completely redeemed himself for me with this film. I hope that maybe some folks who think live-theater is not for them, will (after viewing this DVD) give it another chance and raise expectations of its future (I think we have had enough Disney-movie re-hashings, just my opinion.)
Sorry this got long, but I really love the musical, and was a doubter about the film. I hoped I could convice others to give it a chance. I gave the film 5 stars out of 5 because they stayed true to the story and the music, for how they reimagined the play for film, but mostly for Depp's surprisingly fine performance. I am going to watch it again, right now! You will get your money's worth with this DVD.
Movie Review: 4.5; Burton's best in awhile
Summary: 4 Stars
For me, I always feel Edward Scissorhands is Tim Burton's best film while a Nightmare Before Christmas is the best one he was attached to. But he's one of those kind of filmmakers that tends to flipflop between projects that show what he's capable of to films that are more or less visual eye-candy and little else. For every Big Fish there's a Planet of the Apes or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His latest, Sweeney Todd, can very much be described as his best since Big Fish and while it's not for everyone, it's certainly showing a director who can deliver on the goods anytime he can.
Benjamin Barker became the victim of Judge Turpin and sentenced away from London leaving Turpin with Barker's wife Lucy and daughter. 15 years later, now renamed himself Sweeney Todd and mind on revenge, he decides to go after Turpin with the help of Mrs. Lovett, a pie-owner known for "the worst pies in London". With Anthony the sailor in love with Todd's daughter Johanna, Todd goes after those who did him wrong but starting something can take you farther than you planned.
Strangely, the only musicals that I can really stand are those from Disney. I love the songs and lyrics and don't find them distracting from the overall film but in live-action, there's that weird part of you that finds it odd characters would not only burst out in song during conversation but inexplicably, people around them will know the tempo, timing and the lyrics to join in. But with the theatricality of the story and the Broadway origins, I can forget it. The music, huge in bombast though some could find it ever-shifting and almost sloppy, helps bring out the story and adds to it rather than just being "song time". The 2 main actors don't have the most cleanest vocals but they're serviceable within the film.
Burton's style, like David Fincher, is incredibly unique and it's easy to point out what he had a hand in and Sweeney Todd is almost an even drearier Sleepy Hollow...if that's possible. A greyish tint and low lighting is abundant in Sweeney Todd and while not the most shiniest film to test out your new system, it's quite attractive in its weird macabre way. The acting is quite spot-on as frequent Burton colloborator Johnny Depp goes for broke and probably gives his most twisted performance and there's even times where he's almost frightening. Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall and even Sasha Baron Cohen do good work though my one gripe is Helena Bonham Carter who's not as humorous as a role of hers kind of needed nor can she sing all that well ("Worst Pies in London" kind of...hurts sometimes).
With a musical genre, a dreary look and frequent gore spots, including a doozy with a stove, if you can handle it, Sweeney Todd is definately worth a look.