Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

[Goza]

http://imdb.com/title/tt0408236/

Damn, expected more from it. Found most of the songs very bland and uninspired for being based on a Broadway musical. It gets better once they start about the different "brands" they'll offer, but by then it's already the last 3rd of the movie.

The story also fails to bring up interesting twists. OK, it's a musical, but still... no need to bore with a 08/15 revenge/love story.

6/10 for the cast and outfits mostly.

---  Here be spoilers:  ---
Why doesn't he recognize the daughter at the end? OK, he hasn't seen her for 15 years, but he himself brought up the plan to get her out of the asylum that night. Then later he finds a woman-slightly-dressed-as-a-boy in his flat, and goes "zomg intruder"?

[delling]

Still waiting for a day where me and my mum are both free to go and see this one...

It's not meant to be the best version of the musical vocally or musically. Just a version that brings it to the masses.

With lots of blood.

Hopefully I will enjoy it

[Goza]

But they did not write their own songs for the movie, did they?

Surprised there's a Broadway musical with such a mass of dull songs, but it might just be a matter of taste. Or they were just arranged-to-death in this version.

[delling]

Nope, no new songs (that I know of).

But Sondheim was in on the production, so he might've re-arranged stuff.

The musical itself is not 'popular'. It is not easy listening. It's fairly complex! Like most of Sondheim's stuff I'm afraid

There's usually 1 or 2 'singles' that are pretty beautiful, and the songs are full of character...

But definitely no Disney-style musical

[treachery]

7/10

Nice settings, costumes and songs. I love how everything is so extremely black except when Sweeny looks back in time when everything is extremely colorful. Tim Burton's symbolism . Oh, Alan Rickman completely pwns every scene he is in. He has been my favorite bad guy since Die Hard. I'm looking forward to see this movie again and maybe like it more. I think it can grow on you. I didn't get the OMG feeling I was hoping for this time.

[delling]

I guess I'll have to upload the original stage production of this.

Just so you guys can hear the chorus, which was removed for the film and just replaced with those dramatic panning-around-London shots...

[Daekesh]

Or perhaps an mp3?

[delling]

I mean the MP3 version

There isn't a video recording of the original production. Some of the later ones though...

[Goza]

So Dell, did you enjoy the movie version...?

[delling]

Hah... good question.

Yeah, it was a good movie... as a movie.

The tension that builds through the first hour is REALLY great. You're just waiting for that first slice to occur. Much greater than in the stage show.

But then in the stage show, Mrs Lovett is one of the best female roles ever written and Helena totally blows it. It's meant to be a STRONG CHARACTER ROLE. It was played by Angela Lansbury in the original -- yes, the girl from Murder She Wrote, Mrs Potts in Beauty & The Beast... and 100s of other strong female roles.

Helena was just a bit poo sadly.

(Also, Sweeney + Lovett are meant to be in their 50s I think... or at least a bit more past their prime...)

But yeah, the other parts were played very well. The two male kids were great. It was nice to see Tobias played by a child - normally it's done by a young adult, as Lovett is older -- 50+. You know he's actually meant to be a backwards child? Not an alcoholic... But I guess disabled kids don't make for such great viewing...

No chorus as I already mentioned. That scene where they're finally making pies, at her pie shop... all those people are meant to be singing. There's a great group number they missed out too. But hey, the dramatic orchestra ALMOST made up for it -- it was a great performance, better than the stage version. But hey, digital sound recordings and stuff...

Oh, and loved the gore. The stage version uses a razor that squirts blood, which is cool... but Tim took it to an entirely new level with the slicing and falling onto the ground...

Just a real shame about Helena...

[Myogoblin]

Hah... good question.

Yeah, it was a good movie... as a movie.

The tension that builds through the first hour is REALLY great. You're just waiting for that first slice to occur. Much greater than in the stage show.

But then in the stage show, Mrs Lovett is one of the best female roles ever written and Helena totally blows it. It's meant to be a STRONG CHARACTER ROLE. It was played by Angela Lansbury in the original -- yes, the girl from Murder She Wrote, Mrs Potts in Beauty & The Beast... and 100s of other strong female roles.

Helena was just a bit poo sadly.

(Also, Sweeney + Lovett are meant to be in their 50s I think... or at least a bit more past their prime...)

But yeah, the other parts were played very well. The two male kids were great. It was nice to see Tobias played by a child - normally it's done by a young adult, as Lovett is older -- 50+. You know he's actually meant to be a backwards child? Not an alcoholic... But I guess disabled kids don't make for such great viewing...

No chorus as I already mentioned. That scene where they're finally making pies, at her pie shop... all those people are meant to be singing. There's a great group number they missed out too. But hey, the dramatic orchestra ALMOST made up for it -- it was a great performance, better than the stage version. But hey, digital sound recordings and stuff...

Oh, and loved the gore. The stage version uses a razor that squirts blood, which is cool... but Tim took it to an entirely new level with the slicing and falling onto the ground...

Just a real shame about Helena...

I heard they cut alot out of this movie as well which was a shame. Anthony Stewart-Head had a much larger part and actually was a victim with a storyline! I think in the cinematic release he is visible in one scene as a background character.