Sweeney Todd
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
February 8, 2008 9:16am CST
I went to see this movie this week and I really enjoyed it. I'm a big Tim Burton fan, I love horror films and I love musicals. Throw in Johnny Depp and what's not to like?!
The singing wasn't brilliant but it worked well enough. It was really dark and visually stunning. It was terrible gory, but then that's to be expected given the plot!
I enjoyed how darkly funny it was in places and I really liked Helena Bonham-Carter as Mrs. Lovett. I really like her as an actress anyway - she's talented and incredibly beautiful. She works so well with Johnny Depp. I felt sorry for her character though, I won't say why in case I spoil it for anyone that hasn't seen it yet!
Alan Rickman was perfectly cast as the evil judge, but then he's always had a talent for playing the baddies!
Who else has seen it? What did you think?
6 people like this
17 responses
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
8 Feb 08
I have not seen this film, but when I was at school as part of our english we were learning about this, and we went to see a production of it at the theatre, and I enjoyed it a lot and it is one thing I really remember about school! But I will definately take a look at the film because it has 2 of my favourite actors in it and they are both very good at what they do so it would be worth watching just for that.
2 people like this
@gemini_rose (16264)
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8 Feb 08
It wasnt gory, but you had the impression of gory, so it worked well in that your mind imagined the horrible bits, I cant remember how old I was when I saw it but I know that it was the best behaved our class had ever been!
2 people like this
@MrMalice (82)
• United States
8 Feb 08
The stage production is a great piece of the theatrical arts. The blood is played down from what you'll see in the movie. Where the movie is very visually appealling, the stage version adds a much needed depth (not to mention more great songs).
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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10 Feb 08
That sounds super. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on our theatre schedules here. Hopefully the film will create a resurgence of performances and they'll tour with it here.
@RowenaTheWitch (947)
• Italy
8 Mar 08
Oh sorry I didn't see this discussion and I posted a similar one
However, I've seen it and I'm split between the love for Johnny Depp and Alan Rickman and the vomit induced by the splatter scenes :D
It's funny how they are merging horror and musical, like Sweeny Todd who kills people while singing, LOL
"I really liked Helena Bonham-Carter as Mrs. Lovett. "
YES I liked her too, especially in the scene of their "dreams" of going to the beach and marrying with Todd (while Sweeny has a sad face all the time LOL)
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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10 Mar 08
There was some brilliant dark humour in there too. I think it balanced out the film, it wouldn't have been as good without it.
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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21 Jun 08
I think it will become a staple Halloween type film, you're right. It's definitely going to be a staple in my gothic DVD collection! I can't miss a Tim Burton film out!
@Johnnypenn (237)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I am into musicals and this movie totally fits me. I like to read and write some dark stuff sometimes, and I think ST will become a staple of the Halloween films television people will start showing every year.
I think Bonham-Carter did a good job being Mrs. Lovette. and I think it was brilliant how Sweeney sing (basically) a love song to his daughter while he's killing all those people. That part had me rolling my eyes and laughing because I thought of something totally different in my head.
See, I got the cd to this movie before I saw the movie. I would have seen it last Christmas, but no one would go with me and I didn't see it on my own because of the snow and crap.
1 person likes this
@Bizziebod (3497)
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2 Jun 08
I went to see this with my friend some months ago as I love the Johnny Depp/ Tim Burton partnership. I absolutely loved it.. yes the singing was a lot to be desired, but it wasn't too bad and I really enjoyed the film, although my friend hated it with a passion, she thought it was awful and she didn't realise it was going to be musical (like duh how many of Tim Burton's films are musical or have lots of music in?) Thumbs up from me on this one!
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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5 Jun 08
You seem to feel the same way as I do! I'm assuming you're going to get it on DVD too!
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
23 May 08
I love Tim Burton movies and Johnny Depp is awesome so I am waiting patiently till I can buy the DVD of this movie. It sounds like it's going to be great and I've already watched the trailers.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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24 May 08
Do you like musicals? I know a lot of people were disappointed because they couldn't get past the cast singing throughout! Be warned it's very gory too. 
@dangaroo (234)
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19 Jun 08
I've got this on DVD, my mother is a huge Johnny Depp fan so I lent it to her eventually, I've just received it back and I will attempt to watch it again. The first time the singing which I thought was all fairly trashy was doing my head in, I'm probably not the biggest fan of musicals (although I like Hair ;)), it was just a bit too much and I had to switch it off after 20 minutes. A day later I persevered with it and started to get into it as the plot thickened. I fell asleep though due to general tiredness, so tonight I hope I will be able to change my opinion on it!
@Johnnypenn (237)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I really like this move. I also love the soundtrack. I can at least sing along with it and be semi-good, though it took a bit of practice.
My parents will never watch this movie, but I swear that one day I'll have it all memorized.
1 person likes this
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
27 May 08
I've been threatening to rent this on PPV all week!!! LOL I'm definitely going to grab it now! Thanks for the heads up!
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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10 Feb 08
That's such a shame! I would have thought in a place like New York, you'd have a cinema closer to you. Are you part of an online rental service? I keep thinking I should join one as they seem cheaper and easier than driving out to Blockbuster. Perhaps when we're a bit more solvent!
@chaingang4u (97)
• India
8 Feb 08
hai phaedra_scythe, is this movie really that much good i mean i wanted to watch this movie and i asked my friend who already saw this movie, what's the film like and he gave me a negative response. He was saying that the film is very very boring and not worth watching at all. As i became a big fan of Johnny Depp after that pirates of the carribbean trilogy, i think i'll definitely give it a try and thanks for the information about the film. I hope the movie is good.
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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10 Feb 08
Hi Chaingang4u. I thought the film was really good, but it depends on your own preferences. Be warned that it is very gory though - not a good idea if you're squeamish! It probably also depends a lot on if you like Tim Burton's style and if you like musicals. I suppose you'll have to make your mind up for yourself. I hope you do enjoy it!
@mlhuff12 (797)
• United States
8 Feb 08
Saw the movie. I never knew of the story so I had no idea that it was going to be a musical. But I like musicals so that was good. I love Johnny Depp. Anything he is in I'll love. I thought it was great. I thought it was more like a scary movie. But after seeing it I thought it as a very tragic love story.
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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10 Feb 08
I'm surprised you'd never heard of the story. It's probably more famous here in the U.K. though as it's more of a local legend! My dad remembers a pie shop in Bath that was called "Sweeney Todd's". He still sings the praises of it years later!
@ohwellie (140)
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8 Feb 08
It was better than i thought it'd be, but then again I really did think it would be totally cringeworthy. I really like Tim Burton's films, but for some reason Sweeny Todd just felt like someone else trying to be like Burton, but failing.
The cast was amazing. I was really impressed with Sacha Barron Cohen, 'cause as much as I like him, I thought he was only cast because he was flavour of the month. But he was actually really good in it.
The one thing that annoyed me was the singing. I know it was a musical, but it was just oddly done. There was too much slipping into and outof songs for my liking. It may have worked on the stage, but I think it was too much for the screen and could have been toned down a lot.
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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10 Feb 08
I'm really not a fan of Sacha Baron Cohen, but then I've only ever seen him as Ali G. I really couldn't stand that. Borat does look like it's worth watching though.
I adore musicals, so I was ok with all the singing. I often find with musicals that some of the music might not make a big impression on you at first, but then they grow on you. I probably liked the "Pretty Women" song and reprise best. It seemed a wonderful way to build the tension and the juxtaposition of nostalgia and danger worked really well.
I didn't like the young boy's "I'll Steal you Johanna" song though that seemed a bit weedy and dull.
@vulgarlittleprincess (919)
• Canada
9 Feb 08
I also went to see Sweeny Todd not long ago. I must say, as a non lover of horror films i really did enjoy it. I had no idea johnny depp could sing that well! i loved the little boy and especially joanna and her boyfriend(?). Tim burton is one of my favourite directors and he and johnny depp create such masterpieces. It was a bit gory in places for my taste but then again im a bit of a wuss anyway. The ending was so terribly sad! The only thing that i really didnt like about the movie was how the sub plot with joanna and her boyfriend(?) wasn't resolved. it left me wanting to know more. i wanted to find out what happened to them. I loved how alan rickman and Scabbers (cant remember his real name offhand) were cast together. they went well together in harry potter and as well in sweeny todd. I also felt sorry for mrs lovett. the poor woman. all she wanted was todd's love. And look what happened to her. Her voice is astounding.
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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10 Feb 08
I thought the little boy was really good too. I hope they use him in more films in the future.
The subplot was left a bit depressingly open. You never really know if they survive well enough or not or if Johanna gets over her ordeal and her depression.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt sorry for Mrs. Lovett. My Mr. just kept saying that she was a horrible woman. I know that, but I still really liked her!
The Scabbers actor's name is Timothy Spall. He's a really unpleasant baddie isn't he?!
@vikrant_thakur (4)
• India
9 Feb 08
I am agreed with u r opinion. and i had really enjoyed that movie....
@DevilHands (573)
• Philippines
10 Mar 08
I've seen it, although everything looks really nice from the colors, concept, production etc... The story seems somewhat lacking, I wasn't able to connect with Sweeney Todd at all, the killing part are actually gory to watch but it gets quite repetitive.
In my opinion, it's just one of those rescue movies I've seen... just replaced with music.
1 person likes this
@raimond2 (53)
• United States
10 Jun 08
I love all of Tim Burton's work as well, and Johnny Depp too. It had such a great dichotomy of light and dark imagery..the contrast of them on the beach and picnicing versus the drab and dreary London was amazing. It was gory, but it didn't take away from the greatness of the film and story line. And as you said, the casting was on point.
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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20 Jun 08
That's a wonderful description. The contrast at that point was really well scripted and directed indeed.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
8 Feb 08
I really enjoyed the movie. A bit more gory than I would have liked. I love anything by Tim Burton and adore Johnny Depp. Probably could have done without all the blood though. I would like to see it one stage. I am wondering though if it would be as good since the movie can go into the details.
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
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10 Feb 08
Thanks Sedel, it was really gory wasn't it? I'm sure that probably might put a lot of people off. I still really liked it though. I'm a horror film fan so it didn't bother me as much. Did make me cringe in places though. I'll never be able to watch someone getting a shave again!
