MOVIE: "Sweeny Todd" ... Thoughts?

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Auntie_A said:
The stage version of Sweeney Todd was written in the style of the Grand Guignol. That means it is like a large, shocking puppet opera-melodrama. I dislike most horror plays and movies-they seem baseless and immature but I loved Sweeney Todd when I first heard it and then saw it back in the '70’s.

When I was 24, my friend played me the score and narrated the story and I was sucked into a different time and space for two hours. At the end of listening, I was weeping for the characters and I was ecstatic about this theatrical and musical creation. It was my first Sondheim musical that I really understood right from the start while listening to the recording! Then my friend took me to see the Hal Prince production with Angela Lansbury and George Hearn. The production had a unity, style, and depth that you don’t see much onstage. Of course, at intermission I remember three older women were crying in the lobby because it scared them so. They were very upset because they were expecting an afternoon of musical comedy, perhaps something like “South Pacific” (a very good musical, by the way). The whistles, screeches, and music were scarier than Hitchcock’s “Psycho” music and gave me a very real inclusion into Sweeney’s desperate world. It is probably one of the best moments of entertainment that I have ever experienced.

I have not seen the movie yet. I fear that Depp and Bonham-Carter will be lightweights with this material. I think that the medium of film and celebrity-worship will distort this story for many people and that it may illuminate only the sensational parts. I expect Tim Burton to lack a moral depth and grandiosity for this opera-musical. There is a powerful moral to this dark tale.

But I will probably go to a bargain matinee and will prepare to be disappointed. If I enjoy it, I will be surprised.

I will not be taking any children with me. Or sensitive older ladies. Teens should probably have a well-developed frontal lobe and moral compass before watching this.

I might post another response after seeing the movie…Oh, and yes, I also loved “Jersey Girl”'s play within a play. It was the best part of the film and reminded me of some little girls in my life who have survived some pretty strong traumas and expect their dramas to be equal to their own experiences.
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I don’t think you’ll be disapointed in the movie. Depp and Carter are incredible in this movie, especially Depp. He just proves again what a true talent he is.
And I did see a moral to the story, though to respect those who haven’t seen the movie yet, I won’t say what it was.
Just be warned, it is, I’m sure’ much bloodier than the stage play.
 
My son took me to see Sweeney today. It was as perfect a cinematic production of this Sondheim masterwork as possible. The choice of Tim Burton as director was spot on, and the following characters were brilliantly cast: Sweeney, Mrs. Lovett, Judge Turpin, Senor Pirelli, and Toby. I am a huge fan of the musical, and couldn’t find a weak spot in the movie.

Yup, it was pretty darned bloody, but appropriate for the movie. The closing vignette was excellent.

Sondheim fans will be pleased.

'thann
 
When you all say bloody, what exactly do you mean by bloody? I like horror movies and am not bothered by some gore and blood. I don’t like movies which show characters suffering needlessly or zeroing in on their suffering like Hostel.

Is this a musical horror movie? What exactly is this film? The concept seems very strange.:ehh: I didn’t know that there was a moral to this tale though. Does the moral come through in the movie?

I am very curious about this movie so someone tell me more.

I have a very good female friend that I watch horror movies with so I need to know what to expect before I view this movie with her. She has already asked if I wanted to see it with her(Our husbands are not interested in this type of film) The last movie we went to, I jumped and almost ended in her lap. SO, a bit of headsup would be appreciated.:o
 
I did see the musical in New York in 1979, with Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury and Victor Garber, so I was interested in seeing the film.

Definitely worth seeing. Do not take little kids to it. On the stage the story was gothic and grim – on the screen, it is very bloody. I put my hands in front of my eyes for many of the throat cutting scenes. But that’s Tim Burton for you. I was pleasantly surprised that Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman can actually sing – and you have to give them credit to attempt Sondheim. His music is challenging even to seasoned Broadway singers.
 
deb1 said:
When you all say bloody, what exactly do you mean by bloody? I like horror movies and am not bothered by some gore and blood. I don’t like movies which show characters suffering needlessly or zeroing in on their suffering like Hostel.

Is this a musical horror movie? What exactly is this film? The concept seems very strange.:ehh: I didn’t know that there was a moral to this tale though. Does the moral come through in the movie?

I am very curious about this movie so someone tell me more.

I have a very good female friend that I watch horror movies with so I need to know what to expect before I view this movie with her. She has already asked if I wanted to see it with her(Our husbands are not interested in this type of film) The last movie we went to, I jumped and almost ended in her lap. SO, a bit of headsup would be appreciated.:o
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No, you don’t see the victims suffering, they actually die almost instantly. When we say bloody for this movie, it’s basically bloody just squirting out when someones throat is slashed (sorry for the graphic detail). Maybe it was the fact that it’s a musical and you had singing while people were being killed, but the blood did’t bother me as much as what I’ve seen in other gory movies (movies like saw).
I think the moral definately came through in the end.
 
child_of_God85 said:
No, you don’t see the victims suffering, they actually die almost instantly. When we say bloody for this movie, it’s basically bloody just squirting out when someones throat is slashed (sorry for the graphic detail). Maybe it was the fact that it’s a musical and you had singing while people were being killed, but the blood did’t bother me as much as what I’ve seen in other gory movies (movies like saw).
I think the moral definately came through in the end.
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Thank you! I know that I am a strange person but movie gore doesn’t bother me at all.🤷 I only get bothered by the needless suffering of the characters.
 
deb1 said:
Thank you! I know that I am a strange person but movie gore doesn’t bother me at all.🤷 I only get bothered by the needless suffering of the characters.
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You make a very good point. I’ve noticed lately that some gore bothers me while others don’t. I think it’s the same with you, seeing the victims suffering is what bothers me.
 
I saw it today. It was good. And there was a lot more to it then Sweeney cutting people’s throats and baking them into meat pies 😉

The songs were great 😃 I bought the soundtrack.

“We all deserve to… DIE.”

btw, if you don’t like blood DON’T SEE THIS MOVIE.
 
Finally saw it, and yeah, it’s great. I love the way Burton handled the ending. Seeing Sacha Baron Cohen in it was something of a surprise.

The singing was quite good, but there are really only a few strong numbers: ‘No Place Like London’, ‘The Barber And His Wife’, ‘My Friends’, ‘Pretty Women’, and ‘Epiphany’. The rest of it’s competent but uninspired filler.

All in all, though, it’s wonderful bit of grand guignol.
 
Mirdath said:
…All in all, though, it’s wonderful bit of grand guignol.
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Grand guignol! That was my son’s “word of the day” yesterday. (He and a pal started a Word of the Day club, which now has a huge following at his high school.)

Everyone in our family is a “wordie.” Our theory is, once you learn a new word, you will see that word again within the next few days. And you’ve borne that out!

'thann
 
Auntie A update:

Saw the film. Liked it despite myself. Still think the leads are lightweights but it worked in the film somehow. Their voices were Ok even though they did not have as many colors as Len Cariou, George Hearn, Angela Lansbury, and Patti LuPone.

The bloodiness was to be expected and Tim Burton certainly enjoyed himself with this but I missed the theatricality of the red fabric spiralling out at the audience with the screeching noise. It was cleaner, yet more scary in a way. I also thought Tim Burton did not use the beautiful music as well as he could. At times his musicality was like dancing with a clumsy person wearing broken hearing aids.

I will not take my 11 year old niece to see this film but if the stage musical ever comes around again, I’ll take her. However, I WILL take my friend, who introduced me to the show years ago, to the film. He deserves a crack at it.
 
I saw this. It was great. It does have great moral lessons and deeper meanings.

I also took my boys, 16,14, and nearly 13. What was really interesting to me was that they GOT the meanings! We STILL (nearly 6 weeks later) are having philosophical discussions about this. My 13 year old is in some advanced literature classes, and he was the one pointing out subtle things, alliterations, symbolism, etc. We all found it quite fascinating. The theater production was just announced as coming to our city, and my oldest and youngest really want to go, but I don’t think we can afford the tickets right now.
 
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