Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

[Lateralus]

I went to see Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street last night, and I thought it was great. I've always been a big fan of Tim Burton, whether it be his sillier stuff like Beetlejuice, darker action stuff like Batman or more sentimental stuff like Big Fish, and so was really excited when I heard he was doing this.

The first thing to point out is that a large part of the dialogue is actually sung, which I don't think some people were expecting as 4 of them left after 10 minutes. More fool them. The cast is headed up by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, but are supported by Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall and Sacha Baron Cohen, all of whom are fantastic.

The storyline is based upon a Barber (Depp) who is sent away on a prison ship by a judge (Rickman) who is jealous of his beautiful wife. Depp then returns to London and is out to get revenge. As you'd expect from a story where people have their throats slit and then get turned into meat pies, it's pretty bloody, but I think the tone of it all is perfect.

There are contrasts between the dark parts where Depp is seething and plotting, and the lighter bits such as the song about different type of people pies. In fact, there were a lot of bits that made me laugh out loud, especially in the scene between Depp and Baron Cohen, where they have a competition between the two Barbers.

The songs are really good, and the music is spot on too. However, this is probably the first film of Burton's that I've seen where the score wasn't done by Danny Elfman. However, his usual style of music probably wouldn't be appropriate as this required something very different to what he normally does (he did The Simpsons, which is fairly representative of his style).

The main let-down for me was that a 2 of the younger characters were a bit weak - the sailor and Depp's daughter, but there is a younger boy than them who plays an assistant and is great.

I really enjoyed the film, as did the missus, despite the large amounts of blood. It was very entertaining, and very different to the majority of films I've seen recently.

[Roman Totale]

I myself have just this moment got in from seeing this film. I enjoyed it, but there were a few things that I didn't like.

Firstly the signing isn't particularly good. To be honest, I'm no aficionado of musicals, but it does tell when someone's voice isn't quite up to scratch (and they are actors after all, not singers).

Secondly, the blood. I'm not a squimish person, rather the fact that 20 aterial sprays in a row after a throat slitting gets quite boring after a while.

Lastly there didn't seem to be much variety in the songs. Again I'm no expert on musicals, but I was expecting big set piece numbers that I could tap my foot along to - instead it seems to be the same 3 songs with a slightly different tempo and some words changed.

That said, it is a good film and definitely worth seeing (much better than recent tosh like I am Legend). Plus the girl who plays Todd's daughter is hot.

[fabyak]

The first thing to point out is that a large part of the dialogue is actually sung, which I don't think some people were expecting as 4 of them left after 10 minutes. More fool them.

People really are stupid. When I went to see Brokeback after it had been out for a good month and a half, several people walked out as soon as they got jiggy the first time... this was a very publicised thing about this film ffs! What did they expect?!

On another note, very fine review Lat, makes me want to go see it even more

[Dog Pants]

People really are stupid. When I went to see Brokeback after it had been out for a good month and a half, several people walked out as soon as they got jiggy the first time... this was a very publicised thing about this film ffs! What did they expect?!

Anyone who walks out fo a film ten minutes in has gone there deliberately to do that. In fact, I'd question the motives of anyone who walks out of a film at all. If I'd paid to see a film I'd sit through it, regardless of how bad it was.

I remember when the special editioni of Star Wars came out. I must have heard about half a dozen people (mainly chavs) who were declaring it to be shit as they walked out at the end. It's Star Wars for fuck's sake, surely they must have known what to expect? I think a lot of people love to slag things off because they think it makes them sound intelligent and opinionated - "You liked that? I thought it was shit. Ergo, I'm better than you because my standards are higher".

There was a thread in the PCG forums for the 150 (eh?) worst games of all time. Third post in was someone saying Half Life 2. What a twat.

[amblin]

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[HereComesPete]

I do hope you snuck into another film! You fag.

[FatherJack]

The first trailers I saw for Sweeney Todd had no singing at all - so it's not all that amazing that some people were disappointed - musicals are still a big turn-off for a lot of people.

I walked out of Freejack.

[Roman Totale]

I walked out of Freejack.

I though Mick Jagger was an acting revelation in that film.

[eion]

When I went to see Brokeback after it had been out for a good month and a half, several people walked out as soon as they got jiggy the first time... this was a very publicised thing about this film ffs! What did they expect?!

In fairness, it might have been the sight of you masturbating like a safari park chimp that drove them off.

[HereComesPete]

?

[Mr. Johnson]

Went to see this on friday with the missus, since there was no way in a million years that i would get away with not taking her to see a movie that had both singing and Johnny Depp. And i got what i expected. Once i got past the initial stage of "Oh God, it's a musical!" i quite enjoyed it. Well, actually it was more sung lines rather then a full bred musical. None of the actors were bad, and i was quite surprised to see Sasha Baron Cohen doing a pretty good job. Furthermore the singing was pretty decent (but like i said before, not really a musical pur sang) and in particular Alan "i appear in every movie ever" Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter. I also noticed it had a darker tone than any of the other Burton movies (also literally darker in some scenes)

especially the ending

All in all, it was a good film, and i won't forget it soon since the missus will be singing the songs for weeks.

[FatherJack]

I watched Corpse Bride at the weekend, and had many of the same thoughts.

[Joose]

I also liked it. I didn't think the singing was terrible, just...not great. Although I kind of liked it for that, gave it a weird charm.

On the subject of walking out of films, I tend to either want to see the film because its good, or want to see the film so I can knowledgeably rant about how awful it was. The only film ive ever been tempted to leave before the ending was Final Fantasy: Spirits within. It wasn't that it was so bad it appalled me, it was so dull I just didn't care by the end.