SWEENEY TODD, 2007
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SWEENEY TODD, 2007
Movie Reviews
Directed by Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter
Review by Eli Manning and the Popcorn Boys
Story about a grisly revenge by Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp), a man unjustly imprisoned by a lecherous judge. Barker returns as barber Sweeney Todd and exacts revenge.
Eli's Review
I make it a practice to try to not know anything about a film before I watch it. This is hard do accomplish with the mass advertising happening but I was very close with Sweeney Todd as the only thing I knew about it was that it was based on a successful broadway play that I didn't see and that Johnny Depp was in it.
From the opening CGI shots I knew this was a Tim Burton film because it just felt so familiar. Then when I took in the next 10 minutes of the film and witnessed the performances by Depp and Bonham Carter (two very good actors) things got more familiar. Didn't Johnny and Helen play these roles before I thought? Isn't this the same makeup design as Beetlejuice or was it a combination of Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands with the new technology of CGI and a musical setting mixed in?
All I have to say it that I didn't like this film much because there just wasn't anything new from the creative team. Yes you sang, but I wanted more maturity and creativity from you. It may not be the best way to review a film but the part of watching movies is that all of the past films you've seen influence your present experience.
Burton needs to grow up and start making new films. It's like he has taken the same art direction sets from his past films and put it into this one.
1 1/2 stars out of 4
If you like dark, twisted, blood spurting musicals… then "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is for you. However, if you like regular movies and aren't really into musicals (especially really strange & weird ones) then you probably won't like it. I found myself pretty bored for the first half of the movie and then finally started to like it just a little bit in the second half when the action picked up the pace a bit. However, I'd have rather just stayed home and saved the $10 because it really wasn't that interesting, entertaining or enjoyable for me. So my final recommendation is this… if you're a die-hard Tim Burton fan or a die-hard fan of musicals then go see this movie. Otherwise, I recommend skipping it completely.
Overall Rating: 2 "Special" Meat Pies (out of 5). Re-Watch Value: NONE (at least for me).
Brett's Review
Yes another movie based on a great Broadway musical. I really enjoyed "Sweeny Todd" I happened to have seen the musical in the past and watching Johnny Depp play the role was great, I also happen to be a big fan of Tim Burton. I will say however it is very difficult to transfer the emotion of a Broadway musical onto the big screen, and it has only happened successfully a couple of times, there really aren't anything like seeing it live. I thought Tim Burton did a good job at the transformation to the screen but I would really rather see it again in the theatre on stage, and if Depp could play Sweeny on stage that would be a real treat.
Overall Rating: 3.5 Shaves (out of 5). Re-Watch Value: High (I will purchase on DVD.)
Trivia:
(1) This is the sixth Johnny Depp-Tim Burton collaboration. They previously made Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), and Corpse Bride (2005) together. (2) During its first month of production in London, Johnny Depp had to take a ten-day leave of absence when his daughter, Lily-Rose, was rushed to a hospital due to a severe illness (which was never disclosed by the media). To accommodate his absenteeism, director Tim Burton filmed scenes that didn't feature Depp's character. (3) Meryl Streep, Cyndi Lauper and Emma Thompson were also considered for the role of Mrs. Lovett. (4) The film features a few cut songs from the Broadway musical. They are: "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" (and its many reprises); "Ah, Miss"; "Johanna" (as sung by Judge Turpin); "Parlour Songs"; "City on Fire"; "Epilogue". As well as the elimination of singing of the ensemble completely. There are also a few cuts within the remaining songs. The only songs to remain intact are: "Epiphany", "Pretty Women", "Johanna" (both Anthony's and Sweeney's), and "The Worst Pies in London", "Poor Thing and My Friends. (5) When filming began, there was to be an inclusion of the ghosts of Sweeney Todd's victims (including actors Anthony Head and Christopher Lee), who would sing "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd", its reprises, and the "Epilogue". These songs were recorded, but eventually cut before filming began, since director Tim Burton felt that the songs were too theatrical for the film.
