Sweeney Todd (R)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
, which is based on the Broadway musical of the same name.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this was not it. I'm not sure if it's this movie I don't like or the Broadway play it is based on.
How about you?
Scott: I had not heard of the story before seeing the movie so I wasn't prepared for what I saw. I was not expecting the singing slasher flick that I got.
Mike: The more I think about it, I suspect it is the musical itself that turns me off. There is way too much singing and most of the singing is not that good.
Scott: Bad singing in a musical is a bit of a turn off.
Mike: This also suffers from way too many talky songs like in Chicago.
I would never just sit and listen to this soundtrack, the way I might with something like Phantom of the Opera.
Scott: It suffers from just way too many songs period. The movie bogs down with them. There was one song in the middle that must have gone on for 10 minutes. Ok, ok, we get the point, let's move along.
Mike: I think that might be the one I almost slept through.
I wish I could say I was kidding.
Scott: Johnny Depp is Sweeney Todd; he has come back from 15 years in prison and is looking for the wife and child he left behind. He finds that his daughter is being 'raised' by the same judge who sent him away and vows revenge. The revenge may have had something to do with the singing, but I'm not sure.
Mike: Sweeney Todd is a barber who cuts peoples throats. Halfway through this movie I was ready to sit in his chair.
Scott: Once again we find Helena Bonham Carter as the costar to Depp in this Tim Burton movie. It's so strange to see them in a movie together.
She is Mrs. Lovett and she also has a bit of a twisted streak. Carter has a tendency to not enunciate well when singing and at times I couldn't follow what she was singing.
Mike: Carter and Depp have become regulars in Tim Burton movies. Of course sleeping with the director may help you get the part.
Of course, I mean Carter not Depp.
Scott: That does happen when you are married to the director though.
Mike: Still not sure if they are married. They do have two children together, though.
This movie has a very good cast. It’s just not a cast known for their singing.
Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohen round out the cast.
Scott: Cohen is great as Signor Adolfo Pirelli. He is really good with the accents and has a couple in this movie. I would say he is the bright spot on this dreary London set.
Mike: I suspect the British accent is his real voice, but I'm not sure as I don't think I've ever heard it.
Scott: He is a man of many layers, that's for sure.
Mike: I don't agree about him being the only bright spot. I think they all do a good job. This is just a dreary film for them to be in.
Scott: The bad Judge Turpin is Rickman. He's always a great bad guy, but he isn't in much of the movie. And I'm also not sure if he is the bad guy in this movie or not. Sweeney Scissorhands, I mean Todd, is a not such a nice guy either.
Mike: Of course, that could be Judge Snape, I mean Turpin's fault.
Scott: The London set is just how I would picture London of that day and age. You might think it would be neat to travel back then. Then you see behind the scenes how filthy and unkempt the place is and it changes your mind fast.
Mike: This movie also has the Burton style. Everything is filtered and many times borders on black and white. In fact, through most of the movie it looks almost like this is a sequel to the Corpse Bride.
Scott: Red is almost the only color in the movie.
Mike: Blood red. In fact if the sight of blood makes you squeamish, think twice about going to this film.
Scott: It's not at the Kill Bill level, but it's definitely related.
Mike: At times, it really does seem like a slasher film, but inevitably the singing returns.
Scott: The score was too much for me. It was too overdramatic and overwhelming. The music for the songs seemed out of place with what you were seeing on screen. It just didn't blend well and often overpowered what you were watching on the screen.
Mike: I now know that if asked, I am NOT a Stephen Sondheim fan.
Scott: I now know what to expect for Tim Burton going forward. I would love to see his take on a romantic comedy, or anything not quite so dark for once.
Mike: I don't even mind dark Burton, but I do think he needs to change gears.
Scott: Something different, maybe the musical was that different thing?
So what do you rate this?
Mike: I give this a 2 overall and a 2 for crime/musical. It’s bad that I find myself liking the Corpse Bride more than this.
And you?
Scott: I hate agreeing with you, but I will have to in this case. I also give this a 2 overall and a 2 for slasher/musical.
Mike: If you really want to see a good Burton/Depp film, watch Ed Wood or Edward Scissorhands again.
