More on Sweeney Todd

[tzikeh]

Entertainment Weekly's Fall Movie Preview gives us this promo still:



Under the lj cut is the article which accompanies the photo. It contains spoilers - whether you would consider them major or minor depends entirely upon how much you know about Sweeney Todd already. I wish I could say more than that but anything I do would be spoilery. If you care one way or the other, drop me a line tzikeh w00t thechicagoloop w00t net for answers.

Comments

[brak666.livejournal.com]

I'm very nervous about this one. This is not an easy show. Can any of these people sing?

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

I'm super-nervous as well. And he points out that the show is 60% singing, which gives me hope that they're not cutting a whole lot of the music. But can they sing? I just don't know. It does sound like they all trained a bit. But I'm right there with you when it comes to whether or not they have the pipes.

[debchan.livejournal.com]

I am nervous, but also oh so excited. I've had the soundtrack running non stop on my Ipod for days.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Eeeee! I will admit to listening to it all a bit more often as of late....

Rambling thoughts

[terrie01.livejournal.com]

I'm both elated and terrified. And, somehow, in some little corner of my brain, convinced that they should have cast Alan Rickman as Sweeney, and Depp as Anthony. But I think that's the result of theater productions, where they tend to go older, for the vocal experience and technique, while Hollywood tends to go younger, because pretty faces, more than pretty voices, sell tickets. Not to mention, I think Anthony may be the harder vocal part. Not that any of it is exactly easy. And, of course, my favorite songs tend to be the harder once. I guess all we can do is wait and see.

Re: Rambling thoughts

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

I can guarantee you that the role of Anthony is far easier to sing than the role of Sweeney Todd (if we remove the apples v. oranges part of the equation). Any standard tenor with decent training could sing Anthony's pieces; it takes an enormous amount of range, control, talent, and pure *power* to sing Sweeney's. As for age, Depp is 44, which is far more the right age for Sweeney to be than 62, which is what Rickman turns this year.

Re: Rambling thoughts

[terrie01.livejournal.com]

I think it's that Anthony's version of "Johanna" contains those two or three intervals that I can never seem to get right without a month of pounding into my head "It's a minor, not major, interval, dammit!"

Re: Rambling thoughts

[terrie01.livejournal.com]

Oh, and now I feel old, because you tell me Depp is 44, and part of me goes "Nah, can't be!"

[inthekeyofd.livejournal.com]

This is either going to be very very good, or it could be bad, but let's face it, if it's Johnny, I'd be surprised if it's not good. The singing, once they committ to it, I bet they are really good, they get major training so I'll give them the benefit as well, seeing as none of them were trained before they had to be for the movie.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

The promo photos are all very exciting, and just the idea of having the piece finally committed to screen is a bit of a thrill. But I'm trying hard not to get my hopes up, because I won't be *at all* surprised if it's bad.

let's face it, if it's Johnny, I'd be surprised if it's not good

And I can't go there. I've seen a few movies with Depp in the lead which I thought were atrocious. He is the lead, so much of this will rise or fall on his performance, but there's more to it than that.

I bet they are really good, they get major training so I'll give them the benefit as well

While I'm sure they've had lots of training, that doesn't guarantee strong, malleable, controlled voices (I could train in ballet for twenty years and I would still never be able to dance anything other than a very basic piece).

Another important aspect is whether or not Burton has gilded the lily. The story is so Grand Guignol all on its own -- I don't know if it can bear the added weight of a thick layer of "Directed by Tim Burton". It certainly doesn't need his help to be weird and creepy.

I'm still in the wait-and-see stage, and likely will be until I hear from someone I trust about a locked cut.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Very excited. *G*

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

I've got my fingers and toes crossed. It does *look* good, doesn't it.

[iko.livejournal.com]

I can't wait for this. I saw the picture, read the article, and I:
1. Thought of you.
2. Squeed.

I think it looks beautiful. I just hope it sounds as gorgeous as it looks.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

I just hope it sounds as gorgeous as it looks.

My mantra until Christmas. :)

[nestra.livejournal.com]

Hee. That last comment of hers. "Wait! what's your rush what's your hurry? you gave me such a *pound* fright I thought you was a ghost! half a minute can't you sit! sit you down! sit! all I mean is that I haven't had a customer for weeks..."

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

So much dough, so little 4/4.

God, (I hope) that's good. *g*

[bluerosefairy.livejournal.com]

*crosses fingers and hopes for the best*

Sondheim is tough on trained theatre professionals. I'd be really interested to see what traditional "actors" like Rickman, Depp, and Bonham Carter do with it.

And feel free to email me spoilers. This is the ONE thing I'm spoiled rotten for!

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

well, Rickman is a longtime stage veteran, so I'm not worried about that. It's the singing. We shall see.

As for spoilers, I just meant plot points and stuff. People who don't know the show don't know about Mrs. Lovett as the article refers to her - until the end of "act 1". So, like that.

Of course, I'll be posting regular updates here as I find them. :D

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

I've been working to get myself used to the idea of a hot Mrs. Lovett. Because HBC has this habit of getting more gorgeous the more weird makeup you put on her (barring full-blown prosthetics), so I figured it was going to be inevitable.

Now I have an actual image to help, at least. Not quite there yet, but I have a few months to work at it...

[theta-g.livejournal.com]

i am really afeared now. the better the sills look, the more I fear the performances are gonna be lame. it's an irrational fear. i should just say: this movie is looking GOOD!

I've had the lansbury version on tape for EVER; I saw it on Showtime, who ran it shortly after it was first recorded.