Sweeney Todd Review?

[ajblowing]

I know Dan said that he had seen this movie a couple of weeks ago, but I just wondered if the guys were going to get around to formally reviewing it. I loved it being a fan of the broadway show and would like to hear Jeff and Dan's thoughts on it especially, no offence Alex!

Seems like most TRS viewers would also be fans of Burton's directing and storytelling style, I know I am. What do others think?


Adam, in the UK.
(First forum post BTW, go me!)

[cooljammer00]

maybe one or more of the guys doesn't think musicals are "rad".

they would be wrong. musicals are damn rad.

[serenity]

I know Dan said that he had seen this movie a couple of weeks ago, but I just wondered if the guys were going to get around to formally reviewing it. I loved it being a fan of the broadway show and would like to hear Jeff and Dan's thoughts on it especially, no offence Alex!

Seems like most TRS viewers would also be fans of Burton's directing and storytelling style, I know I am. What do others think?


Adam, in the UK.
(First forum post BTW, go me!)

Welcome, Adam! Glad to have you join us. :D

I could have sworn the boys said they would review Sweeney Todd soon but that was weeks ago!
Hmmmm.
I also want to know the answer.

[beautiful-nightmare]

Yeah, I'm pretty positive that Dan said that they were going to review it, or at least talk about it, and I'm pretty sure it was the first episode I watched which was the Christmas Day one... so hopefilly they'll still do it.. but it was so long ago that I don't think its going to happen. Maybe you guys can just post on here and tell us what you think?

[joel26]

Yeah, now that the movie has a few nominations in the Oscars I would like to hear what the guys think about it. Especially if Johnny's role is Oscar-worthy.

[cacoe]

This is probably the first musical I tried to get into because it's Tim Burton and Johnny Depp again, the perfect grouping and all.

I just can't get past the fact that the singing is (to me) totally pointless, and doesn't help a story get told at all.

Personally, when I hear music, I hear the melody first, thats the hook. It's what pulls me into liking a song, then I focus on the lyrics perhaps after a few listens. The problem with a musical is the melody doesn't take centre stage, nor should it. The issue with that is, It sounds very nasty to me. Words are simply sung because they have to be, or it wouldn't be a musical any more. Words that very often don't fit together in an aesthetically pleasing way to the ear.

I don't know if it's just me (a few of you clearly enjoy musicals) but I simply can't take the story in through song, the visuals of this movie were stunning, I loved it stylistically but I didn't get very much at all through the performances of the actors.

BTW, anyone else think Sweeny sounded way too much like Jack Sparrow?

[serenity]

This is probably the first musical I tried to get into because it's Tim Burton and Johnny Depp again, the perfect grouping and all.

I just can't get past the fact that the singing is (to me) totally pointless, and doesn't help a story get told at all.

Personally, when I hear music, I hear the melody first, thats the hook. It's what pulls me into liking a song, then I focus on the lyrics perhaps after a few listens. The problem with a musical is the melody doesn't take centre stage, nor should it. The issue with that is, It sounds very nasty to me. Words are simply sung because they have to be, or it wouldn't be a musical any more. Words that very often don't fit together in an aesthetically pleasing way to the ear.

I don't know if it's just me (a few of you clearly enjoy musicals) but I simply can't take the story in through song, the visuals of this movie were stunning, I loved it stylistically but I didn't get very much at all through the performances of the actors.

BTW, anyone else think Sweeny sounded way too much like Jack Sparrow?

It's funny you say that because I feel the exact opposite. I like musicals because the music seems to blend so seamlessly into the story, like it was meant to be there. It just feels like another way of telling a story to me, not contrived at all and it sounds lovely.

I suppose it's kind of like when I watch foreign films; After a few minutes I forget I'm reading subtitles and I just hear english.
Well, I guess it's not exactly like that since I don't unhear the music, it just fits so well it's not something that seems unusual to me.

I'm not all that articulate obviously and I'm having a hard tim e explaining myself, lol. :P

Oh! I thought Depp didn't sound at all like Jack Sparrow!

[quence]

I love musicals! It would be interesting to hear the rad review of Sweeney Todd.

When I first watched the trailer, I was also worried that Depp sounded a lot like Sparrow, but during the movie it didn't bother me at all.

[mltvcocktail]

I thought this movie was pretty great. We need more movies in the "Victorian Murder fueled Musicals" genre. Johnny Depp is great as always and his singing is not bad. Alan Rickman is a great villain yet again and Sacha Baron Cohen has a great small role. The blood was over the top for sure but based on the subject it fit pretty well. As for a Totally Rad Review, don't think it's happening, I believe they were gonna review it sometime around Christmas and then due to schedules and stuff they reviewed Juno and then I guess it got lost in the shuffle.

[indiexxx]

We need more movies in the "Victorian Murder fueled Musicals" genre.

One term for the genre, which you may or may not be familiar with, is "Grand Guignol".

Quoted from grandguignol.com:
"As used today, the term 'Grand Guignol' (pronounced Grahn Geen-yol') refers to any dramatic entertainment that deals with macabre subject matter and features “over-the-top” graphic violence. It is derived from Le Theatre du Grand Guignol, the name of the Parisian theatre that horrified audiences for over sixty years. The theatre was founded in 1897 by Oscar Metenier as an extension of the naturalist movement, which had been popularized by André Antoine's Theatre Libre. A typical evening at the Grand Guignol Theatre might consist of five or six short plays, ranging from suspenseful crime dramas to bawdy sex farces. But the staple of the Grand Guignol repertoire was the horror play, which inevitably featured eye-gouging, throat-slashing, acid-throwing, or some other equally grisly climax. Over the years, and under the direction of several different managers, the Grand Guignol theatre flourished, becoming one of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris. By the early 1960’s, however, the Grand Guignol’s formula no longer had the same impact with audiences, and in 1962, it closed its doors. Despite the fact that the Grand Guignol has fallen into relative obscurity, it has had a profound influence on the art of horror performance and special effects."

[ajblowing]

As for a Totally Rad Review, don't think it's happening, I believe they were gonna review it sometime around Christmas and then due to schedules and stuff they reviewed Juno and then I guess it got lost in the shuffle.

Yeah it seems that way doesn't it. To be honest I enjoyed Juno but didn't think it was as amazing as everyone made it out to be. Sweeney on the other hand lived up to my expectations, although I did think that HBC's singing was a bit weak compared to the rest of the cast. Great acting on her part though. I'm still hopeful we might get Dan to come on here and give us his thoughts. Dan, are you out there?