Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd
Well, Sondheim's musical thriller hits the big screen in about a month (nothing says Christmas like murder and cannibalism, right?). Of course anything starring Depp is going to draw in a pretty big crowd, and I'm glad. This magnificent show is finally getting the attention it's always deserved. Its score is, without a doubt, my absolute favorite.
I do have some reservations about the film version though. One is minor, and that's Depp's singing. Don't get me wrong, I've heard some clips of a couple of his songs, and he sings just fine. But those of us who have seen the likes of George Hearn and Len Cariou have truly been spoiled in that regard. But that's fine. Depp did a great job and I'm sure I'll love it.
Speaking of "love it" my other concern is Mrs. Lovett. In all the clips of footage I've seen from the film, she seems far too... dark. Which doesn't really work well with the score. Mrs. Lovett's songs are, for the most part, bright and full of energy. But Helena looks like a mournful spooky ghost. I half expect to see her rattling chains at some point. Of course I haven't seen the whole thing, so I don't yet know how she played the character throughout, but it's something that I'll watch for.
Would anyone else care to discuss Sweeney? The upcoming film OR the successful stage production. A little later perhaps I'll post some clips from the production that was filmed for public television starring Hearn and Angela "Murder She Wrote" Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett.
Originally Posted by Ruthful
