(no subject)
Dec. 27th, 2007 01:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gabbydwgWell, I really liked Sweeney Todd.
It's the first time I've seen it performed, not counting the Hearn/LuPone DVD and various YouTube clips. I didn't count on Johnny Depp being as terrifying as he was, so I left the theater a little more disturbed than I thought I'd be. I can't say that I thought it was bloodier than necessary, because it is about a serial killer and cannibalism, but it was more than I expected, I confess.
The only singer I had a problem with was HBC, because she just sounded weak most of the time. Weak and wispy. Her acting was really good, though. JD did really well, I thought, though the accent was another thing to get used to, after being used to "regular" English accents in the music. More accurate, probably, but different from what I'm used to. I wasn't crazy about Epiphany, but that had more to do with how it was shot. I just didn't think the song, which works so well on stage, transferred well to the screen.
The only song I really missed was "Kiss Me," but I can understand why it was cut --- it wouldn't have fit with the dark mood of the movie, or the new interpretation of Johanna. I also missed the bit at the end when Anthony has just rescued Johanna and they sing together about how they'll sail the world and see its wonders..... But again, I understand why it was cut. I don't understand why they changed who killed Fogg, though. I always kind of liked that Johanna had to be the one to actually pull the trigger. But there was no trigger-pulling here. Ah, well.
I didn't miss The Ballad of Sweeney Todd. Partly because it was there during the credits, in all its instrumental splendor, but also because, although it works really well onstage, I don't think it would have gone over very well on screen. It's a very stage-y number.
They switched the order of God, That's Good and the Johanna quartet, too, which I noted, but didn't mind. Johanna made more sense coming between the Epiphany/Little Priest and God, That's Good scenes. All I really missed were the bits of Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett yelling back and forth about the new chair and whatnot.
I was really impressed with the way the score was handled and changed around a bit to make it more cinematic. The movie is really well-made and well-acted. I have almost nothing bad to say about it, except to stay away if you have a weak stomach. Heh.
It's the first time I've seen it performed, not counting the Hearn/LuPone DVD and various YouTube clips. I didn't count on Johnny Depp being as terrifying as he was, so I left the theater a little more disturbed than I thought I'd be. I can't say that I thought it was bloodier than necessary, because it is about a serial killer and cannibalism, but it was more than I expected, I confess.
The only singer I had a problem with was HBC, because she just sounded weak most of the time. Weak and wispy. Her acting was really good, though. JD did really well, I thought, though the accent was another thing to get used to, after being used to "regular" English accents in the music. More accurate, probably, but different from what I'm used to. I wasn't crazy about Epiphany, but that had more to do with how it was shot. I just didn't think the song, which works so well on stage, transferred well to the screen.
The only song I really missed was "Kiss Me," but I can understand why it was cut --- it wouldn't have fit with the dark mood of the movie, or the new interpretation of Johanna. I also missed the bit at the end when Anthony has just rescued Johanna and they sing together about how they'll sail the world and see its wonders..... But again, I understand why it was cut. I don't understand why they changed who killed Fogg, though. I always kind of liked that Johanna had to be the one to actually pull the trigger. But there was no trigger-pulling here. Ah, well.
I didn't miss The Ballad of Sweeney Todd. Partly because it was there during the credits, in all its instrumental splendor, but also because, although it works really well onstage, I don't think it would have gone over very well on screen. It's a very stage-y number.
They switched the order of God, That's Good and the Johanna quartet, too, which I noted, but didn't mind. Johanna made more sense coming between the Epiphany/Little Priest and God, That's Good scenes. All I really missed were the bits of Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett yelling back and forth about the new chair and whatnot.
I was really impressed with the way the score was handled and changed around a bit to make it more cinematic. The movie is really well-made and well-acted. I have almost nothing bad to say about it, except to stay away if you have a weak stomach. Heh.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-12-27 03:40 pm (UTC)I don't much go for gore but with the desaturated colors the blood looked like paint and so fake that I was able to watch it without flinching.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-27 09:45 pm (UTC)It wasn't so much the "blood" that disturbed me, though, it was the violence in the actions themselves. Not just Sweeney, either, although like I said, he was terrifying, but also the scene between Anthony and Judge Turpin. I'm used to the mood being more satirical, less melodramatic, that's all. I mean, I expected a bigger sense of satisfaction when the Judge finally got his throat cut. It was there, but it wasn't as big as I'm used to, because it was all that much more serious.