Sweeney Todd

The musical of Sweeney Todd has been a favorite of mine since a very young age. I first heard the score when I was going through my "Sondheim phase" at age ten. Now, I wouldn't recommend going through a Sondheim phase unless you LOVE getting made fun of in school- but I went through it and fell in love with Todd, Into the Woods, Gypsy, A Funny Thing..., and more.

Todd was always my favorite, I loved its darkness, it's brooding nature. Singing the score to Todd made me want to be a singer just as Beetle Juice and Batman made me want to be a director. I used to draw the Todd logo on binders, it reminded me of the Joker meets a "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" drawing.

To see Todd and Burton come together in many aspects is a dream come true. However over the years I have lost faith in Burton. Not just miss after miss, but utter failure after utter failure. Big Fish, Planet, Charlie, Corpse Bride, Sleepy Hollow. I love Sondheim, I love Tim Burton- the last thing I wanted to see was a failure featuring the two combined.

And fortunately...I didn't see that! What I saw was a commendable, near great- imagining of the musical that's very near and dear to my heart. There were some bad choices made, but some great ones also. I don't know that this film succeeding makes me believe in Burton again- because the source material was so solid. If he had jacked this up- it would've shown him to be completely inept. This film belongs to Sondheim- the score soars and Depp and Carter carry it well. Depp doesn't erase the memory of George Hearn for me, and no one can erase Angela Lansbury as Lovett- BUT I did find that the performances in the film were new and different enough- to distance the Broadway memory I had of the musical.

I love musicals, always have. I got giddy watching this film. I thought the casting was spot on- even down to the character of Anthony Hope who I feel could be easily miscast.

I thought there were some effects unneeded (one superzoom through London) and the Title sequence was worse than Spider-man's. But the speed ramps and jolts in the trailer are fortunately not found in the film.

My BIGGEST complaint- is that the famous song "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" is nowhere in the film.

It's this that is causing me to hold back my complete enthusiasm for the film- I have heard there was a "reason" for omitting this, but honestly- it's glaringly absent for anyone that knows the score. I can see removing it from the opening of the film- but I was aching for it to be sung at the end- or at least over the credits! The absence of this song really bummed me out. It was like waiting for your red rider BB gun on Christmas day and then not finding it under the tree.

And it's not by the desk- IT'S NOT BY THE DESK!!!

Johnny Depp played the character in a VERY different fashion than done previously...but not in a different fashion than was expected. Again, the real magic was in the music.

They really should've sold this film on the music- just come out with Guns a Blazin'. Be bold about the fact that Sondheim's score is featured so prominently.

Next on the list...P.S. I LOVE YOU!!!