LOVED it! I went to the movie not expecting a whole lot, in spite of being a big fan of both Burton's and Depp's. Pleasantly suprised? Aye.

I saw the 1997 version with Ben Kingsly and if someone thought this version had a lot of blood (which I haven't seen the new version YET) but the older version had a lot of blood too. I mean come on, he's a murdering barber of course there will be loads of blood.

EverSoulicious said:

Visually, the gore in this one was handled prety tastefully, even though there's a lot of it. Most of the flick is in a monochromtic palette, so when that first drop of bright red hits the screen you can't help but draw your eyes to it. That said, the contrast also serves to make the blood unrealistic to the point that I'd have a hard time believing anyone could feel squeamish about it.

meow85 said:

It wasn't the "blood" for me actually. As far as I was concerned "the blood" was like a character in the movie! But it was more the graphic depiction of the death scenes--even the visual of the bodies landing with a thump (not to give too much away.) But as I said earlier, that attention to detail was part of Tim Burton's vision--the whole concept. I don't think it should keep anyone away from seeing ths movie though.

As graphic as it was on-stage, there is just no way to go into that much detail. Tim Burton just took the whole notion to another level.

Isel said:

I actually found the death scenes more humourous than anything else. Someone needs to talk to Depp about his habit of lovingly wrapping his arms around the victims before he makes the big slice, though.

i enjoyed the film. i don't see what the big hoo-hah is over the gore factor. sure it's bloody, but it's completely stylized and artsy fartsy and it's a freakin MUSICAL that's been around for years. what's the issue? even when we went to see it yesterday, people in the audience were bitching when the movie was over, saying stuff like "wow, this is a nasty excuse for a christmas movie" and such. DID THEY READ THE TITLE OF THE MOVIE? "DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET"?! DID THEY NOT NOTICE THE R-RATING?!?!

people are dim. i hope they had nightmares when they got home.

Anxiety said:

Anxiety said:

People in the theatre I saw the movie at were bitching as they walked out because it wasn't gorey enough. I overheard one girl, "I thought this was supposed to be a horror and it wasn't even scary! And they were all singing. I'm going ask for my money back!"

meow85 said:

well, "sweeney todd" IS a terribly obscure musical. they've only been playing the angela lansbury stage version of that shit on A&E every weekend for the past 25 freakin years now

I'm excited to see it.

I knew going in that it was going to be very bloody -- and that I'd probably have trouble with it. But I love Tim Burton...and Johnny Depp...and Alan Rickman...and Helena Bonham-Carter...and Sondheim. So I sucked it up and closed my eyes a lot. For most of the killings, you know when it's coming. That helps a little.

I thought the art direction was wicked good. The whole look of the movie was incredible. And the music was very well done. I generally think musicals are best done as live theatre. But Burton really made the musical numbers seamless with the rest of the picture.

It's all quite spectacular.

Genesia said:

i love how dark and gritty everything looked

Anxiety said:

I honestly can't recall a time I didn't know of the play. Never seen it onstage, but I do inhabit a cultural wasteland, so what're you gonna do?

I was resisting seeing it because I have a knee-jerk prejudice against all new-release movie hype. But I loved it. I loved the music and the actors, everything. I love the ending image in a pool of blood and the Jean of Arc immolation scene and how the film unconventionally did not return to Joanna and what's-his-name running off in the sunset as a happy ending. I loved Joanna's line "So you think we're just going to run off and live happily ever after?" -- a bit of a critique of conventional hollywood. I like how the characters were completely daft and how Sweeny Todd's behavior far exceeded actions caused by motivation. No matter his sob story, he was simply bananas!!! Which made it more than just a morality tale, I think.

InsatiableCream said:

For sure. It's definitely a pro-vegetarian movie in the sense that the meat is utterly foul!!!

Well I guess I'm the only one that thought this movie was mediocre. I thought Johnny Depp's voice was better than expected and he did a good job stylizing the vocals. Helena Bonham Carter's voice was miserable and even with her efforts to stylize it failed. I loved the monocramatic, dark setting. I loved the narrows streets and quaintness. I thought the blood was fine but was very unrealistic looking and not intense. I didn't think the songs, or maybe the way they pulled off the songs were good enough to keep this film from being boring but I do have to admit I'm not a huge fan of musicals. I thought the other two characters with the boy pining after the girl had too good of voices to fit in. I was impressed with the little workhouse apprentice boy they adopt. Over all I thought it mostly boring.

I don't know what to make of Tim Burton. I love some of his movies and incredibly dislike others. This one is in the dislike category.

greenpixies said:

You made the effort to see "Sweeney Todd"? Cool..

Yeah.. for Xmas, my husband gave me the dvd of the Broadway show. We watched it together, and wow.. My husband even had a comment or two! LOL The stage version FOR US, was so much more intense. Loved it--have always loved it.

I still say Johnny and Helen did a terrific job, so upon this we might disagree.

But nothing beats a Broadway show..


GP.. I'm just happy you even were interested in seeing ST! Johnny's next role is going to be as John Dillanger(sp) in Public Enemies... I think! Wooo hooo!

so is this a musical all the way through?

PEJ said:

I'd say 90 percent of it is. Again, its an awsome movie

Isel said:

Why in the world would it be surprising that I might see Sweeney Todd? Bizarre!

retina said:

He does such diverse roles, in theory, and yet I have this feeling when I watch him that he's just doing the same ol' thing he always does, over and over again. I'm starting to be bored by Depp. Could he not just do a normal role involving a normal character instead of camping it up in every damn movie??

despite ben kingley's advanced years, I reckon he could still take the depp in an old school fist fight!

Fauxie said:

you have a good point - i mean, even sylvester stallone fought typecasting and played a country musician in "rhinestone" with dolly parton!



oh ah i don't know if i'm helping your argument

I'm looking forward to seeing this one!

ytomrrow to csee JDeepeep :nodd

Someone I work with gave me tickets a year or so ago to see the Sondheim production on Broadway (with Patty Lapone). I hated it. The guy that went with me hated it so much he refused to come back after intermission.

I love me some Johnny Depp, but I hated the Broadway show so much that I don't think I can watch the movie. I had a good idea of the storyline/plot before seeing the show so it wasn't like I was shocked by the gore or the plot; I just didn't like it.

DevotedPuppy said:

what did you hate so much about it when you saw it on broadway? i only ask because i really think the film version of 'sweeny todd' is very untraditional by musical theatre standards. most musical theatre makes me want to wretch, but after the first ten minutes or so of the burton film, i pretty much forgot they were singing the words. of course, i'd never seen the play and i wasn't familiar with the story, so there was a lot i was taking in.

retina said:

I think Burton and Depp know that and made light of it in Sweeney Todd 'cos one scene was an obvious reference to Edward Scissorhands.

I saw it last night and loved it. I didn't have a problem with the blood at all since it was so unrealistic in color (bright strawberry red, bordering on pink), but I did wince every time I saw that blade slice someone's neck open.

The best scene was Todd and Lovett on the beach in their goth bathing suits.

sextonseven said:

I loved that too! I love the song with it as well!

ive read that depp's singing is quite reminiscent of early david bowie.