Sweeney Todd: The Movie

[SpringHeelJack]

Ha, fair enough. HeelJack it is.

I know (at least in Boston) it's being re-aired a few times soon, but like at 1 AM, so... you'd likely either tape it or have nothing to do the next morning. The "update" thing is partially true, a bit of the show was re-written over the years (I think sondheim.com has an excellent essay on what was updated), but it's quite clearly grounded in the 70's, regardless of what is done. I think the abstract quality of the revival helps there, but I'm always worried about some director trying to make it totally up-to-date, which just won't work (and I've seen amateur productions that do this. It's a bad idea).

It's the only legit copy of the show, yes. There's a DVD called "Original Cast Recording: Company" that is a documentary about filming the '71 cast recording which is very interesting, but don't buy it expecting the show.

Admittedly, my romantic entanglements have been a series of convoluted entanglements, so... yeahhh. I would not say I have loved more people than you, though there have certainly been many... um, physical encounters, and I technically only count one relationship, my current one (two in high school were with crazy people, and one my freshman year lasted a week-ish, thus I don't really tally them up), and, um... I think I'm getting woefully off-topic from where I started. If you don't mind my asking, how old are you?

I rarely like floating heads (I like the Platinums more when they started to add scenery ala "Peter Pan" and "The Little Mermaid" as opposed to "Snow White"), though I do agree they can every now and then look nice though off the top of my head I can't think of one I really dig (would Drew Struzan's poster art for Harry Potter and Star Wars count?).

I really ought to get a less-than-legit copy of "Juno" off my friend so I can see it myself and make up my mind about it once and for all. I'm just less than impressed with what I know of it. You might want to consider seeing "Little Miss Sunshine", as practically everyone else I know loved it, but it was just... not interesting for me. I found maybe three of the characters interesting, and I was fairly apathetic about the writing in general.

[Disney Duster]

No announcement yet, but they have removed HD-DVD Sweeney Todd from the schedule after Tuesday's contribution to most embarrasing press releases of all time announcing that and two other titles as coming to HD-DVD.

Perhaps Sweeney will be Blu-ray afterall? Eh, I'll probably still just get the DVD.

Well if you want to be called something else, let me know. Uh, this is just going to sound flattering again but honestly Brendan is such a cute name and it really fits you from the pictures I've seen. My first crush was a Brandon and ever since I've always liked that name, and Brendan sounds like it.

It totally is re-airing where i live (in PA, but not Philly wah). But it may have been on at 12 last night because at 1:00 it was doing the "Getting Married Today" scenes, and isn't that the end of Act I?

Yes, the abstractness might help, but i was worried all the character interpretations might not be how 70's people acted and how the characters were originally thought of, etc. Yes, I know, modern interpretations, but when they were writing this with the current times in mind, it's just...more "correct" the way it was done in the time it was written because it's set in that time.

Hmm, the documentary sounds interesting but thanks for warning me it's not the show.

Oh, aw your poor love life. Glad you have someone great now. I sometimes wonder if I should count my relationships because they weren't very much and I wasn't much into who I was dating. I'm 19 but will be 20 in June like you yay (and also boo no longer a teenager...)

Well, I kind of thought all the Platinums were floating heads but I guess not really. I really dislike Snow White and Beauty and the Beast and, like you, like it best with the scenery. I was thinking of how Cinderella has scenery but also characters are floating (or are they not considered floating?), also the recent Sleeping Beauty one. Those are ones with floating...top-haves of bodies, where I think it works. I don't know. But one thing's for sure it needs to have some kind of background instead of pure color with no character grounded on anything at all, like the first ones. I think the first Potter poster is good, and why they never did the rest like that I'll never know. The Star Wars ones are good too.

I will see Sunshine sometime then.

[2099net]

This may amuse some people:
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/06022008/5/s ... asa-0.html

[SpringHeelJack]

No, whatever you want, it's cool. Had I really wanted to be called anything, I would have made it my username. SpringHeelJack, HeelJack, Brendan, it's all good by me. I'll know who you're talking to. It does sound flattering, but, ah, thank you anyway I'm quite fond of my name. I just realized I've never referred to you by any name at all... umm, I'll have to mull that over a while.

Yeah, it might have aired at 12... the only airtimes I know are Boston, I didn't bother to look up any others because I assumed they would all be lame / on at a bad time. I didn't know you lived in PA, I used to live there (Pittsburgh) up until I went to Boston for college.

I agree with that, I'm sure there is a "modern" sensibility for the revival that works against the obvious 70's feel of the show. Like I said, ideally, were you doing a legit revival with staging, costumes, etc., you would want to make sure it was as authentically 1970's as possible. I just don't think you can set the show in the modern day and have it work, far too much has changed (no calling services, no line about "how my money is being spent").

Yeah, it is, if you're gung-ho about it. Consider checking out the original Broadway cast CD sometime, if you like it, you might want to consider netflixing the documentary. Plus it's cool to hear the full orchestrations and the dance number "Tick Tock" that is usually axed from the show nowadays.

Ha, and thank you again. Believe me, I am too. And I know that feeling... the one kid I dated in high school was terribly attractive, but closeted to the point where he freaked out about being in public with me. Plus I was like "Dude, you love Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguelara, and fashion. You're kind of stereotypically gay. Everyone already knows you are." And the other high school guy was just... he had issues. And I remember the fear of not being a teenager... I have pics somewhere of my birthday, and I just look so angry in all of them at the thought of being 20. It's great.

Yeah, they are all technically floating heads, since they have the giant main characters floating about, but like you said, it doesn't really... look quite as good when it's like "SNOW WHITE FLYING THROUGH PURPLE SPACE!". I don't mind when it has the floating heads so long as like... there's something behind it, like you said. And I totally agree with the Potter posters. The second movie's looked so... blah.

Yeah, consider it. And since "Juno" won Best Original Screenplay tonight, I guess I should really get on that, too.

[Disney Duster]

That link was funny Netty, I had heard of people walking out and not thinking the advertising showed it was a musical, but wow, suing?

Hey, UK may actually be getting something great while the US is shafted, Netty! Look:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sweeney-Todd-Ba ... 0012YG7RS/
That's right, Sweeney on Blu-ray...for UK (that ryhmed, and hey it's a musical).

HeelJack, I may call you Brendan after a long time, but I change names all around and still call Escapay by his member name after knowing him and his real name for so long.

Haven't caught Company when it starts yet. My schedule confused me, but check this for schedules if you want to see about you. Mine won't air on PBS but on WLVT-DT tomorrow at 1:00 am. Don't know what that means for me. Wow you used to live in PA where I am! That's where QAF is set, too...

Yea, the way Company was done looked modern to me. Like the black bride's costume (although it works as her going to her funeral!) and someone said Joanne was trying to look like she had botox. I don't know, I think I should just get over it and watch something that's great no matter what.

EDIT: A bunch of people at BroadwayWorld.com said it was supposed to be set in now, even though the 70's dialogue was kept in. Someone said it needed to be that way so the audience looks at what the show is saying instead of thinking it doesn't apply today because it came from an older time.

Maybe I'll see the documentary, but more likely I will listen to the orginal cast, after I watch the full revival to get what's going on. I think "Tick Tock" was in the revival!

Ha, yea there are those guys who are so gay and they try to hide it (and I hate stereotyping but often think anyone who fits those so much have to be gay even when they think they aren't). I can't talk long today, but I read all you said and sorry you went through that but hey, at least was interesting, nay exciting? Those pictures sound great...

"SNOW WHITE FLYING THROUGH PURPLE SPACE!" I also agreed with all you said, it just doesn't make sense for Potter's posters to start out one way and be completely different, but the man who drew the first one recently died, perhaps he didn't think he'd be able to keep it up after that one.

[candydog]

It's funny that the movie should get so many walk-outs.

The original Broadway production is said to have had a lot of people walk out at intermission as they had expected a musical and were disgusted because it was so gory.

Now, ironically, people are going to the movie hoping for the gore, and walking out after finding it's a musical!

[Flanger-Hanger]

It's funny that the movie should get so many walk-outs.

The original Broadway production is said to have had a lot of people walk out at intermission as they had expected a musical and were disgusted because it was so gory.

Now, ironically, people are going to the movie hoping for the gore, and walking out after finding it's a musical!

I never heard of the first one, but the second isn't so surprising. I remember hearing someone on the bus (who loved to talk loud on her cell phone) saying "but it's a MUSICAL?". I guess people don't really do research before they go see a movie.

[SpringHeelJack]

Well, fair enough. It's just as well, as I can't think of a name for you yet. I was thinking Dusty, but that kind of reminds me of the obnoxious kid in my sister's musical, and I clearly would not want to associate you with that. Still, it's prolly gonna come down to Dusty. We shall see.

It doesn't seem to be airing here in the near future (if at all), but I'm not fully bummed, as I taped about up until "The Ladies Who Lunch", plus I have an iPod quality video file a friend gave to me to hold me off until I buy the DVD. And that is so awesome you live in the Burgh! Small world! And I love that QAF is set there, if only because it's totally nothing like the show portrays it. It's fantastic.

Yeah, the modern aspects of the revival are really obvious (it does seem maybe John Doyle was trying to update it, but I've never heard him comment one way or the other). I mean, the fashion is obviously current. Even if it was 70's formal garb, it wouldn't look like that. As for the botox thing, that's pretty funny, actually. I never thought that, and I personally don't think she was going for that, but I can kind of see where that's coming from... It's probably a wise choice to make it look contemporary to be more applicable, but sometimes you just have to accept something as a period piece. Even something like "Rent" that's a little over ten years old is kind of a period piece now, since treating it as it was set in 2008 would drastically alter the show.

Yeah, it's a good idea to at least listen the Original Broadway Cast Recording, mainly because it clearly is 70's and has some excellent orchestrations and performances. Even though the actress playing Joanne is no great singer, she acts the hell out of "The Ladies Who Lunch". And do you mean "Tick Tock" was in the revival as in the one we're talking about? It wasn't. It's essentially a dance number that proceeds "Barcelona" for Kathy while Bobby and April make love. Though the idea of Kathy doing a crazy swinging dance while puffing into an alto sax is AMAZING, and I would kind of pay just to see that.

Ha, yeah, I don't mean to discriminate either, but... it's SO obvious. Plus, being gay, we can say things like that and have more leeway. It's one of the perks. Heh, and yeah, it was interesting and rather exciting, mainly because the boy was very hot. Sadly, that was about all he had going for him. Thus... that had to end quick!

Oy, I love musical theatre-talking with you. Well, talking in general. Yay![/i]

[Dottie]

It's funny that the movie should get so many walk-outs.

The original Broadway production is said to have had a lot of people walk out at intermission as they had expected a musical and were disgusted because it was so gory.

Now, ironically, people are going to the movie hoping for the gore, and walking out after finding it's a musical!

I've seen that myself in my movie theater here. I saw it last Thursday on opening day here in Germany and the theater was okay full. Like right after the first notes were sung, this guy next to me, who was obviously dragged there by his girl-friend, but not prepared for what was to come said something like: "Are you f**** kidding me, they're singing!!" But he had to stay, poor guy, his girl-friend didn't let him go and have his beer.
And then during the course of the movie about 5 people left, the most I've ever seen leaving a movie. But I think one of them went to throw up
I never thought the movie was so gory and they did have the singing in the trailer, so you should think people knew what to expect.

[SpringHeelJack]

Paramount has just announced "J/K, Sweeney will not be out on HD-DVD". Digital Bits expects a Blu-Ray release sometime this summer, however.

[Disney Duster]

Thank you for the news HeelJack, haven't heard that anywhere else!

I'm called Dusty on another forum, it works since I think a possible name for one of Cinderella's mice was Dusty. I just hope it doesn't make me seem...well, old and dusty. Think glittery!

Yea, I checked at 1:00 a.m. and it was not on. I apparently have two PBS channels...neither had it. Guess it's gone for a while, but hey, they recently re-aired a 1995 concert of Les Miserables, but they were also selling tickets to a new (I think community) production of it. I think I, too, will buy the DVD, perhaps ask it for my June birthday.

Yes QAF makes me wish it was actually like that, though I don't think I've been exactly where it's set (or remember it). I um...I live in Bethlehem, not Burgh, sorry I confused you. I was also confused...did you like QAF's portrayal, or the real Pittsburg is better?

Yes, poor Rent probably thought that even being set in the 80's it wouldn't become dated so fast. But it's been 2 decades.

I'll let you know I feel about Company's OBC when I get my...ears on it. Yes, I thought "Tick Tock" was in the Doyle revival, but I guess not. I just remember all that parading. That was "What Would We Do Without You?"

Yes, I love being gay and being able to be prejudiced about gays! I love it when people are really hot and it doesn't work out. It proves looks don't matter that much, makes people feel good.

I love talking to you, too. When you told me that I got excited and skipped through my kitchen. In all seriousness. I do that. You will have to teach me a lot about musical theater, I'm not the type who sees why Stepehen Schwartz' lyrics are bad and what are the smartest, superior musicals.

[SpringHeelJack]

Okay, Dusty it shall be. The good kind, not like the attic kind. I like it. I'm a fan of adding the diminutive "y" to people's names, so this works well. Ha, and I do think glitter!

Sad about not seeing it, but that TV production of the "Les Mis" concert is fun... I would have preferred a filmed version of the stage show, but here we are. I enjoy seeing that show every now and then, too. It grates on me if I hear it too much, but it has some nice melodies and usually great performances (though I just don't get Colm Wilkinsons... his accentuations are odd to me).

"QAF" is filmed in Vancouver (I think? Maybe Toronto? I could wikipedia it, but, well... I'm too lazy), and though I am a fan of the TV show's portrayal of Pittsburgh as a bizarre glittery metropolis, I'm a bigger fan of the gray, steely yet amazing Pittsburgh I grew up with. Even though I love Boston, I still miss Pittsburgh. I think I naturally appreciate it more when I don't live there. I think I see where I misread your other post... I've never actually been to Bethlehem, I just have a vague idea of where it is. I know it's closer to NYC than I am, which is awesome.

Yeah, you're right, that was part of "What Would We Do Without You?". "Tick Tock" is mostly an instrumental "Poor Baby" with a bit of "Someone is Waiting", and very well done on the OBCR. Which, by the way, if you want it, I can, uh, make that happen.

And that is so true. I was oddly enough reflecting on that at school today (I'm crazy deep, I know), how like practically all of the "stereotypical" gay men I know are just... so vapid and flighty and annoying. Not that that's true for everyone, but at my college, which is like one of the gayest schools ever (it's a liberal arts school, and we have a saying: If gay were a sport, we'd be division one)... it kind of is.

Hahaha! Awesome. I would skip through my kitchen, but it's kind of a glorified closet, so, um, one skip would easily get me from end to the other, but... I skip in spirit! Ha, and I love discussing theatre (seriously, it's like my passion), and I don't want to like... force my opinions on you and totally Higgins your Eliza so that there's a big row after the Embassy Ball and you go to my mother's and then when you do return I start barking about my slippers, and, um... yes...

Anyhow, I didn't mean to say that Stephen Schwartz was necessarily a bad lyricist. I do think he's a better composer than a writer, but he's done some stuff I really do enjoy, like "Pippin" and "Godspell" (though I'm not sure how much of that is his lyrics and how much is, um, the Bible), and I think he does a pretty solid job on the lyrics in "Hunchback" and "Pocahontas". I would actually say he's one of the best current Broadway composers to use a pop idiom (along with Alan Menken, though he was really at his peak when Ashman was still alive). It's mainly just the lyrics to "Wicked" I don't dig. I like the music, I like the music better than the book to the show (I have more problems with the book than Schwartz's songs). I just think he could have done a better job with the lyrics, given he's done better stuff in the past.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Well, with the 1-Disc and 2-Disc DVDs still coming out April 1st, I don't know what I'll do. Should I go ahead and get the 2-Disc DVD or wait for the eventual Blu-ray. I did see today (though old news) that the HD-DVD is gone, so B-ray it is. I've been meaning to see it for awhile, but just don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

[Flanger-Hanger]

Rent the 2-disc DVD and then later buy the Blu-ray.

[SpringHeelJack]

Or buy the one disc, wait for the Blu-ray, then sell the DVD.

[Disney Duster]

Ugh in some forum talking about Sweeny on Blu-ray, people were agreeing Helena "stunk", because she was "abysmal", "joyless", "frowning throughout", especially when there needs to be the opposite in "A Little Preist". Well, Johnny had a few evil smiles, but Helena was actually the one who was having fun, giving a genuine jolly smile in "it has to be grocer, it's green". She displayed the most emotion and was the best thing in the movie.

I like names with the little "y"s, too. One time I made and named these cartoon animals for a comic I planned (never came to fruition) and my friend was like "what is it with you and all these "y"s?" Like all of them had "y"s in their name, or "ie"s. Yay, you thought glitter!

You said you were sad about not seeing...the whole of "Company" or "Les Mis" on TV? I, too, wish I could have the stage show immortalized, especially since I've never gotten to see it on stage at all, but I really liked the singers and they weren't the current stage cast, were they? Also, there were those great speeches about disproving that London's theater depends on it's sets and all the international Valjeans singing! But did you say it grates on you not just listening to the concert but the show itself? I think it's wonderful, of course I don't like every song, but too many good ones, and such good ones, to dislike it. Colm was weird, I think he has trouble with low notes, you can barely hear him. He also has some kind of rocker voice going on. But I like him when I can hear him. Meanwhile, there's the crooning Marius Pontmercy who has a voice that sounds like he might sing "What's new pussycat? Woah-oh, woah-oh, woah-oh!" and it bothers me.

Wikipedia and other sites say QAF was filmed in Toronto, Canada. The show has lots of connections to Canada like having Canadian directors and being shown on Canadian channels... Looky yourself. Hey, "The lack of the realism of the setting has also been criticized, since the program depicts the gay scene in Pittsburgh as much more urbane and arguably sophisticated than it actually is, resembling a scene you'd more likely find in more cosmopolitan cities like San Francisco, New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Philadelphia, and/or Miami." So I guess others prefer the real, steel Burgh, too!

Yes it is nice being so close to New York to easily go there for trips.

Hmmm...since I don't think I would be buying Company's album anytime soon, maybe I will ask you to make my OBCR dream come true...later. I like the singing in the revival. We can talk about which is better when I get to hear the original.

I kind of meant when I said we can be prejudiced about gaydom that we can say people are gay when they don't want to be but they seem it. Personally, I'm a pretty, uh, "fem" gay guy, always been pretty girly from a young age, and it does hurt a little when even my fellow gay friends call me a fag or I'm too gay. But it makes sense for gays to be this way. Almost all gay guys have that higher, "girlier" voice, probably to make us attractive to men in general. Uh. Anyway, yes sometimes people are so flamboyent it's rather hard to take but I've never encountered someone who I think is vapid or flighty. Maybe I just haven't thought about them. Your college sounds so...awesome, and yet also not because I like being one of the few gays, you feel special. Of course in the theater department there's still lots of gays but I'm special 'cause I'm really gay...yay. I'm so gay...I don't know what "division one" in a sport is...?

Hee, this must be funny if you forget what you said last. Your kitchen has clothes in it...? I also love discussing theater, I'm getting passionate as I see more and hear more and learn more, but I'd say I'm more passionate about Disney. I have yet to see My Fair Lady. But I'll see it because "it's a classic". And everyone's seen it. I, too, worry about forcing opinions, but your opinion is what the smart sophisticated theater person thinks so I'd like to know it.

Hmm...well I don't really like Pippin and don't remember much of Godspell but was definately put off by it. Wicked is way more pop and doesn't sound like either of those. I will always like Hunchback's tunes and I suppose the lyrics too, and "Colors of the Wind", and Wicked. So I'm glad you...uh...like him, it's just that he's...not the best to you? One of these days I want to go over lyrics and go over why they're good or not. I also want to do that at BroadwayWorld. I personally think Hunchback is the best thing Alan's done, but that's just right now after not seeing it in a while. Also I read he took existing religious music and incorporated it into the songs, so I don't know how much of it is his. We could talk this over more if we...E-mailed. I'm giving you mine: lemonhippocave@gmail.com, feel free to E-mail me because honestly, I don't think we can continue chatting like this in posts. Thanks for doing it all this time, though!

[SpringHeelJack]

Dusty, you do not need to convince me as to how awesome Helena was / the best thing in the movie. Her lack of recognition from the Academy / Golden Globes is the biggest snub this year, IMO (had the studio put her in Supporting Actress, I'm sure she would have beat Tilda Swinton, no offense to her).

I mean, about not seeing the whole of "Les Mis" / them not taping the show itself. The singers you saw there were a cast put together in... '95, I think, to celebrate the anniversary of the show, and, yes, not currently in the show now. I think the reason why I don't like Colm is he tends to over-emote like crazy and also has a wide vibrato. And, yeah, I feel that way about the Marius too. I've actually heard very few Marius performances I really like for some reason. I dig the score, for the most part, though I think it would have worked better if they had made the book into a non-thoroughly sung show. It's already difficult to condense the book (which has like six million pages) into a three-ish hour show, and typically favoring dialogue over recitative helps with that. Plus it would have cut down on some of the weaker songs (i.e., "Turning", which the authors admitted they really only put in to give the women something to do).

Yeah, I should have remembered it was Toronto, my friends have told me enough times... oh, my leaky memory. TV Pittsburgh does look more like San Francisco / NYC, it's so big and loud and colorful.

I wasn't, like, meaning to imply you were "too gay" or anything. Admittedly, my friends and I refer to things like on a gay scale of 1 to 10, but it's more out of joke that anything spiteful. Granted, I'm a somewhat likable / bitter person by nature, so I generally hate everything. Well, not really, but you get the idea. I also don't think I was effectively communicating what I was trying to say in my last post, but there you have it. It was 5:30 AM, and I was on like no sleep. Hey, much like I am today! Things never change. Oh, and "division one" is like the highest level of college athletics. A less sports-oriented slogan we use would be "Emerson College: Gay by May or your money back".

Well, I meant it's the size of my closet. Literally. It makes cooking very hard. And there's typically not clothes in it, but we do have the occasional mouse, which is always a kick. You might not like "My Fair Lady"... I'm not sure. I don't typically go for Lerner and Loewe (like Rodgers and Hammerstein, they're just not a style I like), but I think they were helped by having a great book, which meant they had to write great songs to fit it. I think I also find parts of it unintentionally funny, like any time Audrey Hepburn says "Aoow!". Or the one fantasy sequence she has of the King ordering Higgins to be shot. It's just so bizarre.

"Godspell" and "Pippin" are both kind of scores that require that you dig 70's pseudo-pop, which isn't really everyone's bag. It's hard for me to pick my favorite Alan Menken, but "Hunchback" would be up there. "Little Shop of Horrors" might be higher, though.

And, yes, email would be a good idea. I would have responded to this sooner, but I got caught up in midterms, so feel free to email me whenever. You can also IM me if you want, my SN is linked to in my UD info. I'm usually always signed on, so IM me if you want and if I respond, if I do, um... I'm there. Yes.

[2099net]

Dusty, you do not need to convince me as to how awesome Helena was / the best thing in the movie. Her lack of recognition from the Academy / Golden Globes is the biggest snub this year, IMO (had the studio put her in Supporting Actress, I'm sure she would have beat Tilda Swinton, no offense to her).

I'm not so sure about that. Anyone who has seen anything of Tida in real-life will know she is a very... shall we say... unusual personality. In fact, its not just her personality, she has a physical "look" when she moves which is uniquely hers.

I've not seen Michael Clayton (like most of this years Oscar films) but I've seen a number of clips of Tilda's character in it, and she is completely transformed. The bits I've seen, there is no hint of what makes Tilda, Tilda in her performance. And that is good acting - it may be mad acting (I hope she's not one of these "method" actors), but its good.

But meh, the Oscars are a waste of time really because its impossible to pick out single performances or even a small number of nominations for each award. Different films require differnet skills, different expectations and different performances. Its madness to compare Helen to Tilda in the first place.

[Flanger-Hanger]

Behold the 2-disc DVD review on DVD Town: http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/sweeney-todd/5738

[AwallaceUNC]

Our review of the 2-Disc Special Edition of <i>Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street</i> has been posted here: http://www.dvdizzy.com/sweeneytodd.html

-Aaron