We Can't Wait #3 Sweeney Todd

For the uninitiated an explanation and unspoilery synopsis of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It's sometimes referred to as a true story, but it's more of an urban legend. In the 19th century a barber slits a lot of throats in London. His accomplice Mrs. Lovett disposes of the evidence in her seedy pie shop. The story has taken on many forms including straight plays, comedy sketches, songs and films but its most famous and celebrated incarnation is the Stephen Sondheim 1979 musical (or opera if you like... much of it is sung through), which starred Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett and Len Cariou as the titular barber on Broadway. It's this Sondheim classic, one of the greatest musicals ever written, that's being transferred to celluloid even as I type this.

Recent Variety ad marking the start of filming. The film arrives in December 2007

Tim Burton directs his muse Johnny Depp as Mr. Todd (this marks their sixth screen collaboration) and his own lover Helena Bonham-Carter as Mrs. Lovett. Sacha Baron Cohen is Pirelli, Todd's barber rival and Alan Rickman (having a busy year) is Judge Turpin, Todd's true nemesis. The only musical theater vet in the production is 25 year old Laura Michelle Kelly (Mary Poppins from the recent British production of the musical) who plays Lucy Barker. [*a note: in the comments you'll read about musical theater vets in supporting roles --that's good news. But for some reason the IMDB does not yet list them as cast members and still has certain roles as "rumors" -ed.]

My previous posts about Tim Burton's forthcoming adaptation have all gone something like this: "worry worry worry i-love-sondheim worry worry omg-sondheim-is-a-genius worry worry miscasting worry" so I'm turning it right over to my comrades so that I don't repeat myself. Take it away guys...

Lulu: The recent Broadway revival showed just how strong the Sweeney source material is. Specifically, how it's able to be enhanced by the reimaginings of a bold director. Against popular opinion, I'm holding out hope that Burton will make something brilliant and surprising. I don't expect it to be a Sweeney I already know and, frankly, that's what I'm most excited about...

But if the sound mixing's as muddy as Wonka's, we're all doomed.

Gabriel: I've seen the musical in many different ways -- the New York City Opera revival, the video of the 1979 Broadway original, the John Doyle reimagining last year, community theatre productions, you name it -- and I think it is incredibly strong material. It's got a strong story, a powerful score, and almost iconic characters.

Angela Lansbury (the original Mrs. Lovett), Pattie Lupone (revival). Helena Bonham Carter
gets one of the all time best roles in musical theater in the film version.

What Doyle's revival in 2005 proved is that Sweeney Todd has tremendous malleability. I think that Burton's film will really put that malleability to the test, however. How does this brutally British story translate to the Hollywood culture of celebrity...with Captain Jack Sparrow in the lead? How does a musical work with performers who have little or no professional singing experience? Will Sondheim's vision be overwhelmed by Burton's detailed cartoon gothicism? I am hopeful, but I am very unsteady about how it's going to turn out.

Joe: This is one of those times where I embarrass myself in front of the cinephiles: while I had been familiar with the title “Sweeney Todd,” the first glimpse I ever got of any kind of staging of it was in Jersey Girl when Affleck and his daughter performed a song from it at the big talent show thingamajig.

I know!

In my defense, I was never a theatre kid at all. So if you’re looking for a polar opposite of Gabriel’s experience, that would be me. That being said, I am a big fan of Tim Burton, even though I have become wary whenever he chooses to adapt a known quantity, which this is. I love Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter, too, and I don’t want to have to knock them for not being able to sing, so they goddamn well better take their lessons seriously.

JA: My exposure's even less than your, Joe; I haven't even seen the Jersey Girl scene you speak of. But I am familiar with the story and the tone of the story and I think Burton could possibly do something really terrific with it, at least in the abstract form it takes in my mind.

And hopefully whatever seemingly insane iteration of Deppness we get works with the material and doesn't distract terribly like I found his Wonka to do.

George Hearns (replacement Sweeney in original B'way run) and Michael Cerveris (revival) as
Sweeney. Johnny Depp plays the murderous barber in the film version.

Nathaniel: I sometimes wish --and I realize that this is because I'm a huge film nerd -- that Hollywood would double up on production costs and let two or three films be shot with the same sets, etc... so that we could see different auterial takes on the same story. I realize this will never happen for about 4 million different reasons but I love Sweeney Todd so much I'd love to see multiple film versions so that I don't have to feel that Tim Burton's (however good or bad it may end up being) becomes "definitive"

Do you know what I mean?

JA: Do I ever! Like, I'd have loved to have seen what, say, Bruce LaBruce did with the same cast and sets as Brokeback Mountain. Ahem.

Nathaniel: OK, folks. Share your history with Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street or your thoughts about the upcoming film adaptation in the comments. Or just enjoy these Sweeney Todd clips. To your left, the opening scene of the original Broadway production and to your right, Patti Lupone doing "By the Sea" in concert.



Previous Related Articles: Mrs. Lovett on the Casting Couch Helena Bonham Carter gets the role * Cyndi Lauper in Sweeney She's auditioning for Tim Burton * John Christopher Depp ~ Top Five Actors of the Aughts.

previously on "we can't wait"
#4 Evening, #5 Lust, Caution, #6 I'm Not There, #7 Margot at the Wedding, #8 moved to 2008, #9 The Golden Compass,#10 Grindhouse, #11 Bug, #12, Sunshine, #13 Southland Tales, #14 300, #15 Hot Fuzz, #16 Stardust, #17 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, #18 Spider-Man 3, #19 Rendition, #20 The Bourne Ultimatum
Intro -films that didn't make the list

tags: Sweeney Todd, Johnny Depp, Stephen Sondheim, Helena Bonham Carter, Patti Lupone, movies, Broadway, adaptation, Tim Burton, musicals,moviemusical