snick_backup | Musical Sunday: The Worst Pies in London

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This week's selection is newer and more readily available than most of what I've chosen so far, but I discovered Sweeney Todd last summer and haven't gotten over the infatuation yet. From a story point of view, I find it immensely more satisfying than any other Tim Burton film I've tried, and Helena Bonham Carter is just fabulous in it. I almost chose her and Johnny Depp singing the cannibalistic "A Little Priest," but settled on this one, which is as wickedly funny and is all Carter.

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From:

dragonpaws.livejournal.com

This has probably come up already, but have you heard Angela Lansbury playing this role? It's AMAZING:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3QACSwtkWc

From:

snickfic

Wow, that is quite different, isn't it? The movie version is so highly stylized that it's a bit of shock to actually be able to see the set. Plus Burton sexied it quite a bit. Angela Lansbury and the fellow opposite her are, on the face of it, far more believable.

And yet I do like Helena Bonham Carter so very much as Mrs. Lovett...

(Incidentally, this is yet another thing that makes me think of you and Mike - I know how much you like the musical, and then Mike played me the soundtrack when he took me to the Greyhound station.)

From:

next_to_normal

This movie was the first time I'd ever seen Sweeney Todd, which is weird, because you'd think I'd be all about anything Sondheim. And yet I was kind of left with the reaction, "Yay, Johnny Depp! That is indeed very Sondheim, but I have no desire to see it again."

I happened to watch it back to back with Dr. Horrible, though, and the influence is OBVIOUS.

From:

snickfic

Other than West Side Story (which underwhelmed me the first time I saw it), this is the only Sondheim I've seen. It's extremely dark (both thematically and in terms of lighting!), but as I said, I found it quite satisfying in dramatic terms, especially the end. I can see how it wouldn't be to everyone's taste, though.

Interesting! I've only seen Dr. Horrible once and was, again, underwhelmed. Now I'm curious to watch it again with this in mind.

(Also, you shamed me into starting these up again, now that you started your own. About which I am quite tickled, by the way.)

From:

rahirah

Sondheim's very lightest work only aspires to a muddy grey. *g*

I thought that the movie was OK, but some of the things it cut for time (most of Johanna's motivation, for one) left me grumbling. I did, however, really really like what they did with Toby at the end. (The play has essentially the same ending, but it's interpreted very differently.)

From:

snickfic

Hmm, yes. I wasn't aware that Johanna had motivation. Then again, I wasn't aware that she did anything one would need motivation for. In fact, I though the young lovers subplot by far the weakest bit. (OTOH, their actors seemed to be the only ones of the bunch cast for their singing ability.)

Now I'm curious to see the end of the play version.

From:

rahirah

The stuff she did that required motivation all got cut. :/ Suffice to say she's a much less passive character in the play.

From:

next_to_normal

Well, as you know, my Very Favoritest Musical Ever is Sondheim, but considering that, I really don't know many of his shows. I should get on that. I'm not much for blood and gore, though, and this was rather... spurty.

Aww, I didn't mean to shame! I just like spreading the musical love. :)

From:

snickfic

Spurty is an excellent term for it. Not for the faint of heart. (OTOH, I watched it with a friend with theater experience, who kept talking about theater blood is mint-flavored for those who have to bleed from their mouths. Kind of turns the ick-factor into a bizarro-factor.)

Not to worry, it was a pleasant sort of shame. As in, "Oh, someone actually thought this was a good idea! Maybe it was a good idea! Maybe that means I should get back to it..."

From:

next_to_normal

I have to admit, whenever I see fake blood now, I think of JM telling the story about the Strawberry Quik and how he almost went into sugar shock from having to do too many takes chugging it.