it's man devouring man, my dear

[ironymaiden]

i haven't seen the Sweeney Todd film yet. i'm listening to the soundtrack on Rhapsody right now. music that seemed awesome during the film can be pretty lame without the visuals it was meant to support. sometime try listening to music from Aladdin without the animation (the guy who sings Aladdin is painfully nasal).

i miss the chorus, but the music has been incorporated into a nice overture. so far i'm surprised at how much i like the sound of Helena Bonham Carter, even without visuals. i can get a great sense of the quality of acting, and her voice works for the character. i've always thought she looked like a dried-up apple...i feel pretty good about that casting. and i love using a much younger Toby.

i can't say the same for Johnny Depp. Todd is written for a bass. there's a dramatic reason for it. he's been well-reviewed thus far, so i have to assume that the visuals distract from the sound a great deal. Sweeney Todd is a sensory assault starting with the screaming steam whistle - along with the visual horror, the music raises hackles and that angry bass resonates every hollow bit of the body. Depp tanks into a growl or slides into patter on phrases that should rattle my bones. i have to assume that there's something on screen that is making up for it. for now, i'll stick with Len Cariou (and George Hearn).

Comments

[spazzychic.livejournal.com]

Johnny Depp has such a presence on screen that you don't care.

I'm itchin to listen to the soundtrack after the fact. :)

[matt-ruff.livejournal.com]

It's actually very good, although you do miss the ballad, particularly at the end.

[melkahb.livejournal.com]

I really feel like I need to see it. Burton's visual storytelling skills and instincts make me curious and will probably shore up the weaknesses I heard in the soundtrack. I'm not sold on Carter's take on Mrs. Lovett, but again, I'll reserve complete judgment until I've seen the film.

[weezlgrrrl.livejournal.com]

I loved the movie. Johnny Depp's edgy and unhinged enough that he makes up for the lighter quality of his voice.

And I DUNNO...I think the "Prince Ali" song from Aladdin is pretty great even without the visuals! But you're right, the dude who sings Aladdin is whiny.

[lleather.livejournal.com]

Michael Cerveris :) Good Sweeney, Nice Sweeney, yeessss