Sweeney Todd
I recently came across a movie review from the great Roger Ebert at rogerebert.com on a movie I just watched, Sweeney Todd the demon barber of fleet street. This movie was directed by Tim Burton, and I was reminded of "The Nightmare before Christmas" while watching it.
In his review, Ebert writes; "The bloodiest musical in stage history, it now becomes the bloodiest in film history... But we know that going in and are relieved that Burton has played true to the material. Here is one scenario that is prove against a happy ending." I had heard that this movie was extremely violent before watching it, so it definitely didn't come as a surprise. Although, it was a little strange that the blood in the film had a pinkish tint. My only guess was that it wasn't intended to look like a horror film.
This was more a story of revenge. They didn't want you to feel scared while watching it, they wanted you to feel satisfied with him exacting his revenge. I wasn't sure I would like this movie, I don't think I have ever watched a musical all the way through. I really only watched it because one of my co-workers has been raving about it since she watched it in the theater. The first ten minutes, I almost turned it off. I guess it' s just hard for me to focus on the movie when you learn the entire plot from songs. This movie is literally 90 percent songs. Knowing that my co-worker was going to ask me how I liked the movie, I continued to watch.
After getting past the fact that there were going to be so many songs, I actually became really interested in the story, and began to care about the characters. The songs were brilliantly written and composed, and if you were paying attention, described what was going on, and what the characters were thinking and feeling. I became intrigued and wanted to know the ending.
When Ebert writes that the scenario is prove against the happy ending, he means that by all standards this movie does not have a happy ending, but you don't feel sad and disappointed at the end. All of the main characters end up dead, but only after there is nothing left for them, and you feel like maybe it's better then if they lived.
In his review, Ebert writes; "The bloodiest musical in stage history, it now becomes the bloodiest in film history... But we know that going in and are relieved that Burton has played true to the material. Here is one scenario that is prove against a happy ending." I had heard that this movie was extremely violent before watching it, so it definitely didn't come as a surprise. Although, it was a little strange that the blood in the film had a pinkish tint. My only guess was that it wasn't intended to look like a horror film.
This was more a story of revenge. They didn't want you to feel scared while watching it, they wanted you to feel satisfied with him exacting his revenge. I wasn't sure I would like this movie, I don't think I have ever watched a musical all the way through. I really only watched it because one of my co-workers has been raving about it since she watched it in the theater. The first ten minutes, I almost turned it off. I guess it' s just hard for me to focus on the movie when you learn the entire plot from songs. This movie is literally 90 percent songs. Knowing that my co-worker was going to ask me how I liked the movie, I continued to watch.
After getting past the fact that there were going to be so many songs, I actually became really interested in the story, and began to care about the characters. The songs were brilliantly written and composed, and if you were paying attention, described what was going on, and what the characters were thinking and feeling. I became intrigued and wanted to know the ending.
When Ebert writes that the scenario is prove against the happy ending, he means that by all standards this movie does not have a happy ending, but you don't feel sad and disappointed at the end. All of the main characters end up dead, but only after there is nothing left for them, and you feel like maybe it's better then if they lived.
posted by Darrah @ 12:07 PM
2 Comments:
At April 8, 2008 at 9:32 PM ,
Jeremy Hedman said...
This movie was really well done in my opinion. The plot for his revenge, the use of people in Sweeny Todd's previous life to convey the connection between lives, and the ultimate success and demise of Sweeny Todd was brilliantly done. It was almost like one of the Greek tragedies where families are split and they do things to each other while not knowing the other's true identity.
4.5 stars of five from me.
Jeremy
At April 13, 2008 at 11:22 PM ,
Darrah said...
Yeah, I agree. I didn't think I would like this movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was really well done.
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