Answer (1 of 2): From the IMDB faq: "Did the actors really sing?" "Yes. There are five weeks until "Sweeney Todd" opens December 21, and Burton is still working on his latest ambitious endeavor, a full-fledged live-action musical (his first) based on Stephen Sondheim's Broadway hit. He makes Sid Vicious look like the innocent paper boy, Depp says. In it, Sweeney begins by serenading his blades and then quickly moves to slicing customer after customer. Though there is still much debate as to whether the real Sweeney Todd ever existed (some say a similar character existed in 18thcentury London; others in Paris), his story gained momentum after its publication in the "penny dreadfuls" - the cheap, tabloid sheets of the 19th century. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Hes already dead. Sweeney Toddtells the story of a man driven mad after having the woman he loved stolen from him and getting accused for a crime he didn't commit. Just sing.' Sweeney Todd: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Tim Burton's Musical, Batman Returns & 9 More Terrific Tim Burton Films That Scream Halloween, 10 Halloween Flicks You Can Watch Year Round, Charles Dickens his proper due in the invention of the story, 10 Darkest Fan Theories About Tim Burton Films, 10 Batman Villains We Wish Appeared In The Tim Burton Films, favorite projects was going to be converted to film, Every Johnny Depp & Tim Burton Movie, Ranked (According To IMDb). As for the biggest question of the day -- can Depp sing? I find myself sobbing at these moments in a movie where I just watched James Bond sing ABBA on a boat with a Greek chorus. The choice to cast a real musician in this role paid off in large part because each song in the movie is performed with a depth that truly allows us to get a deeper understanding of the character since many of the songs describe events that we DON'T get to see in the film. how it feels to be an attraction at Disneyland. Then in 1973, Christopher Bond put out a stage adaptation which was later used by Sondheim as the basis for his musical. It showcases how caring the characters about Turpin, but it's not a major moment in the movie. You are going to freak out a lot of pre-pubescent girls with this character. Its a good bit to chew on when youre a kid. Depp's intense performance won him a Golden Globe for Best Actor, and an Academy Award nomination. She's the perfect example of a studio just casting a name and seemingly not caring about the performance whatsoever. Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. Since Depp performs his own songs in Sweeney. The younger man, Anthony - flaxen-haired and innocent of face - is full of hope as to what the capital has in store for him. Imm. We see big name actors straining themselves in song so often that it is a joy to watch McGregor's voice soar in each number he has. He made "Stars" and "Javert's Soliloquy" sound like a drunk guy at karaoke that makes us all regret going to Applebees on a Wednesday night. While I would love to live in a world where Broadway actors got a fair chance in Hollywood, it's understandable that audiences are far more likely to come see blockbuster draws like Hugh Jackman in Les Misrables than they would Alfie Boe. NEXT PAGE: Singing couldnt be more foreign to me in a lot of ways, but at the same time, I need to incorporate my own process to find it, to see where I land., The star of the new Tim Burton-directed gruesome musical tells EW about exercising his vocal chords, being doused with fake blood -- and why his daughter thinks he's really weird, Johnny Depp on cutting loose in ''Sweeney Todd''. I know I'm not the first guy to ruthlessly attack your singing in this film, but when thinking about actors who should stick to acting, your name is always first to come to mind. Photos: Michael B. Jordan & More Attend CREED III Premiere in L.A. Now, thirty-some years later, its still a pretty good bit to chew on. Upon release from prison, he plans to exactrevenge on the man who caused his current lot in life, aided by the maniacal Mrs. Lovett. Mr. Depp's Sweeney isn't a regular guy either. Why not hire any of the millions of talented performers who can sing this role? Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd featured incredible performances from Johnny Depp and Helena Boham Carter, alongside memorable tunes and lyrics. So that's what I did. Sweeney Todd is an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's musical, and for all but about 10 minutes of the two-hour movie, the actors express their often disturbing emotions in song. Updated November 03, 2007 at 04:00 AM EDT, Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, About Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. 15 Best and Worst Johnny Depp Roles: From Scissorhands to Sparrow The hit Broadway musical Wicked is officially coming to the big screen! Going into the project, Sondheim (above, far left) was not exactly enthused with the fact that one of his favorite projects was going to be converted to film. "But with Sweeney Todd, he started out as a victim and became obsessed with the idea of revenge," says Depp. versus the Squares (nice kids), and has Drape Cry-Baby (Johnny Depp) and Square Allison (Amy Locane) fall for each other. Try this. And he put on Van Morrisons Astral Weeks. ", And did his long-term girlfriend, French singer Vanessa Paradis, give him any pointers before he took on the task of singing on film? Because the lives of the wicked should be made brief. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Sweeney Todd - The Real Story. The movie musical isn't going anywhere! It doesn't matter if you know how to sing. ", At the event, Burton showed scenes he described as "Sweeney comes home," "Sweeney gets pissed" and "Sweeney gets down to business." The Queen is the perfect example of somebody who constantly bridges the gap between musician and actor, putting out performance after performance of rich acting and remarkable singing. Lady Gaga is raw, real, and captivating throughout the entire movie and she deserves all the praise in the world for what she was able to accomplish with this performance. Mamma Mia! Thecomposition of the pieces also consists mostly of classical techniques, like interlocking melodies referred to as Counterpoint and repetitive melodic phrases which pop up again throughout the play, called Leitmotifs. The role of Sweeney Todd is not one where the performer is expected to hold high notes for extended periods of time or carry melodic ballads throughout. See production, box office & company info. It had pictures thats why I needed it so badly, because it was immediate gratification. Scroll down for more {2}. Matthew has a major passion for movies and television, enjoying a variety of genres from animation and horror to fantasy and thrillers. HBO Documentary Films has acquired worldwide and television streaming rights to the Academy Award- nominated documentary short, HOW DO YOU MEASURE A YEAR?, from longtime HBO collaborator Jay Rosenblatt (HBOs When We Were Bullies, Phantom Limb, The Darkness of Day, Human Remains). When I was twelve, I talked my mom into picking up a Decca electric guitar for me for twenty-five dollars. When "Sweeney Todd" trailers hit the Internet and television, audiences began to wonder how full-fledged a musical this would be. He saw a showing of Sondheim'sSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber OF Fleet Street, and he was immediately enthralled with the story, the look of the play, the music, the character design, and the whole spectacle of the production altogether. "So I did that and sent it to Tim and he felt we were OK. Musical lovers and Stephen Sondheim fanatics know Sweeney Todd really well. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. "At last, my arm is complete again." I started to get more confident, but then the idea of me standing in front of a guy at a piano singing scales seemed against my instinct." Tom Hooper's recent version of one of the greatest treasures in the musical theatre canon is a subject of great debate amongst theatre lovers. Plus, the song itself is just a lot of fun and isn't quite as dark as some of the others. Hansard is brilliant in every moment as the heartbroken, Irish singer-songwriter, and his onscreen chemistry with his co-star is truly special to watch. It's weird to be doing this kind of thing," he told MTV News in an exclusive interview Wednesday night, moments before showing three scenes, totaling 17 minutes of the film, to an enthusiastic audience at Lincoln Center. With a little digging and a little bit of laughter, I think I came up with 10 that are definitely worthy of a mention. She sings through tears and uses the song's dynamic shifts to paint a beautiful picture of a broken woman barely grasping on to her last vestiges of hope. What's great about this version is the knowledge that it was done in one take and is most likely one of those rare moments CAUGHT ON CAMERA that simply cannot be repeated live. He felt the singing was secondary to hitting the notes emotionally. It's one thing to do an ironic take on a pirate; it's another to star in a Tony Award-winning musical having never sung onscreen before. I love Emma Watson, and she does a great job playing Belle as the strong-willed, powerful woman that she is. For his sixth collaboration with the director, Johnny Depp stars as Benjamin Barker aka Sweeney Todd, a barber falsely imprisoned by Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). It's what it sounds like when you force your kid to sing for your extended family at christmas and they just want to get it over with. Yes, Johnny Depp did his own singing in the film Sweeney Todd. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. As Anthony proclaims: "I have sailed the world, beheld its wonders from the Dardanelles to the mountains of Peru but there's no place like London," the camera pans to the everdarkening face of his fellow sailor. If I could match those photographs, then I was golden. -- the answer, at least judging by these scenes, is a resounding yes. Let me know your thoughts on this list! With such a strong movie that compromises so many great songs, it is no surprise that things get wrapped up in a brilliant manner as well with "Final Scene." Visit [article id="1488131"]Movies on MTV.com[/article] for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more. Pretty Women Movie Clip (Sweeney Todd) Performed by Johnny Depp and Alan Rickman Directed by Tim Burton (2007) Show more Show more Watch on YouTube Buy or rent Show more whynotae17 128K. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. . Sweeney Todd becomes obsessed with that dream of revenge and that becomes a compulsive obsession, a madness. Believe it or not, there was a time when portraying a pirate in the key of Keith Richards was considered insanity, at least by some nervous executives at Disney. He grabbed the needle off the album and there was this horrific noise wrrrraarrrar. But, let's get away from her brilliant physicality and captivating emotional depth for a second and talk about the singing. Hathaway won an Oscar for her performance despite being on screen for a mere total of 15 minutes. The actor has starred in six of Burton's films, been on the receiving end of gallons of gore , and, he says, the director is like a delighted child when he is around it. Sometimes these casting choices work out for the best, and we're treated to the wonderful surprise of our favorite stars actually being able to sing; other times, it's a complete disaster. 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Our masculine icons DON'T have to be muscle-headed sports nuts who drive fancy cars and date supermodels. I could go on for hours about why I hate Disney's live action trend (just make new and original content!) But thankfully, Lily-Rose's health improved and she was released from hospital nine days later. I was skeptical for a while about casting this Pop star sensation as the lead role in Bradley Cooper's new version of this timeless classic. Each of the three scenes showcased the actor front and center, and Burton admitted that his version of the story focuses on the man much more so than Carter's Mrs. Lovett, who played a larger part in the Broadway production. In a film that's teeming with star power, Blonsky shines in every scene as Tracy Turnblad. The gore and mayhem proceed as Sweeney Todd pursues his single-minded mission to avenge the injustice he has experienced, and ultimately he hopes to give Turpin one final bloody shave. When he started reconsidering the project, he found something that sparked some casting ideas. too much. That being said,Sondheim was actually pleasantly surprised at the end product and also conceded that the adaptational changes made (such as a few cut songs) were important and well-done. NEW YORK -- At first, the scene on the screen seems like one common in many of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's famous collaborations. Sweeney Todd, formerly known as Benjamin Barker, is the villainous titular protagonist of the 1979 musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the 2007 live-action film of the same name. When you start to take those pieces apart, melody line by melody line, its a lot of half-steps, which is not real easy to do. Angela Lansbury won a Tony award for her performance and appeared in the acclaimed 1982 TV version - and it is fair to say that despite decades of acting experience between them, none of the film's leads were inured to the pressures of auditioning for one of theatre's legendary characters. [Laughs] I think he was probably saying that to make me feel better about what I was about to attempt. There's a quality to it that just feels comforting, and Meryl seems more like a real person than the household name we know her to be. That's how great he is! The story of Anthony Hope falling in love with Johanna is certainly a lot weaker than Sweeney Todd's lust for revenge, however, it does provide this very catchy song. Aside from his rhythmic timing, The Rock shows off some serious pipes! Whatever your opinion on the movie may be, we can all agree that Anne Hathaway steals the show. Conversation with the quick-witted Depp can careen from whether new popes get their genitals cupped to ensure the leader of the Catholic Church is sufficiently male (I think an elderly man waddles up to you and reaches under your dress) to his out-of-control life before he met Paradis (Im a dumb-ass, and I poisoned myself for years. But it just lacks in the emotional aspect, which is where this movie thrives. Slightly ironic. It was like the elephant in the room for five weeks. After all, Sweeney's (Johnny Depp) revenge against Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) takes center stage, but that would be ignoring the class divide at the story's core. Take a break from reading and just picture how awesome that would be for a second. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. I'm sorry, Russell. He's a man who was robbed of his whole life by judge Turpin, so much so that he came back under an assumed identity with only revenge on his mind. This is something that then plays into the rest of the movie, which makes this so great. Burton admitted he was never much of a musical-theater fan, but to the surprise of no one, the bloody tale of Benjamin Barker -- locked away for 15 years for a crime he didn't commit -- was an exception even early on. Happily though, Lily-Rose has fully recuperated and, says Depp, "Each time you take a deep breath, it reminds you that it was a huge victory, with Lily-Rose pulling through with no lasting side-effects.". I was a little kid and it sounded good enough to me. For Depp, Sweeney may pose the biggest challenge yet in a remarkable career predicated on taking chances. It's sung in a totally different way and feels a little more romantic than anything else. Tim Burton is a man who loves wallowing in blood, according to Johnny Depp. The issue with this is that it's both insulting to casual moviegoers who don't hate musicals and to those who are involved in theater, since this advertising choice all butimplies that Sweeney Toddwould be better off without the singing. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Broadway Version) at Amazon.nl. But Tim and the production team were unbelievably supportive and said: 'Look, we're hitting pause.'". But Tim says he saw him as a very tragic guy, although he didn't set out to glorify a serial killer. She would be laughed out of any audition room if she walked in and sang like that, and you want me to believe that this character is a previously undiscovered talent? Johnny Depp talks about kissing Keira Knightley and singing in SWEENEY TODD July 18, 2006 | Posted by Part-Time Poet In an interview with Ruben V. Nepales for the promotion of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, Johnny Depp got to answer a few fresh questions. Scene taken from the movie "Sweeney Todd". But the first song I played all the way through must have been Stairway to Heaven. I remember getting through the finger-picking and just cursing Jimmy Page. Glen Hansard is not an actor, and he hasn't really done anything since this movie, but you'd never know it from this film. I'm a big folk, Americana, and bluegrass fan, and the soundtrack from Llewyn Davis is one of my go-to's on Spotify. Album and there was this horrific noise wrrrraarrrar kid and it sounded good enough me! By serenading his blades and then quickly moves to slicing customer after customer her performance despite on! Basis for his musical most iconic Roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown Tim says saw., my arm is complete again. but the first song I played all the way through must been. 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