What. The. Fuck?

[yendi]

According to this NY Times article (link ganked from hangingfire) Tim Burton is cutting "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" from his upcoming movie.

*sigh*

Yeah, this is going to be the Planet of the Apes/Batman Returns Burton directing here.

The rest of the article makes it sound like it'll be a debacle of epic proportions, as well. Burton is at his best when he remember that moviemaking is about more than making things look real purty.

Comments

[auryn29a.livejournal.com]

Judging from the trailer I saw, I wasn't even sure he was doing it as a musical. It just looked like yet another dark, twisted Tim Burton movie to me.

[thegreatjohnzo.livejournal.com]

so, the same thing he's done for the last 20 years?

[yendi]

Which is actually what I'd rather he make, anyway. Burton working with Neil Gaiman (who started a ST tale back in Taboo years ago) on a non-musical telling would be fine.

[creepingcrud.livejournal.com]

Huh. There's going to be a local production of the musical early next year. Maybe I should skip the movie and go to that instead (as opposed to in addition).

[yendi]

I'd say that's probably a good idea.

[underpope.livejournal.com]

Musicals in general, especially Sondheim, don't fare too well when transitioned to the big screen. The stage version of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum made me laugh hysterically. My sides ached, my stomach cramped, and my wife was embarrassed. But the film version just sort of fell flat. It just seemed like everything interesting in the play that made it fun to watch had been snipped out, leaving behind a lifeless, limp heap of boring.

While I enjoyed Batman Returns, I thoroughly agree with you on his "reimagination" of Planet of the Apes; it's because of that film that the word "reimagination" makes me shudder every time I hear it.

So while I want to enjoy Burton's Sweeney Todd, I'm certainly not holding my hopes up.

[yendi]

I actually loved AFTHotWttF, but I saw the movie first, which helped. I was also younger then.

The problem with the word "reimagination" is that it contains "imagination," which implies that there will be actual imagination employed.

[coyotegoth.livejournal.com]

Personally, I hope they cut some of those 97 reprises of "Jahanna," where everyone is singing at once. That said, this looks worrisome.

[yendi]

Yeah, I'm with you on that one.

[modpixie.livejournal.com]

oh noes.

(i do wish he'd done a film version of into the woods, instead of this.)

[emilytheslayer.livejournal.com]

Why, do you hate that musical? Or just think the visuals could be awesome if he did it?

[modpixie.livejournal.com]

i like into the woods a lot, and i think that would work better for burton's style and approach than sweeney todd would. sweeney is one of my favorite shows of all time, and though i generally don't mind burton (i like some of his earlier films, as well as big fish, but he's not my favorite! director! of all TIME!), but burton's aesthetic and steamquirk tone aren't really compatible with the grand guignol/greek tragedy tone of sweeney. into the woods is a little lighter, and would work better with his approach to film.

i also wish depp hadn't been cast as todd. while i like depp (he's the marlon brando of our generation!), there's an actor with a strong musical theatre background and name-above-the-title pull who has worked with burton in the past. alas, he passed over christopher walken (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000686/) for the title role.

[emilytheslayer.livejournal.com]

Cool. I was only partially being sarcastic. :)
I see your points and think they have merit.
Which is coming off really strange and stilted, but it my way of saying that I don't know enough about any of this to continue the discussion, but suspect you're probably right. :)

[modpixie.livejournal.com]

I LOVE IT WHEN I'M RIGHT!

in all seriousness, i'm trying to counter my hate-y 'tude with some constructive feedback. if only the studio would listen to me. :)

[jerel.livejournal.com]

what? fuck that, man. That's the best song in the whole show.

[not-hothead-yet.livejournal.com]

at the very least it's the main song. it framed the whole play, set the tone and narrated the acctions to come. i can't understand why he'd take that one out. "green finch..." i can see tossing that and the love song. even "johanna" the whole masterbation/flogging scene but the main ballad?!

[brak55.livejournal.com]

I think that might be a reason FOR taking it out. Film can open up to multiple scenes to tell back story. I'm hoping that Burton will do visually what the Ballad of Sweeney Todd did in the more static environment of the stage.

The film makers of Sondheim's A Little Night Music did a similar thing when they pulled all of the framing songs that were performed on the stage by the quartet. They were used for framing and to allow for scene/costume changes, neither of which were needed in a film version of the show (and, no, I'm not defending that particular movie, but just using it as an example of a similar occurrence).

[wishiwasnt.livejournal.com]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I've never seen a Tim Burton movie I actually liked. They always feel so cold and detached to me.

On the other hand, I'm in the minority of theater fans who don't like Sweeney Todd that much either (I'm not anti-Sondheim, but Sweeney Todd just reaaaaaallly dragged for me).

[yendi]

ST isn't my favorite Sondheim, but I do enjoy it.

As far as Burton goes, I think he's hit or miss, but movies like Big Fish just work wonderfully for me.

[thegreatjohnzo.livejournal.com]

don't forget mars attacks. and that new willy wonka just doesnt do it for me having grown up watching the original charlie. and why does he have to cast johnny depp in everything he makes? along with helena bonham carter? i mean, kevin smith likes his actors too but he hires real people a lot....

i dunno, i'm just not a huge tim burton fan.

[yendi]

I liked Mars Attacks (which, in fairness, I was comparing to ID4). Never saw the Charlie remake, because I saw no reason for it to be remade. Still don't.

[not-hothead-yet.livejournal.com]

you missed a lot of flash and "ooo-ah!" and that's about it. The songs SUCKED.

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

Burton is good only when he uses his quirky style to tell a story, rather than just "HEY, LOOK AT MY QUIRKY STYLE!!!" cinematography.

[yendi]

Exactly!