Enjoy People Pie for Christmas with Johnny Depp as SWEENEY TODD!

When it comes to the Christmas release of SWEENEY TODD, there's definitely a burst of anticipation in the air. Why? Because rumor has it Johnny Depp is back with tasty, award-winning vengeance!

But of course he is - vengeance is what Sweeney Todd is all about. Some will have trouble with Depp portraying a mad slasher, but those few people who braved Depp's astounding but very dark and gritty performance in THE LIBERTINE know that this actor can go stone-cold scary with the best of them.

Although a blade will again be a prominent prop in Depp's hand, as it has been in his other films, don't expect the naiveté of Edward Scissorhands or the roguish spankiness of Captain Jack to be much in evidence. In Dreamworks' SWEENEY TODD, Depp will morph into something altogether different, altogether sinister in the end.

Stills from the film trickled forth like, dare we say, a weeping wound until finally the trailers began appearing recently on the web.

Have some fun and judge for yourself. Click here for the US trailer of SWEENEY TODD and here for the first international trailer of SWEENEY TODD.

It will be quite a treat to see Depp slip to the depths of dark depravity as he goes from the blessedly happy gentleman Benjamin Barker to the tortuously grieving demon barber of Fleet Street known as Sweeney Todd. Well, what should an honorable man do when an evil-doer (Judge Turpin) sends him to prison for life in order to steal his wife and child? Chances are, you, too, might hatch one of the most macabre and disturbing revenge plots in musical theatre history.

Musical theatre? Yes, that's right. For those who don't know, Tim Burton's version of SWEENEY TODD is indeed based on the famous, award winning Broadway production "Sweeney Todd...The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," with songs by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. In Burton's film, there is also singing, lots of it.

The mention of singing begs the question of whether Johnny Depp can actually sing. Yes, folks, he can sing. And not just a snippet of drunken salty baritone as was croaked out in Pirates of the Caribbean, Curse of the Black Pearl. As Sweeney Todd, Johnny Depp sings throughout the movie (which is as much light opera as it is a musical).

The singing is demanding and it is said that Depp more than holds his own. Indeed...
drum roll, ... word has it that Depp has a "killer" voice quite up to the challenge of Sondheim's music.

In pre-production days, Sondheim himself approved Depp's singing for the role. Tim Burton didn't seems a bit concerned, knowing that Johnny began his career in Florida (and later California) in a band. Additionally, Depp's lovely mate, Vanessa Paradis is a famous French chanteuse who undoubtedly offered some special tips to her guy. Vanessa's recent album was #1 on the charts in France this September.


Nevertheless, despite assurances, movie fans waited anxiously for first-hand assessment. Finally, during the Venice Film Festival Depp, well turned out in a white dinner jacket, (see pics here) presented Tim Burton with a lifetime achievement award. Then, attendees were treated to an 8-10 minute short from the film. The first review came from Mastidon over at Ain't It Cool who had a front-row seat at the Venice debut of Depp's singing.

"And I'm here to tell you he has a killer voice. I wish I had a recording of the lyrics for you. Johnny sings a love song to the razor blade as he holds it in his hand! The song is about how happy he is to finally have the blade in his hands for his sweet revenge. Towards the end of the song, Helena joins in and they sing a duet to a knife!!!!! The scene ends with Johnny holding the knife in his hand and he says "Now, my arm is complete!"http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

Nick Vivarelli of Variety reports: "Singing 'My Friends' Depp proved he can carry a tune, dueting delightfully with Bonham Carter, herself debuting as a chantoosie."

Also check out the comments on the recent sneak preview by Tom O'Neil writing for Gold Derby and the LA Times. In O'Neil's words, the film is fantastic!

Musical or not, it appears that you will not be hauling out the little kiddies to see this Tim Burton, Johnny Depp masterpiece. Even PG-13 kids may not be able to see the film; indeed, their viewing fate depends largely on Burton's willingness to wield his editing chops and cut out a bit of gore.

Although his hero, Sweeney Todd has little reluctance to slash and bake, Burton, the director, is not at all eager to hack up his movie. Time will tell whether SWEENEY TODD gets stamped "R." Regardless of its MPAA rating, the eagerly awaited film will open in wide release in the US on December 21, 2007 and it will draw a good crowd.

Clearly Burton has mastered the troll like atmosphere of London a la Charles Dickens. The sets are magnificent and compliment the horror tale of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett (with her tender meat pies) perfectly.

The cast of Sweeney Todd is a spooky treat as well. Has there ever been a better villain than Alan Rickman? In SWEENEY TODD, he plays the predatory Judge Turpin. Helena Bonham Carter is the cuddly cunning and quite odd Mrs. Lovett and Sacha Baron Cohen, quite a warbler himself, takes on the role of Signor Adolfo Pirelli.

In the end, the legendary Sweeney Todd (1756-1802) is said to have met his end at a public hanging cheered by thousands. In the Broadway play, Todd's end is equally as dire as his own cutthroat blade dispatches him. But how will the film end?

Whether Tim Burton will exercise poetic license with the ending of the film remains to be seen. However, the epilogue of the stage play most likely will apply to the film as well:

"To seek revenge may lead to hell, but everyone does it, and seldom as well as Sweeney, as Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street..."