Sweeney Todd

from variety.com:

Both sharp and fleet, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” proves a satisfying screen version of Stephen Sondheim’s landmark 1979 theatrical musical. Where much could have gone wrong, things have turned out uniformly right thanks to highly focused direction by Tim Burton, expert screw-tightening by scenarist John Logan to bring the show from three hours down to two, and fine, haunted and musically adept lead performances from Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Artistic combo assembled here assures the film will reap by far the biggest audience ever to see a pure Sondheim musical, although just how big depends on the upscale crowd’s tolerance for buckets of blood, and the degree to which the masses stay away due to the whiff of the highbrow. In all events, DreamWorks-Paramount and Warner Bros. have a classy and reasonably commercial delicacy on their hands.

...

Heavy curiosity will center on how Depp, in particular, manages the vocals (all the actors performed their songs themselves). The answer is, perfectly well, thank you. The ever-resourceful thesp doesn’t take the half-measure of sing-speaking in the manner of Rex Harrison or Richard Burton, but puts across his many numbers with a scarcely overpowering but entirely agreeable voice that effectively registers the lyrics’ import.

The same goes for Bonham Carter, a similarly untrained vocalist, who works in the same vein of successfully acting her role through song. There is deeply buried emotion and charged motivations in both characters that Depp and Bonham Carter consistently express, and the eerie similarity of their looks -- the endlessly dark eyes, cascading black hair, delicate facial structure, sunken cheeks, exaggerated lips, slight stature -- accentuates the characters’ complicity; at one point, they are both so pale, they look like they’ve been done up in whiteface.

Full review here



Now who had doubts about Johnny's singing ability?!?! 

I can't wait to see it!!!

eeeek so excited!!!!

I want to see this too. 

I never doubted for a second.  God(s) help me, he even manages to look scrummy as Sweeney Todd.  Sigh.

Ditto

I'm so excited about this one, saw a preview the other day and it looks fab!!

Mention in the paper about that photo you posted - you can see Big Ben in the background, even though it wasn't around at the time...they've pulled that promo shot (apparently) and reissued it with Big Ben edited out!

Soooo excited!  Johnny Depp....sigh....

I'd watch a few hours of Johnny picking his nose, so I can't wait, either!

I'm looking forward to seeing this as it's one of my favourite musicals.

I have heard two songs from the soundtrack. I was really pleased with how well Helena sang...I never imagined her the type to carry a tune.  Johnny is not a singer, but I think he acts out his part well and it works.  Will Alan Rickman sing? His character has a song, though it's not a very nice one and rather creepy.. I cant see it somehow. (Edited to say: yes he does!)

I hope it does fantastically well.

Rich is seeing this tonight, I so wanted to go, but I'm just not feeling well at all!  Sigh

Rich is seeing this tonight, I so wanted to go, but I'm just not feeling well at all!  Sigh

Poor you! I remember trying to get out to the movies whenever I could before....the big event!

Poor you! I remember trying to get out to the movies whenever I could before....the big event!

Thank you!  I love going to the Movies too!  I'm hoping to go see something (Anything) soon!

Rich is seeing this tonight, I so wanted to go, but I'm just not feeling well at all!  Sigh

He's going without you?  How dare he not sit at home and suffer with you!  Do I need to come over and give him a talkin' to?