“Sweeney Todd” sneak peek!
Bloody-Disgusting gets an exclusive look at 17 minutes of footage AND a 1:1 chat with Tim Burton.
By: Kara Warner
For those unfamiliar with the film’s premise, “Sweeney Todd” is the story of Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp), a man falsely imprisoned as part of a plot devised by evil Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) so that he could steal Barker’s wife Lucy and daughter Johanna. Barker manages to escape from prison after 15 years and returns to London a changed man with a vengeful agenda: kill the man who destroyed his life. Barker adopts the guise of Sweeney Todd and sets up his old Barber Shop above pie maker Mrs. Nellie Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) who tells him his wife poisoned herself after Judge Turpin took advantage of her. He also learns his now teenaged daughter has become the object of Turpin’s affections and is imprisoned in the Judge’s house. Things continue to get worse for Sweeney when he is confronted by rival barber Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen) who threatens to expose Sweeney’s identity. Pirelli doesn’t get the chance however, because Sweeney slits his throat in a blind rage. Luckily, Mrs. Lovett solves the barber’s problem of having to dispose of the body and suggests using the human flesh as filling for her meat pies. Thus, the Demon Barber’s murderous spree begins. On to our 17-minute “first look” at the film…
The footage was broken into three vignettes: “My Friends,” “Epiphany,” and “Johanna,” introduced by Burton as: “Sweeney Todd comes home, Sweeney Todd gets pissed off, Sweeney Todd gets down to business (the last of which received enthusiastic and knowing cheers from the audience).” Fans of the play however, will recognize the titles as three of the production’s more memorable musical numbers. Did we mention “Sweeney Todd” is a musical? Don’t worry, it’s not what you think. Yes, there is singing of songs, 26 to be exact, but they have an unnerving, eerie quality that keeps the story’s sinister subtext at the forefront. Just when you think Sweeney is about to burst with stereotypical musical joy, whoosh! Knife to the jugular. Arteries severed. Blood everywhere.
Our favorite of the three clips was definitely “Johanna,” which is essentially a loving song about Sweeney’s lost daughter, but is in actuality, a bloodbath. Seriously. Take comfort in the fact that Burton has used the R-rating to its full advantage. The body count tops out at five before the number ends and shows each execution in every blood-spattering, skin-slicing detail. (We told you it’s not a normal musical.) The look of the film has the antique, period feel of Burton’s “Sleepy Hollow,” but with a more menacing, darkly disturbed tone.
The story itself is a heart wrenching, old-fashioned melodrama with complex, quirky characters perfect for the Burton/Depp treatment (this is their sixth collaboration, for those keeping track). Speaking of Depp, this was the first taste we’ve had of his singing and wow, are we impressed. His voice has such an appropriately haunting, rock edge to it, it’s a wonder he hasn’t done any singing before this. Anyway, what more can we say other than last night’s sneak peek has only increased our excitement for this film? Send your positive thoughts out east where Burton and his editors are putting the final touches on the sound before the film’s release, December 21. Until then, we leave you with our exclusive chat with the main man himself:
Our short chat with Tim Burton
What can horror fans can expect from Sweeney Todd?
Burton: The goal was to make a good, old horror movie. One of the things Johnny and I talked about was the good old horror movies and horror movie actors, like Peter Lorre or Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, the kind of acting style you don’t really see much anymore. This seemed like the right material to kind of do that, a real old horror movie.
In addition to the general challenges of adapting a stage production into a film, how are you handling the play’s humor/horror balance?
Burton: I tried to follow the same [format]. That’s what I loved about it, is that it had a mixture of horror and humor and emotion and sadness, beauty, that’s what I love about it so we tried to keep it all in there.
What are you working on next?
Burton: Just this [Sweeney Todd]. I’ve enjoyed making this and I’m going to try and savor it for awhile.
Your thoughts on the horror genre in general?
Burton: It’s always been around, it always will be around, it’s great. I grew up watching it, all forms of it so I’m a fan of pretty much all horror.
What keeps horror fans coming back for more?
Burton: It’s a catharsis. It lets it out of their system, it’s good.
SWEENEY TODD hits theaters everywhere December 21.
-Kara Warner
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