No other movie this holiday season fills me with more apprehension and anticipation than the upcoming film adaptation of Steven Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd."
So much could go so right: a unique director theoretically matched perfectly with macabre musical masterpiece. And yet so much could also go so, so wrong: stars with unproven singing talent belting out some of the most intricate musical arrangements ever constructed.
Of course, the singing talent of top stars can be overcome by the genius of the material, or the panache of the director. You may recall the shockingly awesome mini-streak of A-list musicals in 2000-2001, when "Moulin Rouge" and "Chicago" revived the genre. Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger overcame their weak voices by truly inhabiting their roles. Plus, it helped that their directors had a deep understanding of and respect for the musical genre.
Tim Burton, however lauded for his intermittent brilliance in the early '90s, is far from respected as a dramatic auteur. Some pundits are claiming that "Sweeney Todd" will finally garner Burton some cache in the "serious dramatic arts" department. Yet there is nothing to suggest that he will hit this one out of the park, especially with the cast he has lined up.
Alan Rickman and Sasha Baron Cohen seem like amazing choices for their roles, but I am basing this on their sheer quirkiness and comic timing. It is Burton's choice of leads that has me wishing Angela Lansbury were still sprightly enough to crank out "The Worst Pies in London."
Unlike so many cinephiles, I am not enamored of Johnny Depp. His recent renaissance in the A-list celebrity world has baffled me, if only for the fact that critics insist on praising his acting talent. Yes, "Pirates of the Caribbean" (2003) was great fun, and he does have some interesting performances in his back catalogue, but he is not one of cinema's top thespians, despite two recent Oscar nominations.
It will forever pain me that Burton could not look outside his coterie (or bedroom) and hire Hugh Jackman to play the legendary barber. He's utterly underestimated as an actor and has one of the most illustrious legitimate musical theatre careers among top Hollywood stars. Jackman in musical mode can dance, sing and work a stage better than any male star out there today. Matthew Broderick, eat your heart out.
On paper, Burton made a good choice to cast his other muse, Helena Bonham Carter, in the iconic role of Mrs. Lovett.
Sure, Carter has some classic performances in her resume as well, such as "Fight Club" (1999), but by cutting down on what is supposed to be a true co-lead role, Burton runs the risk of turning a powerful character into a mugging gimmick, all dark-circled eyes and Victorian costuming.
The trailer neither confirms nor negates my suspicions. It seems ashamed of the fact that the movie is actually a musical, featuring only one(!) sung line.
With the mind-bogglingly abhorrent, insipid, forced dreck known as "Hairspray" (2007) being this film's only anticipated competition for awards this season, I am hoping that no matter how bad "Sweeney Todd" is, it at least obliterates the horrible, saccharine-sweet taste of rotten candy with which the John Travolta "hit" left me.
Billy DeGregorio is a senior majoring in English and Spanish with a minor in communications and media studies. Contact him at william.degregorio@tufts.edu.
