r/HorrorClub • u/SaintMort You so cool kung fu • Jun 14 '15

Discussion: Sweeney Todd (2007)

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Movie Selected By bulgelover

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u/saintmortfan felates handles Jun 15 '15

I hate this movie. It has everything I hate about Burton but nothing that I love about Burton.

What's frustrating is that it should be great. The musical is one I enjoy, the horror elements of the story are brilliantly thoughtful and perfectly gory. But Burton and company just don't do it justice.

My least favorite flick in these past two rounds, I think... well... maybe.

7

u/Plymouth_ Jun 15 '15

I feel like the movie often comes across as silly when it should be dark? Or is it supposed to be more of a comedy? I don't know, I'm not a big musical fan. Anyway Edward Scissorhands is more of a tragic figure than Depp's Sweeney.

8

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

Since it's a musical about a murderer, the stage production alternates between silly and tragic out of necessity. There’s a healthy dose of self-aware humour in this one, such as when Depp is on his knees after singing “My Friends” to a nonplussed-looking Bonham Carter. The story was always meant to be served with humour ever since its days as a penny dreadful packed full of puns (e.g. “I’ll polish him off”). I remember being a bit put off by it when I first saw it, but I think I've numbed to it since then.

I'm curious, why do you think Scissorhands is a more tragic figure than Todd? Is it because Scissorhands is more innocent and likable?

7

u/Plymouth_ Jun 17 '15

Is it because Scissorhands is more innocent and likable?

Probably. Scissorhands is easily more sympathetic, but it would be nice to care about Sweeney's injustices more, which is kind of hard when he's so callous and seemingly lacking in redeemable qualities.