Has anyone seen this yet. I was very disappointed. I am a huge fan of the stage show and the original Broadway show is available on DVD starring Angela Lansbury. I thought the story was rushed, certain characters were not developed properly and Tim Burton's choice to use horrible blood effects made the killing scenes laughable.

I saw it and actually liked it a lot. I think it's the closest thing so far Burton has to a comeback (I feel his post-Sleepy Hollow work has lacked). I thought the blood effects were great, although that particular style probably fits better in Samurai films than in Tim Burton's. Nevertheless, pretty cool. The only thing I really felt lacked was the music. I'm not the biggest fan of musicals but I've seen enough to know what works and what doesn't. The songs in Sweeney Todd weren't bad per se but they had no flow and too many instances of characters singing over each other. Although I prefer this greatly to, say, Chicago, at least you could remember the songs from that one. I don't remember any of the songs from this one.

Quoted from James McClung I saw it and actually liked it a lot. I think it's the closest thing so far Burton has to a comeback (I feel his post-Sleepy Hollow work has lacked). I thought the blood effects were great, although that particular style probably fits better in Samurai films than in Tim Burton's. Nevertheless, pretty cool. The only thing I really felt lacked was the music. I'm not the biggest fan of musicals but I've seen enough to know what works and what doesn't. The songs in Sweeney Todd weren't bad per se but they had no flow and too many instances of characters singing over each other. Although I prefer this greatly to, say, Chicago, at least you could remember the songs from that one. I don't remember any of the songs from this one.

The music was one of the only redeeming qualities of the film. You are obviously not well versed in the musical genre and please don't tell me you know what works and what doesn't in the musical business. This musical has been around for a long time. It obviuosly works. This is why this is one of my favorite stage shows....you don't leave humming the songs like you would if you just saw Joseph for the first time. There is so much more going on in this one. It's very dark and the meaning is so deep, which I why I thought the blood effects were completely unneccesary. It took away from the story. Also, in the movie version there was a ton of music cut. The most recognizable song from the show was cut from the film. The only reason you liked the blood effects was because you like those types of films. However there was no place for it in this film and it ruined it on many levels for me and others who I've spoken to.

Are we throwing down over who has knows what in the musical genre?

You asked for an opinion.  You got one.  And here is another.

Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd is just that - Tim Burton's.  Very visual, it is like a graphic novel unfolding.  Sure, it isn't exactly like the original musical, or, at least, the musical you've seen (different directors interpret it differently - it IS theater). In many ways, I liked Tim Burton's better then the two versions I have seen in LA.  The acting was distinctly better.  And I liked the direction, the new visual style and, oh me oh my, the blood.  And I think during the killing it was supposed to be laughable, but in a really dark way.  It allowed you to experience his joy of killing.  You laughed than felt a bit bad about it afterwards.

I also enjoyed the music.  I left the theater humming the chorus to "A little Priest".  And everyone I went to the theater has bought the movie and the sound track since.  

It entertained me.  Few movies do.  

Quoted from Pants The music was one of the only redeeming qualities of the film. You are obviously not well versed in the musical genre and please don't tell me you know what works and what doesn't in the musical business. This musical has been around for a long time. It obviuosly works. This is why this is one of my favorite stage shows....you don't leave humming the songs like you would if you just saw Joseph for the first time. There is so much more going on in this one. It's very dark and the meaning is so deep, which I why I thought the blood effects were completely unneccesary. It took away from the story. Also, in the movie version there was a ton of music cut. The most recognizable song from the show was cut from the film. The only reason you liked the blood effects was because you like those types of films. However there was no place for it in this film and it ruined it on many levels for me and others who I've spoken to.

I know what works for me. Obviously, a musical buff is going to be more well versed in the genre than I am but I can still listen to a song and no if it works or not. Subject matter aside, I didn't think the songs in Sweeney Todd had flow. They were complex, sure, and that gives a song merit on a whole other level but I couldn't follow any of them. Regardless of what I know about musicals, they didn't do it for me.

As for the blood effects, yeah. I like Japanese movies so I'm going to like little bits and pieces of them I see in other films. You're probably right, they didn't work in Sweeney Todd but they didn't ruin the film for me. Burton's never been good with gore anyway IMO.

Quoted from The boy who could fly I say it's good, and really, that's all that counts

Yeah.

Sondheim is God.

That's all.

On a serious note, Sweeney Todd isn't your grandmother's Rodger's and Hammerstein's musical. It's intense, complex, dark and dreary. The music is what makes it genius. The story is as melodramatic as you can get, but if it didn't have the wonderful score and lyrics, it wouldn't be around today.

One of the many things about Sondheim's music is that it doesn't work out of context. You can't just pull a song out and start singing.

I've probably listened to the revival recording around 100 times. I know every word. The movie soundtrack isn't as full, but the singing is incredible. Everything spoken, whether dialogue or lyrics, are character specific for everyone. I would've hated to walk in there and hear Helena sing like she's been taking lessons all her life. The voices should match the character. I feel that Helena was robbed out of an Oscar. Her performance, especially in "Not While I'm Around", is chilling.

Johnny Depp was little too one note for me, but that's not really his fault. He has one need, and he obsesses over it.

I thought the children were good. The cuts left them a little lifeless, but again, that's not really Sondheim's decision.

Right now I'm listening to Assassins, which is another brilliant Sondheim show.

Quoted from ABennettWriter Sondheim is God. That's all. On a serious note, Sweeney Todd isn't your grandmother's Rodger's and Hammerstein's musical. It's intense, complex, dark and dreary. The music is what makes it genius. The story is as melodramatic as you can get, but if it didn't have the wonderful score and lyrics, it wouldn't be around today. One of the many things about Sondheim's music is that it doesn't work out of context. You can't just pull a song out and start singing.

Well said.

I've listened to the original cast recording of Sweeney Todd obsessively for years. I've seen the 1982 stage recording. I shuddered over the concert broadcast (Patti LuPone = Overacting). I saw the movie.

Frankly, I enjoyed it. I understand the difference between a stage musical and a movie musical. They're different animals completely. Each focuses on a different aspect of any given story in that a musical is all about the emotion while a movie is all about the visual. You try to combine the emotional stage with the visual film, and you end up with something like this movie. Yes, the "Ballad of Sweeney Todd" was stripped from the film, but in Sondheim shows, the chorus is part of the backdrop of the story that helps to fill in gaps that a stage production can't actually produce. A movie, being purely visual, can use straight music behind a visual backdrop to show what Sondheim's chorus usually tells. We say it a lot around here: show, don't tell.

A lot of songs got cut here and there, but for me, it didn't detract from the story (unless I obsess over what got cut). As with any story, you've got to give it a chance to stand on its own without concerning yourself with whatever has gone before. It's a matter of trying to detach this film from the prior stage productions, and examining it on its own merits. You say the blood detracted from the story, but what exactly do you expect would happen when you stab someone? Or cut their throat? A modest trickle? Come on.

A lot of the comments I have read on this criticize a lot of minor things or criticize because it isn't the stage production. Well observed. It isn't the stage production. It's a movie. It's a different animal entirely. Things that work on stage don't work in a movie and vice versa. Burton took the parts of the musical that would work best on film, and left out all of the stuff that really only works on stage.

As someone who knows the musical inside and out, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

I enjoyed it too. I wish it had all the songs, because I think it's Sondheim's best work, but I know the movie wouldn't have worked well that way.

I agree with everything George has said.

Oh, it's the peak of Sondheim's career. That musical is like the division of his old-school musical work, and what he became later where the songs and story are full integrated, but he never really achieved another Sweeney Todd. Most of the ones that followed are clever, innovative, and/or cute, even, but they never measured up fully to this one.

Long before Memento, there was the backwards rolling story, Merrily We Roll Along. It was a nice tale, and very well told, but it was no Sweeney Todd, even though (I believe) it was the very next thing he did.

I enjoyed the movie because I enjoy Sweeney Todd. I had problems with the ridiculous blood effects. Regardless I'm glad that more and more musicals are coming to the silver screen. Things will always be different when they are transitioned from stage to film, and for the most part I will probably take issues with many things. But at least the musical genre is getting some exposure.

Quoted from ABennettWriter I feel that Helena was robbed out of an Oscar. Her performance, especially in "Not While I'm Around", is chilling.

I couldn't agree more the look on her face when Toby calls her "mum" is quite haunting.