Sweeney Todd (2007 Film Soundtrack) (Deluxe Edition)
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Free Music Notes for Sweeney Todd (2007 Film Soundtrack) (Deluxe Edition)
Free Music Review: I Love THIS "Sweeney" most of all-here's why!
Hit: 5 Stars
I have every version,even the Catalan version, ever recorded of this Sondheim musical.Every one of them offers something new and unique about the performance.I LOVE THIS ONE MOST OF ALL.Here's why?
Because this was recorded for film and not with stage actors, the performances are subtle and not overblown.Depp's "Sweeney" is dark,compelling,concerned with character.His version of "My Friends" is the the most intimate yet,as he "whispers" to his razors that "they will drip rubies" it chills just with the sheer intimacy of it all.He also sings with the proper accent for Todd which others such as Hearn and Cariou never did. Depp's Todd (more akin to Michael Cerveris') is a "Fleet Street" Todd,with the proper "f" sound that replaces the "th".When Depp grimly declares..."at last,my right arm is complete again"...WOW!
Alan Rickman's wonderfully deep bass is perfection for Judge Turpin."Pretty Women" IS a "wonder" with Rickman and Depp together.The English accent of Rickman is totally befitting for his class and stature.Timothy Spall's Beadle is as clear as a bell and again as he advises Turpin of "a sprinkling of French cologne to enhance the chase", the accent and tone is perfection.All of the actor/singers,Jamie Campbell Bower is crystal clear tenor as he warmly sings "Johanna";Edward Saunders as young Tobey is revelatory with his pure young "Oliveresque" performance of a young child and not as a 20+ stage star!; Jane Wisener as Johanna's time is limited, but her "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" is totally adequate;
Helena Bonham-Carter will be the most disputed interpretation of Nellie Lovett, no doubt.Again,upon many listenings,there is the temptation to compare her with the stage versions.Ahh, but Carter is not the star of the film as her character has become in all of the stage versions! Carter plays a far more understated Lovett in order to let Depp's Todd be the true center of attention.This is SWEENEY TODD and not MRS.LOVETT.Not to discredit Lansbury and LuPone who have been so often recorded in this role,but Carter "backseats" here and does not arrive "overdone" as her predecessors have!When Carter and Saunders combine for "Not While I'm Around" it is sheer vocal and character bliss.
Sasha Baron Cohen is a baritone Pirelli,instead of the usual high tenor.Each word is totally clear.His song is streamlined even as it is also customarily done on stage.
Many songs are streamlined and reworked (even some couplets are totally new)."Kiss Me" is totally omitted, but frankly, not missed by me.The song is not germane or necessary to the film adaptation.
The new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick are wonderfully refreshing after nearly 30 years of hearing the old ones.( The 2005 Revial Version is also wonderfully refreshing in it's parred down state)."The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and the "choruses" are now orchestrated and modified as Burton's film is able to change the scenery for us and show us what these songs told us on stage.
Paul Gemignani's tempi are perfection (he has been Sondheim's conductor for 25+ years), and the altering of keys to accommodate the actors is completely refreshing for me, after hearing them the same for so long.The orchestra blows through the speakers and every actor's word is heard clearly.Sondheim approved all of the streamlining as he did it himself.
I love the CD and the 80 page booklet with production notes,glossy film pix and film libretto is well worth the purchase.I wholeheartedly put the film soundtrack along side, and in places over, the others.PURISTS may never embrace it. New converts to SWEENEY will be won.That is the strength of THIS recording! No apologies for 5+******'s here!
For "Sondheads" such as I...if Sondheim, himself, is always able to adapt and re-adapt his own work over the years to keep it fresh and alive,why can't we afford him his right?
For Burton fans such as I...SWEENEY TODD is his all-time favorite musical.Would such a fan disrespect or misinterpret a masterpiece that he worked on along with the composer? Not likely...and not here!
Free Music Review: Great "musical" soundtrack!
Hit: 5 Stars
After reading the reviews I refused to write anything untill I had heard all the other versions of "Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street." I did see the movie before witnessing and musical of Sweeney Todd so I may be biased but my interpretation is that of a musician. I have studied music for over seven years. After seeing the movie Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet street the first thing I remarked upon was the orchesta. I thought for sure I would see the London Philharmonic orchestra listed at the end of the movie. I was very impressed by the music in the movie and when after researching over 5 different sites to find that the orchestra was local to the set. Now after hearing several stage productions of Sweeney Todd and and the movie I can see why musical originals are upset. Sweeney Todd originally is really an opera instead of a musical where the singing takes over the plot. The vibrato of the singers is overwhelming for the plot and was hard for me to enjoy after being overtaxed by Burton's adaptation. I felt Tim Burton turned the plot into more of a musical/acting piece instead of an opera. He focused more on the portrayl of characters rather than the songs which made it far more enjoyable for more people. I have to give credit to Sondheim for his genius to be interpretted in many different ways.
Those people who had seen the musical were expecting the character of Mrs. Lovett to take the show. This is because of the way it was originally interpretted. According to the original interpretation of Sweeney Todd, it should have been named Mrs. Lovett's pie shop. Her songs are the most difficult and important to the plot. So musical goers were expecting phenmoenal when Helena Bonham Carter delivered a really good show it did not seem enough. Imagine that, Burton made the musical about Todd intead of Mrs. Lovett... Another aspect I was impressed with was the fact the actors matched the setting with being almost all british actors something that hasn't been seen in movies since Harry Potter. Speaking of which, the movie had three actors from. I had no idea that anyone of these actors could alone carry a tune or sing a song well! Since this story is based in London, british accents were highly appropriate and I thought Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, and Edward Sanders as Toby did a fantastic job. Quite honestly the best actor/singer by far was the part of Toby, who was for once the correct age. As for the part of Johanna it was stil too opera for me and not musical by definition. I was even impressed by the singing skill of Sacha Baron Cohen/Borat, very nice!
Overall, I was thoughly impressed by this movie and soundtrack. I have heard the soundtrack over thirty times since I saw the movie last week. I thouroughly endorse it. I was completely surprised by each and every actor/actress and their singing promise. Definetly worth listening to more than twice! Those musical goers who missed this artistic greatness were too wrapped up in the fantastic opera singing of previous renditions which missed the characters and the intended plot of Stephen Sondheim.
Buy this soundtrack!
~ Katie
Free Music Review: A good modern take on a classic
Hit: 5 Stars
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is in my opinion Sondheim's greatest work and is an indisputable masterpiece. The 2007 Film Soundtrack featuring Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd and Helena Bohman Carter as Mrs Lovett is a unique, fresh recording which makes the musical more accessible to both theatre and non-theatre fans.
The orchestrations (by the legendary Jonathan Tunick) are haunting, lush and full, exceeding all other recordings; this alone is enough to warrant a purchase. The brilliance of the orchestrations is best demonstrated in the "Opening Title" track and at the end of "My Friends" - the latter (in my opinion) exceedingly replaces "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd". Only the 2000 Concert recording of the ballad in "My Friends" (performed by George Hearn and Company) can match the power of the the film's version, for me. Although I have noticed at times the orchestrations are less powerful on the recording than in the film. This is especially noticeable in the final scene. (see 6:03 minutes on the soundtrack and compare to the corresponding scene in the film).
"No Place Like London" is now a great opening number and Jamie Cambell Bower's range is high enough to contrast Johnny Depp's tenor range to have its intended effect, although it works much better with Tim Burton's stylistic visuals of London and the absence of the Beggar Woman can make it rather uniform at times.
Helana Bohman Carter's voice is definitely a weak spot in the soundtrack, however her voice is a lot easier to swallow than Angela Lansbury and Patti Lupone's giving a new melodic quality to "The Worst Pies in London", "Wait" and "Poor thing". Her voice works very well with Johnny Depp in the duet "My Friends" and is a high point in the soundtrack.
Other lead highlights include "Epiphany", which is surprisingly powerful and the "Final Scene" which becomes with the help of Tunick very moving by the end.
There is also a very strong supporting cast. Jamie Campbell Bower's voice, especially through his high register successfully conveys the naive and innocent Anthony in "Johanna" and Jayne Wisener makes "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" tolerable after Betsy Joslyn's absolutely horrific performance in the 1982 DVD. Although highly trained, Laura Michelle Kelly's performance of the "Beggar Woman" is less operatic than I would have hoped, but considering the new leads maybe it is more appropriate. Sacha Baron Cohen is funny in "The Contest", and Alan Rickman and Ed Sanders give quite moving performances in "Pretty Women" and "Not While I'm Around" respectively, making up for the disposable performance of Timothy Spall in "Ladies in their sensitivities" (a number that could have easily been cut).
A must buy for any Sweeney or Sondheim fan and a good first experience for non-theatre fans to Sondheim. Purist theatre fans should buy the 1979 OBC album first.
Free Music Review: In his own words "I'm a gypsy"
Hit: 5 Stars
He's proven it time and again in so many of his movies. Beginning with Tim Burton's Edward Scissor hands and now Sweeney Todd.
Musicals & plays on/off stage are among the movies I tend to watch over and over and over again. I adore Phantom of the Opera. I generally purchase the accompanied CD to listen to while I work. Listening to a soundtrack makes me feel as if I'm watching the movie all over again. After boring everyone around with my incessant musical CD's I eventually watch the movie again and enjoy it so much more. I hear the details, I get the little inuendos usally missed while watching.
Not everyone knows this but Johnny Depp opened a club in Hollywood/Beverly Hills area and had his own band (before Vanessa and the kids). He began playing guitar at a young age and music is one of his passions. So I wasn't surprised that he took the part. I'm GLAD he did because now he is allowing us to enjoy his beautiful voice. Prior to Sweeney Todd few were able to catch him singing.
Sweeney Todd the CD is eerie like when you feel like someone is right behind you but you're alone at home. Ha-ha. Funny but true. I like the CD and definitely Recommend purchasing. Who knows if we'll ever hear him sing again?
Other favorite Johnny Depp movies:
Don Juan DeMarco
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (Special Collector's Edition)
Chocolat
Donnie Brasco (Special Edition)
Blow (Infinifilm Edition)
From Hell (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Trivia:
The Viper Room (club in Hollywood) was the place where River Phoenix overdosed and died at a very young age.
Johnny said on "The Actor's Studio" that he never thought of himself or wanted to be an actor. It just kinda happened and he went with the flow. Music was his passion.
He now lives in France with girlfriend Vanessa Paradis and two young children.
Free Music Review: Beautifully Dark
Hit: 5 Stars
Sweeney Todd / 075597995800 (B000X4OVLM)
First of all, if you haven't seen Sweeney Todd the movie, or aren't familiar with the subject matter, this soundtrack may not be for you. The subject matter is incredibly dark, ranging over rape, mass murder, and cannibalism, and with a light-hearted, whimsical touch that will skirt the edge of offensive for some. For myself, I found the drama to be a deeply bewitching tale of madness and betrayal, but mileage for this kind of subject matter is definitely going to vary.
If you have seen the movie and were as entranced with the music as I, then I can definitely recommend this soundtrack. The songs are almost identical to those in the movie - only one song has been changed, and that's the "Alms! Alms!" song sung by the old beggar woman, and the 'change' is the addition of several lines where she half-heartedly propositions Anthony. Beyond that, there are no changes at all as far as I can tell, except perhaps a touch of change to the pacing - I can't help but feel that "Not While I'm Around" is sung a touch faster than in the movie version with all the pauses and talking, but the difference is so subtle that I can't be certain. (For my money, this is probably the best song in the movie and I'm stunned by how wonderful the young male singer is.)
I feel I should emphasize this soundtrack's almost complete identical nature to the movie soundtrack - if you're buying this soundtrack in hope of 'deleted songs' or extra stanzas, then you'll be disappointed, but if you just want a CD version of the movie to listen or sing along to, then this is exactly the CD for you. The included booklet is very lavish, detailing all the lyrics next to lovely still-shots of the movie scenes.
I haven't heard the earlier versions of "Sweeney Todd", prior to the movie, so I can't compare this performance against anything else. But I can say that this music is lovely, stunning, and beautifully dark, and will be appreciated by any and all fans of the movie. If that includes you, then this CD will delight you.
~ Ana Mardoll