Johnny’s demon barber faces a brutal slashing
Looks like Warner Brothers is getting nervous about the gore in their version of “Sweeney Todd.” What exactly did they expect from a story about a barber that cuts throats? “Sleepy Hollow” is one of my favorite Tim Burton movies and it had fantastic R-rated gore! Sure, it was campy– as “Sweeney Todd” will be, no doubt–but that was one of the reasons it worked so well. Burton rarely gets to cut loose (no pun intended) beyond PG-13, so if this is true, it will be a damn shame.
from The Sunday Mail–
26th August 2007
Award-winning director Tim Burton has been told to butcher his own film, in which Johnny Depp plays the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd.
Studio executives became a tad squeamish when they viewed grisly footage of blood splashing across the set as Depp slits the throats of his customers in the movie, based on Stephen Sondheim’s stage musical.
In its present form the film would merit an 18 rating, but Warner Brothers would prefer it to have a 15.
During filming at Pinewood studios, prosthetic lookalike limbs were used (obviously the real thing would have been taking realism too far!) and they were so gruesomely lifelike that some of the crew became nauseous and had to take fresh air breaks.
Those on set were further spooked because there were piles and piles of sliced-up ‘corpses’, plus several spare ‘necks’ in case Burton wanted to shoot several takes of the same throat-cutting scene.
Four crew, stationed out of camera range, would pump up blood as Johnny/Todd slashed away, singing as he worked.
In the movie, Todd’s victims are sat in a mechanical chair, their throats are cut and as Johnny flicks a switch, the floor opens and they slide down a chute into the lair of Todd’s mistress, Mrs Lovett (the pie maker) played by Helena Bonham Carter.
Mrs Lovett uses Todd’s ‘gifts’ to fill her meat pies!
One scene that particularly bothered the studio bosses was when they saw a ten-year-old boy cutting up body parts, which were then thrown into a meat grinder and turned into mince.
“Tim’s not happy that the studio is asking for so many cuts to the cutting, as it were,” someone connected to the film told me.
“The thing is, the studio really likes the film and they want to make it accessible to as big an audience as possible – which means stemming the blood flow. But that’s a bit difficult for a story involving a guy who gets high slitting throats.”
The movie also features Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Laura Michelle Kelly and Peter Bowles.
It opens in the U.S. in December, which led Burton to quip recently: “Red is the colour at Christmas.”
Eric is the Editor-in-Chief of Scene-Stealers.com, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and contributor for The Pitch. He’s former President of the KCFCC, and drummer for The Dead Girls, Ultimate Fakebook, and Truck Stop Love . He is also the 2013 Air Guitar World Champion Mean Melin, ranked 4th best of all-time. Eric goes to 11. Follow him at:
{ 28 comments }
This is such sad news. I would think that precedents like Sleepy Hollow (~$100,000,000 box office)and the recent Pan’s Labyrinth (six Oscar nominations, three wins) would give studios the courage to release a film like this with an R rating. It’s unfortunate that studios are so concerned with the numbers of bodies in theaters, that an auteur like Burton could potentially be forced to butcher his work.
This is such sad news. I would think that precedents like Sleepy Hollow (~$100,000,000 box office)and the recent Pan’s Labyrinth (six Oscar nominations, three wins) would give studios the courage to release a film like this with an R rating. It’s unfortunate that studios are so concerned with the numbers of bodies in theaters, that an auteur like Burton could potentially be forced to butcher his work.
If Burton is made to cut his film, the studio will be able to release an UNRATED version on DVD and then the ULTIMATE DIRECTOR’S CUT and then the definitive ULTIMATE UNRATED DIRECTOR’S CUT which they’ll dub the MEAT PIE EDITION. I hate studios.
If Burton is made to cut his film, the studio will be able to release an UNRATED version on DVD and then the ULTIMATE DIRECTOR’S CUT and then the definitive ULTIMATE UNRATED DIRECTOR’S CUT which they’ll dub the MEAT PIE EDITION. I hate studios.
Need not to worry fellow Americans, this is for the Europe release. Its still going to be R here.
Need not to worry fellow Americans, this is for the Europe release. Its still going to be R here.
Oh, good. A wholesome Sweeney Todd doesn’t bear thinking about.
Oh, good. A wholesome Sweeney Todd doesn’t bear thinking about.
Johnny Depp is the best and hottest actor alive and not matter what he pplayed whether it be a crazed barber, Willy Wonka etc. I will always love him and if youor a faithful follower you will to
I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!!!! I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!!! I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!!!!!
Johnny Depp is the best and hottest actor alive and not matter what he pplayed whether it be a crazed barber, Willy Wonka etc. I will always love him and if youor a faithful follower you will to
I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!!!! I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!!! I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!!!!!
Damn. I live in the UK and I would like it to make a 15 instead of an 18. I turn 17 just before it comes out, one year doesn’t make that much of a difference, so if I have to walk in and watch it underaged.. illegally.. then I will. I have been looking forward to this for too long, and I refuse to get a pirate copy!!!!
Damn. I live in the UK and I would like it to make a 15 instead of an 18. I turn 17 just before it comes out, one year doesn’t make that much of a difference, so if I have to walk in and watch it underaged.. illegally.. then I will. I have been looking forward to this for too long, and I refuse to get a pirate copy!!!!
Johnny Depp is sure to pull off anything. Him and Tim Burton together will pull off one of the best movies of this year. I am excited to see it in theaters and promise each and everyone of you that I will be the first in line at the movie theater.
Johnny Depp all the way!
Johnny Depp is sure to pull off anything. Him and Tim Burton together will pull off one of the best movies of this year. I am excited to see it in theaters and promise each and everyone of you that I will be the first in line at the movie theater.
Johnny Depp all the way!
I thought the movie was AMAZING not only did it show that JOHNNY DEPP could act but also sing. I liked the plot it was twisted but not a fake happy ending the critics need to grow up and think about not only the blood but what else is going on the boy had no idea what the meat was until he found a toe in his meat pie he then ran away so honestly it was a great movie and I would watch it time and time again.
I thought the movie was AMAZING not only did it show that JOHNNY DEPP could act but also sing. I liked the plot it was twisted but not a fake happy ending the critics need to grow up and think about not only the blood but what else is going on the boy had no idea what the meat was until he found a toe in his meat pie he then ran away so honestly it was a great movie and I would watch it time and time again.
I’ve watched it at the cinema and its not at all gory, its very easy to see its fake blood. I don’t know what the fuss is about, its seen scarier 15 rated films.
I’ve watched it at the cinema and its not at all gory, its very easy to see its fake blood. I don’t know what the fuss is about, its seen scarier 15 rated films.
Jen-
Yeah, although graphic, the slashing was also bright red (like the blood they used in 1970s films!) and very cartoonish. Not to mention the heads slamming on the floor were totally played for laughs.
Jen-
Yeah, although graphic, the slashing was also bright red (like the blood they used in 1970s films!) and very cartoonish. Not to mention the heads slamming on the floor were totally played for laughs.
Yup !
Johnny Depp had been great in most of his movies .Depp + Burton ? No wonder Sweeney won so many awards ..It is showing in my city tomorrow ,and I am really looking forward for it .
But is it more brutal than 300 ? I and my friends want to watch it , but some of them are dead-scared when one of our guy friends warned us that the movie is so bloody ,-scarier than 300 – that he nearly puked halfway .
Yup !
Johnny Depp had been great in most of his movies .Depp + Burton ? No wonder Sweeney won so many awards ..It is showing in my city tomorrow ,and I am really looking forward for it .
But is it more brutal than 300 ? I and my friends want to watch it , but some of them are dead-scared when one of our guy friends warned us that the movie is so bloody ,-scarier than 300 – that he nearly puked halfway .
i’ve watched it 6 times and its sooo great i want to marry johnny depp i dont care if he is a loony but i want him to keep the hair
sexy or what i wanna marry sweeney todd or edward scissor hands i think ive got a thing with wierd hair and razors. lol .
I LOVE YOU JOHNNY DEPP (SEXY BOY)
i’ve watched it 6 times and its sooo great i want to marry johnny depp i dont care if he is a loony but i want him to keep the hair
sexy or what i wanna marry sweeney todd or edward scissor hands i think ive got a thing with wierd hair and razors. lol .
I LOVE YOU JOHNNY DEPP (SEXY BOY)
im sorry, but i have a thing with sweeney’s weird hair, i love it, and the razors…wow they go good together and i love edward scissor hands to, they are kind of the same, but edward is shy and sweeney is a mad man. but i think when sweeney gets mad, its sooo HOT!! the pale face, the razors and the sexy hair are what makes sweeney, if he were any other guy, he would be weird and no one would like him but johnny…..and can you see how mrs.lovet is soooo crushing on sweeny??? 😛
im sorry, but i have a thing with sweeney’s weird hair, i love it, and the razors…wow they go good together and i love edward scissor hands to, they are kind of the same, but edward is shy and sweeney is a mad man. but i think when sweeney gets mad, its sooo HOT!! the pale face, the razors and the sexy hair are what makes sweeney, if he were any other guy, he would be weird and no one would like him but johnny…..and can you see how mrs.lovet is soooo crushing on sweeny??? 😛
its a great film stop complaining about it !
its a great film stop complaining about it !
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