Sweeney Todd and The Demon Ushers of the Movie Theater

Well, here I am. It's bloggin' time.

I went to see Sweeney Todd today. Great film, very faithful to the original production. It's quite violent, which I know has turned a lot of people off, and it's a musical, which has turned more people off. But, let me just say that I don't think any director has been more suitable for a movie adaptation of a musical than Tim Burton with Sweeney Todd. The casting was ideal - Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall all filled their roles wonderfully (great to see Snape and Wormtail as the "bad guys"). Sacha Baron Cohen did well with his role, but it's hard seeing him in an essentially noncomedic performance. The rest of the cast did well too. I missed the Ballad of Sweeney Todd, if only for the line "So what if none of their souls were saved / They went to their maker impeccably shaved." Ah well.

It's my tendency to stay after the movie and watch the credits, or, more accurately, listen to the music. It's typically where the composer gets a chance to shine, bring together themes from the movie, make music that can stand on its own and doesn't only exist to support the action. Of course, in a pop song driven soundtrack, I usually wont stick around, but many times I will. Sometimes you get a treat at the end, with a scene that ties up a loose end or makes a joke. Sometimes that treat isn't worth the wait. Other times, the credits themselves are an event to watch. Particularly, I'm thinking of Lemony Snicket or The Prisoner of Azkaban. Sweeney Todd had neither of these, but I still wanted to hear the music. So, I was a bit upset when the cleaning staff came in, stood in front of the screen, talking, laughing, trying to make me hurry up. Now, there were three of us left in there, and the other two got up and left, but I refused. It is my right to watch all the way through the credits if I want. I paid for my ticket. Don't try to bully me out. Start cleaning elsewhere...it's a big theater, I'm the only one there, do your job quietly and let me enjoy the movie. Am I wrong in this?

Anyway, there's my first post on the Bloglish Blog. More to come, and I promise not to rant every time.