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TracySWEENEY TODD - BURTON TOLD TO TONE DOWN BLOOD AND GUTS
August 28th 2007 00:18
Apparently DailyIndia just reported that director Tim Burton has been asked to tone down the gruesome scenes in Sweeney Todd. According to sources, the prosthetic look-alike limbs were so realistic that some of the crew became queasy and had to leave the set for breaks. Others were disgusted because there of the large amount of sliced-up 'corpses', and some spare 'necks' in case Burton might want to shoot several takes of the same throat-cutting scene. Sounds logical to me, it’s always good to have a spare neck around in case you need it.
I’ll set the scene a bit better, Todd's victims sit in a mechanical chair expecting a short back and sides but instead Johnny severs their throats. Next he flicks a lever, the floor opens and voila, they fall down into the den of Todd's mistress, Mrs Lovett (played by Helena Bonham Carter). Sounds like a ride at a funfair to me, an enticing mixture of fear and excitement. For the viewer of course, not the hair victim.
One scene that particularly distressed the studio bosses was when they saw a ten-year-old boy cut up body parts, which were then thrown into a meat grinder and turned into mince. OK, that does sound bloodthirsty, but it’s supposed to be a horror film. It’s supposed to be scary, no one is going to see the film for the scenery, we know what it’s about and audiences would be prepared and expecting such scenes.
The Daily Mail quoted as an insider, "Tim's not happy that the studio is asking for so many cuts to the cutting...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."
Are they mad? How can you have a film like Sweeney Todd without the blood and gore, after all that’s the main theme? We’re supposed to see Sweeney slit throats and enjoy it, how would it be true to the original story if that didn’t happen? Or maybe I’m just in a sadistic mood....
I think it’s obvious from my last post on this film that I’m really looking forward to seeing it and this doesn’t deter me, it just means that I’ll have to brace myself a bit more and that’s not a pun.
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Comment by Lara M
Love Speaks
p/s...<LOL> re. the spare body parts
Comment by Louie
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Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I'm not usually in the mood for a gory film but this one has intrigued me, I think it's the mixture of knowing the story quite well and Johnny Depp's enigmatic presence. Plus, I seem to developed a stronger lust for the guy (here's my indulgent post on those feelings).
I wonder if Burton will tone it down or keep the plot as it is?
Byeeee
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Yes, I don't think it's one to see on a full stomach
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I’ve also seen the stage version of it a few times too and really liked it. Yes, I agree it needs have some blood and gore (as I said in the post!), but I guess too much might detract from the story’s effectiveness. It needs to have that balance of just enough for it to work and not so much that the audience collapses.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens, whether Burton will make some adjustments or just leave it as it is....we can only wait.....
Byeee