Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Never Forget. Never Forgive.
Country
Production
Budget
$50 000 000
Box office
$152 523 164
Website
Director
Actors
Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower, Laura Michelle Kelly, Jayne Wisener, Ed Sanders, Gracie May Weldon
All actors and roles (10)
All actors and roles (10)
Scenario
Hugh Wheeler, Stephen Sondheim
Producer
John Logan, Richard D. Zanuck, Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald, Patrick McCormick
Camera operator
Composer
Artist
Audition
Susie Figgis
Editing
Short description
The infamous story of Benjamin Barker, a.k.a Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett. Based on the hit Broadway musical.
What's left behind the scenes
- Johnny Depp's vocals were coached by his friend, music producer Bruce Witkin. It is said that during breaks from filming "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," Johnny would walk around the set and rehearse the barber's parts.
- When Mrs. Lovett treats the young servant Pirelli, he eats almost half of the pie, but then the pie is whole again.
- The film was delivered to American cinemas under the false title "Skunk."
- Sweeney Todd's hairstyle is simultaneously reminiscent of Ludwig van Beethoven and Elsa Lanchester's Bride of Frankenstein.
- Christopher Lee—one of the few actors in the film with a musical education and opera training (aside from musical actresses Jane Wizner and Laura Michelle Kelly)—was fired from the project. According to the official version, the filming of his character's scenes did not fit into the shooting schedule.
- When Mrs. Lovett waltzes with Todd in the kitchen, Johnny Depp's character holds the hatchet alternately at her waist level (wide shot) and at her head level (close-ups).
- The Russian distribution title of the film, “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” does not entirely accurately reflect the film’s content. The main character does not practice barbering, but only shaves his clients.
- Johnny Depp's vocal coaching was handled by his friend, music producer Bruce Witkin. It is said that during breaks while filming 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End,' Johnny would walk around the set singing the barber's parts.
- Depp has a phobic fear of the sight of blood. Tim Burton even had to order stage blood in orange, so Johnny wouldn't faint during filming. The actor admits that he still hasn't watched the film from beginning to end: "It's so scary that I had to close my eyes during some scenes."
- To prevent information leaks, the film was referred to as “Project 32463” during production.
- American musical theater legend Stephen Sondheim (who was also a co-author of 'West Side Story') staged the production 'Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' on Broadway in 1979. The musical was a great success and won eight Tony Awards. In 2004 and 2005, the production was revived in both London and New York, and in 2006, the show won two more Tony Awards.
- Sweeney Todd is another iconic figure from Victorian England. As iconic as Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, or Count Dracula. He is a manic barber who kills his clients and makes meat pies out of them. If in the 19th century, Sweeney was a character from yellow journalism, today films, cartoons, and even musicals are regularly made about him.
- Sweeney Todd's hairstyle is simultaneously reminiscent of Ludwig van Beethoven's and that of the Bride of Frankenstein as played by Elsa Lanchester.
- Christopher Lee was one of the few actors in the film with a musical education and operatic training (along with musical actresses Jane Wisner and Laura Michelle Kelly) and was dismissed from the project. Officially, filming scenes with his character did not fit the shooting schedule.
- Stephen Sondheim, a classic of the American musical (including co-creator of "West Side Story"), staged "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" on Broadway in 1979. The musical was a great success and received eight Tony Awards. Its production was revived in both London and New York in 2004 and 2005, and the show received two more Tony Awards in 2006.
- After long and extensive deliberation, Paramount Pictures decided to postpone the filming of Tim Burton's 'Ripley's Believe It or Not!' for a year or two and instead entrust him with a scarier project.
- During filming, Johnny Depp's daughter was hospitalized in critical condition. Depp had to stay by her bedside until her condition improved. Filming was suspended during this time.
- Hearing the song in the judge's house, the boy steps back slightly from the bench, and when he retreats, he bumps into a beggar. Later, the bench moves somewhere to the right, as he spends a very long time going for his backpack. And the bench itself has shifted in relation to the fence behind the sidewalk.
- Several Midwestern US states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, North Dakota) refused to distribute the film due to disagreement with the distribution company's pricing.
- Filming took place in England at Pinewood Studios from February 5 to June 14, 2007.
- The first performer to play the role of Mrs. Lovett in the musical was the famous Angela Lansbury. In Burton's film, she is played by Helena Bonham Carter, who beat out Annette Bening and Toni Collette.
- Russell Crowe was considered for a long time as the main contender for the role of Sweeney Todd.
- Every single actor underwent a preliminary audition with the musical's author, Stephen Sondheim.
- While preparing for the role of the Italian barber Pirelli, Sacha Baron Cohen took straight-razor lessons from a real barber.
- Due to Tim Burton's involvement in the film's promotional campaign, the director's youngest daughter, born in December, remained nameless for about four months. By mutual agreement of both parents, Burton had to spend some time with his daughter before naming her to choose the most suitable name.
- Filming of the movie took three months.
- During filming, Johnny Depp's daughter was hospitalized in critical condition. Depp had to keep watch at her bedside until the girl's condition improved. Filming was suspended for this period.
- Initially, Oscar winner Sam Mendes was chosen to direct.
- Almost nowhere in the promotional materials was it mentioned that "Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" was a musical. Only one of the film's four trailers includes a fragment where Johnny Depp sings. An international trailer featuring musical numbers was released a week before the premiere.
- It took approximately 90 minutes each day to do the makeup for each of the actors in the leading roles.
- Almost nowhere in the promotional materials was it mentioned that "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is a musical. Only one of the four promotional trailers features a clip of Johnny Depp singing. A week before the premiere, an international trailer was released, which also contained musical numbers.
- Mrs. Lovett stabs with a knife so that a piece of dough ends up on the back of the blade. Later, when she returns to the table, the knife is stuck in differently.
- Helena Bonham Carter was pregnant during filming, which is why her character's waist thickens and her breasts change.
- Helena Bonham Carter filmed while pregnant, which is why her character's waistline appears to thicken and her bust changes.
- While preparing for the role of the Italian barber Pirelli, Sacha Baron Cohen took lessons in handling a straight razor from a real barber.
- The director's son, Billy Ray, appears in the film. In the beach scene in "By The Sea," he plays near a sandcastle.
- Initially, it was decided to appoint Oscar winner Sam Mendes as the director.
- Due to Tim Burton’s involvement in the film’s promotional campaign, his youngest daughter, born in December, remained nameless for about four months. Both parents decided that Burton should spend some time with his daughter before naming her, in order to choose the most suitable name.
- Russell Crowe was long considered the primary contender for the role of Sweeney Todd.
- Depp has a panic fear of the sight of blood. Tim Burton even had to order orange-colored fake blood so that Johnny wouldn't faint during filming. The actor admits that he still hasn't watched the film from start to finish: 'It's so scary that I had to close my eyes during some of the scenes.'
- When Mrs. Lovett waltzes with Todd in the kitchen, the hero Johnny Depp holds the cleaver alternately at her waist level (wide shot) and at her head level (close-up shots).
- Filming took three months.
- After long and thorough consideration, Paramount decided to postpone filming Tim Burton’s "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" for a year or two and instead assign him a more frightening project.
- Joanna, who sings about the nightingale, has curtains arranged differently in the interior and exterior shots.
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Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
