The Frame

I haven’t seen the show, but when I heard about the magical combination of Tim Burton+Johnny Depp+Helena Bonham Carter+Steven Sondheim, I was pretty much as excited as could be. And again, not having seen the show, I really wasn’t a bit disappointed. Burton had me from the initial flythrough his stylized London, Depp can sing better than I expected, and Bonham Carter’s blend of humor and humanity added a lot of depth. And Sondheim, oh Sondheim. I’m not sure I’m willing to replace Into the Woods as my favorite Sondheim musical yet, but still. He’s incredible. I will admit that I was not quite prepared for the cannibalism, but the song that accompanies it is utterly delicious (couldn’t help it, sorry). The film isn’t perfect, though–as many accolades as Depp has been getting, his performance struck me as a bit cold; Todd’s meant to be single-minded and obsessive, of course, but I would’ve liked to have seen a shimmer or two of Benjamin Barker. Maybe when I rewatch and can focus on more than absorbing the story I’ll see more in his performance. Basically, though, Burton’s direction and the gorgeous art design were the real stars for me.
Well Above Average