There’s a giant cock on top of the school.

They would.  I heard about this over the summer, but I was skeptical.  I’m glad I got to see a picture of it, though.  That’s pretty freaking huge.

Man, let’s see if ‘09 can top that…

Note: This was originally on my old blog, and is being re-posted here for archive purposes.  Sweeney Todd.

Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 5:30 PM at the Angelika Plano

Ah, Sweeney Todd. Modern Shakespeareanesque tragecomedy. In song.

Fifteen years ago, a “foolish” barber, Benjamin Barker, was wrongfully incarcerated by Judge Turpin. Now, in Victorian London, he returns, but this time as the darker, vengeful Sweeney Todd. With the help of his neighbor, Mrs. Lovett, he seeks to repay the cruelty and injustice of Judge Turpin and all the people of the world.

I regret to say that I am not familiar with the musical, as I am not much of a theatre person. One aspect of musicals that have always made me nervous was when a character apparently has a lot of important stuff to say, and the melody transforms into speaking in pitch (kind of like Shoenburg and Sprechstimme…Pierrot Lunaire…anyone?) and I think “Where is this going?!” Of course, again, it may be that I don’t have a very musical ear. I do, however, have a particular fondness for movies of retribution a vengeful nature, thus I am an unreliable source of unbiased opinion because of said fondness, my resulting eagerness to see the movie and my enthusiasm for the cast. Moving on…

Initially, I had to adjust to the fact that it was a musical, considering I do not frequent the theatres in search of musicals. At first I found it slightly corny.

Jamie Campbell Bower as the young Anthony Hope acted with success. I thought his voice was relatively rich, and effeminate, and somewhat musical. He did a good job establishing the role of a desperate, naïve and in-love youth. The character of Anthony Hope is important, though a minor one. He does introduce several elements of irony into the plot that move it forward.
MOAR PLZ…

Oh shit, first day back at school and I can already anticipate death by study.