WHY had this been so popular...?
I do not see the reason why Sweeney Todd deserved all that huge early fanbase it had gathered before the movie came out, apart from the fact that it's a famous play and Johnney Depp was in it. They were cutting throats 3/4's of the movie and the plot was practically drowned out with all of the spewing fountains of blood everywhere. That was a whole lot of unnecessary, especially right before bed.
I have a huge thing for revenge plots; just not this one. My favorite classic of all time is the Count of Monte Cristo afterall; and that is one huge convoluted story of revenge. The difference is is that Edmund Dantes stays somewhat sane and shows some class in killing those who wronged him instead of drawing out his whole suffering on the rest of humanity. Granted, he'd seen enough wrong that he no longer believed in the right that humans deserved to live, but he still didn't go murdering unnecessary people down the street. He's also French, but we won't go into that.
Ugh, well, for the most part all I can say is that I did not go into that movie expecting what was actually going to happen. Like, you know, plot. Or lack thereof. Granted, I have never seen the play nor do I know a whole lot about it and it's origins but for a revenge plot? That was pretty standard. It was only the details that varied on that point and they did a very good job of covering up the plot with the massive amounts of creepiness there.
Haaa, but at the same time don't misunderstand me. Though they do not agree with me personally, I can understand on a certain level the thinking behind those certain movies. Many people lose their way so much that they can no longer see any good in humanity. Certainly, when something unfortunate and disgusting occurs they (and maybe I) feel justified in it. For that critique, I can only offer that I think that Sweeney Todd overdid it.
But that would be like me. I'm an eternal optimist. I don't think much of anything could completely erase that from me. It's the way I think, a mechanism of the brain (and nature).
Man, I'm rambling, it's not that late, but compared to when I have been going to sleep this is pretty late (have to stay up a little longer though; wait till the Tweeney Todd images filter out a bit). That might be why I sound a bit incoherent. But, last thing: cannibalism. The cannibalism in Tweeney Todd goes along with the general macabre feeling of the film, though it was interesting to note that it was rationalized as a waste and served in meat pies to unsuspecting customers for the simple reason of turning a profit. Watching them eying potential meat on London's street was also illuminating, though in what way I can't quite grasp except their obvious disregard to human life. [I'm becoming quite good at this; I used to not be able to talk about this without stopping out of getting the creeps.]
The reason I'm interested in this is because I character of mine (manga: Sparks in the Dust) is showing some signs of cannibalism (due to mental instability; nothing drastic though...) and I kinda need to explore it just a bit more. Though I could just chalk it up to insanity and stick with that.
From what I've been reading though, cannibalism seems to come up for the most part from desperation. People will do anything when they're hungry. It actually does not seem to have been a staple part of a diet in any civilization. It seems that that only happens on a individual level.
I don't think I would ever choose cannibalism, in any situation. I can see the rational in it, especially if they are already dead, but I don't think I could ever bring myself to: I'm pretty sure I would decide just to starve to death. I know they say, it's different when you're out there and it's happening and you have the choice, but I think I would have to become a very different person before I did that.
Certainly, I would never be the one to touch it.
Jesus, the angst is everywhere. I need Cat!Watanuki right now. I just don't know what to do for this next scene! *bangs head*