Tag Archives: cult classics

Cult Classics: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Posted by caffeinedreams3 on

On to another Cult Classic and personal favorite of mine: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This film was released to the public in 2007, and came from the creative mind of Tim Burton. It’s funny that Tim Burton would make a musical considering that he hates them. But Sweeney Todd is right up his alley, and this film became a cult classic. Tim Burton got his wife Helena Bonham Carter to play opposite of Johnny Depp as Mrs. Lovett.

This is the chair that Sweeney Todd created. it has gears and springs to not only make the costumer comfortable while getting shaved, but it also serves as a transportation device of bodies. Once He has killed them he steps on a pedal the chair goes back and drops the body through a chute down to the basement where the boiler is. And the small little attic area is his “barber shop,” the place where poor trusting souls go to get a clean shave but then they never leave. It’s really rather unfortunate for them. But they never have any family that goes to look for them, and that is how Sweeney was able to kill so many people and never get caught.

This is the sense in which Sweeney Todd is reunited with his sterling silver straight razors. Before Sweeney had to leave London, he was your everyday barber. When he came back to London though, he changed his name, and started killing people with his beloved razors. Or friends as he would say. He kills multiple people just to gain his reputation as an excellent barber to the public so that he can finally get the person he really wants. The whole reason Sweeney comes back to London is so that he can kill the man who forced him to leave. And the only reason he was forced to leave was because someone wanted his wife and daughter. Let’s just say that Sweeney will hold a grudge.

photo from: http://seeherinthemovies.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/83/ seeherinthemovies 14 October 2011

photo from:
http://seeherinthemovies.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/83/
seeherinthemovies
14 October 2011

This is Sweeney Todd’s sidekick so to speak, Mrs. Lovett. She is actually the one who comes up with the idea to make pies out of the people that Sweeney kills upstairs. Her meat pie business was going south and she thought that if she could make pies out of the dead people it would not only boost her business but it would also make Sweeney happy. And she wants nothing more than to make him happy. She has expressed her love for him numerous times. But he really doesn’t care for her in that way. He’s just glad that she can provide a front for him as he kills people. However, she stops him from the kill he really wanted, the kill that spurred all of the others. And she ruined everything.


video from youtube.com eleonoradepp 17 January 2008

This is the first song that opens up the whole film. Sweeney Todd was forced to leave London for quite some time due to a crime he did not commit. He came back on a ship, and starts singing the opening song with Anthony. In this song the viewer gets a taste of how much Sweeney Todd really hates London for what has happened to him there. But he decided to go back and get his vengeance. Anthony comes back to visit Sweeney to ask a favor of him. And that is when Sweeney finds out what happened to his daughter since he was gone. And he actually almost killed her. But in his defense she was dressed as a boy and how would he know what she looked like after all those years.

Sweeney Todd is one of my all time favorites because of how dark and twisted it is. This film would not have been nearly as good if tim Burton did not direct it. He brings something that literally no one else could. And he made it a masterpiece.

Watch Sweeney Todd and let me know if you are in love with this demon barber as much as I am.

xo, B

Cult Classics: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Posted by caffeinedreams3 on

One of all time favorite musicals is by far The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Rocky was originally created for the stage before it was ever even thought of for the silver screen. It went by The Rocky Horror Show. It all began in London on 19 June 1973. And the rest is history as they say. The show sky rocketed and made it over the pond to America and swept the nation.

photo from: http://rockyhorror.wikia.com/wiki/Dr._Frank_N_Furter TheAngelSpeaks15 20 December 2010

photo from:
http://rockyhorror.wikia.com/wiki/Dr._Frank_N_Furter
TheAngelSpeaks15
20 December 2010

It quickly became a cult classic, and here we are now. Discussing. A lot of people from the original London play were actually in the film, like Tim Curry, Nell Campbell, Richard O’Brien, and Patricia Quinn.
Tim Curry plays Dr. Frank N. Furter, “a sweet Transvestite, from Transsexual, Transylvania.” He creates creatures. Some failed and another a success. Or so he thought.
(In case you didn’t know Tim Curry is also in the film Annie he plays “Rooster”.)

Magenta. Magenta. Magenta. She’s a wonderful character played by Patricia Quinn.
FUN FACTAROO: It’s Patricia Quinn’s disembodied lips floating around in the opening and closing sequences. However, it’s not actually her singing.
She, like the Doctor, is form Transsexual, Transylvania.

photot from: http://planetriff.tripod.com/ 11 January 2003

photot from:
http://planetriff.tripod.com/
11 January 2003

The play write and screen writer Richard O’Brien played Riff Raff. Who comes from the planet Transsexual with Dr. Frank N. Furter and Magenta.  Richard O’Brien came up with not only the script, but all the songs as well. He created Rocky when he was an out of work actor. He infused the play with his childhood love for science fiction, and now we have one of the best cult classics of all time. The play has been performed in over 6 countries, has numerous awards, has a massive cult following, and is still in limited release after 40 years.

Brad and Janet are newly weds who are taking a drive when they get caught in a rain storm with a flat. They walk down the road in search for help when the find the “frankenstien place”. They walk in and spend the night that you could only have dreams (or nightmares) about.

Hopefully you will know by now that this ^^ is Rocky, which is who the musical is named after (not Dr. Frank N. Furter) Rocky is the little project the doctor is working on. He makes himself a boy toy so to speak. Oh wait, a man. But Dr. F doesn’t like sharing and Rocky went ahead and did something he wasn’t supposed to. So what choice did Dr. F have?

Little Nell plays the lovely Columbia. She’s a tap dancing Frankie-fan who falls in love with one of his creations.
I really have no idea why, but she is my favorite. Her voice and outfit and hair! They’re all so fantastic and lovely and she plays the role so well especially considering that she was in the original cast.

I am a HUGE RHPS fan, and I wanna know if you are too, so leave a comment below.

xo, B