johnny depp reunites with tim burton
Tuesday, 19 February 2008 | | |
Johnny Depp reunites with Tim Burton for Sweeney Todd
Johnny Depp's range as an actor is undeniable. From his portrayal of
demonized English Inspector Frederick Abberline in the re-imagining of
the "Jack The Ripper" investigation in From Hell to his playful antics
as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Depp
has proven he can take on any role and deliver a pleasing performance.
And on December 21st, fans will get another chance to see Depp
reunited with Director Tim Burton in another dark film set in 19th
century London. Depp plays Sweeney Todd - in a film by the same name -
as a barber, who is wrongly accused in the death of his wife and
daughter. Having just been released from prison, Todd vows revenge in
this masterful thriller.
While I've seen almost all of Depp's films, I am most fond of his
portrayal of Inspector Abberline in From Hell and Dean Corso in The
Ninth Gate. While the latter is far from the settings of From Hell or
Sweeney Todd, the film mixes the playful and arrogant side of the
actor within a serious and dark setting. In the opening scene we are
introduced to Corso while he is conning a couple into selling a
priceless volume of Don Quixote. Although an ethically challenged
situation, it sets up the rest of the movie in showing that Corso can
use his expertise of rare literature to help solve the mystery of The
Ninth Gate. Conversely, Depp's portrayal of Abberline in From Hell is
as much about the flaws of his character as it is about the horrid
crimes for which he is seeking the killer. Abberline becomes so
immersed in the investigation that he risks his own sanity by taking
opium for which he believes will allow him to see visions. His
character rises to the occasion when challenged by his boss over
whether he is deeply involved in the case or has indeed gone insane.
The range of these two characters lends itself well to the line
between sane and insane for which Sweeney Todd toggles in Depp's
latest role. For more on Sweeney Todd, visit the official Sweeney Todd
movie site or visit Sweeney Todd on MySpace.
[5626-53275-20114-2?mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]]