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I recently challenged a fellow artist back on DA to draw Sweeney Todd in an anthropomorphic form (I know, it’s already been done many times… sometimes badly, buuut...) just for the heck of it.
One catch however, I mentioned that I wouldn’t be doing a ‘Johnny Depp Sweeney’… no sir. Regardless of how much I like Sondheim’s musical and the new Tim Burton film, the Sweeney Todd that really sticks out in my mind is the one that features in the piece (or perhaps 'pieces') of literature written by Edward Lloyd. The fictional figure of Sweeney Todd first appeared, fully fledged, in a story titled The String of Pearls, and his character in this is the one that most suits the way I personally view him; not as an emotionally motivated figure, but rather, the cold, cunning, ruthless and downright scary fiend that I remember hearing about years ago. When I first heard the story of Sweeney Todd, it actually scared me (oh come on, I was much younger, ok?), because it sounded so gruesome… his victims were literally powerless and unsuspecting. Unfortunately, that element now seems to have been lost, and Sweeney is no longer seen as the diabolical ‘Jack the Ripper’ type character.
Aaanyway, as things go, it’s back to basics…
‘The barber himself was a long, low-jointed, ill-put together sort of fellow, with an immense mouth, and such huge hands and feet, that he was, in his way, quite a natural curiosity; and, what was more wonderful, considering his trade, there never was seen such a head of hair as Sweeney Todd’s. We know not what to compare it to: probably it came nearest to what one might suppose to be the appearance of a thickset hedge, in which a quantity of small wire had got entangled. In truth, it was a most terrific head of hair; and as Sweeney Todd kept all his combs in it – some said his scissors likewise – when he put his head out of the shop-door to see what sort of weather it was, he might have been mistaken for some Indian warrior with a very remarkable head-dress.’
LOL! Still makes me laugh… so, a guy with hair like a hedge… I chose a fox for my ‘anthro’ version, as… well, you know… ‘Tod’, being Old English for ‘a fox’… and it suits his sense of cunning. His hair is crazy, shaped like demonic horns (because he is, after all, 'The Demon Barber'). He’s a little cracked, with a squint in one eye (another identifying feature) and another thing… oh, look! He’s wearing silk stockings! Why do we identify Sweeney Todd with the Victorian era when he supposedly lived in Georgian times? Muh? Ahahaha, oh well. ‘Nuff said… that pig fellow in the background is about to go for a trip, but he’s pork anyway. He can take on the pies.
I had way too much fun on this sketch… but I fear I could never draw him sideways with that mop!
(Artwork © Leona Preston 2008 / ‘The String of Pearls: A Romance’ © Edward Lloyd).
One catch however, I mentioned that I wouldn’t be doing a ‘Johnny Depp Sweeney’… no sir. Regardless of how much I like Sondheim’s musical and the new Tim Burton film, the Sweeney Todd that really sticks out in my mind is the one that features in the piece (or perhaps 'pieces') of literature written by Edward Lloyd. The fictional figure of Sweeney Todd first appeared, fully fledged, in a story titled The String of Pearls, and his character in this is the one that most suits the way I personally view him; not as an emotionally motivated figure, but rather, the cold, cunning, ruthless and downright scary fiend that I remember hearing about years ago. When I first heard the story of Sweeney Todd, it actually scared me (oh come on, I was much younger, ok?), because it sounded so gruesome… his victims were literally powerless and unsuspecting. Unfortunately, that element now seems to have been lost, and Sweeney is no longer seen as the diabolical ‘Jack the Ripper’ type character.
Aaanyway, as things go, it’s back to basics…
‘The barber himself was a long, low-jointed, ill-put together sort of fellow, with an immense mouth, and such huge hands and feet, that he was, in his way, quite a natural curiosity; and, what was more wonderful, considering his trade, there never was seen such a head of hair as Sweeney Todd’s. We know not what to compare it to: probably it came nearest to what one might suppose to be the appearance of a thickset hedge, in which a quantity of small wire had got entangled. In truth, it was a most terrific head of hair; and as Sweeney Todd kept all his combs in it – some said his scissors likewise – when he put his head out of the shop-door to see what sort of weather it was, he might have been mistaken for some Indian warrior with a very remarkable head-dress.’
LOL! Still makes me laugh… so, a guy with hair like a hedge… I chose a fox for my ‘anthro’ version, as… well, you know… ‘Tod’, being Old English for ‘a fox’… and it suits his sense of cunning. His hair is crazy, shaped like demonic horns (because he is, after all, 'The Demon Barber'). He’s a little cracked, with a squint in one eye (another identifying feature) and another thing… oh, look! He’s wearing silk stockings! Why do we identify Sweeney Todd with the Victorian era when he supposedly lived in Georgian times? Muh? Ahahaha, oh well. ‘Nuff said… that pig fellow in the background is about to go for a trip, but he’s pork anyway. He can take on the pies.
I had way too much fun on this sketch… but I fear I could never draw him sideways with that mop!
(Artwork © Leona Preston 2008 / ‘The String of Pearls: A Romance’ © Edward Lloyd).
Category Artwork (Traditional) / Fantasy
Species Vulpine (Other)
Size 600 x 857px
File Size 413.9 kB
"Sweeney is no longer seen as the diabolical ‘Jack the Ripper’ type character"
As much as I love the musical, I couldn't agree with the comment more. I saw an old movie version before I ever heard of the musical, and it wasn't quite so brooding, which made him all the more disturbing.
Lovely bit of work, per usual!
As much as I love the musical, I couldn't agree with the comment more. I saw an old movie version before I ever heard of the musical, and it wasn't quite so brooding, which made him all the more disturbing.
Lovely bit of work, per usual!
:) I thought you'd agree with what I was trying to say there. Your own work reminds me of that old-fashioned scary, 'mist and shadows' appeal, in fact I very much admire you for it. How is work coming along for London Fog? I'd actually love to know more about it.
Also, have you ever seen the work of an artist named Tod Wills? It might (or might not) be of interest to you... he's busy turning the Dracula novel into a web comic: http://www.coyotepuck.dragoncity.net/dracula/ (I have no idea what's going on with the language there).
Also, have you ever seen the work of an artist named Tod Wills? It might (or might not) be of interest to you... he's busy turning the Dracula novel into a web comic: http://www.coyotepuck.dragoncity.net/dracula/ (I have no idea what's going on with the language there).
Nice...
I'm surprised to say I didn't know where Sweeney Todd came from. I'm just a big fan of Sondheim in general... and so disappointed that there was never a video recording of Len Cariou's performance. The one they did make, even with Angela Lansbury, I just didn't like... so I was very pleased when the movie came out. And the casting was perfect for everyone except Johnny Depp. He pulled it off, but I think that movie really needed a baritone.
I don't think I like the image of him as a bloodthirsty killer. I'm very interested in psychology, so I spend a lot of time thinking about motivations--everyone's characters are shaped by their motivations, or lack thereof (I'm still trying to figure out the guy from No Country For Old Men). Usually bloodthirsty killer characters are just "evil"--which isn't something that actually exists, and it makes the characters seem less real to me. I love Sondheim's portrayal of these powerful, sometimes noble emotions (love, and justice, for instance), deeply felt by a mind that twists them, as it has been twisted itself by extreme circumstances, into action that seems insane, senseless, or "evil".
Heh. Sorry, I think I'm feeling the symptoms of Sudden Essay Syndrome.
I'm surprised to say I didn't know where Sweeney Todd came from. I'm just a big fan of Sondheim in general... and so disappointed that there was never a video recording of Len Cariou's performance. The one they did make, even with Angela Lansbury, I just didn't like... so I was very pleased when the movie came out. And the casting was perfect for everyone except Johnny Depp. He pulled it off, but I think that movie really needed a baritone.
I don't think I like the image of him as a bloodthirsty killer. I'm very interested in psychology, so I spend a lot of time thinking about motivations--everyone's characters are shaped by their motivations, or lack thereof (I'm still trying to figure out the guy from No Country For Old Men). Usually bloodthirsty killer characters are just "evil"--which isn't something that actually exists, and it makes the characters seem less real to me. I love Sondheim's portrayal of these powerful, sometimes noble emotions (love, and justice, for instance), deeply felt by a mind that twists them, as it has been twisted itself by extreme circumstances, into action that seems insane, senseless, or "evil".
Heh. Sorry, I think I'm feeling the symptoms of Sudden Essay Syndrome.
Thank you. :)
Really? Ha ha, that's interesting, but then again, I don't blame you. When someone says 'Sweeney Todd', most people do recall Sondheim's musical, but yes, the character has featured in several different narrations over the years since The String of Pearls. Before Burton's film came out, most people (in the UK at least), had a basic idea of who Sweeney Todd was.
Ha ha, well bravo to you for being a Sondheim fan! On the subject of the film, I still prefer the stage version. I like the film as Burton's particular vision (as always), but there were too many holes for me when I watched it (half expecting songs to continue when they didn't felt strange to me). Meh, I've been very much used to the George Hearn version, in fact I still like Hearn's take on Sweeney as his was the first performance I saw, but I recently watched some (wobbly) footage of Len Cariou and I must agree that it's a shame his whole performance wasn't filmed. He seemed to be a lot more... 'shifty'... compared to hearn, and that's kinda how I view Sweeney to be... awkward yet swift thinking etc... George Hearn certainly doesn't make you feel as uncomfortable as you do when you watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2avYC7xM0 (the part where he makes a swipe at Johanna and falls over... love that too close for comfort feeling!) But anyway...
Ah, motivation! Don't you just love that word? Well you're right, Sweeney isn't just a bloodthirsty killer. I'm sorry about the way I worded my thoughts in the above description. I just meant that the emotional figure can be credited to Sondheim and Sondheim alone. The original Todd still had a motivation, that of financial gain. For me, this aspect coupled with the killings makes him scary, but when I think of emotion as a motive, it makes him all the more human and... well... you get the picture. :)
Ha ha ha, looks like I've just suffered an attack of SES too. :D Actually, it's nice to talk to someone about the subject in some depth... I don't often get the chance to do that, so thank you. :)
Really? Ha ha, that's interesting, but then again, I don't blame you. When someone says 'Sweeney Todd', most people do recall Sondheim's musical, but yes, the character has featured in several different narrations over the years since The String of Pearls. Before Burton's film came out, most people (in the UK at least), had a basic idea of who Sweeney Todd was.
Ha ha, well bravo to you for being a Sondheim fan! On the subject of the film, I still prefer the stage version. I like the film as Burton's particular vision (as always), but there were too many holes for me when I watched it (half expecting songs to continue when they didn't felt strange to me). Meh, I've been very much used to the George Hearn version, in fact I still like Hearn's take on Sweeney as his was the first performance I saw, but I recently watched some (wobbly) footage of Len Cariou and I must agree that it's a shame his whole performance wasn't filmed. He seemed to be a lot more... 'shifty'... compared to hearn, and that's kinda how I view Sweeney to be... awkward yet swift thinking etc... George Hearn certainly doesn't make you feel as uncomfortable as you do when you watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2avYC7xM0 (the part where he makes a swipe at Johanna and falls over... love that too close for comfort feeling!) But anyway...
Ah, motivation! Don't you just love that word? Well you're right, Sweeney isn't just a bloodthirsty killer. I'm sorry about the way I worded my thoughts in the above description. I just meant that the emotional figure can be credited to Sondheim and Sondheim alone. The original Todd still had a motivation, that of financial gain. For me, this aspect coupled with the killings makes him scary, but when I think of emotion as a motive, it makes him all the more human and... well... you get the picture. :)
Ha ha ha, looks like I've just suffered an attack of SES too. :D Actually, it's nice to talk to someone about the subject in some depth... I don't often get the chance to do that, so thank you. :)
Wow... footage! That's awesome. I wonder why they replaced Len Cariou. Thanks for the link; I had no idea it existed anywhere. All glory to the internet...
I do have the whole original soundtrack with Len Cariou, if you're interested in hearing it. In the absence of a video, I've listened to it all the way through (more than 2 hours, I think) more times than I can count. It still gets me... right here.
:P
I think the movie allowed all of the Sweeney Todd secret fanboys-and-girls to come out of the closet and show the world that murderous rampages can touch the heart, as well as tickle the sense of humor. :D
I do have the whole original soundtrack with Len Cariou, if you're interested in hearing it. In the absence of a video, I've listened to it all the way through (more than 2 hours, I think) more times than I can count. It still gets me... right here.
:P
I think the movie allowed all of the Sweeney Todd secret fanboys-and-girls to come out of the closet and show the world that murderous rampages can touch the heart, as well as tickle the sense of humor. :D
Ha ha, yes, I think someone must have filmed that when they went to watch it, and maybe Len Cariou thought that was enough and that he wanted to do something different perhaps? Not so sure...
Aww, thank you for that, but I have the soundtrack too! I've driven myself mad listening to it over and over again I fear... but then again, Len and Angela sound so goood! :D
Aww, thank you for that, but I have the soundtrack too! I've driven myself mad listening to it over and over again I fear... but then again, Len and Angela sound so goood! :D
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