Depp has singing experience, though, doesn't he? He dropped out of high school and was in a band for a while before becoming an actor. I don't doubt that he can pull it off.

I don't know if I've heard HBC sing. There may have been a little bit in A Room with a View but I don't know if that was her.

I'm so looking forward to this!

Mrs Lovett doesn't require a great singing voice - Angela Landsbury certainly didn't have one, and she was perfection. I just think HBC is the wrong kind of crazy for that role. (In addition to being way the hell too young.)

Angela Landsbury certainly didn't have one

Oh, I disagree. Or maybe I don't. She doesn't have the prettiest voice, but she's got technique out the wazoo, which most of Mrs. Lovett's songs require.

Of course, I still have not seen the trailer, since I have no sound at work, and was out to dinner with Jesse last night.

technique out the wazoo, which most of Mrs. Lovett's songs require.

Yes, you're absolutely right about that. Hm. I guess that makes me doubly dubious about HBC.

And as much as I love Johnny Depp, I love Sweeney Todd more. So he'll have to prove himself. I'm not entirely convinced that either of them can play old and bitter to the extent that the text requires.

Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin is also problematic. Judge Turpin really should not be hot. Really.

Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin is also problematic. Judge Turpin really should not be hot. Really.

He does do that to unattractive characters, doesn't he? Make them all hot and stuff? See also: Severus Snape.

Oi! Alan Rickman! Stop being hot!

So glad that doesn't work

Depp has singing experience, though, doesn't he? He dropped out of high school and was in a band for a while before becoming an actor.

As somebody who regularly saw teenage Johnny Depp's band, I'll note that he was the guitar player and did not usually sing. I'm not saying he can't sing, just he wasn't the lead singer.

I kind of love this interview with a lawyer named Michael Clayton: [link]

I noticed you didn't say anything as to the quality of said band, Hec. Were they awful? This was in Florida, yeah?

Clooney (and Brad Pitt and the Coen Brothers) have been shooting in my neighborhood all week: [link]

I noticed you didn't say anything as to the quality of said band, Hec. Were they awful? This was in Florida, yeah?

No, they were fun. We drove a county away just to see them. They were called The Kids and they were basically a new wave cover band.

They were the only band locally that covered Elvis Costello instead of ZZ Top.

They had a killer medley of "Can't Buy Me Love/Money."

Johnny wore ruffled tuxedo shirts with the arms ripped off and had a massive rockabilly pompadour.