Sweeney Todd is not a movie for the
faint of heart; it is not a movie to which you’d take a child on a day off from
school. The trailer for Sweeney Todd shows
that the movie is a musical thriller from beginning to end.
After
analyzing the trailer, I realize the importance of the statement, “You only
have one chance to make a first impression.” When at a movie, I sit in the
theater, watch the trailers, and give my friend thumbs up or down, already
deciding to see the movie or not. As an avid Johnny Depp fan, I instantly fell
in love with the trailer and the idea of the movie. I identified a logical
appeal in which the trailer wasn’t aimed to be realistic, as the setting is old
London and the costumes are old fashioned. I also experienced an emotional
appeal when men unjustly tore Sweeney Todd from his family, sympathizing with
the character and seeking revenge on those men who did Sweeney wrong.
Additionally, I experienced fear, visualizing myself in the barber chair as
Sweeney Todd prepares to slit my throat.
However, I
noticed a great appeal to ethos in the credibility of the production companies,
the easy actor recognition, and the typecasting prevalent. At the beginning of
the trailer, the logos for Warner Brothers and DreamWorks pop up. In Everything’s an Argument by Lunsford and
Ruszkiewicz, the authors discuss how company symbols convey authority and
provide credibility that the trailer is well done and the movie is worth seeing
(456). Both companies have the reputation of producing good movies, so the
audience trusts their money will be well spent.
In addition,
there are many recognizable actors, such as Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter,
Alan Rickman, and Timothy Spall and a recognizable director, Tim Burton. Many
say these actors are typecasted, as Depp, Carter, Rickman and Spall have all
acted in edgy, sketchy, mischievous roles in their recent films. Louis
Giannetti discusses in Understanding
Movies how typecasting began when “characters tended toward allegorical
types rather than unique individuals and often were even identified with a
label” (279). Along with their movie roles, the three actors have edgy
personalities off screen, furthermore adding to the realism of their character
in the dark movie. Furthermore supplementing ethos in the trailer is the fact
that movie stars in Hollywood “attract the loyalty of both men and women,” and
I believe this is why Tim Burton casted the actors as his characters (Giannetti
257). Depp, Carter, Rickman and Spall all have large fan followings, raising
their ability to be cast and credibility as an actor. Lastly, Tim Burton has a
large fan following. It is no wonder so many people awaited the release of this
movie.
The genre of
this movie becomes very apparent as the two-minute teaser progresses. The
trailer has eerie, almost intense, music playing the entire time, setting the
tone as a thriller musical. In addition to the music, the audience witnesses
the musical theme when Johnny Depp sings to the villagers in London, inviting
them to visit his barbershop. The thriller aspect comes from the rapid scene
changes, building the anticipation for when Sweeney Todd claims his next
victim. Through the use of digital effects at the end of the trailer, the
audience deduces the musical thriller will be a bloodbath, although there is
little blood.
However, the most
important part of a trailer is the overall quality, and Sweeney Todd had a marvelous trailer, emphasizing color rather than
comedy, music, thrill, or action. Research shows people “tend to accept color
passively, permitting it to suggest moods” (Giannetti 22). The emphasis on
color and the quality of the effects and costuming set the mood. This is seen
in the trailer at the beginning, as vibrant colors and a halo effect display
the happier past, only to quickly switch to dark sepia colors for the present
in the movie. The dark colors are used for symbolic purposes “to desaturate
[colors], especially if the subject matter is sober or grim” (Giannetti 24).
All the vibrant, colorful scenes in the trailer display a happy past or dream,
whereas the dark colors symbolize a dark, almost dystopian reality, focused on
the corruption of society and want for revenge on those who did you wrong.
Although color appears to be the main focus of the trailer, the rapidly
changing scenes, in addition to the fast music, add to the intensity and the
thrill of watching the serial killer, demon barber of Fleet Street.
In conclusion,
though the quality of the Sweeney Todd trailer
is fantastic, the trailer falls short in persuasive appeal, stemming from a
small target audience. This trailer would appeal to musical theater junkies,
thrill seekers, and maybe even Harry Potter fans, as three of the four main
actors had significant roles in Harry Potter. This movie is not suited to those
who are squeamish with blood or do not have a strong stomach. For the target
audience, the trailer is effective and persuasive, but the trailer and the
movie are not for all. Although I am not a big thriller fan, I wanted to see
it…but hey! Maybe my Johnny Depp obsession makes me biased!
Watch the trailer at:
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