January 19, 2008 10:23

The Streets declare new Johnny Depp film an 'absolute inspiration'

Mike Skinner takes his hat off to 'Sweeney Todd'

Photo Gallery: The Streets

The Streets’ Mike Skinner has declared new film ’Sweeney Todd’ an “absolute inspiration” after being bowled over by the musical at the cinema.

The movie, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter, is an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical about the mythical murderous barber in London.

Having seen the recently released film version Skinner posted on his blog about how jealous he was of its lyrics - because they are better than his.

“I sat dumbfounded by the rhyme and meter of the songs,” he declared. “It was an absolute inspiration to experience Stephen Sondheim at work. Every single line of the songs roll off Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham's tongues in the way I struggle to do night after day after morning.

”I stare at my big pink book with what I want to say in one side of my brain and all this form, rhythm, rhyme and pace swirling round the other aching side. Every time Johnny Depp ended a stanza with the sharp snap of a clipped trochee I would smile at the huge screen (we were on the front row coz we got in late).”

Urging his readers to see the film, Skinner added that after every line he would “imagine Mr Sondheim, maybe on his way home from a drink with Frank Sinatra, getting out his leathery note book to scratch in a new idea for how to end the line in a more moving and pleasingly percussive way”.

The Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 are coming soon – and it’s time to have your say. Vote now by heading to NME.COM/awardsvote and you could win VIP tickets to the ceremony, which takes place in London on February 28.