[kj] More on the Johnny Depp/Dave Vanian "coincidence"

[Alexander Smith]

By the same token, Oliver, Depp might fully cop to it and say it's an  
homage to the Damned.

Alex in NYC


On Nov 13, 2007, at 12:57 PM, B. Oliver Sheppard wrote:


> I did a more detailed comparison of Johnny Depp's upcoming "Sweeney  

> Todd" character with Dave Vanian's stage persona, here:

>

> http://www.cultpunk.com/?p=217

>

>

> There's even a comparison between The Damned's "Grimly Fiendish"  

> video and the trailer for _Sweeney_Todd_ there.

>

> Here's my advice for Vanian, though I'm not a lawyer: Mr. Vanian,  

> your real name is David Letts, and you took on the stage name and  

> persona of "Dave Vanian" when singing for The Damned. "Vanian" is a  

> shortened form of Transyl-Vanian. Before Anne Rice wrote _Lestat_,  

> about a vampire rocker, Vanian was already doing it. Thus, I think  

> David Letts has some intellectual property stake in the character he  

> created.

>

> Having said that, just look at how closely Johnny Depp -- who played  

> Ed Wood as Jon Lovitz; Willy Wonka as Michael Jackson; and Capt.  

> Jack Sparrow as Kieth Richards -- has copied Vanian here. I'm  

> ersonally tired of mainstream culture ripping off old punk stuff and  

> none of the original folks ever getting credit or residuals of any  

> kind. Vanian should ask for some cut of the Sweeney Todd revenue  

> from DreamWorks, who are producing the movie.

>

> Comparisons at URL above. Hard to write it off as coincidence, the  

> more I look into it.

>

> And I like Dave Vanian anyways. He deserves more due than he's gotten.

>

> -Oliver

>

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