Story about a grisly revenge by Benjamin Barker, a man unjustly imprisoned by a lecherous judge. Barker returns as barber Sweeney Todd and exacts revenge.

General

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, An Academy Award Nominee for Actor in a reading role, Art Direction and Costume Design, is based upon the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler. This is clearly an excellent piece for Tim Burton to helm as his odd dark way of seeing things melts very well with the wicked version of London present in Sweeney Todd. However, less than either Moulin Rouge (2001) and Chicago (2002) but more than Evita (1996), the film doesn’t really reach its full comic potential until the “Johanna” quartet (which is actually a trio) and “By the Sea”, though we do see earlier glimpses, especially in “The Contest.” Besides the faults, even if it is not a perfect film, as far as a cult musical with gore, it does the job and worth it to watch.

Storyline

The story is rather simple. In the beginning, the film itself seems a little confused as to whether it is going to be artistic and theatrical or realistic. Eventually it settles into a rhythm that becomes a balance between the two. However, generally the story translates exceptionally well to the screen covering a significant period of time and skillfully weaves several story lines together.

Picture

Be warned that this film is extremely gory. There are literally buckets of blood. And it does spew absolutely everywhere (camera lens included). But its coloring, opaqueness, and great amount make it not so much disgusting as artistic, especially in the “Johanna” quartet. The sets, makeup, and lighting are all first rate.

Music

The musical element isn’t actually very compelling as the actors are not professional singers. But we could give them credit for their wonderful attempt at singing Sondheim’s complex tunes (not that anyone would notice if they were to sing them incorrectly).

Performance

Johnny Depp surprises us in his portrayal of Sweeney Todd. He is able to find both the blood thirsty monster and pained husband/ father in this character, and though obviously not a trained singer, his vocals are not bad.

Helena Bonham Carter leaves something to be desired vocally, but acts the part of Mrs. Lovett beautifully, especially in “By the Sea” which is the best number in the movie, darkly comic and sweet at the same time with stunning visuals.

Jayne Wisener, Johanna, has a tremendously sweet voice. She was adorable, but rather expressionless.

Ed Sanders, Toby,’s voice is also very nice and impressive.

Overall

This is a tale that focuses on how obsession with revenge leads to tragic consequences as well as a narrow field of vision where mistakes can be make. Overall this is a good film. It does have its faults, but it captures the mood and story of the Sondheim’s originally musical beautifully. Haven’t watched this movie yet? Be first in line when this comes out on DVD.

Johanna Quartet in a musical

Accessories

Still photos

Resources:

IMDB
Yahoo Movie
Cinematic Intelligence Agency