Now, before guys get the impression of “aw-yeah-gore-and-blood-and-murder-what-fun!” I am forewarning you that this is a real musical. And when I say musical I, don’t mean something like The Nightmare Before Christmas or The Producers that has long stretches of dialogue dividing up the songs. I mean the number of songs and musical numbers outmatch the dialogue! Between each song, there is about a minute, maybe three at the most, of dialogue before the next song begins. If you’re not a musical-lover, this may not be the best film for you. But… if you love musicals and don’t mind the odd bit of gore and gross, then Sweeney Todd is a wonderful film filled with revenge, rape, murder, cannibalism, bloodshed, and the sinister. Another Tim Burton triumph!
For fifteen years, Benjamin Barker has been sweating in a living hell. Locked away in a prison on a false charge, he has now escaped and returned to London as Sweeney Todd, and he shall have his revenge on those who ruined his life. Whilst planning his revenge, he acquires the companionship of Mrs. Lovett, a lowly widow whose meat pie business is struggling with the high prices of meat. As Todd’s skills with a razor begin to attract attention, the two come up with a solution to both their problems: Sweeney will practice revenge on “less honourable throats” and Mrs. Lovett will grind up the carcasses and use the meat in her pies. And so begins the chilling tale of Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
I think what appealed to me most about the story of Sweeney Todd is that it is a revenge story where everyone is the villain. Everything, and I mean everything in this film is covered in the sinister and Burton’s use of no colour (aside from blood red obviously) successfully conveys the wickedness of the entire bleeding thing.
That’s not to say that the film is all dark and resentful. Scattered throughout the script, there are wonderful little moments of dark humour and there is a wonderful showmanship scene starring Sasha Baron Cohen (who has a pretty damn good singing voice) that brings a touch of colour and life to the movie. Brilliant!
Johnny Depp stars as the Demon Barber himself and he was just brilliant! I can only imagine that playing Sweeney Todd would have been immensely difficult because he is such a distant character with a one-track mind, finding it immensely hard to return to his old life. A bit like a war veteran. Johnny delivered a performance that was distant, cold, menacing, but at the same time melancholy, tragic, and even funny at times. It is my belief that there is nothing Johnny Depp can’t do!
Helena Bonham Carter plays Mrs. Lovett and she was just lovely, and even more sinister and deceitful than Todd. Playing the manipulative, but eager to please and gain the rewards, Helena gave a wonderful performance that was charming, witty, cunning, and just brilliant. Without a doubt Helena has to be my favourite actress!
Starring Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, and Sasha Baron Cohen, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a delightfully chilling film filled with villains, revenge, bloodshed, murder, deceit, rape, beautiful songs, lies, and cannibalism. I absolutely love it!
There’s a whole in the world like a great black pit and it’s filled with people who are filled with shit and the vermin of the world inhabit it.
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