Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber from
Fleet Street is a Lavish Musical Romp
Sweeney
Todd:
The Demon Barber from Fleet Street takes us through
the
darkness of revenge, murder and the talents of Johnny Depp. A good time
if you’re looking for something off the horror path.
Written by The Horror Czar
(BHM Editor Don
Sumner) December 21, 2007
Release:
December 21, 2007
Directed by: Tim Burton
Written by: John Logan
Starring:
Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd
Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett
Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin
Timothy Spall as Beadle Bamford
Sacha Baron Cohen as Signor Adolfo Pirelli
Jamie Campbell Bower as Anthony Hope
Somewhere between the Jack the Ripper story From
Hell and British Musical Mary Poppins
lies the newest Tim Burton movie creation Sweeney Todd: The
Demon Barber from Fleet Street. This popular Broadway musical
now major motion picture starring Johnny Depp is extravagant, bloody
and oozes Tim Burton.
The story A String of Pearls, written in
1846 by Thomas Prest, was adapted to a stage production titled Sweeney
Todd: The Demon Barber from Fleet Street by George Dibdin
Pitt in 1847. Thus began the series of stage and screen adaptations and
urban legends of truth culminating in a Broadway stage production
including lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim in 1979. Although there
have been other adaptations of the story, it is the Sondheim Broadway
version that provides the basis for the Tim Burton theatrical
production released in December 2007.
Todd
(Johnny Depp) was once Benjamin Barker, a young barber in London
with a lovely wife and a new baby girl. One day the evil Judge Turpin
(Alan Rickman) discovered the beauty of Barker’s wife Lucy
(Laura Michelle Kelly) and had Barker sent off to an off-shore prison
so that he could have the woman as his own.
Fifteen years later a bitter and vengeful Benjamin Barker returns to
London, assuming the name Sweeney Todd. Todd meets Mrs. Lovett (Helena
Bonham Carter) and together they concoct a plan to both satisfy
Todd’s newfound blood lust and save Mrs. Lovett’s
failing meat pie business.
Lucy apparently poisoned herself in a fit of despair and the judge took
her daughter as his ward, and later decided that he should marry the
daughter instead. Bloody mayhem follows as Sweeney exacts revenge
on every human being he can get his blade onto…meanwhile the
new source of fresh ingredients has the meat pie business booming.
Johnny Depp continues to show his willingness to play off-beat
characters. His performance is classic Johnny Depp, so there are no
surprises there. Another element that is of no surprise is the fact
that Depp is starring in a Tim Burton movie. Since Edward Scissorhands
there seems to be a bit of a “love
affair” between Depp and Burton as Depp has starred in
features including Edward Scissorhands,
Ed Woods, Sleepy Hollow and Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory – all directed by Burton.
Tim Burton is famous for a dark and ironic Gothic style, and Sweeney
Todd: The Demon Barber from Fleet Street is no exception. The Tim
Burton rendition of London reminded me a lot of Gotham City. The
production is lavish and slick with no stone left unturned in the
detail and depth. Clearly Burton’s artistic experience in
animation, Burton did the animation in Tron from
1982, has spilled over into a highly artitistic and rich directing
style.
So, what
is in this one for the horror movie fan? There is lots of
blood and gore to be sure. The graphic gore is an interesting contrast
to the stylized musical elements of this mega-budget film. Has anyone
seen the popular YouTube feature of “Scary Mary”?
If you liked that then you will like Sweeney Todd: The Demon
Barber from Fleet Street. Oh, what the
heck…I’ll include “Scary Mary”
below so that you will have an idea what you are in for when you watch
the latest Depp/Burton creation. It’s good for a change of
pace. Questions
or comments about Sweeney Todd: The Demon
Barber from Fleet Street? Contact us!
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Lucy apparently poisoned herself in a fit of despair and the judge took
her daughter as his ward, and later decided that he should marry the
daughter instead. Bloody mayhem follows as Sweeney exacts revenge
on every human being he can get his blade onto…meanwhile the
new source of fresh ingredients has the meat pie business booming.
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