Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Rating: 10/10

I've fallen a bit behind on reviews lately. I've seen everything listed in the Coming Soon section plus a few others but I've been a bit preoccupied with some other things - work and photography mainly. I decided it was time to put up another and what better film to review than one my favorite movies of all time, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

In the interest of full disclosure I need to make one thing clear - I HATE Musicals! There, I said it! To me there's very little worse than watching some mindless song and dance that does nothing to advance a story line. Sure, the singers and dancers are typically very talented but when I'm watching a film I want to see a story. I don't want to see something that tries to force as many dancers performing intricate choreography into a scene as physically possible while a character or two drones on and on about some minor plot point for twenty minutes. Sweeney Todd does none of those things.

Sweeney Todd is a very dark story and is not for those with a weak stomach. It is the story of a barber that was unjustly accused and convicted of a crime he did not commit so that another man, the powerful Judge Turpin could steal his wife. Fifteen years later the man having assumed the persona of Sweeney Todd returns to London and is seeking revenge.

Todd’s first stop upon his return is Mrs. Lovett’s Meat Pie shop which is downstairs from his old parlor. Mrs. Lovett tells him the fate of his wife and daughter and takes him upstairs where he is reunited with his old razors.

In a strange twist of fate the sailor that rescued Sweeney out on the sea discovers the whereabouts of his daughter and concocts a plan to rescue her from the judge. This plan kick starts a sequence of events involving deception, cunning, and ultimately murder.

Murder, of course, comes with its own set of problems. The most obvious of which is that of what to do with the bodies. Mrs. Lovett quickly solves that problem though when she connects the dots of her slow meat pie business and the fresh supply of meat made available by Mr. Todd. Business was never better.

This movie had me from the start. The story was perfect for Tim Burton’s imagination which is proven by the film work and artistic direction. The Academy Award for Best Achievement in Art Direction was well deserved. As usual, Burton’s casting is spot on. Johnny Depp was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd. Helena Bonham Carter is wonderful as Mrs. Lovett. Alan Rickman is great in nearly everything and he definitely does not disappoint as Judge Turpin. Timothy Spall is always a fantastic henchman and proves it once again as the Beadle.

What really surprised me about Sweeney Todd though was that even though the majority of the movie is sung it doesn’t feel like a musical (did I mention that I hate musicals?). The songs are more of a dialog set to music than a mindless rambling about some mundane detail. There are no elaborate full town choreographed dance scenes. In fact, the closest that Sweeney Todd comes to an elaborate dance scene is whenever Depp is pacing the room with his razors. And speaking of the music, these people can sing! Until Sweeney Todd I never once pictured Hans Gruber/The Sheriff of Nottingham/Rasputin/Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) sitting in a barber’s chair singing about pretty women. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch Die Hard the same way again.

Those that know me personally know that I wouldn’t lightly give a movie a 10 unless I really thought it was worthy and Sweeney Todd definitely is in my book although it is not for everyone.