Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

United Kingdom, United States of America

Drama, Horror

DreamWorks Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Parkes/MacDonald Productions, The Zanuck Company

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower

Tim Burton

John Logan

Taglines: Never Forget. Never Forgive.

widow, asylum, confession, razor, villain, blood splatter, musical, beggar, based on play or musical, child in peril, cane, lust, cannibal, person on fire, incest, infatuation, shaving, social injustice, barbershop, oven, beadle, uxoricide, seaman, mother figure, folktale, corrupt judge, horror musical

The infamous story of Benjamin Barker, a.k.a Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett. Based on the hit Broadway musical.

Reviews:

Author: Geronimo1967
The triumvirate of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter returns for this entertaining adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical adaptation of the deathly vengeful antics of the eponymous London barber and his pie making accomplice. For my money, it features one of the best songs from Sondheim's repertoire - "Not While I'm Around" which neatly brings me to the starring role, for me at any rate - the young Edward Sanders who plays "Toby" strongly and charmingly. Jamie Campbell Bower also delivers well amongst a supporting cast of solid British stage talent - a rather menacing Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall amongst them. It is dark and gritty, and stays fairly faithful to the theatrical performance that impresses not just with it's solid performances (perhaps not so much with Johnny Depp who comes across as eerily uncomfortable) but with the super costume and make-up effects, the lighting and, of course, a score that marries cleverly the threatening with the frequent (very black) humour. HBC is probably at her best here, I have rarely seen her more effective in a role and she can certainly hold the attention, if not so much perfect pitch, whilst having fun converting customers into pasties. Like the stage play, it has highs and lows but on the whole it progresses entertainingly enough to a conclusion that I didn't like so much - I always like a good baddie, and these two were certainly of the most creative. Ketchup anyone?