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Rated: R
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall
Directed by: Tim Burton
Story, acting and cinematography shines within
the grisly blood of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street it's deliciously macabre. College and
high school students, playgoers, film buffs and most all adults will enjoy this
little ditty from the dark and dreary beginning to its diabolical ending. Most identified as a musical on Broadway, the
film of the hit show transfers nicely to the big screen.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street tells
the sordid tale of Benjamin Parker (Depp, and also plays Todd), a prosperous
barber in London
who gets targeted for treachery by the prominent Judge Turpin (Rickman), who
wants to have Parker's beautiful wife and child for his own.
Returning to London after serving 15 years for a crime he
did not commit, Todd is filled with the need for revenge.
He meets the middle-aged widow Mrs. Lovett (Carter) who, with little
convincing, makes a pact with Todd to do the crooked Judge in. When the Judge slips out of Todd's hands
during an attempt to cut his throat, Mrs. Lovett convinces Todd to join her in
a more diabolical scheme that will benefit them both.
The vocals
sung by Depp and Carter are both wonderful and highly entertaining. The two never fail at keeping to the original
storyline while perfectly depicting their vengeful characters as they plot
retribution and conduct their gory business.
The film
might have been too dark except for the comical intrusion of Signor Adolfo
Pirelli (Cohen), an Italian barber who sets up business in London and puts a damper
on Todd's plans. During one of the
funniest scenes, the laughs roll in as the two barbers have a very comical
shaving duel.
Burton does an excellent
job of directing the action and keeping the pace of the musical on the money. Guiding the fine cinematography down the dark
London Fleet Street is an incredible accomplishment as well. The goings on in Mrs. Lovett's restaurant and
the demonic barbershop are fantastically and morbidly depicted by Burton's strong
directorial hand, and the scenes leave a wicked lasting impression. Burton accomplishes
intertwining the side love story with the main plot, setting up some of the
major twists that give the film its bizarre ending.
Although
this review may seem quite harmless to youngsters, I highly recommend that they
do not attend. The realistically ghastly
killings and the nonchalant way they are committed, may be a little too
traumatizing for the very young.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of
Fleet Street translates wonderfully to the screen, however, you may not want to eat a big meal
before going to see it.
Johnny Depp....yesssssssssssss! Johnny Depp ...and he even sings! What a guy! |
