Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Mon 03 March 2008
Jessica Poulton, Design and Communication
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street tells a twisted tale of revenge – complete with blood, violence and plenty of singing.
The musical brings director Tim Burton together again with stars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in their first film together after Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride, a similarly dark animated feature.
Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) returns to London after many years, seeking revenge on the men who stole his wife and daughter away from him. While he waits for his chance for revenge he rids society of other “upper-class scum” by slicing their throats as they wait for a shave in his barber shop above Mrs Lovett’s Pie Shop.
Meanwhile Mrs Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) is struggling due to the high price of meat. So she devises a creative solution that will both provide her with a free supply of meat for her pies, and give Sweeney Todd a way to dispose of the bodies of those he slays.
The film was quite entertaining, though somewhat strange in its dark, musical format. A few loose ends seemed to be left untied at the end of the film, but the main plot was dramatically resolved.
The film contains very little realism, with over-the-top blood splatters and outlandish costumes, and it is definitely not suitable for children.
The musical elements provided some comedic relief from the slicing and dicing, but the violence could not be escaped for long.
Finally, a warning for anyone planning to see this film: try not to become too attached to any one character, as few are far from the blades of the demon barber of Fleet Street.
Image(s) designed by n/a