Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barbet of Fleet Street Review

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was originally a musical written and directed by Stephen Sondheim, it was a minimalist production, and has been universally praised. Last year Tim Burton announced that he would be adapting the musical into a film and that Johnny Depp would be starring as the murderous barber. This sent the billions of 12 year old, Pirates of the Caribbean influenced Depp fan-girls into quivers of excitement.

The bad news for them is that this film is an 18, everywhere, and considering that the murderous Mr. Todd and his accomplice Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) kill, cook and sell the numerous unfortunate victims that wander into Sweeney’s shop, this isn’t at all surprising. The violence presented in this film is horrific, to the extent that it’s comical. Those who can’t handle gore or black humour should stay well away from this film.

The plot opens with an extremely dark credit sequence, in which animated blood shows us the path that Sweeney’s victims take, while this is well animated and accompanied by an appropriate score, the entire thing felt like the opening to a Marvel movie (Spiderman etc. For those not in the know), which is somewhat confusing.

We then cut to the first musical number (this is still a musical despite how it’s been advertised) in which a young sailor and a suitably dark Mr. Todd argue in about London in song. I’m not normally a fan of musicals but the songs in this film are seamlessly integrated into the dialogue, to the extent that at times I couldn’t tell whether the actors were singing or not, and if a musical number does break out, it contains more plot progression than about half an hour’s worth of dialogue.

The musical aspect of the film is a huge strength to both the director (Tim Burton, as previously mentioned) and the actors, as neither suffer from the need to be realistic and can accomplish incredibly surreal sequences, an area Burton excels in.

About midway through the first song, the camera pans outwards to reveal Sweeney’s London, a view which should assure everyone in the audience that Burton is a master of gothic film, and that this is the spiritual successor to Sleepy Hollow. Then Burton does something very clever with colour.

In a flashback sequence Burton reveals that Todd was once named Benjamin Barker but was torn away from his family, by a judge (Alan Rickman) who coveted his wife, and then sentenced to jail for 15 years. In this scene Burton also proves that he can work very well with colour and friendly atmospheres. We are also introduced to the positively chilling Beadle Bamford (Timothy Spall).

We then cut back to the miserable and gothic landscape that is so often associated with Burton, the contrast between the two environments is stunning and yet nothing seems out of place, such is the magic that Burton weaves.

Todd soon finds himself in the pie shop below his old barber shop. This is when we are introduced to Mrs. Lovett, who is on a par with Todd as being the most disturbing, perplexing, ruthless and yet likeable characters in the film.

The acting from everyone in the film is far above par, yet that seen from Depp and Carter is outstanding. Depp can say more with a single look than most actors can manage with a line of dialogue, and Carter’s portrayal of Mrs. Lovett’s twisted love of Todd is truly disturbing.

Yet the true strength of the acting is due to Burton’s decision not to demonise either character, even as Todd murders and sells anyone he encounters, and Lovett encourages his demented rage, they remain better than those who they pursue, even if only slightly. It would’ve been so easy for Burton to fall into the trap of not having a main character, yet he doesn’t as both Todd and Lovett, remain identifiable characters driven by human emotions.

The plot takes a large amount of time to get to the first murder, which is born out of necessity. The murder itself is quick but bloody. Gallons of blood pour from the first victim, and Depp smiles maliciously all the way through it, if anything were to put a fan-girl off Depp this is it.

After the first throat is slit the film progresses at a breakneck pace to its inevitable and bloody end, not much is left to the imagination, and anything that is, is completely justifiable from an artistic and tasteful stand-point. Everything is presented, filmed, acted and sung beautifully. This is a diamond in Burton’s crown.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barbet of Fleet Street is so close to being a masterpiece it’s painful to criticize it; the one thing that holds it back is its genre. It’s to arty for the blood crowd and to bloody for the art crowd, it takes a mixture of both to enjoy this film. Yet one thing is certain, Stephen Sondheim’s musical has been fully realised here, and this is Burtons crowning achievement. It’s bloody, satirical realism has implications to this day, and Burton has most definitely grown up and found his place in the world.

9/10