Tim Burton has created an elegantly horrifying musical in his latest film, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Easily, this is one of the best musicals in recent years and leaves Hairspray out on the curve.
With its dark setting and appalling storyline, this film is disturbing yet marvelously enchanting.
The plot involves Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) known as Sweeney Todd, a barber who loses his family and shop due to the evil Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) who imprisons him unjustly.
Because of this, Todd seeks vengeance in the Victorian era’s backdrop of a very dark, filthy, and horrific London that only Tim Burton could have imagined.
Todd’s revenge, unlikely for a simple barber, takes a violent and rather gored path. The movie is filled with slit throats, blood and body parts. Each of Todd’s victims is turned into meat pies by the less-than-lovely Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) who is on par with Todd’s gruesome revenge.
However, all of these grotesque images
are contrasted by one of the most
beautiful scores ever to be used in a movie, thanks to lyricist-composer Stephen Sondheim.
You often don’t see someone singing while committing mass murders and practicing cannibalism. This is dark humor at its best!
Tim Burton has done an amazing job, bringing a stage musical to the big screen and giving this film a delightfully dark feeling.
Visually, the film is perfect. Scenic London is created so creepily that even in broad daylight it still appears sinister. Again, Burton has created a world of its own.
The songs are performed and choreographed perfectly in each scene. The film reveals to audiences everywhere that Depp has a secondary talent, an amazing singing voice.
Depp’s voice is certainly strong and imposing, which is ideal for a man seeking a much-deserved vengeance.
From this performance, he won the Golden Globes’ Best Actor category in a musical or comedy and is nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor.
This movie, which is also a Golden Globes’ winner in the Best Picture for a musical or comedy, is certainly a must-see for Tim Burton fans.
This is probably his best movie so far.
Even if musicals are not seen by the majority of movie audiences, it is likely that most movie goers will surely enjoy Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. But prepare yourself for a few chills which will make their way down your spine.
