Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of
Fleet Street [Blu-ray] starring Johnny
Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan
Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron
Cohen
Well Worth It!!
After years of rumors, it turns out that Tim Burton was the perfect visionary
to film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Stephen
Sondheims Broadway masterpiece, and the result is a macabre and
moving musical movie as enthralling as anything Burton has ever done.
The shows mix of gothic horror, Grand Guignol, very dark humor, and witty
and beautiful music never was the stuff of traditional musical comedy, but
its a powerful work, and perhaps the richest of the late 20th century. In
the movie, Burtons frequent collaborator, Johnny Depp, plays Todd, a
wronged man whose lust for revenge drives him to murder (an 19th-
century legend who has been traced to a real-life barber). Helena Bonham
Carter, another Burton mainstay, is Mrs. Lovett, the barbers partner -in-
unspeakable-crime. Its no surprise that Depp is an excellent choice to
convey Todds brooding intensity and volcanic rage, but he can also sing a
score that is so challenging it has often played in opera houses (though not
with the same style as the Broadway original, Len Cariou, and he
occasionally lapses into pop style). Bonham Carter is small of voice and
lacks the humor of the original Broadway Lovett, Angela Lansbury, but sh e
sings on pitch, in rhythm, and in character at the same time, which is no
small feat for a Sondheim show. Aficionados will regret the loss of certain
musical passages--The Ballad of Sweeney Todd is just an instrumental
overture and the chorus is gone altogether, among others--but the
reassuring presence of orchestrator Jonathan Tunick and conductor Paul
Gemignani ensures that the music feels right and sounds great. And the
films depiction of a Victorian London hellhole--with cinematography by
Dariusz Wolski and costumes by Colleen Atwood--also looks and feels
right. The excellent cast is filled out by Alan Rickman as the villainous
Judge Turpin, Timothy Spall as his seedy Beadle, Sacha Baron Cohen
(Borat) as a rival barber, Jamie Campbell Bower as the you ng lover
Anthony, Jayne Wisener as his object of affection, and Ed Sanders as the
young Toby. For fans of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp who dont think they
like musicals, Sweeney Todd should be a revelation (though not for the
squeamish, as the gore is intense and completely appropriate). For fans of
Broadway and Sondheim, its hard to imagine getting a better adaptation
than this. The fact that theres no newly composed Oscar-bait song sung by
a Josh Groban-type over the end credits only makes it better. --David
Horiuchi
I was hesitant to purchase this movie online, at first . But I am so glad I did!
Not only was the DVD in perfect condition when I got it but it came in 2
business days. The movie itself was beyond amazing! I was so impressed
with both Johnny and Helenas singing. The rest of the cast was as talented
and wonderful as they could be. A must buy!
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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [Blu-ray] starring Johnny Depp,
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