by Caitlyn Jones

Created on: March 29, 2009

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Directed by Tim Burton

Based on the Broadway play

Set in London, Johnny Depp plays the forlorn, dark character of Benjamin Barker a.k.a. Sweeney Todd. Barker is (wrongly) accused and sentenced to life in prison by the great Judge Turpin played by Alan Rickman (Snape from the Harry Potter movies) all because Turpin wants to be with Barker's wife, the beautiful Lucy. Escaping from prison 15 years later and returning to London under the new name of Sweeney Todd, he hopes to find wife and daughter, who was an infant when he was imprisoned, waiting with open arms. Instead he returns to his bleak barber shop and house to find the dreary Mrs. Lovett, played by Helena Bonham Carter, and her meat pie emporium.

Mrs. Lovett tells the story of Lucy's rape by Judge Turpin and her self poisoning afterwards. She also relays to Todd that the man that has caused all of his ill fate, Judge Turpin, is now the guardian of his daughter Johanna (debut performance by Jayne Wisener). With a vendetta against the world Todd vows to take revenge for his Lucy by going on a rampage until he kills Judge Turpin. Using his barber shop as a chop shop where he slices the victim's throats when they think they are going in for a shave, and using Mrs. Lovett's meat pies as a way to dispose of the bodies, the Todd/Lovett duo is a force to reckon with. Feeding the victims to unsuspecting customers; what better way to not get caught? Mixed with love and betrayal, this is an all around good film.

There are no grand effects. The blood is clearly fake and squirts in a somewhat cheezy style. But that doesn't matter. In my opinion it just helps add to the different atmosphere than that of other movies today. It was more like watching a play than a big name movie. The music was well chosen, many of the songs sticking in your mind even after it's over (I'm singing one as I write this). All of the musical scores add to the tone and feel of this dark tale.

The actors did an amazing job. Depp, Carter, and Rickman all shocked audiences with their unknown singing talents. The witty, well thought out dialogue fit each character perfectly. Filmed in the normal Tim Burton style, the storyline is played out even better.

Also starring Timothy Spall as the Beadle (another Harry Potter star), Sacha Baron Cohen as Pirelli, and Ed Sanders as Toby.

This is another must see movie with a great cast, great plot, and great director.

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