The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Yesterday was a good day. I came home from Sunderland's woke up, ate some lunch, watched a little Flight of the Conchords, and decided to get out of the house.

Steve, Cheryl, and I went to see the film adaptation of Sweeney Todd and I have to say it wasn't bad. As with most movie musical adaptations, certain liberties were taken, certain things cut out, and changes made. A couple items that stand out are the omission of the Ballad of Sweeney Todd and just the overall darkening of the mood. Much of the humor from the musical was pretty much cut out and the movie just had a darker, more ominous tone than the original stage production.

A good portion of the music was intact and surprisingly well done. I had originally heard that Stephen Sondheim didn't want Johnny Depp to play the role of Todd because he couldn't sing, but that was somehow changed through the magic of Hollywood vocal coaches and Depp and Burton's persistence to make the role happen. Helena Bonham Carter pulled of Mrs Lovett quite well, and for once I believe that Depp did not steal the show.

One thing to keep in mind about the film is that it is indeed a Tim Burton film and it is soaking with an ever-so-recognizable Burton-esque vibe. This could not be more obvious in the picnic scene where Mrs. Lovett is confiding to Todd her dreams for the future with him and the flash-to realizations of these. Whether it be the costumes, the sets, or the makeup, it's all there and over the top.

Another word of warning, is that the gore factor in this movie is also over the top. The deaths aren't always swift and there are many of them. From the razor slit throats to bodies dropping down the chute to the bakehouse, this movie will make any normal person cringe. This is definitely not a children's movie and also not recommended for those with a weak stomach for blood. It was the bloodiest Broadway musical ever, and I'm pretty sure it's the bloodiest movie musical to date. I won't go so far as to say that the gore is out of place or uncalled for, because it definitely does add to the film in it's own vengeful way, but it is definitely intense.

So for anybody that can appreciate a stage to film adaptation of a classic broadway musical with a blackened feel and has a strong stomach, I highly recommend Sweeney Todd. Perhaps it could be my enchantment with the whole Burton/Depp matchup, but I really enjoyed it. If I were some bigshot newspaper movie critic, I would give it an 8.5 out of 10, a 4 out of 5, or 3.5 out of 4 stars or what have you... Go see it.