The first time I watched Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street I was 15 and I didn't like. The thing is that I didn't know it was a musical and I guess that spoiled the movie for me. Despite the fact that I can't stand Depp, I decided to give it another chance.
The film tells the story of Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp), a London barber whose life was destroyed when the powerful Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) fell for Barker's beautiful wife, Lucy (Laura Michelle Kelly), and accused and exiled Barker for a crime he did not commit so that he could have her. Fifteen years later, Barker returns to London under the name of Sweeney Todd, seeking revenge against Turpin. In order to get his revenge, he sets up a barber shop and teams up with Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), the owner of a meat pie shop below his shop.
It could have been such an interesting revenge story but unfortunately, it was poorly executed and the result is a mess that doesn't make any sense --Barker has the right to avenge himself, but killing innocent people, and making meat pie with them? Nope, he does not have the right do to that--, that's predictable --I didn't remember the final twist but it didn't come as a surprise as I saw it coming-- and kept me interested only at the beginning, before the whole throat-slicing business.
The characters are pretty bad too as they are bland and uninteresting. And the performances, most of them, don't get any better. Barker/Todd is a tragic character, and you are supposed to feel sorry for him, hope that he gets his revenge. And yet, in part because of the way the character is written, in part because of Johnny Depp who, by the way, looks like Edward Scissorhands and does a pretty terrible job, you never feel sorry for him. Mrs. Lovett is a disgusting woman but at least Helena Bonham Carter gives a decent performance as she finds a nice balance between drama and comedy. Sasha Baron Cohen plays a character that is almost completely irrelevant to the story but it really looks like he's having fun. Alan Rickman easily steals the show as he gives yet another wonderful performance as the corrupt judge. He brings so much charm to the role, that you'll more likely end up rooting for his character than for Depp's.
Visually though, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street does not disappoint. Here, Burton created another of his stunning worlds. The cinematography is beautiful, the colours are fantastic, the costumes and makeup are incredible and so are the sets. There's a lot of blood and gore but they work with the story. At last, the songs, although some are too prolonged and they get irritating at times, aren't terrible.
It could have been such an interesting revenge story but unfortunately, it was poorly executed and the result is a mess that doesn't make any sense --Barker has the right to avenge himself, but killing innocent people, and making meat pie with them? Nope, he does not have the right do to that--, that's predictable --I didn't remember the final twist but it didn't come as a surprise as I saw it coming-- and kept me interested only at the beginning, before the whole throat-slicing business.
The characters are pretty bad too as they are bland and uninteresting. And the performances, most of them, don't get any better. Barker/Todd is a tragic character, and you are supposed to feel sorry for him, hope that he gets his revenge. And yet, in part because of the way the character is written, in part because of Johnny Depp who, by the way, looks like Edward Scissorhands and does a pretty terrible job, you never feel sorry for him. Mrs. Lovett is a disgusting woman but at least Helena Bonham Carter gives a decent performance as she finds a nice balance between drama and comedy. Sasha Baron Cohen plays a character that is almost completely irrelevant to the story but it really looks like he's having fun. Alan Rickman easily steals the show as he gives yet another wonderful performance as the corrupt judge. He brings so much charm to the role, that you'll more likely end up rooting for his character than for Depp's.
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Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
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Visually though, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street does not disappoint. Here, Burton created another of his stunning worlds. The cinematography is beautiful, the colours are fantastic, the costumes and makeup are incredible and so are the sets. There's a lot of blood and gore but they work with the story. At last, the songs, although some are too prolonged and they get irritating at times, aren't terrible.
I liked this a great deal when it came out, but I haven't seen it since. I thought Carter, along with Rickman, were fantastic and I had fun with the macabre nature of it all. Curious what I would think now.
ReplyDeleteCarter and Rickman are great, but the film just didn't convince me.
DeleteAwww I loved this movie. I can't go wrong with a gory musical.
ReplyDeleteOh damn, it looks like I'm alone on this island.
DeleteThe film had its moments but I think Tim Burton sometimes tries to rely on tinted and desaturated visuals to help his story and it would often falter which is why I'm not highly invested into his films in recent years.
ReplyDeleteI actually love the way the visuals influence and help the story. It's pretty much everything else that doesn't work for me in Burton's recent films.
DeleteI am one who has not seen it because I can't picture Depp in the role although I love Helena and Alan Rickman. It is based, somewhat, on fact from someone in the 1920's who served meat pies to customers and it turned out to be human. I think this was in Germany...I could be wrong but I thought I had read that
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. I remember reading that somewhere. So messed up.
DeleteIt's a complete work of fiction, often people think it's true but sorry it isn't. Great film as I adore Sondheim, but granted the blood and gore isn't for everyone.
ReplyDeleteWait... people actually think this is based on a true story? WOW.
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