Viewers may have their doubts about Tim Burton's reincarnation of Steven Sondheim's classic Broadway musical, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." The first qualm may concern the film's content. Few movies today?if ever?are musicals about serial killers.
Sweeney Todd is a barber who promises vengeance after his family is taken from him. He pursues his revenge with the help of his landlady, Mrs. Lovett. As Todd murders unsuspecting customers in his barber shop, Lovett disposes of the evidence by cooking the remains into her infamously "worst pies in London."
In spite of its alarming story line, "Sweeney Todd" has circled Broadway consistently since its opening in 1979. During its run, it has garnered no fewer than 19 Tony awards, from Best Actor and Actress to Best Scenic and Lighting Design. Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury, who played protagonists Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett respectively, represent Broadway legends in their own rights.
To say that Burton had a lot to live up to with his 2007 adaptation is to put it mildly. "Sweeney Todd" is a musical much loved by the critics, and it embodies a hallmark of 20th century drama. Yet Burton took the challenge head-on, choosing a surprising, and for some, worrisome cast. Johnny Depp signed on for the lead role of Sweeney Todd, and Helena Bonham Carter took that of Mrs. Lovett. Of the star-studded supporting cast, which includes actors like Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall and Sacha Baron Cohen, only one is a professional singer. Some found comfort, however, in Sondheim's approval of the cast and in his collaboration with Burton.
Sondheim's involvement notwithstanding, Burton's "Sweeney Todd" has, as one might imagine, assumed his signature ambiance. The Gothic sentiment of the film is immediately evident from its gray-scale coloring. Colorful moments stand out in stark contrast, most memorably the splattering, unrealistic but shockingly bright, red blood that accompanies Todd's descent into insanity. The characters' clothing mirrors the darkness of their surroundings, a darkness which is reinforced through the wild hairstyles of both Todd and Lovett. From the moment Depp appears on screen, he has a haunted, and indeed haunting, quality; viewers will immediately recognize his character has been severely wronged. It is due to Depp's incredible acting that viewers can look past the eerie atmosphere to see the humanity within the increasingly deranged and evil Todd.
Depp's acting, combined with Carter's revolutionary and fascinating take on Mrs. Lovett, immediately captivate the audience. Excellent acting by supporting cast members Jayne Wisner, who plays Todd's daughter Johanna, and Jamie Campbell Bower, the sailor in love with Johanna, further enhance the quality and drama of the film.
It is possible?probable even ?that you planned to make it through life without the story of a melodic barber who slits his customers' throats before making them into meat pies. Burton's superb directing together with the compelling acting, scenery and music of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," however, beg you to reconsider.