Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007, Tim Burton)

"Because in all of the whole human race, Mrs. Lovett, there are two kinds of men and only two. There's the one staying put in his proper place and one with his foot in the other one's face."

-Sweeney Todd, Epiphany

Tim Burton is one of the darkest mainstream directors of our time, and one of the most visionary. His films have been some of the most unique experiences in Hollywood's output; this makes him great in my eyes. Though all of his films have been dark and depressing, Sweeney Todd is probably his darkest to date.

Sweeney Todd is the musical story of Benjamin Barker, a man who was sent away to prison by a corrupt judge. We meet Barker as he returns to London, with a new name and a desire for the blood of the judge. He takes a room above Ms. Lovett's meat pie shop and plots his vengeance. To quench his lust for blood, he takes to murdering innocent, unsuspecting citizens who visit his barber shop. Ms. Lovett then bakes these people into pies, in order to save her

dying business.

I've seen Sweeney Todd an estimation of five times, and I still get joy out of revisiting it. It's macabre, bleak, and dark, but at the same time it boasts some of the finest black comedy and charm that most films of this type shy away from. It's more than likely the result of Stephen Sondheim's original Broadway show, which I don't doubt has the same black humor, but Mr. Burton doesn't leave this film without throwing in some of his own little trademarks.

Two of which are Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Depp, despite his huge female fanbase and slight strangeness, is sincerely one of the better actors working in Hollywood right now. His performance as Sweeney is brilliant. Depp plays stoic and deadpan on the surface, but is able to communicate so much through the eyes; an ability that doesn't come naturally to many actors. Carter is also excellent, she's shrill, devious, witty and even slightly annoying.

The supporting cast includes Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall, who have a great chemistry as our villians, while also both being despicable in their own special ways. Burton also cast unknowns Edward Sanders as Toby, Jamie Campbell-Bower as Antony, and Jayne Wisener as Johanna. They each work well in their parts, but most of the praise must be given to Edward Sanders who is charming and hilarious. Campbell-Bower and Wisener are passable, but both of their roles are so small that you barely notice them.

Burton's cinematography is decent, and though many of his shots are rather bland (too boxy), his use of lighting and filtering are excellent. The colorization is washed out, making it seem as if we're looking at an old photo, and casting pale shadows everywhere to create uneasiness. The blood is ketchup red, and contrasts heavily with the whites and blacks. This shocks the audience despite the cartoonish, over-the-top look of the violence.

Story wise, the plot is relatively thin and simple. In fact, if not for the fact that it was a musical that didn't call for a heavy plot, this would be a problem. The music is my favorite part about the film. The majority of the dialogue is sung, and the numbers are brilliantly written. It's a musical that calls for you to actually listen to what's being sung, and doesn't distract with dance numbers or anything too flashy.

Sweeney Todd isn't a film that tries to preach about the consuming nature of revenge, nor does it say that killing is bad, bad, bad. These are all things we already know, and the film knows it. It doesn't aspire to have any deep, meaningful revelations about life of humanity, it's just a lot of shocking, dark fun. Granted, the violence is pretty graphic, but the movie doesn't try to glamorize it, though some may aruge the opposite.

I'm all about deep films that have something to say, and require thought. I'm all about art that aspires to be relevant to the culture and technically proficient at the same time. Yet when art is still able to be captivating and emotional without having to do those things, it's an accomplishment unto itself.

Sweeney Todd is one of Burton's best works and quite possibly my favorite of his films. Stephen Sondheim's source material was perfect for Burton to work with, and he did so wonderfull. Granted, the film does have it's flaws, but it's still a thrilling ride that doesn't let up until the end.

"Charming, practical and yet appropriate as always," boasts Sweeney about Ms. Lovett, and I feel that the same must be said for Mr. Burton's film.

8.5/10