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

Sep 06

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

6/10 (-2)

Oh where to begin on the amount of disappointment felt when I watched this movie. The acting was tame, the direction was typical Burton (not in a good way either) the music was good but not great, the production overall was hyped up but never delivered on the promise. I am a big fan of this musical by the amazing Stephen Sondheim. Ever since a friend of mine introduced me to the original broadway soundtrack I was hooked. The original Broadway production featured Len Cairou as Sweeney Todd and Angela Lansbury as Mrs Lovett. That’s what did it for me. Hearing her as Mrs Lovett was mesmerizing and terrifying at the same time =)

Then I found a couple other film versions of the play, one a 1982 taped version of the Broadway show with George Hearne as Sweeney and Angela Lansbury as Mrs Lovett. This is what ruined everything for me. Seeing instead of just hearing Angela Lansbury was beyond mesmerizing. She embodied the character in such a beautiful and dangerous way…*sigh* And then, I’m sorry Helena Bonham Carter, but you cannot even compare or come close to Ms Lansbury in terms of acting skill. You’re ok, but Ms Lansbury is the definition of actor.

Tim Burton, a competent director, indeed even more than competent, should have had no problem with such a glorious book and songs, but something happened in the translation from stage to screen and I think Mr Burton just had too many of his fingers in the pie. Sorry, but you are responsible for ruining, in my opinion, a really fine story with lackluster direction.

I could go on and on about my disappointment with this movie. Let me take a moment though to say what I did enjoy: Johnny Depp was an ok Sweeney Todd and had some moments of singing that I was truly impressed with. Sacha Baron Cohen was great as Pirelli and Alan Rickman saved what could be saved of the movie as Judge Turpin. Timothy Spall was deliciously repugnant as the Beadle too. So, Helena Bonham Carter should not have been in this movie. Johnny Depp was ok. Everyone else…Perfection!

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