Sweeney Todd Film Review
Johnny Depp Stars in Tim Burton's Take on Sondheim's musical
Grim and gothic, Burton creates an excellent piece of cinema that is wonderfully acted by a quality cast.
Sweeney Todd (dir. Tim Burton, 2007)
Director Tim Burton is the contemporary master of cinematic Gothic. Whether he is telling a tale of love in Edward Scissorhands, or weaving a story of revenge and myth in Sleepy Hollow, Burton paints the pictures on screen through his love of the Gothic style. Stephen Sondheim's musical, Sweeney Todd therefore appeared to be an excellent platform by which Burton could work from.
Burton does not fail to disappoint with a paradoxically grim yet enchanting adaptation. The film opens with a fresh faced sailor called Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower) singing of the wonder of London. He is bluntly interrupted by Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) who sings of the filth and rot of the same city. This marks the contrast throughout the film, with Anthony displaying a naïve hope for the future and Todd conveying a nihilistic vision that revolves around vengeance.
Todd Seeks Vengeance
This need for vengeance comes from his wrongful imprisonment fifteen years earlier by the perverted Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). Turpin sent Todd (formally known as Benjamin Barker) off to prison so that the Judge himself could seduce Barker's wife Lucy and ruin their idyllic life. Todd returns to London to find the judge and have revenge for the damage done. Told that Lucy was dead, by his new friend, the disjointed Mrs Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), Todd decides no-one in London deserves to live. Mrs Lovett fuels this idea by a grotesque business plan to revive her ailing pie shop. Todd's victims could be the perfect ingredients for her pies. Todd does not object as all he cares about is getting revenge on the judge and any victims along the way are barely thought about.
The polarity between Anthony and Todd is most stark in Todd's desire to take lives and the sailor's desire to save a life. That life happens to be Johanna, Todd's daughter, who is imprisoned by Turpin. Todd and Anthony share a duet singing of Johanna and it is also the goriest musical montage an audience may experience. The demon barber sings of his love for his daughter whilst killing customers and barely responding to his victims gargled demise. In striking parallel is Anthony's love that is innocent and hopeful as he wanders the streets of London.
Burton Produces Nearly Black and White City
Burton produces an almost black and white film with the only colour that really stands out being the thick and gooey red blood. It is a bleak portrayal of London with the violence unflinchingly constant in sight and sound. The sound editing is excellent with every slash of the barber's blade ever so apparent and every bite of Mrs Lovett's pies even more repulsive by the magnified sound as they are enjoyed by her patrons. Sondheim's music complement's the strange world created by Burton as the protagonists sing songs that reflect their deluded personalities.
Depp continues to prove why he is one of modern cinema's great actors in his performance as Todd and Bonham Carter adds much needed humour to this bleak tale. Where Sweeney Todd falls down is the casting of Bower. He does not convince and is a disappointment. The supporting cast of Alan Rickman (who plays Turpin magnificently), Timothy Spall and Sacha Baron Cohen (who plays a very creepy barber named Pirelli) simply help to improve the film. Unfortunately their performances magnify Bower's miscasting.
Although Burton gives the audience a depressing narrative, this grim world is still enchanting and that is owing to the filmmaker's clear love affair with all things Gothic. His passion for this deliberate stylisation means the audience leaves with an odd yet delightful aftertaste.
