Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 2007 black comedy/horror film/musical film, a film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's musical of the same name. The film stars Johnny Depp in the title role, in his sixth collaboration with director Tim Burton. Helena Bonham Carter also stars as Mrs. Lovett.
To be honest,I am not a fan of musicals( the last i saw was Phantom of the Opera in early 2005) and for that reason i was reluctant to watch Sweeney Todd.It took me some minutes to get accustomed to the musical aspect of the movie.
The Broadway musical seems like the perfect material for Tim Burton to work on.Common elements of Burton’s filmography are present in Sweeney Todd.His version is not an ordinary musical (others argue that Sweeney Todd is not a musical but a gothic opera).While the original musical serves as the basis of the film adaptation,it has evolved in a dark,cruel,complex,cynical,impressive but deeply sentimental and humaine movie.When I say that the movie is complex,i don’t mean that it is difficult for the audience to follow what’s going on,but i mean that there’s so much meaning in the movie.Johny Depp delivers an excellent performance,with some very powerfull,expressive moments .His vocal skills are also surpisingly good.
A lot could be said about the (very good)music of the movie,the atmosphere,the visual quality,the performances,the meaning of the movie.The fact is that despite some (minor) flaws,Sweeney Todd is very good movie,with a final shot that words can’t describe .Words are meaningless.It is such a poetic image.
Sweeney Todd-Opening titles theme
HD trailer http://youtube.com/watch?v=6j29Yk2WGMw
