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| Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [2007] | ![Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [2007]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51dAILiRq1L._SL160_.jpg)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 41 reviews)
Sales Rank: 8
Category: DVD
Actors: Johnny Depp, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham-carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall
Director: Tim Burton
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Studio: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Label: Warner Home Video
Format: Box Set, Pal
Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Media: DVD
Running Time: 116 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
EAN: 7321902211756
ASIN: B0012YG7R8
Release Date: May 19, 2008 (In 3 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet released
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Amazon.co.uk Review
After years of rumours, it turns out that Tim Burton was the perfect visionary to film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Stephen Sondheim's Broadway masterpiece, and the result is a macabre and moving musical movie as enthralling as anything Burton has ever done. The show's mix of gothic horror, Grand Guignol, very dark humor, and witty and beautiful music never was the stuff of traditional musical comedy, but it's a powerful work, and perhaps the richest of the late 20th century. In the movie, Burton's frequent collaborator, Johnny Depp, plays Todd, a wronged man whose lust for revenge drives him to murder (an 19th-century legend who has been traced to a real-life barber). Helena Bonham Carter, another Burton mainstay, is Mrs. Lovett, the barber's partner-in-unspeakable-crime. It's no surprise that Depp is an excellent choice to convey Todd's brooding intensity and volcanic rage, but he can also sing a score that is so challenging it has often played in opera houses (though not with the same style as the Broadway original, Len Cariou, and he occasionally lapses into pop style). Bonham Carter is small of voice and lacks the humour of the original Broadway Lovett, Angela Lansbury, but she sings on pitch, in rhythm, and in character at the same time, which is no small feat for a Sondheim show. Aficionados will regret the loss of certain musical passages--"The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" is just an instrumental overture and the chorus is gone altogether, among others, but the reassuring presence of orchestrator Jonathan Tunick and conductor Paul Gemignani ensures that the music feels right and sounds great. And the film's depiction of a Victorian London hellhole, with cinematography by Dariusz Wolski and costumes by Colleen Atwood, also looks and feels right. The excellent cast is filled out by Alan Rickman as the villainous Judge Turpin, Timothy Spall as his seedy Beadle, Sacha Baron Cohen as a rival barber, Jamie Campbell Bower as the young lover Anthony, Jayne Wisener as his object of affection, and Ed Sanders as the young Toby. For fans of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp who don't think they like musicals, Sweeney Todd should be a revelation (though not for the squeamish, as the gore is intense and completely appropriate). For fans of Broadway and Sondheim, it's hard to imagine getting a better adaptation than this. The fact that there's no newly composed Oscar-bait song sung by a Josh Groban-type over the end credits only makes it better. --David Horiuchi
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| Customer Reviews: Read 36 more reviews...
 Sweeney's Waiting! A Fun Fantastic Film! May 15, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have watched many of Tim Burton films and many of Johnny's Depp's film as well as the films where these two worked together. Needless to say I loved most of them. That's why I was so happy when I found out that the two would be doing a film together yet again to make the musical Sweeney Todd. I already knew the gist of the story, that it was about a murderous Barber who kills his customers and then with the help of his neighbor Mrs Lovett makes them into pies. Of course as I watched the movie I found the story had much more depth to it.
The story starts with Sweeney's return to London with a young Sailor Boy who rescued him from the ocean. To Anthony he tells him about a Barber and his Wife. Really it is Sweeney's past as Benjamin Barker, and how because a corrupt Judge lusted after his wife, sent the Barber away for 15 years on a false charge so he could have the wife. Sweeney returns to be ruinited with his wife and child Johanna now a young girl, but after meeting his old neighbor Mrs Lovett and learns of their fates, a thirst revenge becomes an all consuming obession. Sweeney Todd is not a happy story but a greek tradgedy with a moral of revenge. And it's clear to see even before the furious, unpredictable Epiphany "They all deserve to die!" and the humourous yet dark Little Preist "It's man devouring man, my dear! Then who are we to deny here?" that this is a story that is not going to have a happy ending.
Burton does not sugarcoat the film as other's might have done. Neck's are cut with blood squirting everywhere, head's are bludgeoned and body's beaten and without spoiling anything the ending is the most violent of all. Another is that Burton, Depp and Carter haven't glorified the story. we sympathise with Sweeney and the injustice done to him past and present and also with Mrs Lovett and her unrequited love for Sweeney, but by the bittersweet Not While I'm Around you can't ignore the evilness that the duo do.
The film does have it's light and funny scenes. Despite the characters and subplot been shortened for the movie Burton does focus on the love plot between the Sailor Anthony and Sweeney's daughter Johanna. As well as the humourous comments made in the film there is the hilarious song By the Sea where the film is suddenly changed from it's dark, dreary colours to a sudden, and shocking vividness of Mrs Lovett's fantasy. From Sweeney's laughable yet strangely cute bathing suit to his hirious expressions during the song, all done wonderfully by Depp, it's a funny change from the dark mood the film has throughout. However this is a story about the Demon Barber and it is his story which is the main one, so song's such as 'Kiss Me' sung by Anthony and Johanna which was in the play is excluded giving a much darker interpretation to the two characters. Even the delerious yet funny song By the Sea has a darker edge to it as despite the funny visuals Mr's Lovett's desperateness can be seen.
The actor's and actresses in the film played their part's wonderfully. Depp while may have cast doubts on others when chosen to the play the part, especially as he'd never sung before, proved in my eyes to be a perfect choice for Sweeney. With his pale face, dark hair with white streak and seductive yet creepy voice, his singing while may not be as professionial as previous Sweeney's is great to listen to none the less and his acting as the insane, revenge hungry Barber is superb. His furious snarles in Epiphany and calming crooning in My Friends are just one of the main examples where he shines in the film. He really out does himself and even put's his own interpretation on the character making Sweeney more brooding, subverted, and angrier. His expressions particuarly the eyes in the film are one's to watch as they show so much. Nothing is as powerful as watching his eyes go from been so sorrowful to suddenly rapid and crazed in a second. Despite Depp been my favourite actor I was not biased and went into this film with an open mind, when it was over I left loving Depp even more. To me he is Sweeney Todd.
Carter while may have a voice considered too weak or at least not strong enough to sing Mrs Lovett's parts does well enough and what she lacks in her singing she certainly makes up for with her acting as Mrs Lovett. She gives a much deeper interpreation to the amoral Baker, not seen in other Lovett's before. From her evident lust for Sweeney in My Friends as she tries to gain his attention "I'm your friend too Mr Todd", to her devotedness for him in Poor Thing "There was a Barber and his Wife, and he was beautiful" to her sadness and tears after Not While I'm Around, Carter presents Mrs Lovett in a way that you can;t help but feel for her and even like her despite her evil deeds with Sweeney.
Alan Rickman and Timmothy Spall are wonderful as the villains really making you hate them, and Sacha Baron Cohen while has a small part in the film is priceless as Pirelli the 'King of the Babers, the Barber of Kings' and the scenes that he are in steal the show. Even Jayne Wisener and Jamie Campbell Bower play and sing their parents well. Special mention should go out to Edward Sanders who plays the innocent Toby who works for Pirelli and Laura Michelle Kelly who plays the crazed Beggar Woman. Probably the two best singers in the whole movie they both play their parts wonderfully, especially Kelly who's Beggar Woman is a joy to watch and only makes me wish she'd had more scenes.
One of Burton, Depp and Carter's best it is a fantastic film which is enjoyable and fun to watch yet at the same time tragic and left me thinking about the story and film after seeing it. Scenes such as the ending (one of the most haunting i've seen) or the tragic and at the same time guiltily funny Johanna Reprise are memorable. Despite some songs having to be cut out (The Ballad which is one I was sad to see cut I feel was neccasary) are done wonderfully and are catchy. I couldn't get the Final Scene, My Friends or Johanna out of my head for quite a while. Even if you don't like the songs or are not a fan of musicals I urge you to still give the film a try as it is (to me) a great film which should not be missed and does justice to the Sweeney Todd play
Sweeney todd May 14, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I saw this in the cinemas and instantly became one of ym favourite movies. I can't wait till its released. Tim burton has done a great job (as always) on this movie and this is probably one of Johnny Deeps best movies to date.
Great film!!!! May 13, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Omg!!! I went to see this film as soon as it came out and i thought it was excellent. the way thewhole film was created was just brill.
The good thing is, is that there isn't too much singing or too much acting vice versa.
Johnny Depp's performance was just one of his best i mean come on he sang!!! and really well too. Its like you could hear his voice so you know it was him singing.
Helena was great at playing Mrs. Lovett too, she bought something to the character i just cant put my finger on lol.
Overall a great film, loved the blood nice and gory just how it should be and they weren't afraid of blocking the gory bits out.
Can't wait till it comes out on DVD i will be buying it lol
Tim Burton's greatest film to date...a masterpiece. May 2, 2008
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I've been a fan of Tim Burton's ever since he weaved his dark visions on the silver screen with the likes of Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. Whilst those aforementioned gems delighted with their darkly surreal undertones, this film goes just for the purely darkly, with a heavy dose of melancholy through in for good measure.
Amongst my favourite scenes are the scenes where Depp (who nails the tortured soul gig to perfection!) and the equally adept Helena Bonham Carter share screen time in missus Muffet's mislead fantasies of a strangely hyper-real fairy-tale sort of happy-ever-after love life; the post-production team adding enhancements of colour to the scenes to give them a surreal, living-portrait feel of a life that could never be.
Other great moments of cinematic genius include a duet between Alan Rickman and Johnny Depp singing the almost homo-erotic 'pretty women', juxtaposed with a sadistic montage of Todd's throat-cutting antics - bodies dropping down in to the basement in a variety of exotic and painfully graphic ways.
The ending (which I will not spoil for you, don't worry!) is a joy (or even , pain) to behold and has to rank amongst the most striking end scenes in recent memories, rivers of red dropping like tears from Depp's forsaken alter-ego. A contemporary masterpiece, and the greatest musical adaptation since West Side Story!
10/10
The most complete film musical? April 25, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Burton has in Sweeney Todd pulled off a masterstroke. Sweeney Todd in this incarnation is probably the finest adaptation of a stage musical ever made. Everything, from the sets, costumes and design, through to the orchestration and casting are as near perfect as one could ask. The changes to the original, disposing of the stage Chorus etc, only goes to reinforce the drama.
This is without doubt Burton's greatest achievement in the cinema and Depp's finest 2 hours on screen. Astonishing.
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