Bloody Marvellous

Rating: 10/10 (2 March 2008)

Let's be honest this was a hard subject to make into a musical and then a film but both Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton did it. The reason being the real Sweeney Todd was a man of the times he was born into where society was not compassionate about their fellow man especially the lower classes and Sweeney Todd had no redeeming character traits so I can understand how the character changed into being someone who had been cruelly taken away from his family and sent far away and the audience can understand his need for vengeance against the men who did this to him Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) and Beadle Bamford (Timothy Spall).
The film is another successful collaboration of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. I have yet to see them make a bad movie together.
Johnny Depp is as usual, amazing. He is one of the most gifted actors I have ever seen. He plays Todd as this man who is just holding onto his sanity but who looks like he could explode at any minute and when he does its just as frightening the coldness of his gaze when he is killing his customers to when he erupts into anger. He gives such an intense performance but also sings beautifully and seems to relish the singing side of the film as much as the dialogue.
Tim Burton has done it again. He clearly understood the character and story which shows in the whole set-up of the movie from the cinematography, set design, costumes and actors. I love the Gothic feel to the production which is so attractive especially when he subtly introduces a little bit of colour to each scene.
The music was unbelievable, well done to Stephen Sondheim who covers the whole spectrum of moods and emotions in the songs. My particular favourite was when Sweeney Todd is singing about having his vengeance, I can't remember the name of the song. When I heard that the film would be a musical it put me off but I'm glad I went because I realised it worked better in a musical format then just having the actors talk.
I can't imagine any other actress pulling off Mrs. Lovett accept Helena Bonham Carter who just fits the role like a glove.
Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall remind me of typical pantomime villains that you love to boo at. They seem to relish the meat of their characters as it shows in their performances. The person who surprised me the most was Sacha Baron Cohen as Signor Aldolfo Pirelli who shows he can act along side the more established performers.
The gore is not as bad as you would think, the blood was so bright that it reminded me of the old vampire movies where they made the blood so theatrical that there was nothing to be scared about. In fact, the scene I found the most scary was Todd throwing Mrs. Lovett in the furnace.
I wasn't surprised when the beggar woman turned out to be Sweeney's wife because I had guessed this but was shocked at the climax of the movie when Todd killed her quickly and without thought and then realised he had killed the wife he loved and who he had never gotten over. A sad ending but I was glad Todd's character died the way he did and not at the end of a rope like the real Sweeney Todd.