Sondheim purists may scoff, but it's a solid adaptation of his Masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (23 June 2008)

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET is the dark and dazzling 2007 film adaptation of the landmark 1979 Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim that won nine Tony Awards. Not for the faint of heart, Tim Burton, the master of dark and demented (BATMAN, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY), found this source material that seems tailor-made for his directorial sensibilities and mounted a deliciously entertaining film that should please most Sondheim purists and possibly motivate newcomers to the piece to seek out the original stage musical. For the uninitiated, this is the story of Benjamin Barker, a barber who was wrongfully imprisoned many years ago by the evil Judge Turpin, who was responsible for the "death" of Barker's wife, Lucy and the kidnapping of his daughter, Johanna, who returns to his old stomping grounds, a grimy London alley called Fleet Street to exact revenge on the Judge. Enter Mrs. Lovett, the slovenly owner of a dirty meat pie shop, whose infatuation with Barker and the desire to improve her business, sparks a most fascinating business partnership. This musical shocked theater audiences in 1979 and in the hands of ghoul master Burton, is no less shocking today. Burton employs his accustomed darkness to the already twisted material, making the story even creepierthe film allows Burton to expand portions of the story that were only touched upon on stage, particularly the back story of Benjamin, Lucy, and the Judge which makes the return of the clearly demented Todd much more plausible. Presenting the story on film also allows Burton to put another character center stagethe blood. There is blood everywhere here, as it should be, making the savagery of what Todd and Mrs. Lovett are doing even more sickeningly fascinating than it was on stage. Needless to say, expansions in some areas of the story require sacrifices in others and the main sacrifice Burton had to make here was with Sondheim's gargantuan scorea great deal of the original score has been cut from the film, which is missed at times, but the theatrical aspects of the score had to be altered for a film adaptation. The famous "Ballad" which occurs throughout the show, would have hampered the telling of the story on screen. The film features impressive art direction and cinematography (I can't remember ever seeing blood so red) and the cast is first rate. Johnny Depp's Oscar nominated turn as Sweeney Todd is nothing short of brilliant, a deeply internalized performance that was definitely developed from the inside out. As for Depp's singing, I had my doubts when I first heard he had been cast in this role, but it works for the movie screenhis number "Epiphany" is breathtaking. Helena Bonham Carter's Mrs.Lovett is much darker than Angela Lansbury's interpretation of the character on the Broadway but is just as effective. Mention should also be made of Alan Rickman's Judge Turpin, Timothy Spall's Beadle, and Sascha Baron Cohen as Pirelli, a competitor of Todd's who recognizes him from the old days. A hauntingly impressive adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim masterpiece that does it justice.