A Gem...A True Classic!

Rating: Null/10 (12 March 2010)

In a decade of lazily-made movie remakes crafted in the most disgusting manner, to the point of the audience rolling their eyes and giving out disgruntled sighs and comments not for the faint of heart, this is an exception. Movies now are nothing more than cash cows for rather evil studio execs producing eye-candy for the stupid and thoughtless!
In comes Sweeney Todd. I originally thought that this was another ridiculous millennial horror movie, that fails to keep interest complete with masochistic lunatics abound. But not this time. I was first greeted with a rather melodious introduction by a young sailor saying how glad he is to return home. Then Sweeney chimes in with his more cynical verse done to absolute perfection. In fact, everyone who sings that doesn't usually sing does their part to perfection. I am impressed! Very impressed! The songs enables you to feel the characters' emotions! The acting is done with amusement and whimsy, you actually sense the actors' enjoy being in character. Sweeney Todd is pure musical ecstasy and a study in human psychology/duality until the end.
Yes, the ending. It's one to be remembered. It's no longer child's play or the musical with whimsy it was at the beginning. Spoiler! Heads up! Sweeney in total ignorance kills his wife (who has gone mad because of his absence and from Judge Turpin's advances turning her into a beggar) throws her down into the cellar where men are turned into meat pies. Second, is the scene where Mrs. Lovett is tossed into the huge fiery oven and burned to a cinder and you the audience see her do so while screaming bloody murder. Nice! And the last but not least, the boy taken in by Lovett kills Todd in revenge for Mrs. Lovett. Sweeney is left bleeding to death cradling his wife in a fatal and silent reunion.
Sweeney is a wonderful film and a wonderful musical. The funny and odd thing is that its has a gross usage of the infamous CGI! Not may movies can hold up this standard. Let's hope Alice in Wonderland is another hit in the world of Gothic depiction.