If only every other film version of a Broadway musical was like this!

Rating: 10/10 (8 October 2010)

The problem in making movie versions of Broadway musicals today is that the temptation to make it so big that it comes off as pretentious has made several recent attempts rather poor. "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Nine" are two examples. "Chicago" worked because having the musical numbers in Roxie's mind was an excellent choice considering her character. "Hairspray" and "Mamma Mia!" were simply fun summer movies that pleased the audiences that flocked to it and ended up being the "Grease" of the modern era. In the case of "Sweeney Todd", it was getting the right director interested in the project and a loyalty to the original show that made it the outstanding film that it is.
Tim Burton has been down "Sweeney Todd" territory before. Imagine "Edward Scissorhands" or "Sleepy Hollow" with songs and Burton's delightfully artistic mentality. His artistic view of 1800's London was as colorful and true to the period as 1800's New York along the Hudson was for "Sleepy Hollow". Who better to play Benjamin Barker/Sweeney Todd today than Johnny Depp? He actually possesses a fine singing voice, and if not as scary looking as Len Cariou or George Hearn were in the original Broadway production, he definitely brings on an aura of "don't mess with me" from the moment his face is shown from the side in his first close-up. Actually, having him be less evil looking than his predecessors makes the character more dangerous when the wrath pops out and his mayhem begins. Helena Bonham Carter is a far cry from her predecessors too as Mrs. Lovett; She may not have the singing skills of Angela Lansbury, Dorothy Loudon or Patti LuPone, but really acts her songs very convincingly. Together, Depp and Carter remind me of a more demented Bill Sikes and Nancy from "Oliver!". (In fact, it would be very interesting to see what Burton could do with a remake of that musical.)
Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall are appropriately malevolent as the Judge and the Beedle. In fact, Spall's Beedle is so grimy he almost seems like a beetle! His character also has a slight look of "Batman's" penguin. Rickman's polished judge is so wonderfully evil it appears as if he has transcended into the type of characters Boris Karloff used to play. In his short time on screen, Sacha Baron Cohen is appropriately oily as Pirelli, Sweeney's first "customer". I just loved his Mamie Eisenhower hairstyle! Jamie Campbell Bower and Jayne Wisener do their best as Anthony and Johanna, but are overshadowed by the more colorful evil characters surrounding them. Laura Michelle Kelly as the beggar woman displays a strong Broadway style voice but is hidden behind a grotesque costume. Special credit goes to young Ed Sanders as the young Toby who is very touching, especially singing "Nothing's Gonna Harm You". He manages to hold his own with the stars and not be over the top. While the entire cast is great, it's Depp, Carter and Sanders that are worthy of unqualified praise.
This show took almost 30 years to get to the screen, and it was worth the wait. The murders are not as horrific as one would assume them to be. In fact, they are done rather comically over a wonderful musical number sung as a montage by Depp while Bower is singing romantically in a separate interlude. Burton and the musical crew should be commended for utilizing practically the entire score, which is orchestrated beautifully and sounds like you were listening to it live. The art direction, make-up, costumes and photography are all top notch.