“Sweeney Todd”

Last year, I was walking through the movie theater, which isn’t anything new… I am there a lot (especially during Blockbuster season!). I had a few minutes to spare until my movie started, so I decided to look at the movie posters of upcoming films. Some looked promising. It was then time to go take a seat. Right before I walked in to my movie, I happened to glance over at this big cardboard cutout (how I missed it before I will never know). I could not tell what the cutout was of, the image was so dark. The only thing that caught my eye was the name Sweeney Todd. I should have noticed more, like Johnny Depp’s name listed right above the title but for some reason I didn’t. There wasn’t time left to walk over and examine it. I told myself I would look at it on the way out. Well, surprisingly (read: not so surprisingly), I forgot.

It was not until the next time I was at the theater that I remembered about Sweeney Todd. As soon as I walked through the theater doors it was like a light bulb went off in my head. I hauled butt over to the cutout. I was shocked to see it was Johnny Depp.

Side note: I LOVE Johnny Depp’s work and I have followed his career since 1986 when I first saw him in A Nightmare on Elm Street (which happened to be my favorite movie for years).

I also noticed that the movie was not merely titled Sweeney Todd but Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Here I see Mr. Depp sitting in a barber’s chair holding up a straight razor and blood is splattered  on the floor and over the movie’s title. Immediately my heart starts racing and flashes of From Hell and Sleepy Hollow filled my mind. I was SO excited! When I got home I rushed to the computer to look up the details of the movie. There was not much listed except some teaser items (at that time I had no idea it was a play or that it had been made into several movies before). The only thing I found was that it was being directed by Tim Burton (who would have guessed lol).

Another side note: Mr. Burton is a wonderful director. Tim has this way of directing that just engulfs me with his vision. I just knew that the two of them (Johnny and Tim) pairing up yet again for a movie had to be an awesome one indeed, yet I have been wrong before (read: Ed Wood). 

…. a few months went by and I FINALLY found out the movie was a musical………. I was stunned. I was confused. I was mislead! A musical… I know Tim Burton did a great job on his animated ones (The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride-which Johnny worked on with him) but a live action one and one that stars Johnny… I did not even know if Johnny Depp could really sing. Had he had previous voice training? I did not know. I was torn and I was a bit sad.

I went around talking to everyone I knew about the movie until one person said “You know that is a play and it has been made into a few movies before, right?” I was like “Oh, really?!?” I was drawn in yet again. I went home and searched for the previous movies and looked up the play info. Even though musical movies are not my favorite (not by a long shot) I do not dislike them. I love Fiddler on the Roof and I like Mary Poppins (there are a few others). My mind was made, I would definately see it. It couldn’t hurt, right? Well, nothing more than my bank account!

I went and saw the movie opening weekend (like I usually do for movies I am super excited to see). During the opening scene Johnny Depp’s character starts singing. I was so relieved, he did not not suck! He actually did it very well. He did great just like 90% of the other movies I have seen him in.

yet another side note: I found out he did not have previous voice training.. he decided he would just wing it!

Tim Burton’s vision shines through the darkness creating a beautiful masterpiece. One that is full of blood, romance, gore and love and dark humor. The scoring for the movie was fantastic and the storyline was very awesome too (I hear that it kept very close to the play)… Maybe I will see that someday too!?!

The movie is now out on DVD. I was so excited for the release UNTIL I found out it is not being released on Blu-Ray… yet, if at all. I will NOT buy it on DVD (the same goes for Transformers and Stardust). I will just have to wait for the Blu-Ray release. Some might ask why don’t I just buy it on standard DVD. Well the answer to that question is there is no way to turn back from Blu-Ray once you’ve see the differences it has from standard DVDs… the picture quality and the sound quality are enough to make a real movie lover cry!

Below I have added the movie info (provided by imdb.com):

Plot: After hard years in exile for a crime he didn’t commit, Benjamin Barker now Sweeney Todd, returns to London to find his wife dead and his daughter in the hands of the evil Judge Turpin. In his anger, Sweeney goes on a murderous rampage on all London, with the help of Mrs. Lovett, he opens a barber shop in which he lures his victims in with a charming smile before casually ending their life with a flick of his razor across their neck. But not one man killed, nor ten thousands men can satisfy Sweeney’s lust for revenge on those who’ve caused his years of pain. Written by: O.G.

Genre: Musical, Thriller, Drama, Crime, Suspense, Horror

MPAA Rating: R for graphic bloody violence

Starring: Johnny Depp (as if you didn’t know), Helena Bonham Carter (was engage to but perhaps now married to Tim Burton - “Bellatrix Lestrange”  from Harry Potter ), Alan Rickman (also part of the HP cast “Severus Snape”), Timothy Spall (”Peter Pettigrew”/”wormtail” also from HP), and Sacha Baron Cohen (”Borat”).
 

*Note:  I think this movie should be watched by everyone (minus anyone under 17) I say watch it even if a person does not like one of the genres, the director, the actors, or they have any other reason. What do they (or you) have to lose?