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"SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON
BARBER OF FLEET STREET" (R)
Sweeney Todd is Tim
Burton's darkest film to date...
By Clayton Davis
Welcome to the darkest and most morbid
film of Tim Burton’s career entitled Sweeney Todd: The Demon
Barber of Fleet Street. Starring Academy Award nominee Johnny
Depp in the title role as the revenge seeking barber; wrongfully
imprisoned and looking to settle the score with the man who put him
there, Judge Turpin, played by Alan Rickman.
Burton has created the darkest film of his career with lots of
grotesque images and even darker set decorations and mood settings.
Depp is as great as can be as Mr. Todd bringing great
characterizations not yet seen before by the actor and surprisingly, a
very good voice. Even though Sweeney is the one who is wronged, he makes
some choices that don’t agree with the viewer. You’re pulling for
Sweeney and feeling the tragedy for the character even though, you know
you shouldn’t be. That is Depp’s greatest achievement from the
character.
Helena Bonham Carter as the Baker, Mrs. Lovett, is great in
energy and poise and brings a much needed humanity and sensitivity to
this morbid tale (especially with her scenes with the young Toby played
by Edward Sanders). However, her singing leaves much to be
desired and its her singing scenes with Depp we love because of
Depp being in them.
Sacha Baron Cohen in his brief appearance is adequate but with
wardrobe distractions (those who’ve seen it know what I’m talking about)
its hard to focus solely on his speech. Alan Rickman plays his
villainous role as great as we’ve seen him before but weary of past
performances in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Dogma.
He is an actor yearning for awards consideration one day soon, but
needing the right role to do it.
The music as far as musicals go is fair, not the best of any I’ve seen
but it does have some moments. The art direction, make-up and
cinematography is the film’s true beauty and the awards magnet that is
needed. As far as the narrative goes, Johnny Depp is the man of
the hour like anything else we’ve seen of him before.
***/**** |
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