Let’s just put it this way: As soon as Sweeney Todd finished I was anxious to watch it again.
This is not a movie that’s concerned about being liked by the general public. It’s full of horrible characters who do horrible things to each other out of their desire for nothing but their own self-interests. It’s full of the blood of those innocent and guilty alike. And it’s full of music that expresses the desire of those selfish people for the blood of the innocent and guilty alike.
But really it’s a wonder to behold.
Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are completely enjoyed able in their roles as Sweeney Todd, nee Benjamin Barker and Mrs. Lovett, respectively. The two play off of each other nicely and their genuine interactions bring the viewer into their world completely.
That emersion is made more absolute by not only the set design but also the mono-chromatic color palette used, something that casts the whole movie in various shades of grey, offset only by red which occasionally pops up along a street or which comes pouring out by the bucket load from someone’s neck.
While I am a bit surprised more people didn’t like the movie I also must admit that I’m already greatly inclined to like it. I’m a fan of Depp’s and of Carter’s. I love Tim Burton as a director and I even enjoy musicals as long as it’s not of the “lifting the child above the jungle” variety.
I have to admit I didn’t think Burton had another film that was this much fun, was this agile and loose and was this insane in him. His last few efforts have been a bit bogged down in sentiment and stodginess, like he was going too far into his tendencies to wring every last bit of therapy out of every last shot, leaving nothing for the audience to do for itself.
But Sweeney Todd proves there’s still a wily, fun spirit in the director and I hope he continues down this road.
The 2-disc DVD is stocked pretty fully with a variety of behind-the-scenes features and a bunch of material from the movie’s marketing campaign. If you liked the film and want to see how they created it the bonus features will certainly help you deepen your appreciation for it.