Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Release Date: 21 December 2007

I'm really looking forward to this one! My review will be posted as soon as I can manage to see this. In the meantime, check out this very interesting article by Paul Brownfield at the Los Angeles Times.

QUOTE: "Sweeney Todd is another ambitious reimagining of a venerable text. The result is a beautifully scored, high-art slasher film, told almost entirely in song and topped off with Depp paying homage to Lon Chaney and Boris Karloff."

SYNOPSIS: Johnny Depp and Tim Burton join forces again in a big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's award-winning musical thriller Sweeney Todd. Depp stars in the title role as a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter. When he returns to reopen his barber shop, Sweeney Todd becomes the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who "shaved the heads of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard from again." Joining Depp is Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney's amorous accomplice, who creates diabolical meat pies. The cast also includes Alan Rickman, who portrays the evil Judge Turpin, who sends Sweeney to prison and Timothy Spall as the Judge's wicked associate Beadle Bamford and Sacha Baron Cohen is a rival barber, the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli.

From The Concession Stand:
Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pies

MOVIE CONNECTIONS: Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl.
Gertie originally wanted to see Cats on Broadway. Her father explained that Cats had closed and offered to take her to another show, ending up at Sweeney Todd. Much to his chagrin, her father hadn't been aware of the subject matter, but little Gertie was enthralled! A girl after our own hearts. Sweeney Todd may seem grim subject matter for a school play, but Gertie's school is named for Maria Goretti, a Catholic saint who was martyred by being stabbed to death.

Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, and little Raquel Castro (Gertie)
perform a number from Sweeney Todd
for Gertie's elementary school Fall Pageant.

While receiving many negative reviews (mostly likely due to the Curse of Gigli), a select few prominent critics reacted favorably. Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half out of four stars! If you haven't seen it, give it a try sometime, it's pretty cute!

News from Cinematical:

'Sweeney Todd' Update: Johnny Depp Finally Sings!

Is There Really Too Much Gore in 'Sweeney Todd'?

Other Johnny Depp & Tim Burton movies: Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, Ed Wood, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow Other Johnny Depp horror/ish movies: Secret Window, Nightmare On Elm Street, From Hell, The Ninth Gate, The Astronaut's Wife, Dark Shadows (upcoming 2010) Other Tim Burton horror/ish movies: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Frankenweenie. Of these, I especially enjoy Sleepy Hollow (about the Headless Horseman) & From Hell (about Jack the Ripper).