Celluloid
Even a bad Tim Burton film holds more creative vision than the majority of high-budget Hollywood-made films and the director's latest effort, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street ranks among his best. A visionary in every sense of the word, Burton achieves new heights visually, using his dark brush to paint the streets of London as foreboding and otherworldly. The film is indeed a musical (judging by the handful of early exits from the theater, it seems that not everyone was aware of this) and the cast performs admirably. While I've read some reviews criticizing Johnny Depp's voice, I thought the accomplished actor was solid both vocally and in inhabiting the role. Helena Bonham Carter turns in a particularly memorable performance as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney's loyal sidekick and the owner of a, ahem, "special" Meat Pie Shop below his barber shop. A stage-to-screen translation, the film adapts a Stephen Sondheim musical thriller that finds its roots in a mid-19th century gothic tale about a barber/serial-killer named Sweeney Todd, aka Benjamin Barker. While there is an overabundance of gore in the film, all of the violence is highly stylized, and blood spray occurs at a cartoonish rate. That's not to say that Burton's dark vision isn't effectively disturbing. Critics are calling the film impersonal and cold, which seems deliberate to me considering the main character is someone who has lost all faith in mankind, so much so that he holds no value in human life and has no problem taking it. While there is enough twisted humor to provide some much-needed laughter, the film maintains an overwhelmingly macabre mood. The film is a real treat for Burton fans and for those who can stomach its dark content. -- Capt. Obvious
Verdict:
4 comments:
This is completely off topic. But, I saw in an entry from a couple months ago that you mentioned living in the Panhandle of Florida. I was just wondering where in the Panhandle, because I live in Fort Walton Beach.
And I really enjoy your blog.
Hey, like the blog. Thanks for the review on Sweeny Todd. I'm a huge burton fan and was curious if this was going to stack up. I'll def give it a look. I'm about to get my best of 2007 list up on my blog, youll have to check it out after the new year. alittlefurtherdowntheriver.wordpress.com
Oddly enough, the grotesque bodies that plunged through the trap door of Sweeny's barber shop put a choke hold on my attention during this film.
Some sort of sadistic and curious anticipation consumed me. And, after each minutely distinct "death-plop," a little more humor and disgust became observable on my face.
Those recurrent misanthropic camera angles of death meeting the ground with brute force underscored Sweeny's cold and calculating goal of revenge.
I like your blog, however, I have to disagree with your assesment. I think the story was wretched and the singing was mediocre. (Excellent production though)
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