Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers (WGA):

John Logan (screenplay)
Stephen Sondheim (musical) ...

Release Date:

21 December 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Musical

Tagline:

Never Forget. Never Forgive.

Plot:

The infamous story of Benjamin Barker, a.k.a Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett. Based on the hit Broadway musical.

Plot Keywords:

Corset | Child Abuse | Victorian Era | Asylum | Remake

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 18 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Sweeney Todd
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Mrs. Lovett
Alan Rickman	...	Judge Turpin
Timothy Spall	...	Beadle
Sacha Baron Cohen	...	Pirelli
Jamie Campbell Bower	...	Anthony
Laura Michelle Kelly	...	Beggar Woman
Jayne Wisener	...	Johanna
Ed Sanders	...	Toby (as Edward Sanders)
Gracie May	...	Baby Johanna
Ava May	...	Baby Johanna
Gabriella Freeman	...	Baby Johanna
Jody Halse	...	Policeman
Aron Paramor	...	Policeman
Lee Whitlock	...	Policeman

Also Known As:

Sweeney Todd (USA) (short title)

MPAA:

Rated R for graphic bloody violence.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Denmark:15 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Ireland:16 | Czech Republic:15 | France:-12 | Argentina:16 | Hong Kong:III | Canada:18A CORRECT: (British Columbia) REPLACE WITH: (British Columbia) (Canadian Home Video rating) | Finland:K-18 | Japan:R-15 | Greece:K-17 | Norway:15 | Germany:16 | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | Taiwan:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15 | Brazil:16 | Austria:14 | Singapore:M18 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | South Africa:16LV | Israel:18 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Malaysia:18PL | USA:R (certificate #43914) (cut) | Philippines:R-18 (MTRCB) | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

DreamWorks Pictures

Trivia:

At the end of the song "A Little Priest", Todd and Mrs. Lovett strike the same pose as the promotional material used for the original Broadway production of the musical.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the last scene of "Epiphany" when Sweeney is kneeling down, his razors are open when he drags his hand through the puddle. However, in the next shot, Sweeney reopens his razors (when they were open already in the previous shot).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Anthony Hope: I have sailed the world, beheld its wonders, from the Dardanelles to the mountains of Peru. But there's no place like London.
Sweeney Todd: No, there's no place like London.
Anthony Hope: [spoken] Mr. Todd?
Sweeney Todd: You are young. Life has been kind to you. You will learn.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#15.1)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

My Friends

Awesome, dark and funny. Classic Tim Burton stuff.

Good dark fun.

I knew nothing of this movie except Tim Burton and Johnny Depp had something to do with it, and that, as the executive director put it, there was "lots of blood". I don't think of myself as liking musicals, although I should probably reconsider now.

I had a moment of dread when the movie started and there was a mention of Sacha Baron Cohen being in it. However his performance was in fact quite good. While his acting has a few things in common with his over-the-top Borat character, it somehow fits rather well within the movie.

Some elements of the plot are rather predictable, in a Greek tragedy sort of way, but it doesn't really detract from the movie. We get to enjoy the downward spiral even though we know its shape.

All in all, the movie was awesome, filled with damned and hopeless characters that still made you laugh at every turn.