| | Recently I went back to good ole Tinseltown
to check out a picture that hasn’t set any box office records, but nonetheless has received serious attention from the film critics. In fact, I knew little about it, having seen only one trailer for Sweeney Todd in theatres. I figured though that a 19th century musical set in London with an all-star cast always has potential, doesn’t it? I wasn’t sure what to expect, but knowing that Tim Burton and Johnny Depp had joined forces again, I had anticipated something dark and sinister.
Let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed in that regard. Now, Burton has made some pretty dark films to date(Edward Scissorhands, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Planet of the Apes come to mind), but let me tell you right now: this is his darkest. In fact, I don’t foresee him ever making anything darker or more disturbing than this movie.
The premise is rather reminiscent of the “Count of Monte Cristo”: a young barber, with a beautiful wife and lovely baby, was framed by a public official and sent off to prison to rot while the official stole his family. The difference between Sweeney Todd and Edmond Dantes though, is how they dealt with the betrayal. Dantes simply became hardened toward the men who wronged him, but Sweeney turned his hatred toward all mankind. That’s what separates this revenge story apart from all others, in that Sweeney exacts his violent mission of payback against…well, whoever happened to walk into his barber shop. Countless people, who had nothing to do with him or his past, die senseless deaths. That, I believe, is the film’s entire point though: the dangerous thing about vengeance is that it promises justice and redemption for its host, but only results in destroying its host. Vengeance is a lie.
Perhaps the biggest heartache of all, was that even when Sweeney received news that his daughter was still alive and needed rescue, he did not drop his scheme of retribution to save her. It would’ve been so easy to salvage a life with her and find redemption in her love, but Sweeney had been so deformed by a hateful act, that he could no longer embrace anything good. This tragic blindness not only ensured he could never recapture happiness, but it almost destroyed every remaining person he ever cared for.
Tim Burton has a real love for the “redemptive misfit”, as a friend of mine once observed. It quickly became apparent in this story though, that this time there would be no redemption. When the songs are sung, the slicing is over with, and the story is spent, we are shown a man who got what he wanted. The results of which are so ugly, so horrific, and so wasteful that viewers cannot help but take the closing frame with them as a timeless warning.
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I chose not to speak to the nuts and bolts of the film this time, but I’ll just briefly say that as a spectacle, the movie was a total success. Sweeney Todd was always engrossing. I don’t remember thinking to myself even once, “man, I wish this scene was over”, as every scene was interesting to watch.
The music was good, but not great, as musicals go. There was no “defining song”, nothing that stood out as something you’d wanna sing along with your friends if you listened to the score at home. For what the music was though, it was executed well. Even the musical’s original composer said that it was the single best recording of his songs ever done. As many of you know, Sweeney Todd has received several Academy nods, one of them being yet another nomination for Mr. Depp. Even though he ultimately didn't win the award though, he deserved the attention: it was a convincing performance. Here I’ll cautiously say that if you can stomach a dark, cruel world full of bloody carnage without remorse, this film is worth your time.
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Next time, per reader requests, I'll try to post some pictures of my new nephew Tristan. I've finally gotten some, so I'll see if I can make this thing work. Ok, as much as I love writing, this chocolate stout I'm currently drinking is calling my name. So for now, adieu. |
