Barberism

I recently went to see the movie Sweeney Todd (or, by its full title, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street). Of all the late-in-the-year film releases, this was the one I was most looking forward to, and I was hoping I hadn't built up my expectations too much.

Pleasantly, I had not. The movie proved to be a wonderful fusion of a number of great talents.

First, there was the music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. I've never seen a production of the original musical, though I am familiar with several of his works. I thought the style of this music somewhat similar to his Sunday in the Park with George, though I don't consider that a bad thing. It was clever and sophisticated, with dense lyrics and unusual melodies. (Hallmarks of most any Sondheim show.) I enjoyed it thoroughly, and it made me want to seek out an original cast recording, to hear the numbers that were cut from the film version.

Second, there was the direction of Tim Burton. I haven't always been a fan of his; sometimes, it seems like he's "trying to hard" to evoke a style in his work. (Some people praise his work on the Batman movies, but I consider them to be the prime example of what I'm talking about.) Here, however, he's a perfect fit for the subject matter. The story and setting hold Burton's brand of strange like a glove. The desaturated colors and cold atmosphere he chooses definitely heighten the experience.

Third are the actors. Johnny Depp once again does his magic, creating a very vivid and specific character that's incredibly compelling to watch. Alan Rickman is great, as usual. Sacha Baron Cohen is fantastic in his all-too-brief role. And though some reviewers have been critical of Helena Bonham Carter's singing ability, I think she does quite fine. If indeed there are any shortcomings there, I found them immaterial, because her appearance and demeanor add so much to the character and the film that it's hard to imagine another choice as appropriate.

Other elements factored just as strongly in the film. The costuming, sets, effects -- all worked wonderfully. The arrangement of the music was incredibly powerful. It was tooled for an orchestra several times larger than the typical musical, and dialed up in volume to rattle the brain and threaten the speakers at effective choice moments.

Not only did I find this a good movie to see, but I must recommend it as a movie worth seeing in a theater while the chance is there -- with an audience. I found a whole added layer of entertainment in the reactions from people who didn't quite know what they were in for when they came to the movie. Some clearly had not taken notice of the R rating, or at the least did not know it would be as gory as it was. The shocked gasps from select audience members when things became violent were another thrill in the experience.

I give the movie an A. It's possible it will break into my top 100 list. (You know, the list I keep mentioning I have to reexamine and revise to restore its validity?) I think I might wait and see if a second viewing also packs a strong punch before I make that official, but either way, it's one of my favorite movies of the year.