Bluntly
speaking?
At first - looking at trailers and such – you may think,
“Hmm, looks a bit like Depp and Burton crossed Edward Scissorhands
and Jack Sparrow to make the dreaded foul-minded barber.”
But trust dear viewer this is the world's finest character actor
and the genius of celluloid manipulations after all...
It
is true the themes are tre Burton and you’ll surely feel
the wisps of the maestro's musings. Hell it's the returning cast
from Corpse Bride for criminey...
But
the stars are stars for a reason. They steal the show and you’ll
be giddy by the final slicing. For those not in the know, Todd
is a musical. Singing in the London rains - but the lyrics are
far from "Oklahoma" so don't fret Goth babies.
The
three penny opera goes...Poor Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp). His
life was ruined and his spirit shattered by a powerful and evil
judge (Alan Rickman - who's still hot even at like sixty-something).
After escaping from years of hell-on-Earth plague-era prison somewhere
Todd (who used to be a barber named Barker) returns to London.
The
old Shoppe he lathered in is still there, though a tad in disarray.
Below is a weird wench who admits to having the town’s worst
pies. One Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham-Carter).
She is a savvy business woman and figures it’s about time
the rich give their all (quite literally) to the lower classes.
This
idea dawns as she realizes her love (Todd) is raving mad. But
love is blind, and she's got a few bolts shaken above as well;
each driven by their own agenda join in one murderous trist o'
murderous d' adjore.
There’s a whole lot of eerie abounding as you expect from
Mr. Burton. But you still hope Todd gets his revenge. Fear not
this is theater in its highest form and the finale is edible…
Dante
Ferretti’s production work brings that filthy era of London
pre-inner toilet days to macabre life. The men’s wear is
hilarious in the “cockle” area – well except
Depp. Sorry
gals. There’s no smuggled sweet potatoes pressure popping
beneath Depp'd sateens here. He's in comfy wool blends like a
proper icon and looks ah-dorable in his puffy shirt - oddly even
with bladed appendages (again - ahem).
Oh,
Borat shows as comic relief – hilarious – and swiftly
deleted lest he upstage the duo of HBC & JD.
The
music of course is divine. The real songs are here and who knew
Bonham-Carter-Burton (Heimer-Schmidt) and Depp could sing? I have
yet to stop singing every word I've spoken since I departed the
darkened theater. Definitely make haste to gander upon this gem.
Thank you again Mr. Burton. Thank you very much indeed sir.
Snack
recommendation: Alka Seltzer and vegetarian food for
a long – long time…and bring a tape recorder to copy
the body smooshing sounds as they leave the barber's chair to
use as diet enhancers. Then design an audio device tool to deliver
this sound when your fridge opens and viloa! you'll be thin in
no time at all.
Sweeney
Todd
