BLOOD ~ the Sweet Sinister ~ BLOOD

Red and thick it flows between the wheels, continuing to coat everything around, the handle, the levers, only to find its way to the floor; a bright red steady stream against the brown wood. Seeping into the drainage, coloring the underground system red; it finds its way to the open seas…..the blood has coated and colored them all!!!!

This ladies and gentlemen is how the movie opens. So open your eyes, train your ears and strap yourself down for a bloody journey ahead.

First the basics

Movie : Sweeney Todd
Director: Tim Burton

Actors: (ref.– IMDB)

Johnny Depp : Sweeney Todd
Helena Bonham Carter : Mrs. Lovett
Alan Rickman : Judge Turpin
Timothy Spall : Beadle Bamford
Sacha Baron Cohen : Signor Adolfo Pirelli

Story:

After serving a prison sentence for a crime he did not commit, Sweeney Todd a.k.a Benjamin Barker sails up to London. Opening with a brilliant rendition of ‘No Place Like London’ he sets foot into the city, with an intention of finding his beautiful wife and his then infant daughter. On arrival he meets with Mrs. Lovett, in her aptly doomed meat pie shop, who tells Mr. Todd of the tragic death of his wife thru the doing of the lecherous Judge Turpin, who is now holding Todd’s daughter Joanne as his ward, who she adds he is planning to marry.

Todd fueled by rage and a desire for revenge sets up his barber shop above Mrs. Lovett’s Pie shop. Staring with Signor Adolfo Pirelli, a self proclaimed barber and a flamboyant Con Artist, who he defeated in a public display of skills to regain his reputation, and then kills but slitting his throat dramatically in a spray of blood, Sweeney Todd begins his murderous journey thru all who sit in his chair to get to Judge Tupin.

What follows in scene after scene of slit throats and bodies being ground into pie stuffing, which bring Mrs Lovett’s business back roaring in full glory, thanks to the delicious MEAT pies, that all of London Craves.

Throw in Anthony a very good looking sailor and his love for young Joanne, the ever so wicked judge Tupin and his ever scheming Beadle Bamford and ofcourse the Beggar lady who senses ‘London Burning’ and you have the most fantastic murderous tale staring you in the face.

My Take:

It is by now well known that though Sweeney Todd is a musical, and the main leads were not singers per se. But the brilliance in the movie at least according to me is Depp, he blurs the lines between singing and acting so much so that the audience is not aware of his inadequacies as a singer from the very first note he hits.

Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs Lovett is a perfect companion to Depp’s Todd. The rest of the cast also compliment the Main characters and together they deliver a Oscar worthy movie…that’s right…you heard me!

I was going to take my parents for this movie, unknowing of the contents, but I am so glad they stayed home. No matter how many times throats get slit and the human flesh gets ground, the audience is aghast every time as if it were the first.

The brilliance of the movie lies in the blood, the thick dark, all engulfing blood… I would ruin it for you if I would tell you all the details and how the movie ends, so I will refrain. But I must warn you, this movie is not meant for the faint hearted and if you are one you would be well advised to steer clear, but then again its ok if you have to put yourself thru this movie…Its so worth it…I vouch as perhaps the most faint hearted person among all I have known, that this movie is one of the very very very few that you should sit thru.

After all the gasps and the shrieks, and checking to see of there is any blood on the floor, the audience is guaranteed to exit with a broader appreciation for the perfection of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp.

All in all this is thrill, emotion, Humor , Murder and Gore in all their glory….NOT TO BE MISSED!!!

Cheers

PS : My Take was going to be just one word DEPP *sigh*.....I mean girls..do I have to elaborate? I did not think so ..but for the guys sake I did :) .

Note: I saw this movie over the weekend...and therefore the repeat (C&P) posting!