IMDb > Sweeney Todd (2006) (TV)

Sweeney Todd (2006) (TV) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   1,224 votes
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Director:
Writer:
Joshua St. Johnston (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Sweeney Todd on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 January 2006 (UK) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Plot:
A BBC adaptation of the classic tale of the 18th century demon barber of Fleet Street, London, who cuts the throats of his unsuspecting clients in his shop. | full synopsis
Awards:
1 win more
User Comments:
Another Close Shave more (21 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
90 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
UK:18 (DVD rating) | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Argentina:18 | South Africa:18 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating)
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Part of the plot involves a string of pearls. The Sweeney Todd story first appeared in a story entitled ‘The String of Pearls: A Romance’. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Matthew is left on the steps after his death he opens his eyes right before the scene fades. more
Quotes:
Matthew Payne: There's a ring here. I could take that to his wife. See if it's his.
Sir John Fielding: Yes.
Matthew Payne: Oh, it won't give. I'll have to cut the finger off.
Sir John Fielding: I don't think his immortal soul will mind one more little division to his earthly remains.
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FAQ

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful.
Another Close Shave, 23 June 2008
Author: JoeytheBrit from www.moviemoviesite.com

Dave Moore's TV version of the infamous tale of the bloodthirsty barber Sweeney Todd unsurprisingly bears little relation to Tim Burton's musical version released the following year. This one is much more matter-of-fact in its portrayal of Todd's descent into madness, and gives his motive for killing as revenge for being jailed in Newgate prison as a child for a crime committed by his father. Initially, there is a skewed sense of justice to Todd's reason for killing off his clients but, as his blood lust (and feelings for the neighbouring Mrs Lovett) grows stronger his reasons become less calculated.

Ray Winstone plays Todd. He is a fine actor, but loses some of his screen presence by choosing to underplay the role, his voice rarely betraying any kind of emotion. Despite this it's a choice that suits the character, even if it doesn't the actor. Cutting up his victims in the cellar of his barber shop, stripped to the waist, his bare head gleaming white and his mouth slack, Winstone makes a truly grotesque monster, one made all the more frightening because he is otherwise an extremely quiet and ordinary man.

There's a lot of violence in the film, a lot of slit throats and mutilation of corpses, but, again, it's not given any kind of sensationalistic value. Essie Davis plays Mrs Lovett, another decent character whose descent into monstrosity is sparked by the things that have happened to her rather than any inherent evil. She turns into a grotesque parody of herself as the film progresses, her beauty destroyed by pox scars, sporting fine wigs made by Todd that sit incongruously atop her ruined features. It's all very grim and dark and there is no place for humour, even of the gallows variety. Perhaps a touch of humour, especially on the part of Todd, is what is needed to both round out his character and make his monstrous actions that much more horrific…

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this really is not even closed to the musical jesseleehooker
Was he real or not? IridescentTranquility
movie ending sarahptreanor
What did Polly have? AllAboutTheStreep
Sweeney's celibacy? fidolofido
Did Sweeney have anything to do with Mr. Lovett's death? tmay_99
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