Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

The infamous story of Benjamin Barker, aka Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett.

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

John Logan (screenplay), Hugh Wheeler (musical)

Stars:

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman

Won 1 Oscar. Another 34 wins & 75 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johnny Depp	...	Sweeney Todd
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Mrs. Lovett
Alan Rickman	...	Judge Turpin
Timothy Spall	...	Beadle
Sacha Baron Cohen	...	Pirelli
Jamie Campbell Bower	...	Anthony
Laura Michelle Kelly	...	Lucy / Beggar Woman
Jayne Wisener	...	Johanna
Ed Sanders	...	Toby (as Edward Sanders)
Gracie May	...	Baby Johanna
Ava May	...	Baby Johanna
Gabriella Freeman	...	Baby Johanna
Jody Halse	...	Policeman
Aron Paramor	...	Policeman
Lee Whitlock	...	Policeman

Storyline

In the Victorian London, the barber Benjamin Barker is married to the gorgeous Lucy and they have a lovely child, Johanna. The beauty of Lucy attracts the attention of the corrupt Judge Turpin, who falsely accuses the barber of a crime that he did not commit and abuses Lucy later after gaining custody of her. After fifteen years in exile, Benjamin returns to London under the new identity of Sweeney Todd, seeking revenge against Turpin. He meets the widow Mrs. Lovett who is the owner of a meat pie shop who tells him that Lucy swallowed arsenic many years ago, and Turpin assigned himself tutor of Johanna. He opens a barber shop above her store, initiating a crime rampage against those who made him suffer and lose his beloved family.

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Plot Keywords:

razor | 19th century | based on stage musical | serial killer | barbershop | 

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Taglines:

Helena Bonham Carter is THE BAKER.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Musical | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic bloody violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [UK] Warner Bros [France]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

21 December 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sweeney Todd

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,300,805, 23 December 2007

Gross USA:

$52,898,073

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$152,523,164

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Parkes/MacDonald Image Nation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Johnny Depp is the only American in the cast.

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Goofs

When Sweeney Todd knocks Adolfo Pirelli with the teapot, he hits him downward, but Adolfo's head moves upward as if hit from below.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Anthony Hope: I have sailed the world, beheld its wonders, from the Dardanelles to the mountains of Peru. But there's no place like London.
Sweeney Todd: No, there's no place like London.
Anthony Hope: [spoken] Mr. Todd?
Sweeney Todd: You are young. Life has been kind to you. You will learn.

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Alternate Versions

The final act in the US version uses different angles than the International version of the film during some extra violent deaths. The different angles focus more Sweeney instead of the immense amounts of blood that can be seen more vividly in the International cut. All in all it only amounts to around 3-5 seconds that are actually different and were needed in order to get the R-Rated in the US.

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Connections

Version of The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1936)

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Soundtracks

Johanna (Parts 1 & 2)
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Performed by Jamie Campbell Bower

User Reviews

Awesome, dark and funny. Classic Tim Burton stuff.

Good dark fun.

I knew nothing of this movie except Tim Burton and Johnny Depp had something to do with it, and that, as the executive director put it, there was "lots of blood". I don't think of myself as liking musicals, although I should probably reconsider now.

I had a moment of dread when the movie started and there was a mention of Sacha Baron Cohen being in it. However his performance was in fact quite good. While his acting has a few things in common with his over-the-top Borat character, it somehow fits rather well within the movie.

Some elements of the plot are rather predictable, in a Greek tragedy sort of way, but it doesn't really detract from the movie. We get to enjoy the downward spiral even though we know its shape.

All in all, the movie was awesome, filled with damned and hopeless characters that still made you laugh at every turn.