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DVD Review: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 2-disc Special Edition

If I told you years ago that one of my favorite movies of 2007 would be a musical, I probably wouldn't even believe myself. If I told you that musical would be a slasher film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, I definitely wouldn't believe myself. Oddly enough, that very scenario happened with Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

The film-adapted from the Steven Sondheim play-tells the story of a London barber, wrongfully accused of a fake crime by a corrupt judge out only to steal his beautiful wife. The barber (obviously Depp) spends years in prison, finally escaping and returning to London on a sailing vessel to take his revenge on the judge (Alan Rickman) who ruined his life. He learns upon arrival that the judge essentially killed his wife and stole his daughter to raise as his own, so he'll have hell to pay when Sweeney Todd catches him.

Somehow, he gets mixed up with a very twisted and creepy meatpie maker, and the two begin an odd relationship of running a restaurant and killing people to solve the issue of the meat shortage. Todd slashes and cuts his way through victim after victim, all the while plotting his revenge and dreaming of the day the judge would become one of his creepy pseudo-girlfriend's pies.

The story isn't fantastic, but it's just odd and twisted enough to be catching. Based on an urban legend (which I learned via the special features) it's definitely a unique narrative. What really carries the film outside of Burton's presentation (grim and grey with a splash of blood thrown in) is the job well done by the actors in the movie. None of the main characters in the film (the barber, judge, henchman or pie maker) have a background in theatre or music, yet when it comes time to sing they carry a tune surprisingly well. Mixed in are several actual singers (and Sascha Baron Cohen himself), rounding out the cast in a nice way.

My main issue with the movie is in the songs themselves. While some are fantastic, too often the singing resorts to what I like to call singsong narrative, as characters sing about what they're doing, or sing out normal conversations. There are only two songs in the entire movie which couldn't equally be said as speaking lines, and to me that hurts the musical aspect. If you're going to do a musical, why not go all out and focus on songs rather than just having characters sing instead of speak?

With the two disc special edition, there are plenty of features thrown in on the bonus disc. From the behind the scenes "Making this movie was fun!" reels to interviews, there's a little bit for everyone. The two most memorable pieces are the history of the story in Sweeney Todd and where it came from, and an interview with Sondheim as he explains the process of making the play into the film, and his thoughts on the finished project.

Overall, Sweeney Todd is by no means a perfect movie, but as far as musicals go it's a cut above the rest. (Totally unintentional.) The few real songs are catchy, and the atmosphere and setting of the movie will be in your mind for days. Just don't expect to eat any meatpies once you're done watching.

CONTENT: 4/5

The singing is good, and the film is great from a analytic standpoint. The only weak spots are the utter uselessness of several characters who serve as nothing more than a way to remind us of what Todd's plan is, and the lack of true, authentic songs. Isn't this a musical?

VIDEO: 4.5/5

Love him or hate him, you have to admit that Tim Burton has a style entirely his own, and that comes across brilliantly in Sweeney Todd. Usually with dark movies like this the DVD transfer is filled with grainy blacks or scenes just too dark, but Sweeney Todd is a near perfect transfer of the film, and there are no details lost in even the darkest of scenes.

AUDIO: 3/5

Can Johnny Depp and crew sing? Yes. Fantastic? Not really. Cohen does a great job as the (surprising) competitor barber, and the kid in the movie blows the rest of the cast ouf of the water. 

EXTRAS: 2.5/5

There are plenty of them, but for the most part they're highly forgettable. A few gems, but the worthwhile parts could easily have fit on the single disc version. If you absolutely love musicals and want to know everything that goes into making one, you'll find some nice pieces to watch. Otherwise... Not so much.

REPLAY: 2.5/5

Some people can watch this over and over, and listen to the soundtrack on repeat for days. Personally, I can't see myself watching it more than once or twice over a very, very extended period of time. It just doesn't have any scenes or moments which stand up to repeated viewings like other films. 

OVERALL:  3.5/5

Sweeney Todd is the best musical I've seen since Little Shop of Horrors, but it's pure rental material. Tim Burton took a nice shot at making the perfect Musical for Guys, but the DVD comes up short in several areas. Kudos for the attempt and for still coming out with a very watchable movie, but it's not quite as entertaining or long lasting as I originally hoped, and the extras in the two-disc special edition are definitely not worth the extra money. If you enjoyed Sweeney Todd or must buy it on DVD for whatever reason, I'd suggest saving your money and just picking up the regular edition. 

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