Rating of
4/4
Tim Burton's best film... ever?
newmans_own - wrote on 12/05/07
Ever since its legendary original production in 1979, SWEENEY TODD has been heralded as one of the great masterpieces of musical theatre. Rumblings of a film adaptation have been circulating for years, with directorial duties signed to Tim Burton in the late 90s and Sam Mendes earlier this decade. For a while, there were rumors of Russell Crowe making his directorial debut with the film. Now it has finally arrived, back in Burton’s hands, perhaps the ones best equipped to handle such a piece. SWEENEY TODD will likely come to be known as Burton’s best film, one where his penchant for visuals finally coincides completely with a satisfying story.
The material is already filled with the kind of dark macabre humor that Burton is so fond of, and he clearly relishes in it. Every last bit of the film is intricately designed: the art direction and costume design bring Burton’s vision of period London beautifully to life. The masterful production work here is enhanced by Dariusz Wolski’s cinematography. The nighttime images lit seemingly by flames alone send chills down the spine. The color saturation is also something to behold. The film is awash in a colorless world save for a few items; occasional pieces of clothing, a side-splitting trip to the sea with Mrs. Lovett and, most importantly, the blood.
Longtime Burton collaborator Depp contributes another fantastic performance, more layered and affecting than his other recent roles. His distinctly rock-ish singing voice may not be the best suited for Stephen Sondheim’s score, but he delivers it with the utmost dedication. Like Depp, Helena Bonham Carter is clearly not a trained singer, but instead of ignoring it, she bases her Mrs. Lovett around her weak voice. She is a quiet, desperate woman yearning for companionship but scared to admit it. She imbues her lines with a wearied tone, displaying her sharp comic timing with perfect flat-faced delivery.
This is the film Burton was born to direct, and he’s pulled it off magnificently. This is thanks in no small part to John Logan’s screenplay, one which is likely to be ignored, sadly. Large cuts have been made from the source, but the transitions are tightly crafted and it doesn’t feel like anything is missing. Even with the cuts, the film remains faithful to its source, sticking in images that will be familiar to fans of the original production. The film could not come any better. This could very well be the greatest work Burton has ever done.
****/****
Full review at http://newmanscorner.blogspot.com
