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

To my taste Tim Burton has a rather mixed record as a director, boasting such classics as Edward Scissor Hands and the nearly so Big Fish, as well as such low points as the Planet of the Apes and Willie Wonkia remakes. Sweeney Todd is defiantly one of Burtons success, he was the perfect choice to direct this stylized musical of revenge set in mid 19th Century London, a story that is the equal of Titus Andronicus in its gore. At first I though the whole enterprise rather straight forward, and perhaps to understanding, yea almost forgiving of the wronged barber in his quest for vengeance. However the last quarter of the picture adds an impressive amount of moral complexity, conflicting loyalties, and strained relationships. It’s beautifully bloody and dark and brings the horror of its subject matter to Shakespearian relief. Is there a darker musical? Four out of Five.