The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Sweeney Todd is one of those movies ... like Transformers, Titanic, King Kong or Spiderman ... it's a lot of pressure to have on you as a director because you aren't allowed to screw up these kinds of movies. Epic movies. Famous plots. Historic events. So when I heard that Sweeney Todd was being filmed, I was a little nervous. How are they going to pull this off? But when I learned it was Tim Burton directing, I thought, "Perfect." Then when I saw it was Johnny Depp playing Sweeney Todd I knew it would be one I'd have to see. And nobody could have played it like him.

Let me give you a little backstory. Sweeney Todd is set in London, the story of a barber named Benjamin Barker. When the evil judge falls for his wife, he casts Barker from London in order to have his wife and daughter for his own. Now back for revenge, Barker disguises himself under the name Sweeney Todd and re-opens his barber shop with intentions of luring those responsible for his exile to his establishment for a shave, only to slit their throats in the barber chair.

He befriends Mrs. Lovett (a part perfectly played by Burton's wife) whose pie business is failing. It just so happens that her business is below Todd's barber shop. After Todd's first killing, the idea strikes to use the meat from the bodies as meat in Mrs. Lovett's pies. Her business will be back up and running again and there will be no way to trace the killings.

I know. A gruesome story. And oh, the blood. Oh, the squirting blood. I'm not a fan of blood, but when I knew it was coming, I would peek through my fingers which I clasped over my eyes. After all, its quicker to close up a small peep-hole in your fingers than try to blink at the swinging of a barber's blade.

My brother, convincing me to watch the flick regardless of the gore, assured me I would be laughing by the third kill. I didn't believe him. But he was right. Something about the scene - Sweeney Todd singing a sweet lovely tune, slitting throats and pushing the pedal on his chair to open the floor and slide the body below where Mrs. Lovett would make her meat pies.

Weird. Twisted. I know. But it's an interesting story of revenge and love and there are even a few surprises at the end. I won't tell you, because I don't want to expose the secrets if you haven't already watched it.

Watching this movie was a big step for me. I'm not into movies with lots of blood. Not my style. But give it a shot. Just make sure you watch something happy afterwards or at least before bed because Depp gives an unforgettable performance - one that might carry over into nightmares!

Jillian