Last night I went to see Sweeny Todd, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter etc...
Just magnificent!
As soon as the opening scenes of heavy Dickensian fog and depraved London streets emerged from the gloom, I knew...just knew it was going to be beautifully Burtonesque...brilliantly Burtonesque.
The musical genre works so well...it is delightfully macabre and sweet, with sorrow and joviality all intertwined. Gothic backdrops and deliciously nostalgic settings epitomise the 'musical' stereotype with purpose. How clever to use such a form of escapism, which originally thrived as society craved to ignore and forget the horrors of a bloody World War, for the very opposite; encapsulating the most dreadful decline into demonic depths with a ferocity and a fate from which there is no escape.
And...how risky to 'film' the musical! How risky and how right!
Depp is truly a 'risky' choice for such a role...however, the first glimpse of him against the blackness of a heavy London skyline, the first words, the first notes...it completely works. For such a lean figure, he is certainly large enough for this role.
Let's not forget the leading lady...'lady', she is not. Her presence, the ghostly make up, heavily shadowed eyes yet almost 'strumpet-like' attire makes Mrs Lovett a character we smile with, we laugh with, struggle with when she, arguably, is more demonised than the Barber with her unmotherly behaviour and desire for materialistic as well emotional security...yet, we know, as a woman, she is doomed from the start.

Wonderful Sacha Cohen in his role as Alfonso...just what is needed...and he is...erm...particularly well-endowed it seems in 'that' outfit!
Cannot forget Mr Rickman...adds a 'thespian' angle ...and Mr Spall...the very essence of Dickensian surely, yet fits into this role so superbly; so slyly...a long long way away from a building site in Germany with the lads!

Oh, I could go on...and on..but I won't. It'll spoil it! I actually burnt my tongue! I only realised today...but I was so engrossed I must have drunk the latte far too quickly! And popcorn...don't bother...I've not even given a glimpse of the bloody slashing crescendos and skull crunching sound effects...pure theatre.