On Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

"Before embarking on a journey of Revenge, dig two graves" 

Poor Sweeney Todd...if only he had gotten the memo. Or maybe he got the memo and chose to ignore it. Maybe he didn't think it applied to him. Perhaps, he was so driven by his desire to revenge that he could not think straight. He needed to cleanse the town. He needed to teach them all a lesson. 

By no means am I a movie critic. In fact, I am very far from it. Sometimes, I watch movies and I don't even understand what the hell I just watched and I am left helpless. (Side-eyeing you, Shutter Island). So, this is not a critique of the movie. It is not an expert opinion either. This is me telling you why I love this movie so much and why you should watch it if you haven't. And why you should watch it again and again, if you have. 

The story of Sweeney Todd first appears in A String of Pearls. He has been portrayed a lot of times in numerous musicals and films. Tim Burton's movie where Sweeney Todd is brilliantly portrayed by Johnny Depp, is my favourite. In the movie, we see how Sweeney Todd becomes a heartless serial killer in order to get his revenge. In Todd's defence, his family is unjustly taken away from him fifteen years earlier, after he is falsely and unlawfully charged with crimes he did not commit. This entire plan is orchestrated by the evil and tyrannous Judge Turpin, who had had his eyes on Mr Todd's wife.

Sweeney returns to town and sets up a barber shop. However, he doesn't just cut the hair and shave beards of his unsuspecting customers, he slices their throats as well and then, sends the bodies downstairs to his trusted friend, Mrs Lovett, who uses them to make pies. Now, Mrs Lovett was once known to bake the worst pies in London and she hardly ever had any customers. Ironically, once she starts to use human flesh as stuffing for her pies, customers come trickling down.

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I might be a bit biased because I'm in love with Helena Bonham Carter, but she does put out a stellar performance as Mrs Lovett. I particularly love her singing and facial expressions throughout. Alan Rickman (as Judge Turpin) is also not one to miss. And for my fellow Harry Potter fans out there, you get to see Professor Snape without his jet black weave (Hahaha. Did I just say 'weave'?) 

I'm sure it's probably obvious how this film ends but it's still worth watching. Oh, and did I mention that it's a musical? Well, it is. If you love musicals, then this is the one for you. If, on the other hand, the thought of The Sound of Music and West Side Story makes you want to slice someone's throat (and possibly use the body for the purpose of making pies), then stay far far away from this movie...I will not be held accountable for your crimes.