Bleck- Sweeney Todd Review

I've been humming "Have a Little Priest" for a few months now due to a never-hatched-plan to see Sweeney Todd the musical in Boston. Imagine my delight in finding out that they had made a movie-musical with the music. Even more delightful, my favorite creepy actor was to play Mr. Todd himself. Needless to say, I've been waiting for Sweeney Todd to make its debut.

So I went this afternoon with popcorn in hand, fully aware that I was to see murder, cannibalism, and general mayhem in a barber shop. The first half of the film was everything I desired. The filmography was appropriately creepy and it very much placed you in dirty London. Some of my favorite actors, and a few unknown to me, were thrust into a world where, when you get stabbed, you sing instead of dying. They must have forgotten to read the rules of musicals. No one sang after they died in this one. And there were many deaths. Each death was filmed horrifyingly close-up and with spurting blood everywhere. There were crunching sounds, exploding skulls, body parts in a meat grinder after that wonderful first half. I knew there was going to be murder, but really! I thought the battle scenes in Braveheart showed gratuitous violence-- I have now seen something much worse. As the elderly lady sitting a few seats down from me stated, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph- this is awful!"

I don't watch horror movies. Never saw Saw I, II, III or whatever they're up to. Never was tempted to watch Nightmare on Elmstreet. Don't watch gross movies. Unless they are free on TV and I can put them on mute when the gross scary parts come.

That being said, I'm glad I saw it. I would have seen if even if someone told me it was bloody-gross. But I won't be buying this one on video to watch on rainy afternoons. Favorite song and scene remains "Have a Little Priest", and Johnny Depp was amazing, so I'm not disappointed-- just a bit grossed out. I just think I'll go back to listening to Phantom of the Opera and Spring Awakening now to get those scenes of blood from my visual memory.