Well I'm just in from "Sweeney Todd" and it's utterly
magnificent. A perfect melding of the sensibilities of
Sondheim and Tim Burton in ways I couldn't quite
imagine working until I saw the finished film. Johnny
Depp is not only a great star he is a cinematic
genius. Helena Bonham Carter is perfect as Mrs.
Lovett. Alan Richman and Timothy Spall were BORN to
play Judge Turpin and Beadle Bramford (respectively).
As for the juveniles they're all played by brilliant
first-timers.

Jamie Campbell Bower looks like Jonathan Rhys-Myers
undebauched younger brother as Anthony. Jayne Wisener
is a lovely Johanna. A kid named Ed Sanders (no
relation to the one of The Fugs, I'm sure) is
heartbreaking as Tobias. last but not least Sacha
Baron Cohen does a spectacular turn as Pirelli the
Barber.

In terms of scale it's the biggest thing I've seen
since "Little Shop of Horrors" -- which was also shot
on a British sound stage. But the designer here is
Dante Feretti, and what he's created is an Edward
Gorey drawing come to life.

Best of all it's a GENUINE musical. People up on the
screen are actually singing, because that's what their
characters do. And no ifs and or buts about it.

Incidentally Both Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter
not only sing quite well, but Burton has understood
the fact that the characters must be re-scaled for
film. By this I mean that on stage we need a Sweeney
and a Mrs. Lovett that can project to the back rows.
That's not needed here at all. The characters inhabit
a shop, and herefore shouldn't shout. In fact the
lower decible level of the singing -- and the
unstrained manner in whcih its done -- underscore the
sinister atmosphere. Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett are very
quitely CONSPIRING with one another.

All told a Perfect Christmas Movie For the Whole
(Addams) Family.

Do not so much as think of missing it.



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