L'échoppe des horreurs

Deranged wig-maker/barber/dentist/doctor (whew!) Sweeney Todd (Ben Kingsley) kills rich Londoners and keeps an abused, mute, pale orphan around as a slave. A hideous-looking, rotten-toothed Joanna Lumley (from the "Absolutely Fabulous" TV series) is his lover and partner in crime, who uses the dead bodies in her famous meat pies. A very bland Campbell Scott is the "American gentleman" trying to clear up a debt and instead stumbles onto the operation. It's all a grim, unpleasant, talky new version of the famous tale that could have used some more comedy, but just barely skims by on some good performances, gore and, especially, excellent costumes and sets that accurately capture rich 19th Century London atmosphere (although it was actually filmed in Dublin, Ireland). The original movie version (SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, starring Tod Slaughter) of George Dibdin-Pitt's stage play came out in 1936 and was followed by the popular Stephen Sondheim musical and many inferior Z movie copies from the likes of Herschell Gordon Lewis and Andy Milligan. This one was backed by the Showtime cable network and there's nothing much to gain from watching it.

I suppose I should not be too harsh, since this is an American TV movie, and neither a quality British product nor a feature film. But Sweeney Todd was ultimately a disappointment.

On the plus side, the film was enthusiastic about the cannibalism and murder at the heart of the story. These subjects certainly weren't skirted around. Nor were the central characters made into heroes. There was never any doubt that the villainous Mr Todd and his butcher accomplice would pay for their crimes. There was only a faint echo of the modern idea that a criminal is the product of society, and that Todd's crimes were the product of a negligent military. But this was only hinted at.

The major problem was lack of authenticity and a period feel. The Irish street scenes were physically right for early nineteenth century London, but the people were wrong. They were exaggerated characters, caricatures. Everything over over-acted, over directed, over-blown! Basically the director tried too hard to create a period feel.

A good effort, but not good enough. A waste of acting talent

This TV-movie ranks as one of the two best versions of the classic tale of Sweeney Todd, the other one being - of course - the 1936 black-&-white movie starring Tod Slaughter.Ben Kingsley and Joanna Lumley are terrific - and their approach of the famous characters is in the true spirit of horror melodrama: a perilous "exercice de style" between horror and comedy. All the other actors are excellent, the sets are wonderful in their creepiness, a touch of gore is added to good measure, and Schlesinger's direction is faultless. This TV-movie could be shown in movie theaters, as a "legitimate" picture - in fact, it's well above most of the current movies...

Incidentally, this version is an Irish-British coproduction, certainly not "an American production" as wrongly mentioned in some posts.

By all accounts this was close to the mark, having read a few books on the subject - this adaptation seemed authentic, ben kingsley's performance was delightful - with joanna lumley as his foil - WOW,campbell scott providing the young deterrent on sweeney's tail, for a TV adaptation this was stellar work !! costumes and sets in which ye olde London were brought to life, making fleet street seem like it was someplace we all knew - i mean you could just imagine jack the ripper popping in for a special royal shave (ha ha )and gore - all top notch, not at all bad for a sky home premier. I'm just about to watch the BBC Ray winstone version, look forward to anybody's thoughts !!

I do not know if the story of Sweeney Todd is based upon fact, but it sure makes for an interesting blend of horror and comedy.

One of the criticisms I have heard of the new Johnny Depp version is that you never really know why he becomes a mass murderer. Well, there is no mystery here and, if you take the time to find this film, you will know everything.

John Schlesinger, who gave us Cold Comfort Farm, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Darling and Oscar winner Midnight Cowboy, does a great job of keeping us interested in the case of the missing businessman.

Campbell Scott was riveting as the American come to London to find the property of his employers; property in the possession of said businessman when he disappeared.

You will be fascinated in the streets of London, the costuming, the atmosphere, and you will see why someone could lose their heads for a few rings.

Ben Kingsley is fabulous as the serial killer, and blends humor and horror into a role that has been described as one of the better versions of a half dozen that have been done. I think it will be hard to beat this one, but I am looking forward to examining the rest.

Excellent support by Joanna Lumley ("Absolutely Fabulous") and Selina Boyack in her first film.