Music

Over 80% of the movie is based on music, and/or singing. As in all other musicals, the lyrics of the songs tell the story as it goes along and so are integral to the understanding of the movie.

The opening scene begins with an organ playing fortissimo. The effect of that is to grab the listeners' attention. The effect of the organ is similar to other movies such as "The Phantom of the Opera" and vampire movies; very atmospheric and forceful. Although the organ is traditionally an instrument played at large cathedrals, in contrast to the demonic themes of the movie, it adds to the opening feel of the movie as the sound of the organ and how it is played sounds more scary rather than religious. After the organ reaches its crescendo, there is a short silence and then some of the string instruments begin to play the orchestral version of "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" softly, but quickly. As the music builds from Adagio, more instruments come in and it becomes Allegro and Staccato. Staccato gives the impression of violence and in some movies, stabbing.

The majority of the songs have a spooky feel to them, especially the high pitched, piercing, eerie singing. A lot of the lyrics in the songs are spoken more than sung. Many of the notes are sharps or flats, they are not nice crisp sounds. This gives the impression of chaos, confusion and anger. The style of the opera singing in this movie is more disjointed than in for example "The Phantom of the Opera", where the singing is beautiful and pleasing to the ear.

Script/ Dialogue

Sweeney Todd is set in London. Both Todd and Mrs. Lovett have Cockney accents which are typical of the East End of London. They drop their 'h's' saying words such as 'ouse, 'ello, 'aving and 'aunted. Mrs. Lovett says 'fink' instead of 'think'. They both have a problem with subject/verb agreement, saying things like "Times is hard.." and "I'm telling you them pussy cats is quick".

Mrs. Lovett also makes up words. For example, "Gorge himself to bloatation" meaning he ate so much that he got bloated. She refers to her "business" as "The Meat Pie Emporium" which of course is far too grand for her unsuccessful so called "business".

As for the vocabulary that is used, the word "bleeder" comes up quite a lot throughout the movie. This is a pun because a bleeder is an insulting name for a person, yet it also means that it is one who bleeds if cut while shaving. And funnily enough, the clients have their throats slit whilst getting a shave, therefore, they are all bleeders. Other words that are used are "chums" for friends and "little nipper" for young boy. A historical word that is used is "beadle" which was used to describe someone who is an officer of the law. This was before the police force was set up.

Judge Turpin speaks in a more high-class accent with rounded vowels. He says thing such as "There premises are hardly prepossessing" meaning "this place isn't great". He also says "You gandered at my ward Joanna" rather than "You looked at my ward Joanna" and "You'll rue the day you were born" meaning "You'll regret the day you were born" His choice of vocabulary shows that he is educated and well brought up.

The song lyrics play a huge part in the movie, they tell the story as it unfolds through music. They also have a way of revealing the past in a short amount of time and in great depth of emotion. Dialogues are carried out through song, like when Todd and Mrs. Lovett plan the different flavoured pies that they could create, such as Priest, Judge, Poet and Lawyer pies.

The script itself consists of comic and tragic moments. There are quite a lot of puns used like "Closest shave you've ever known" which is funny because it's a play on words between the literal meaning of close shave and figurative meaning.

Character/ Performance

Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd), has been chosen to play this role as he is great at quirky/crazy characters. The New York Times reviewer said Depp's voice is "harsh and thin, but amazingly forceful". Although his voice is not strong, he has perfect pitch and his way of singing is crucial to the portrayal of the character Sweeney Todd.

Sweeney Todd as a character, has a vacant, sad exterior that hides murderous revengeful rage. His voice breaks with sadness whenever he begins to sing of his past and his face is always either expressionless or angry. Even in the scenes where Mrs. Lovett is dreaming of their future together. The only times he is happy and laughing is in thoughts of his past life. He always seems to have a preoccupied blank, pale-faced expression, leaving you to wonder what he is thinking.  He has very dark rings around his eyes, possibly to show sleepless nights. And his hair is wild and untamed in contrast to how it was in the past.

Helena Bonham Carter is also quite a quirky role player and has appeared with Johnny Depp in the movie "Alice in Wonderland" both playing crazy characters well suited to their real personalities. Her role as Mrs. Lovett, is well suited to her. Her wild hair, pale face, and blackened eyes show that she has had a hard life, selling pies that don't really sell in squalid conditions. Mrs. Lovett as a character is quite unrealistic as she is always dreaming of a better life. There is a huge contrast between her ideal lifestyle and what her life really is. Being socially deprived, Mrs. Lovett expresses strange behaviour in Todd's presence. She comes across as demanding, making Todd eat a pie she made, knowing that her pies are "the worst pies in London". Since no one talks to her, or even comes near her shop as they know she is not 'normal', she is surprised that Todd has anything to do with her. Therefore she gets quite giddy around him causing her to plan her future with him later on in the movie.

Lighting

The lighting throughout the whole movie, Sweeney Todd, is sombre in keeping with the theme, the weather and the cold, dark city of London in Victorian times. The lighting gives the impression of mischievous happenings of a sinister nature where Todd and Mrs Lovett work together to kill men, and turn them into pies, purely for revenge. His razor blades, with which he was reunited, catch the light coming in from the attic window which emphasizes their importance and significance in the movie. When Sweeney holds the blade up to the light he says "At last my arm is complete again" and he is bathed in light through the window.

In the opening scene there is a ship that emerges from the night fog. It is carrying Sweeney Todd on his return to London, and Anthony (another passenger). The sky over London is overpowered by thick cloud. The only lighting in the scene is the moon which is peeping through the clouds, and the street lamps flickering. The scene appears to be in black and white, but is actually in dull colour. In most of the movie, the only lighting is natural; such as the moon light shining in through the windows. You rarely see a light on, apart from street lamps.

The only time that we really get to see colour and strong lighting is in the flashbacks of happier times that Todd is reminded of. This shows that the present time he is in, he is angry and lost, while the past was happy and full of life as he had everything he ever needed. But now he has nothing, but a need for revenge.

In one of Mrs. Lovett's songs "By the Sea" she sings about the perfect life with Mr Todd. While she sings, a fantasy world begins to appear with bright happy colours, blue sky, and birds chirping. The colour reflects her unrealistically thought out future that will never be. Therefore, the only bright, happy colours are in thoughts and dreams.

- What is the mood of the opening? And how is it created?

The mood of the opening scene from Sweeney Todd, is a graphic, animated, gory opening, showing blood, London town and a barber shop. These images introduce the main ideas of the film, such as the main character, Todd, as the 'demon barber' who slits mens throats in the process of shaving their faces. Gory, I agree. The mood of all this is mainly brought out by- 1.) The colouring of the scene; the dark, dull, and stormy night with mist surrounding the city. - 2.) The music and sounds; the organ, eerie violins, and other string instruments.

The way that this thriller movie is different to others, is the fact that no other thriller movies have a barber who kills men in revenge of getting his wife and baby taken away from him in a crime he did not even commit. Yes, killing men becomes his addiction, therefore he does go overboard with his so called 'fun' business. The gory bits are extremely graphic and also make you feel ill as they are killing the men from their city, baking them into pies then selling the pies in Mrs Lovetts' business for the locals to eat to improve the business.

Genre/Atmosphere. - What is the tone?

The tone of this movie is quite dark and gothic, as most of Tim Burtons' films are. However, the film is beautifully done. The backdrop of dark, cold, Victorian England is perfect for a horror feel to the movie. Although this movie lacked on the 'horror' side of it all, it was absolute gore, and heaps of it. Bright red blood was the only colourful thing used throughout the film, even though it was very graphic; there was nothing scary about the movie. I would say throughout the whole movie, I felt comfortably uncomfortable. If that makes any sense? If not, my meaning for it is, the parts that made me feel uncomfortable was the eerie music, the wet and stormy weather, and how throughout the whole movie, the colouring was dull, and the songs chosen were quite spooky, especially the way they pronounced the lyrics. However, I still felt comfortable because it was such a well done movie, the actors suited the characters pretty perfectly, and the singing (by most of the actors) was fantastic.

Why did it appeal to you?

The reason this film appealed to me most is because Johnny Depp is a fantastic actor and played the role of Sweeney Todd very well. I believe he is very dreamy. Didn't know he could sing! Well.. sort of.

How does it fit into the film as a whole?

This film is about a "demon barber", so in the opening scene, it only make sense to include blood dripping off barbers chair as of course, Sweeney Todd killed men in revenge of one man, years ago, taking him away from his wife and baby. But in the whole movie, Todd has his eye on only one person to kill. That person is the Judge. The one who has Todds' 16 year old daughter trapped inside a room day in day out. That's where Mr's Lovett comes in. One who's business isn't going so well as meat is expensive their days. Mr Todd and Mrs Lovett work together to keep their businesses up and running by Mr Todd killing his clients by slitting their throats with knives which were used as razors, then Mrs Lovett makes the dead men into pies and sells then locally. The whole movie is an evil, creepy, and deranged story. Therefore the opening scene sums up the whole storyline in a very short space of time.

Briefly describe the opening.

In the opening scene of the movie, Sweeney Todd, It begins with the eerie sounds of an instrumental organ to set a spine chilling mood. The camera then slowly moves down from the dark, stormy skies as lightening flashes amongst the grey clouds. The camera then follows the rain falling down around the neighbourhoods' chimney's, which leads to a window, The camera looks through the window to find a barbers chair sitting alone in the dark. Blood splatters on the glass, and as it trickles down, the camera follows its every move, through and around each object that is significant to the movie. Such as a barbers chair, a meat grinder mincing meat, followed into the firey oven where pies are sitting being cooked. While frantic, spooky instrumental music is playing in the background, the blood continues down into the drains, into the sewers, and out into the ocean where we are met with a large ship coming out of a dark foggy night where the beautiful Johnny Depp begins to sing. *mouth watering*   :D