Sweeney Todd Response- Zora Kesich
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street- Response
This is one of the few films I have seen that takes a musical form. Originally, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it. However, as the film progressed, I felt that the musical aspect contributed significantly to the tone of the film and development of the characters.
I really enjoyed the portrayal of Mrs. Lovett. From her opening scenes, I could tell that something was ‘off’ about her, that there was more content to her character than she was explicitly representing. It was exciting to piece together exactly who and what her character was throughout the film.
I liked that the majority of the film focused on Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett who weren’t necessarily ‘good’ characters because it made for a more interesting and complex story. Characters like Johanna, who were unequivocally good and had done no wrong had less screen time but were more so used as devices to further the story. It was interesting to compare and contrast Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett throughout the film. They were both performing unethical actions but their motivations were different. Sweeney Todd was focused on vengeance for the wrongs done to him and Mrs. Lovett was acting to satisfy unrequited love. Although they were motivated by different forces, their actions fell in line with one another. This raises the question: Does one’s motivating force truly matter or should we place a heavier emphasis on the result of one’s actions?
All in all, I thought the film brought up some interesting themes. Furthermore, the musical aspect was unique and brought a mood enhancing touch to the film. I enjoyed the actors and overall, thought that the story was told well.