Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

First things first: the quality of the 4K print presented here (alongside the original) is just gorgeous, and looks good even in comparison with a cinema experience of the film. In places it's a little too good - you may notice flaws in Depp's make-up which were less apparent before - but overall it's a pleasure, adding a sharpness to the animated city where it interacts with the sets, and enabling viewers to appreciate the investment made in getting costumes just rights. The sets and costumes are discussed in detail in what is probably the strongest of the supporting features, which also looks at how they intersect with various characters' backgrounds and occupations, and with the way they need to be able to move in some of the more dance-informed scenes of the musical. The only curious thing is that despite myriad references to 'Tim's unique style', here and elsewhere, we never once hear the obvious shorthand. Who's afraid of the word 'goth'?

The musical elements of the film are explored in more depth in an interview with Stephen Sondheim, who goes into detail about the inspirations behind his original music and lyrics, versions of his work, and the story's previous history on stage. There's a feature in which Helena Bonham Carter explains how she wanted to play Mrs. Lovett from the age of 11 and spent three months learning to sing in order to persuade Tim Burton to give her the role. The notably less capable Johnny Depp seems to have been first choice from the start. He is appropriately modest about his achievements, but also put across how strongly he felt connected to the part and the project in other ways.

There is a bit of repetition across these features, but not much, and they're all a decent length, giving fans plenty to dig into. A little shorter but perhaps the most fun to watch is a piece on the design of the throat-slitting effects, in which, amongst other things, an SFX artist explains that the quantity of blood that comes out of human bodies in most gory movies (and certainly this one) is significantly greater than what most real humans have in them to begin with.

Alongside all this, there's a little cluster of features on the history of the Sweeney Todd legend (which one contributing author insists is real), on the locations associated with it, and on the history of Grand Guignol. These are okay insofar as they go, but anyone already familiar with the subjects is likely to be a little disappointed; a fair bit of the good stuff is missing and there are much more knowledgeable experts out there who, to put it bluntly, don't charge much for their time.

One things that's curiously absent from the whole package is any material from Burton and his stars' other projects, even when it would be the obvious go-to for illustrative purposes. One wonders if this was a rights issue or simply a matter of determination to keep viewers immersed in the Sweeney Todd world.

The menu is rather charmingly designed, though you may find it difficult to read the dense type if you don't have a large screen. It's easy to navigate between features. All in all, whilst the package could have been improved on, it includes a lot of good stuff and is liable to give fans of the film hours of additional entertainment.

Reviewed on: 28 Jul 2025