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Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   1,221 votes
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Director:

Dave Moore

Writer:

Joshua St. Johnston (written by)

Contact:

View company contact information for Sweeney Todd on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

3 January 2006 (UK) more

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller more

Tagline:

The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Plot:

A BBC adaptation of the classic tale of the 18th century demon barber of Fleet Street, London, who cuts the throats of his unsuspecting clients in his shop. | full synopsis

Awards:

1 win more

User Comments:

Interesting But Somewhat Slow Variation On The Famous London Story more (21 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:18 (DVD rating) | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Argentina:18 | South Africa:18 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating)

Company:

Box TV more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Part of the plot involves a string of pearls. The Sweeney Todd story first appeared in a story entitled ‘The String of Pearls: A Romance’. more

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Matthew is left on the steps after his death he opens his eyes right before the scene fades. more

Quotes:

Matthew Payne: There's a ring here. I could take that to his wife. See if it's his.
Sir John Fielding: Yes.
Matthew Payne: Oh, it won't give. I'll have to cut the finger off.
Sir John Fielding: I don't think his immortal soul will mind one more little division to his earthly remains.
more

Movie Connections:

Version of Bloodthirsty Butchers (1970) more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful.
Interesting But Somewhat Slow Variation On The Famous London Story, 3 February 2008
7/10
Author: gftbiloxi (gftbiloxi@yahoo.com) from Biloxi, Mississippi

Although some have tried to argue that he was an actual person, it seems likely that the story of a throat-cutting barber named Sweeney Todd arose first as a bit of urban myth that was developed into an 1846 story titled THE STRING OF PEARLS by writer Thomas Prest. A year later the story was adapted to the stage as SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET. It proved a popular ticket, and in age that knew little of copyright law, versions of the play were soon springing up all over the place, each one tweaking the story a little bit in the process. Consequently, it is almost impossible to say that any one particular version is "more authentic" than any other.

In this particular version, filmed for BBC in 2006, Todd (Ray Winstone)is a barber who spent twenty years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Released, he finds himself shaving a prison guard and on sudden impulse slits the man's throat. One thing leads to another, as you might say, and he soon makes the acquaintance of bake-shop worker Mrs. Lovett (Essie Davis); his fondness for her not only leads him to set her up in her own business, but to supply the occasional cut of meat as well. The twist to this particular version of the story is in the relationship between Todd and Lovett, the latter of whom is more sinned against than sinning.

The script is quite clever, essentially winding most of Todd's motives (including his interest in Mrs. Lovett) around his own mistreatment while an inmate of the notorious Newgate prison, and both Winstone and Davis are extremely impressive in their performances. But for all the blood, and there is aplenty, and for all the sex, and there is some, the film looks exactly like what it is: a made-for-television movie. It is also rather slow and quite often a bit too "stiff upper lip" for its own good.

The DVD release offers a good transfer but, excepting cast credits, nothing in the way of bonus material. Those interested in the various directions the story has taken will find it intriguing, but most others will likely be only mildly interested.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Sweeney Todd (2006) (TV)
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this really is not even closed to the musical jesseleehooker
Was he real or not? IridescentTranquility
movie ending sarahptreanor
What did Polly have? AllAboutTheStreep
Sweeney's celibacy? fidolofido
Did Sweeney have anything to do with Mr. Lovett's death? tmay_99
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