Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Blu-ray Movie Review

"You have a beautiful throat for a razor."

Reviewed by Justin Dekker May 18, 2024

As with Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street cannot get straight to the action, and it instead begins with a wrap-around story set in a modern barber shop. A gentleman enters the shop and sits down, noticing a caricature of Sweeney Todd on the wall, and the barber states the murderous coiffurist worked on the very spot. As we are transported back to the time of the story, Sweeney Todd (Tod Slaughter), it seems, already has a shady reputation. It's not long before we find out Todd is a dangerous man who has gone through an alarming number of young apprentices ("barber's boys"), hinting at the notion that his crimes go beyond mere robbery. As his greed and lust for a young woman drive his actions, Todd's actions supply the raw materials for the neighboring Mrs. Lovatt's (Stella Rho) meat pie business.

A character Slaughter was quite familiar with, his Sweeney Todd is again rich with melodrama and enthusiastic villainy that tightropes the line between energetic overacting and pure camp. Due to the standards and censorship of the time at which the film was released (1936), the most shocking thing about Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is that this tale of the razor-wielding killer is completely bloodless. The razor is seen and ominous and potentially threatening lines such as "You have a beautiful throat for a razor" are heard, but a special chair drops victims into the cellar before a single drop of blood is spilled. Interestingly enough, this is in direct opposition to Slaughter's own stagings of the play, where stills from the theatrical productions depict both him as Sweeney Todd and various victims absolutely covered in blood. After Todd's story resolves, we again return to the modern barber shop of 1936 where the interaction between the stylist and his patron hilariously comes to an end.

With a runtime of under ninety minutes, the film largely stays on task. Sufficient time is given to provide some brief but enriching backstories to principle characters so that their motivations can be properly and realistically established. Sweeney Todd also has an opportunity to display his skills as a master manipulator and shrewd businessman, using his ill-gotten gains from the barber shop's dark dealing to drive more legitimate earnings. It's a charming and surprisingly wholesome depiction of a serial murderer and cannibalism.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Per the book included with the set, the original nitrate negative elements were scanned in 4K and restored in 2K resulting in a very attractive transfer, though as to be expected it isn't perfect. There is some softness in the image starting with the opening credits and returning periodically through the film. Blacks can again be strong, but whites are never brilliant. Some density fluctuations and damage around the frame edges are occasionally visible, and missing frames are sometimes evident. Process shots feature some great levels of detail for the actors featured in the scenes, though the inserted backgrounds fare less well. Black crush is again evident and is not entirely unsurprising. Grain is light and resolves naturally.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Linear PCM 1.0 English soundtrack is a fine companion for the video transfer. There is little hiss in the track, and the sibilance issues heard on Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn are greatly diminished here. Dialogue is clear and intelligible. Music is expectedly a bit thin and sound effects, like gunshots, lack heft as is usually the case with a film of this age.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The on-disc supplemental content located on Disc One includes:

• Maria Marten, or the Murder in the Red Barn Audio Commentary with Josephine Botting and Vic Pratt

• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Audio Commentary with Stephen Jones and Kim Newman

• Ania Goszczynska and David Tibet: A Long Shadow (10.23) - The pair discuss the real history of the Red Barn murders complete with drawings and photographs of the home of the murderer, the victim, and the infamous barn. Vintage newspaper clippings and various other artifacts of the murder and execution are displayed as well. They also engage in a brief discussion of Tod Slaughter.

• Audio Plays - Maria Marten, or the Murder in the Red Barn (13.07); Maria Marten, or the Murder in the Red Barn with alternative score by Current 93 (12.32); Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (12.28); Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street with alternative score by Current 93 (12.38)

• Image Galleries - Original promotional material for Maria Marten, or the Murder in the Red Barn and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

• Short Films - Tod Slaughter at Home (1936) (4.07) - Slaughter gives an interview while riffing on Sweeny Todd; Pots of Plots (1938) (3.51) - A "greatest hits" collection of Slaughter's villains; Bothered by a Beard (1946) (35.01) - A semi-serious discussion and history of beards and shaving that includes a brief clip of Slaughter reprising his role of Sweeny Todd; and Puzzle Corner Number Fourteen (1954)(19.12) - Viewers are quizzed on and provided factoids about a variety of subjects, including a brief appearance of Slaughter performing Sweeney Todd. The footage is generally good but shows wear, age, and damage.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Tod Slaughter's familiarity and comfort with his role is evident in every scene of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and his performance seems quite effortless. Again surrounded by an excellent cast, the film is instantly and consistently engaging, and the quaint scenes that bookend the film provide both a mysterious entry and lighthearted exit to what is, no doubt, Slaughter's most iconic performance. Horror is again traded for drama and odd comedic line or bit, but even with nary a drop of blood to be seen in even a single frame, Slaughter is an excellent villain. Technical merits are solid and the supplemental material is substantial and interesting. Highly Recommended.