I really wanted to see this one, but I had know idea how I was going to feel about it. Sondheim has always been something that I have enjoyed ... even before Martin pointed out that he and I are birthday buddies. Who knew that March 22 had so many important people tied to it.

Anyway, I had seen the filmed version of the theatrical performance that starred Angela Lansbury and loved it. The set was designed to represent minimalism. I knew that Tim Burton's version was going to be really different.

Overall, I enjoyed this version. Johnny Depp was actually a much better singer than I thought he was going to be. He carries off a lot of Todd's pieces well. Of course, it can be of no surprise that he handle the role of Gothic madman well. The same could be said of Helena Bonham Carter, though she placed the role of Mrs. Lovett quite differently than Angela Lansbury.

For those of you unfamiliar with the tale, Todd has just gotten out of prison after being wrongly tried and convicted. He is filled with bitterness and a desire for vengeance. This is particularly true when he learns that his wife and daughter were taken advantage of by those who sent him to prison. Upon his return, he runs into Mrs. Lovett, who runs a meatpie restaurant that is not really all that good.

Todd quickly starts up his barbar shop again, though, he uses it as a scene of murder rather than a regular place of business. This ends up being a boon for Mrs. Lovett, whose shop is just downstairs. She now seems to have a much tastier source for meat for her pies.

Lansbury and Carter both present a Lovett that falls in love with Todd, but Carter's seems to be much more able to keep up with the realities of his dark ways. She is less of a victim, which makes it harder to feel so bad for her at the end.

The one thing I had a real problem with in the movie was the blood. It was not that there was so much of it. If you are going to go see a play or movie about a barber that cuts people's throats and gives their corpses as supplies for meat pie has to expect a certain level of gore. The blood was just so fake looking. It was so red and watery. Perhaps it was meant to be so it would stand out even more in the very gray looking world that Burton has created. It just seemed like it could have been toned down a bit to make it more realisitc.

I don't think that I would say this version is better than the other version. Both are really good in their own ways and really represent the time and audience in which they were made.