McCurdy- Sweeney Todd

Judge Turpin and Sweeney Todd

       Benjamin Barker becomes a mass murderer as a result of tragic events from his past. He takes on the persona of Sweeney Todd, luring in customers that he plans to kill and bake into pies with the help of Mrs. Lovett. In attempting to avenge his wife's death and daughter's absence, he kills numerous individuals with absolutely no remorse. The good side of Benjamin Barker disappears and he is taken over by the shadow, Sweeney Todd. Strangely enough, although he has become a murderer, the audience still sympathizes with him; they realize that he has begun a new lifestyle because he was permanently hurt after being ripped apart from his family.
       Tim Burton illustrates the story in such a way that cannibalism doesn't seem so wrong. Victims being killed and baked into pies initially sounds macabre, but the audience becomes sympathetic to Sweeney due to his situation. He is trying to cope with the loss of the most important people in his life: his wife and Johanna. People need outlets for inner tensions, and Sweeney finds his in a very brutal form. The film does not hold back from showing the gruesomeness Sweeney Todd used on his victims.
       Sweeney Todd makes sense of cannibalism and does not make it seem like the horrible crime it is. In a way, it shows the lengths people would go to in order to survive. Urbanization was starting in London and Sweeney Todd portrays the unbelievable things people would take part in so they could be successful.Mrs. Lovett came up with the idea of baking people into pies as a result of her twisted morals and failing business.  She realized if she didn't have to pay for the main ingredient (meat), her business would begin to boom. London was growing and she needed to keep up. People would go to great extents such as this so they could have a thriving career and not fall behind as the city urbanized and grew.
       The film has a twisted theme, but Tim Burton and Sweeney make it seem justifiable. Sweeney takes on a new persona that brings his inner desires to the surface, just as many others wish they could do at times. The story may come off as grotesque at first, but the characters convey the importance of what they're doing and earn sympathy from the audience.