applause for "Sweeney Todd"

Not since the Rob Zombie version of "Halloween" have I been so excited about a movie. And yet it was a musical, which is generally hate on principal.

But I would have to say the "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" was ghoulish, garish, grisly and great. Now, I'm no movie critic, but I know what I like (keeping in mind that I consider "Saw" the work of a cinematic visionary, and with that said, this movie was a winner.

The story was entertaining but better yet the music was morbidly fascinating. What I so often find excruciating about musicals is that the actors feel this silly need to sing when they could simply speak. I mean why turn a conversation about needing to buy more Cheez-Itz into an operatic number ... It's pure overkill.

But with Sweeney Todd the music serves to simply set the scene and flavor the mood. It's a dark, brooding piece about revenge but the music compliments everything. Plus there's dialogue and the songs last for only a few bars, thus avoiding the manotony that often plagues musicals.

Oh ... and yes ... there will be blood. Lots and lots of blood. So it's certainly not for the squeamish - either in sight or sound.