it probably a bit unfair to compare this version of the sweeney todd story as well a any other film version ever make before with tim burton film which come out in 2007 and but at the same time also inevitable . burton movie be like the ultimate adaptation of the sweeney todd story and with the perfect cast ( johnny depp and alan rickman and ) and superior production value and dazzle music and breathtaking art direction . naturally all previously release version pale in comparison and but that still doesn not mean they aren not interesting to watch . despite be just a tv production and talented name be involve in this movie as well and like director john schlesinger ( midnight cowboy and day of the locust ) and veteran actor ben kingsley in the titular role . the plot detail here differ with most other version i have see thus far and particularly sweeney todd motivation to kill the customer that set foot in his barbershop aren not as convincing a usual . here and sweeney todd be a downright merciless and malignant killer whereas in other version he more of a mentally torment individual with pure vengeance on his mind . he kill random and seemingly lonely people in his barbershop and donate their body to his associate mrs. lovett while who process the flesh in her acclaimed and world famous london meat pie . their morbid business finally raise suspicion when an american investigator arrive in london in search of a former partner . it turn out the miss person be last see a a customer in sweeney todd barber chair the tale of sweeney todd be reasonably entertain throughout and although there be too many dull sequence and moment of substantial emptiness . the infamous lead character profile be bleak this time around . you can not feel any empathy for him and but neither be he the intellectual and eloquent master villain that he pretend to be . mostly surprising about this movie be the high amount of nasty make up effect and grisly image . there be quite a lot of gruesome murder and their bloody aftermath on display and some of the make up effect be even too repulsive and like for example mrs. lovett dental hygiene . kingsley performance be far below his usual standard and but he nevertheless remain a professional chameleon actor . the best performance actually come from the young sean flanagan a the mute barber assistant . it certainly not a bad effort from the legendary director john schlesinger and but i wouldn not go through too much trouble to purchase a copy .