Blog #2

 In my opinion, the movie “Sweeney Todd, Demon Barber of Fleet Street” has a grate relationship of the sounds to the images and how they all connect to one another. The content, composition, color, and movement in these scenes are an excellent example of how a story should be told and the elements that are needed to do so. Moreover, the editing is a major component in why I think it is such a grate example of sound to image relation. I will be analysis one particular scene from this movie which provides an example of the elements needed to tell a good story.

Sweeney Todd is a musical and could be considered a cross between horror and drama. The scene I am reviewing is the epiphany Sweeney Todd has after his plans to kill the judge failed.

He begins to rant and rave through song and the images connect to the words as well as the color composition and movement. For example the scene starts off in a dark room as Mr. Todd chances a young man out of the room screaming at the top of his lungs.

There is a brief full shoot of Mr. Todd standing in the room as the young man walks out and the Misses Loveits walks in. then, there are two very quick medium shots of first Mr. Todd and then Ms. Loveits. The camera cuts into a close up of Mr. Todd as he walks towards the window and looks out at a cloudy London sky. the colors are all gloomy an the shoots suggest anger as they cut very quickly and focus on the confusion of Ms. Loveits and Mr. Todd facial expressions. The medium shots that follow are all in accordance to the first few shots that set the tone and the mood.

The song Mr. Todd sings reflects his feelings for society and this is well expressed when there is a jump cut that takes the character from his barber shop to the streets of london. However, even these are medium shots and focus on facial expressions. They are also dark and dreary and only Mr. Todd's image stays well lit and in focus. Before the scene ends, there are two shoots that track away and above Mr. Todd as he raises his barber blades to the sky and then a cut to Mr. Todd in the same position but this time he is back in his barber shop. This is an excellent example of a psychotic break as expressed through sound and image.

Many of the cuts are not obvious but they are very well positioned because this is a sequence that expresses his hatred and thrust for revenge. A series of quick cuts is the best way to evoke an emotion weather it be excitement, fear, or anger. Hence, “Sweeney Todd, Demon Barber of Fleet Street”, is an excellent example of thew many elements needed to express a situation with sound and image.