Tod Slaughter is a menace in The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that feel like they were dug out of a velvet-lined attic, yes. It is perfect for a rainy Sunday if you enjoy early sound-era curiosities. But if you need sharp pacing or anything resembling realism, you will probably hate it. It moves at the speed of a Victorian carriage stuck in deep mud. 🕰️

Tod Slaughter is the whole reason to watch this. He plays Sweeney Todd like he is trying to signal a ship at sea with his eyebrows. Every time he leans into the camera to grin, you can almost hear the film grain popping.

Odd little moments

The transition between the barbershop and the bakehouse happens so fast it is almost funny. One minute he is sharpening his razor, the next, the meat pies are selling out. There is zero transition. Just a quick cut and a shrug.

I found myself staring at the background extras more than the main plot. Some of them look like they are waiting for a bus that never comes. They just kind of stand there while people are getting murdered five feet away. It is hilarious in a weird, unintentional way.

It is definitely not as polished as something like The Four Feathers. It lacks that epic scale. It feels claustrophobic, but maybe that is the point. You are trapped in the shop with him.

Sometimes, the audio gets all crackly and distant, like someone is broadcasting from the moon. It adds a certain charm, honestly. It reminds you that this thing is nearly ninety years old. It has earned its wear and tear.

• The razor work is mostly just him waving it around like a butter knife.
• The dialogue is incredibly stagey. Nobody talked like this in 1936, let alone in Victorian London.
• The pacing is lopsided. It spends forever on people walking through doors and then rushes the actual murders.

Honestly, it is hard to compare this to anything else. It is not trying to be 'G' Men or some slick thriller. It is just a man being very, very evil for the sake of being evil. Sometimes, that is enough. Just don't expect it to change your life. 🥧