Editing, transitions

The editing ( selection and assembly of shots) and transitions ( how the scenes and shots are combined, with which technique) in Sweeney Todd are cleverly done. In comparison to some older Horror films, the advances in editing and transitions are on a huge scale and are seamless and natural in Sweeney Todd. Some of the transitions include fade to black, wipe, (contrast) cuts and fade ins, in the opening sequence. Throughout the film there are varying types of transitions and editing practices that provide contrast, to do with change of plot or mood, emphasis on certain parts of the plot, time or different parts of the story, for example, Mrs Lovett's fantasies or Mr Todd's flashbacks to his earlier life.

The first camera shot of the film is a sweeping shot, that follows down from the sky to pass over the Victorian London buildings and rooftops, it is as if the camera is taking a sort of panorama of the setting. This shot helps to establish the setting and the type of buildings connotate the time and place that the film are set in. The shot gives the feeling of mystery and is eerie and dream-like. This has the use of decoupage; which allows the shot to be seamless and continue the viewer's journey or story into the barber shop without any interruptions. The music fits with this shot, as it is continuous and does not escalate in pace or pitch at this point. The effect of this is a smooth entrance to the film, allowing the viewer to focus on the story and images rather than the editing or creation of the film, as it is done in a coherent manner.

Once we see the chair cogs, there are several quick cuts to the other cogs as we see the blood traveling down the cogs of the chair, and the bakehouse machine. There is another cut as we see the blood filling up the cog mechanism and as it drips from the machine and runs forward on the floorboards, the floorboard seems to give way, as it would with Mr Todd's mechanism; and seems to fall to the bakehouse as we see the title of the film appear. These quick cuts are effective as the movement of the blood in the takes that follow are slow and contrasts to the speed of the cuts. Also, it gives the heightened atmosphere of danger, suspense and the continuation, or movement of the blood on its journey through the London setting. Below, the blood drop that then runs out of the next shot, the brown floorboards give way soon after the second shot, to fall to the title.

An example of the use of fade is the transition from the title to the meat worms coming out of the mincer. Just before this happens the title fades to black, and the image then comes out of the darkness is the meat worms. This is an example of a fade out, the title fading out, and then the meat strands fading in. There is more shadow added, and the colour gets darker as the meat strands transitions into blood drops, these drops then falls onto the floor/bench and create the red swirl. This is a smooth, cleverly designed transition as it also links the idea of the blood of the victims from the previous takes, and introduces the viewer to the fact that the meat is actually human flesh (shown by the blood drops). This creates a tense feel, and once again heightens the atmosphere.

The meat strands transitioning into the blood drops: note: link of blood from victims and the pie meat.

Straight after this shot, flames push up from bottom of the screen; an example of a wipe, as the flames replace the red swirl. This is an effective link as it shows the time change or the process of the preparation to cook the pies progressing as the oven is heated up with coal or such material. The next shot is similar to this one; with the pies on the shelf cooking. We can also see the flames at the bottom of the shot, coming out of the bottom of the oven, and so this is a link to the previous shot. This is significant as it shows the process evolving. This is a contrasting cut as it has part of the subject matter from the shot or take before in it, and gives significance to the two shots being related. 

The flames wiping up from the bottom of the shot.

The next transitions are the cut from the blood travelling down the sewer hole to one trickle of blood going down the front bit of the concrete wall ( see picture below), as this flows down we can see that the tunnel underneath is in fact where the blood came from, so this is another example of the contrasting juxtaposition of the shots, before and after having the returning object of blood, yet in a different place, shows the movement and progression of the blood. We see the blood and water rush out from the left, out a different small tunnel, showing that the blood has been through the whole of the sewer, and could be seen as seeping into the whole of London; the blood will not be washed away as easily as Mrs Lovett of Mr Todd may have liked.

Blood trickling down the concrete wall: note: under the arch  is the trough and tunnel that the blood came from.

 The continuing shots and images of the sewer, the damp, dark tunnels, rats and vermin, blood and the burning flames of the dungeon- like oven and bakehouse reinforce the idea of filth, dirt, deception and corruption in the film. The viewer is positioned to be curious as to where the blood ends up, to see what happens to Sweeney after his murderous behaviour, and to find out more about the source of the blood and the actions behind the set up created by these cuts, shots and transitions.

After the blood rushes down the trough to the grates at the end of the sewer and spills through to the final part of the sewer before flowing out to sea, the blood transitions into a sort of reflection, the colours mingling, and this is done in a dissolve technique. The visibility of the shot is changed, so the colour seems washed out and more dull. It fades to a softer blue before transitioning to a misty grey. This relates back to the beginning of the opening sequence when the sky is thick with rain and mysterious with the swirling blues. The next transition is very smooth, slowly changing into a shot of the ship. This creates a link between the two objects, of the blood in the sewer and the boat ( which Sweeney Todd and Anthony are sailing into the London harbour on). The blue transitions to a milky grey, which in turn becomes the fog that the ship sails out of. This is also able to be related to the vermin in the sewer, of which Sweeney sings of when he is on the ship with Anthony in the first bit of the next scene:

" There's a hole in the world like a great black pit, and the vermin of the world inhabit it, and its morals aren't worth what a pig could spit and it goes by the name of London."  

 Here Sweeney voices his opinion on the people of London; that the people have no morals ( reference to the corrupt judge imprisoning him on a false charge), the people are compared to the dark, grimy sewer, with its rats and filth that has just been shown; which links the song to the previous visual transitions. This makes the last transition appropriate in my view, as it ties the sewer and imagery to the ship, to Sweeney and was an interesting way to tie together the opening sequence and the start of the first scene of the film. Below: the contrast and comparison between the opening shot of the sky, the last shot of the Director, Tim Burton and the first shot of the first scene of the film, the ship emerging from the mist, transitioning from the second to third pictures.