Say what you want about Tim Burton's fall from grace, but his take on The Demon Barber definitely falls on the good side of his coin. His decision to cast Rickman in a singing role might have been somewhat sneered at the first time he "burst" into song, but even in a supporting role behind Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter in full pantomime flow, he steals the show. And he's nowhere near as terrible as half the cast of Les Miserables - it's just that his voice is so recognisable that him singing sounds like a self-directed joke. That still doesn't distract from the performance however: he adds depth to a comically nefarious villain - a rapist, murderer and general toxic influence who is responsible for Todd's villainy. He is the instrument of his downfall, and yet he is still vaguely likeable in the same way that all of Rickmans villains were.
