"Could I interest you in the worst pies in London?" - Mrs. Lovette
Appetizing or could this be the most disgusting thing you’ve ever heard? Well I blame myself for having been influenced by the movie, "Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street".
For those of you who don’t know, Sweeney Todd is a dark tale of revenge, set in the 1840’s. Justice was a distant memory. Authorities abuse their powers and the commoners either resort to conformist living or take matters into their own hands. Accused of a crime he didn’t commit and torn away from his beloved wife and daughter, Depp stars as the vengeful barber, Sweeney, who returns to Fleet Street armed with his "friendly" razors he seeks the throat of the evil Judge Turpin, the one responsible for the ill-fate of Depp’s wife. During the process, he slashes unsuspecting and unfortunate customers looking for the "closest shave of their lives". Along for the ride isMrs. Lovette (Carter), the accomplice, who uses the corpses of the victims for her infamous, meat pies. What a truly dastardly pair! Honestly, fun to watch, if you love dark and gory musicals. But what can you expect from the director of Sleepy Hollow, Tim Burton?
"Seems a downright shame…seems an awful waste, such a nice plump frame, whats his name has had…has…
Seems an awful waste, i mean…with the price of meat what it is…when you get it, if you get it..could you got it?" - Mrs. Lovette
"Think about it."
Human Meat Pies - Why in the world would I ever consider that? Well maybe for some stroke of madness, I was thinking about it out of curiosity but then I didn’t mean eating it literally. It was a truth that was hard to swallow. The thought of it is inconceivable - if you’re one of the hypocrites who believe in a perfect world.
"Man devouring man out there. who are we to deny it in here…" - Sweeney Todd
When you put meaning into that verse, it’s been happening for decades and even centuries. I am appalled at our society. A solid example of this idea is the Crab Mentality of the Filipino Culture. Bringing down people for the sake of selfish desires to rise to the top. I doubt anyone has ever really admitted of doing this but we are all guilty. It is as common as the corrupt officials in our government. Whom I presume have resorted to this strategy to be in that position of power.
In my opinion, Todd’s case was not as taboo as people might think because like I’ve said if you conform to the ways of foolish people, you ignore the meaning of justice and no solutions can ever be made to solve a problem that was never addressed as one in the first place. Sweeney’s actions were something that served as an eye opener to the masses of his time. No one would have thought that a man of power, Turpin, hid behind the mask of righteousness and was in fact a demon in disguise. Only those who fell victim, with their silent screams, know of his treachery and they could not have done anything from beyond the grave. But here is a man, the dark barber, who was crazy enough to rage war against the oppressor.
Do not condemn me for justifying a murderer’s actions. Do not misunderstand me. I am merely voicing reflections on an issue plaguing our subconsious. I succumbed to thinking and this is the fruit of it. I have always tried to look into villain’s intentions and actions. It has been said that, "Villains are only misunderstood beings" and that is why I try to unlock the truth behind them.
The fact is murder is never a solution and we have never been given the right to judge people for their actions, but in fiction it is always presumed that the lead character in every play, movie, or story, can do pretty much what they want and that means going against reality, against the norm of what things are or else it would have been boring. Killing people just won’t solve anything. We imagine, we say things, we curse and we wish ill for the people who deserve to be killed - those who hate the current administration raise your hand. But we never pick up guns or knives to literally kill the person. We do nothing. And because of that attitude, our powerlessness - we turn blind, deaf and mute just to avoid the issue. To solve problems, to feel power, to do something, we resort to the very characteristic that we hated in the first place. "Nagpabayad, nanloko at nagsinungaling din tayo" - We corrupt ourselves as well.
Man eating man is like the saying "dog eat dog wor". Either eat or be eaten. That is the truth. Through the mistakes and the experiences of our early ancestors, we have learned nothing. It is sad but I am doing my part to change something here. I recognize the problem. And people such as writers, movie makers, artists, they let people know. If it wasn’t for the movie I saw I wouldn’t have been thinking about these things and now that I am. I am proud that I took time to consider this issue. I don’t want to conform anymore, instead of moping around and being a victim, instead of just bad-mouthing the people who cause us pain. I do my own thing. I believe. I have faith. Faith that someday, I know people will realize their ignorance. I pray for this moment. I pray for wisdom and I wait patiently and fulfill my role. I believe soon this madness will be over and we, the future generation, will reap the benefits.
The moral of the story…don’t be a cannibal. If you are tempted to take a bite of these so-called, "Human Meat Pies", refuse it. If you are not in a position to say no, taste but never swallow. Spit it out at once. Don’t be corrupted by what you see and think that other people do. "Mag-isip isip ka kaya muna?" (Why don't you think it over?)
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