October 13th: SWEENEY TODD (Tim Burton, 2007)

A falsely-imprisoned barber returns to London to exact revenge on the corrupt judge who convicted him and is now guardian of his daughter.

The character of Sweeney Todd dates back to the mid-1800s, appearing in serialized "penny dreadful" publications. Various stage and film versions were made over the years, culminating in a 1973 play by Christopher Bond, who gave the story a more tragic angle. This version was seen by esteemed composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who adapted it into a Broadway musical with writer Hugh Wheeler, earning 8 Tony Awards.

Attempts to make a film version were unsuccessful until Sondheim was approached by director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and producer Walter Parks. After the screenplay by John Logan (The Aviator) was written, Mendes dropped out and was replaced by Tim Burton, who had been interested in adapting the musical since the 1980s.

Burton cast his two favorite collaborators, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, in the lead roles, after Sondheim's approval. Also appearing are veterans Alan Rickman (the Harry Potter films) and Timothy Spall, and in a surprising bit of casting, Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen as Italian barber Pirelli. The three featured young roles of Anthony, Johanna, and Toby all went to newcomers making their screen debuts.

Behind the camera, Burton worked with Polish cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (Pirates of the Caribbean), with sets designed by Oscar-winner Dante Ferretti (Gangs Of New York, Hugo), and costumes designed by longtime Burton standby Colleen Atwood. The film was shot entirely on the soundstage at Pinewood Studios in England.

Many cuts were made to bring the film down to a manageable length, including the complete removal of some songs and the alterations of others. Most sequences featuring a chorus (including the famous opening numbers) were omitted. Sondheim approved all changes as well as making suggestions to music producer Mike Higham, and his longtime orchestrator Jonathan Tunick made a new arrangement befitting the large increase in orchestra size standard for a feature film score recording.

The film was released in December with an "R" rating for its extensive blood and violence, rare for a musical. It received enthusiastic reviews from most prominent critics, and was a moderate box office success. Appearing on various year-end critics' Top 10 lists, it won Golden Globe awards for Best Film (Comedy or Musical) and for Depp's performance. Depp also received an Academy Award nomination for his work, with Ferretti winning another Oscar.

Running time is approx. 2 hours.