Aug
1
2007
Title: Sweeny Todd
Author: John Logan
Publication: US-Entertainment Weekly
Issue: August 2007
A bloody musical about a homicidal barber and his human pie-making partner doesn’t exactly sound like standard Christmas viewing, but that doesn’t bother Burton (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). “Red is a color at Christmas.” He jokes. Actually, the director thinks that his adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical might make for a better Valentines Day option. “For me, it sort of sums up relationships”, says the director. “Although people might he horrified by that.”
The movies unrequited-love story also appealed to Bonham Carter, who, fortunately for Burton, is his real—life paramour. “There’s still such a humanity to it, and that’s what Tim always brings,” says the actress, who plays the bizarro baker. Still, Bonham Carter admits that working with her significant other “has its stresses”. Luckily, her costar is more or less unflappable. “[Johnny] was really diplomatic. Whenever Tim and I started arguing, he would just look away” Burton considers this film one of his most challenging productions yet, which means a lot coming from the director of Beetlejuice, Berman, and Edward Scissorhands. “To do an R-rated musical with 70 percent singing was kinda like, ‘Well, I haven’t done that one before.’ It’s exciting to keep surprising yourself and see what happens.”
Depp, like most of the cast (including Baron Cohen as a rival barber in his first post-Borat role),
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