The tale of Sweeney Todd is one that is surround in the mystery if he was an actual person or merely an urban legend. The basic tale is about a barber named Sweeney Todd who slits the throats of the wealthy and then his friend Mrs. Lovett gets rid of the evidence by using the flesh for baking her meat pies, which she sells to the public.
The story first appeared in 1846 and several adaptations over the years in written form, stage productions, TV, and film. My favorite version is the 1979 Steven Soheim musical.
Now first off, I must admit that I have never actually seen the musical. I have however seen the 2007 Tim Buron film which was based off the musical. And even though I enjoyed the story, the music captivated me more. Days after I watched the movie, I found myself mumbling lyrics to songs.
"There's a hole in the world like a great black pit. And it's filled with people who are filled with shit." from The Barber and His Wife is an example. Catchy.
The lyrics in many of these songs are gruesome and usually are being performed with either a malicious intent or during a violent act. This is a rare combination of a horror-musical.
And best of all...it's jolly good fun.
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