6. Sweeney Todd
Films, television series', stage productions, radio plays, even a musical - there have been many adaptations of the infamous story of Victorian based serial killer Sweeney Todd, and his accomplice who who turned the bodies of the victims into meat pies, ever since the character's first outing in a Penny Dreadful serial titled The String of Pearls, way back in the 1840s. There have been many claims that the stories are based on a real person, but despite denials from historians and researchers, Sweeney Todd has existed in the public imaginations of many for quite some time now. Considering the brutal and gloriously dark subject matter, it only seems natural that iconic filmmaker Tim Burton would tackle an adaptation himself. Many consider it Burton's last truly great film, as for a while it seems that his gothic themes and wacky style is getting a bit old. Perfect then, for a musical set in Victorian London that even has a musical number featuring Sacha Baron Cohen and Johnny Depp singing about piss. Ah yes, did I forget to mention that this was a musical? Many viewers were put off this fact on release, instead expecting a straight-up horror due to its surprising 18 certification in the UK. But as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is specifically an adaptation of the 1979 Tony Award winning sequel of the same name, a fantastically gory musical is what it is. In between all of the gloriously over the top crimson drenched throat slicing, a stellar cast including Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohen all put in wonderful performances and aren't bad singers to boot. Notes are sometimes missed, but the emotion, power and anger is always felt. Plus, considering the characters are all Victorian era Brits with bad teeth and poor hygiene, it seems all the more credible that these characters are not perfect singers with angelic voices. This is by far the most successful screen adaptation of Sweeney Todd to date, and often the most celebrated.