Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007 film) vocal performance, despite being criticized as lacking certain musical qualities, was generally thought by critics to suit the part. "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" was released in the United States on December 21, 2007 and in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2008 to largely positive reviews from critics. The film was chosen by National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2007 and won a number of awards, including Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor – Musical or Comedy, as well as the Academy Award
Joel Sweeney been constructed from a gourd (like the banjo's African ancestors and cousins), Sweeney popularized the use of a drum-like resonating chamber (legend has it that he adapted a cheese box for this purpose). He has also been credited with adding the banjo's fifth string, which according to legend was for an instrument he created for his niece between 1831 and 1840. He supposedly added the fifth string because he was "allegedly unhappy with the limited rhythm and melodic variation of the four-string banjos popularly in use." In fact, there is no proof that Sweeney introduced either innovation. "Outlandish claims have