Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1982)

Best movie ever!

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

I am not a fan of Broadway musicals but I can say without a doubt that Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street is certainly my personal favourite. Why? Well I think the story is pretty good and some of the music is the best I've heard in the genre. I saw the Tim Burton blockbuster made a couple of years ago and I thought it was okay but then I discovered this version which is considered by many to be the definitive version to watch and... I agree.The plot in case you don't know is that a barber named Benjamin Barker, alias Sweeney Todd returns after 15 years of being shipped away wrongly because a courtroom judge wanted his wife. He goes to where his establishment was but finds it an unsuccessful pie shop and the owner named Mrs Lovetts tells him that his wife took poison and Judge Turpin raised Sweeney's daughter isolated from the rest of the world. Determined to get his revenge Sweeney establishes himself as a good barber to the rest of London. However, after a rival Barber who recognizes him threatens to blackmail him Sweeney kills him. This sets the idea in motion that, because meat is apparently expensive that if anyone comes in alone to Sweeney's barber shop that he should kill them and Lovetts serves them as pie to the public and they shall set their business going (or... whatever you want to call that!) until the Judge enters looking for a shave.The acting is amazing. I have never heard of George Hearn but he was the highlight of the show with his performance as Todd. I mean he plays the role coming off as downright psychotic in some scenes but in others he could come off as downright normal. His singing voice is also really really good. I could also say all the cast members are very very good. I would only bring up three exceptions - Judge Turpin (I mean he DID come across as a creepy old bastard but I just think his singing voice strikes me the wrong way), Tobias (I know they couldn't get a little kid to do it especially in a story this dark and twisted but even then I didn't really like the performance, mainly for the same reason as the Judge, something about their performance strikes me the wrong way) and Joanna but that maybe because she's my least favourite character in the entire musical.As far as the production goes I think the orchestra did a really good job and I also liked that it wasn't just the rotating set that was on the stage when I saw it live. I mean if you know what I'm talking about then I know that thing wouldn't be easy to make but I did prefer people rushing out and bringing the stuff in and out that's necessary to that part of the story. Just call it personal preference - either way for a stage production this is really good production design.I really don't think I can say anything else because I've covered almost everything. I would say if you're a slight fan of the Tim Burton movie or like the Broadway musical and haven't seen this I suggest that you check it out. I haven't seen many adaptations of Sweeney Todd but I think after this I won't be able to top it... still, I'm going to check them out anyway.

I don't think I can add to the praise given to this wonderful production. The musical itself is a masterpiece in its own right, and I honestly loved this production. I loved the darkness and bleakness of the sets, and that while the costumes are nothing fancy they are effective and nice to look at. The score is utterly magnificent, the music is completely memorable and the lyrics are something that I love to quote, the opening chorus, the epiphany, Green Finch and Linnet Bird and the ending stand out especially. The dialogue is darkly humorous, the story is suitably macabre and entertaining and even the make up is good.The performances, both acting and singing were superb. The only person I had a problem with was Betsy Joslyn's Johanna, I just found her singing shrill at times and there were a few moments in Green Finch and Linnet Bird where she was pitchy. Joslyn aside, George Hearn is superlative as Sweeney, funny, chilling and handsome, and what a voice. His Sweeney is by far my favourite Sweeney ever, and the great Angela Lansbury matches him perfectly as Nellie Lovett. Cris Groenendaal was a charming Anthony, and Edmund Lyndeck stands out in a considerable way as Judge Turpin. Even the chorus were great. Overall, if you love Sweeney Todd, this is a must see. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox

George Hearn really went all out and over the top which in this case was great. I've heard the Len Cariou version but it was too tame. George was great in that character - very expressive.Angela Lansbury was perfect for the part. She gave a great performance. She gave the Mrs. Lovett a great devious and comical personality which balanced out the dark story.I love the dark humor when Angela Lansbury sings her songs as well as her physical expressions and the angry emotions of George Hearn in his songs of rage, vengeance and distress.I've watched this play 20 times since 1985 when I saw it on PBS. I bought it on video (after copying it in 1985 on my own)when it came out in 1990 and I definitely bought a copy of the DVD when it came out in 2004.

I can't get over the quality of the score, the book, and the performances. This is the first production I've ever seen of Sweeney Todd so I have no others to compare it to. But the impact is so strong, I just can't imagine anything better.First, there's the music -- take "Johanna" (Act II), during which Sweeney, Anthony and Johanna sing an interwoven vocal line incorporating the melodies from three songs. It's like a Bach chorale in that sense -- just a masterpiece of composition. And the underlying chord structure and voicings are so perfect -- a little bit of melancholy, a little bit of contentment, a little bit of yearning, all expressing these three singers' points of view.Then -- the lyrics. The rhymes are so clever. The rhyme schemes sometimes seem random but they always add up at the end. (The DVD, which I watched, has Closed Captions, and these are indispensable for appreciating the dialog and the lyrics.) Sondheim deserves a literary award for his poetry alone.Finally, the performances. I can't imagine anyone better than George Hearn. Why haven't I heard of him before? His singing, alone, is masterful, but the range of his acting is simply amazing. Angela Lansbury totally surprised me. The song about "you and me down by the seaside" -- who could do it any better? Her timing is flawless, pitch is perfect, every beat of the score is accounted for; and overlaying this achievement in musicianship is her utterly delightful comic delivery.It's a dark tale but I found it to be sweet at times; and the tune to "Johanna" continues to play in my head.