Customer Ratings & Reviews

Sometimes we forget how well DVD can still be used to demonstrate a clear picture. Considering that this was filmed and distributed in the 1980's I'm very impressed! Although I prefer my physical media in Blu-Ray, I absolutely love that I have the opportunity to see this recording of the original cast of Sweeny Todd clearly without any issues or distractions and will gladly take this recording on DVD.

This is how Sweeney Todd was ment to be seen. I thought the movie was good and was great for a film audiance, but this is the experiance anyone who has seen Burton's vision needs. This recording is the closest their is to what Sondheim wanted. The quality is also very good for something recorded for television in the early '80s. This features the Original Touring Cast which was almost identical to the OBC (the main exceptions are Sweeney, Johanna, Anthony, and the Beadle). George Hearn is a wonderful Sweeney (possibly better than Cariou!) and Angela Lansbury is at her best as the slightly nutty and truly obsesed Mrs. Lovett. The rest of the Company is wonderful in everything they do with the possible exception of the actress portraying Johanna. Her voice is sometimes hard to bear and her eyes can do some odd things to you if you look at them too closely. Granted I have seen the defense that she played the roll in an intentionally over-exaturated way and that would counter-balance this, but she is still my least favorite in this group. (However, this is a wonderful group so being the bottom is still a high position!) A very good buy, and for those who only met the Demon Barber thanks to Depp and Burton: this may NOT be for you. Don;t hate it for the reason that it is not the same. Love it for what it is as many have learned to accept the movie version. 4.5-5 stars of 5. SWING YOUR RAZOR HIGH, SWEENEY!

I saw this after I saw Tim Burton's film and I loved it. So it doesn't have Johnny Depp but it's still amazing! It's definitely way more funny and light hearted from the movie but that's okay because who wants to watch serious stuff all of the time? This is also one of the original Broadways of it after all so a true Sweeney Todd fan should like this because it is the same story and music. Angela Lansbury is hilarious and very fun to watch. George Hearn is an amazing Sweeney and by my opinion better as Sweeney then even Johnny Depp who is still a great actor also. I'd definitely recommend this to a Sweeney Todd fan who is not afraid to watch something other then the Tim Burton version^^

I saw this after seeing the Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd, I watch a few scenes, I thought the singing was bad and a was too cheesy for me, I had to stop the dvd to keep my sanity. Angela Lansbury was the only good part of show, but everything and everyone else were terrible. If you saw this before the Film Version and didn't like check out the film, because that was really good Johnny Depp is awesome in it.