Rating: 
Summary: So nice to have on DVD!!!
Review: After years of searching, I was finally able to get my hands on a VHS copy of the 1979 touring version. Only to have a DVD come out with superior sound and visual quality...who knew?And now the comparisons: 1) George Hearn has still got it. He was SPECTACULAR!!! By far the best Sweeney. 2) Patti LuPone. True she's no Angela Landsbury, but who is. I thought she actually brought a bit of quarkiness to the character that was refreshing. And, after all, it's not the actor's job to recreate a role that's already been done, but to bring something new to the part, isn't it? 3) Neil Patrick Harris. Surprisingly pleasant. Had the voice, but the character wasn't quite what I was expecting. I do hope he gets to do Assassins on Broadway, though. 4) Davis Gaines. Yeah, whatever. I hate that character anyway. The rest of the cast was a breath of fresh air. This has always been a show that could bring together the best of the Opera world and the Theatre world and this production does just that. The orchestrations were also very nice. I was pleased with the staging. Being a "Concert Version", it could have been quite dull, but was not. If you can get the original video, get it, it's worth it. But this is a great addition to anyone's collection.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Sondheim Show Preserved on video!
Review: Although a concert, this is close to being an actual production, with staging, minimal sets, memorized lines. Everyone's very good. Patti LuPone, who you either like or you don't, does a pretty good job here, but said herself that she hadn't fully developed her character yet by the night this was recorded, and it does show slightly. Her Mrs. Lovett is not as vulnerable as some others, and she did definitely bring out the sexuality, which was her aim. She just didn't quite go far enough with it in this performance. All of the singing is outstanding, though, the orchestrations are superb, and it is certainly great just to have a video of another Sondheim show (since the video of the original production, with Angela Lansbury in the role of Mrs. Lovett, is currently unavailable). Then, of course, there is the show itself. Those not familar with it may be surprised by the humor. The score, supplied by Stephen Sondehim, contains some of his most beautiful and haunting music. He was smart enough to lighten the tone every now and then, for with a completely serious, dark air, the show would have become bogged down in melodrama. The video is extremely enjoyable. Watch it when you're angry at the world. You'll have a sudden urge to start baking meat pies.
Rating:
Summary: Patti shines!
Review: As much as I like Angela Lansbury, I must say Patti LuPone does it better.George Hear blossomed in this production unlike Putting It Together. This is a classic, a must for any Sondheim's fan.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Focused Sweeney Yet
Review: As one who has been associated with the creators of "Sweeney" on other productions and as a champion of the original production, one still has to admit to the plot problems at the end of the original's second act. This new production effortlessly aviods those traps on the way to the most focused performance of "Sweeney" yet. Featuring two former Sweeneys (Geoarge Hearn as Sweeney and Timothy Nolen as a wonderfully re-conceived Judge Turpin), Patti LuPone making the role of Mrs. Lovett totally her own (no easy proposition with the spectre of Angela Lansbury always nearby) and a wonderfuly talented supporting cast, Director Lonny Price guides this production effortlessly to it's grizzly end. Featuring amazingly thoughtful camerawork which actually advances the plot as opposed to observing it, one gets to know the characters as readily as if this were a fully staged production. Then again--maybe "less" really is "more" in this case. The San Francisco Symphony under Rob Fisher is impeccable. If you value musical theater, if you value Steve Sondheim's supreme contribution to the genre, you must own this version. But go first class---own them all!
Rating:
Summary: The Most Focused Sweeney Yet
Review: As one who has been associated with the creators of "Sweeney" on other productions and as a champion of the original production, one still has to admit to the plot problems at the end of the original's second act. This new production effortlessly aviods those traps on the way to the most focused performance of "Sweeney" yet. Featuring two former Sweeneys (George Hearn as Sweeney and Timothy Nolen as a wonderfully re-conceived Judge Turpin), Patti LuPone making the role of Mrs. Lovett totally her own (no easy proposition with the spectre of Angela Lansbury always nearby) and a wonderfuly talented supporting cast, Director Lonny Price guides this production effortlessly to it's grizzly end. Featuring amazingly thoughtful camerawork which actually advances the plot as opposed to observing it, one gets to know the characters as readily as if this were a fully staged production. Then again--maybe "less" really is "more" in this case. The San Francisco Symphony under Rob Fisher is impeccable. If you value musical theater, if you value Steve Sondheim's supreme contribution to the genre, you must own this version. But go first class---own them all!
Rating:
Summary: Sweeney Todd rules
Review: Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.
His skin was pale and his eye was odd. These are the first words of one of the finest musicals ever written. It was written by one of my favorite composers, Stephen Sondheim. It starred one of my favorite performers, George Hearn As Sweeney
As Sweeney Todd
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. There are other great performers. Patti LuPone is brilliant as Mrs. Lovett. Personally, when I first heard her sing "The Worst Pies In London", I didn't "Lovett." It was more like yelling than singing. The second time, it was all right. However, I have discovered after that experience that I am prone to change my mind about an actor's performance. For example, sometimes when I watch Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical, I think, "Oh, God, David Hasselhoff stinks at singing and acting." Sometimes, I think his singing is o.k. and he could be less hammy and so on and so forth. Lisa Vroman, from Hey, Mr. Producer, plays Johanna. Her singing is divine but her acting is not. I hear that she's playing Christine in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. When she delivers what (in her case) thankfully little dialogue she has in the show, I am surprised that at her first line, she is not greeted with hisses, boos, and a storm of vegetables and watermelons. I never heard of Neil Patrick Harriss until my dad told me about him. He was very good in this show which is amazing because when they tape a musical with a t.v. star in a singing role, in the case of Jekyll and Hyde, sometimes they stink. I was first introduced to Sweeney Todd when I saw the cast recording at [a local bookstore]. Then, I found out more and more about the show. I found out that the licensers rate it R. I saw a picture of the show in which a victim was already killed and blood was flowing down his cape. Then, I heard about the concert version being shown on t.v. on Halloween (very appropriate). I wanted to know a bit more about Sweeney Todd. With the 1982 live taping starring George Hearn (again) and Angela Lansbury (the original Mrs. Lovett) out of print, all there was was thbe cd and libretto. I decided to just forget about the show altogether especially when Dad said that it wasn't for me. I saw snippets of the concert version at a Virgin Atlantic store in New York (ironically, I was in New York City to see another Sondheim show, Into the Woods.) I was a little confused by the scattering of the orchestra. Then, I found out that it would be rebroadcasted on t.v. on Wednesday, October 27, 2002. I taped it and watched it and realized that its content lowers it to a PG-13 rating. First of all, if your first experience of musicals in concert was with Les Miserables, the actors do not stand up and walk over to microphones to sing. Instead, it is more of a staged version of the show except with no sets, very few colorful costumes,(the only colorful clothes in the show are Johanna's white dress and Judge Turpin's mauve bathrobe), only key props (they'd have to be crazy not to have Sweeney's razor.) and a bloodred stage. To lower the sight of the throat slitting, the victims (in the Trio in the second act) are wrapped in blood red capes. My favorite parts are the recurring song, The Ballad of Sweeney Todd, the scenes where the Beggar Woman wants to have sex with Anthony, Sweeney's Epiphany (George Hearn's performance of that song is breathtaking and amazing), the part where Judge Turpin says, "When I offered myself to her (Johanna), she showed a certain...reluctance (naturally there was laughter from the audience because who wants to marry their parents)", the scene where Toby pulls off his wig, and Mrs. Lovett's line after Epiphany: "That's all very well." It shows that she's something of a bimbo. I also liked how the bake oven is represented by a blood red curtain. My favorite songs would have to be (in the order that they appear in) The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (and its numerous reprises), No Place Like London, The Barber and His Wife, Poor Thing, Green Finch and Linnet Bird, Johanna (all three versions), Pirelli's Miracle Elixir (because of the incessant reference to a certain excrement made by Sweeney), that song where Pirelli blackmails Todd only to pay his own price (can anyone tell me the name of that song?), Pretty Women (and its reprise), Epiphany, A Little Priest (and its reprise), God, That's Good, By The Sea (and its reprise), Not While I'm Around (and its reprise), and Parlor Songs. I was a little confused on the last two times when Sweeney slit his last two throats. When Sweeney slits his first, third, and fourth throat, the camera zooms in so much that it blurs. After the last two throat slittings, after the picture came back to normal, the bodies were nowhere to be found. This is my first complaint. My second complaint is Lisa Vroman's acting. My third is how at first, The Worst Pies in London will seem like yelling, and finally, Image Entertainment has again made it an annoying tradition to have no track cameras at the foot of the stage. Hello, Image, anybody home? The orchestra is onstage. Maybe, they just have tradition or maybe the stages are constructed to close to the audience or maybe all the shows they film have orchestra pits too close to the first row. All in all, in the words of a certain character from Austin Powers in Goldmember, "This one's a keeper." You should get it. You will love it from the first chords of the organ to the end. And check out the Making Of featurette on the DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the '82 version
Review: Because it's a concert, you lose some of the visual aid that helps the story come to life. The costumes definitely help- particularly for Sweeney and the Beadle.
Overall, I enjoyed watching this concert because I like the music a lot. But if you're only going to buy one version of this, get the '82 production with Angela Lansbury. Patti Lupone's interpretation of Mrs. Lovett was almost too sinister, too sensual. She was really unlikeable.
Neil Patrick Harris was surprisingly good. My only problem with him is that he looked a little too old (perhaps costume might have helped here too)and too wise. Maybe it is because he is so tall.. Overall, I just got the feeling that there was something missing. It felt too serious and I felt that when the audience laughed, it wasn't because they were laughing at Lupone's great delivery, rather it was because they knew a funny line was coming so they laughed courteously. If you're a true Sweeney Todd fan, you should have this as part of your collection. Otherwise, stick to the '82 version.
Rating:
Summary: Attend the tale...
Review: Behind the mask of vengence, savagery, and malice lies a profound and extremely radiant musical. This DVD brings the story to life with an amazing cast. It is the equivalent to the Les Mis Dream Cast recording. Sweeney Todd (George Hearn) is a Barber who resides above a Meat Pie Shop on Fleet Street in London. With the help of Mrs. Lovett (Patti Lupone) He plans of wreaking revenge on a local judge who raped his wife and plans on marrying Todd's young daughter. Along with other extremely memorable characters, including Toby, played by Neil Patrick Harris the story plays out like a greek tradgedy without a happy ending in sight. This concert version DVD gets four stars for no other reason than the fact that it isn't the full show; however for a concert version in has an extremely large ammount of staging and suprisingly its fair share of props. The extra features include a half hour "making of" program and personal credits for each of the actors. Making this performance more incredible is the chorus, and the bone chilling score brought to life by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. A must have for ANY fan of the macabre.
Rating:
Summary: This is the one
Review: For many years it was hard for me to attend to the tale of
Sweeney; I suffered from that affliction of many fans of
masterworks - my definitive version was the first one I
attended and since it was the production mounted in Sydney
in 1988, I had no recording of it to reprise.
Yes, you yanks, we do stage musicals in Australia.
It was about as different from this production in musical
forces as you can get. However, it shared the absolute
*focus* on tragedy that this production keeps.
I couldn't come at the lauded 1982 recording with my heart,
pleasing enough though the musicality and Grand Guignol shocks were; I couldn't feel the apprehension which the Sydney performances maintained from the first screaming whistle.
Then a couple of months ago, I caught this production on our
public broadcast channel.
It is *the* Show. In every way.
The big band with big operatic voices is a revelation.
The staging with pared down props and action is still the full story.
And the new judge's stuff adds to the whole.
The camera is so clearly scripted. It is as much a stage tool as the clever ramps.
The shocks are still delivered but they are more from the musicians now.
I am very glad the dvd is in stock at my favourite US store.
It has been played here after dinner every night this week. If you haven't experienced a Sweeney performance yet,
then make sure you see this one first.
The cast appear to enjoy their outing immensely and for those who persist in comparing the very professional LuPone
with Lansbury - I consider that LuPone's self-absorbed,
maniacal manipulation of a distracted Sweeney works in this
production where a 'softer' Lansbury would have been
underwhelming. Besides, LuPone's Mrs Lovett is much closer to that of Geraldine Turner in Sydney - and everyone who saw Turner wouldn't allow Lansbury a look-in.
The director of this San Francisco show knew what he was doing. Technically, the sound on the dvd is clean and clear enough
for my old amplifier to handle and the video is seamless.
Rating:
Summary: Patti does it again!
Review: George Hearn is better than ever! Patti LUpone makes this role her own and makes it the key role. She sounds great and acts the part both hauntingly and stunningly. Get the DVD for her performance alone!
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