well i be not the world big sondheim fan and so although i have the cast album and i have listen to it a few time i have never actually see this show perform and i haven not see the tim burton movie version either . i felt like i want to see something more faithful before i see the burton one and give it a chance just a a movie . this version isn not a movie at all and it a filmed play with some of the original member of the cast and include most importantly angela lansbury performance a nellie lovett . this be one of those performance that just like a conduit into the heart of the magic of broadway and theater itself . she must have have so much fun with this role . sweeney todd himself isn not play by len cariou and who do it originally and but by george hearn . hearn do a fantastic job while his voice isn not quite as good a cariou and but he seem to play it a bit broader . the only problem i have really be with the johanna character a play by betsy joslyn and and to some extent her lover anthony a play by cris groenendaal . joslyn voice can not sustain high note and but i wasn not entirely sure if that be maybe suppose to be the point since i be not hugely familiar with this play . more importantly and i be not sure if the story of sweeney todd really hold up enough weight to sustain some of the music and but thankfully the whole thing doesn not seem to have be take too seriously by it creator . a a lark and and a bit of comedy in the vein of grand guignol and it quite enjoyable . i do not feel like it a significant a piece of work a company and into the wood or some of his other show . some of the music be quite spectacular and but at other point it seem to exist in a world outside of the show . i would not say a whole lot about it here because this be a film website and this be really not a film and but just a play that have be shoot on film . there be maybe 3 or 4 scene where they move the camera around but that be it . people will want to see this and because it preserve lansbury legendary performance which deserve it legendary status because it a hilarious and insightful performance . george hearn can be proud of his version of sweeney a well . this would be a good film to show child over the age of 5 or so to get them interested in musical because the blood and cannibalism will really surprise them . see a performance film so expertly and so faithfully make me wish that more effort like this have be make over the year with musical theater and because i prefer show from the 20 through the 50 to these later era affair . sweeney todd be an exceptional show from it era however and mile and mile above the al webber madness .