Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Reviews

• Salisbury's SWEENEY TODD is razor sharp

  
  By A3N8AN4QC87J8P on 2007-12-11
  I was prepared to like Mark Salisbury's SWEENEY TODD: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I like the musical it was based on. I like Depp and Burton and Sondheim. What I wasn't prepared to do was love this book! Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton have teamed up again for this film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's acclaimed musical thrilled "Sweeney Todd." mark Salisbury's book is an in depth, informative chronicle of the making of the movie which opens here in the US this December. Mr. Salisbury's book never gets boring and the author never lectures the reader while sharing this book's story. Salisbury hit all the right notes when he wrote this companion book by layering the backstory of the legend of Sweeney Todd with the present day circumstances that put the players in the right spots at the right time to bring this version of SWEENEY TODD to the screen.
  
  The well crafted book with 175 glossy, big pages with more than 200 photographs and illustrations and it is divided into two parts. Salisbury uses pictures and production artwork to tell the "making of" story in Part One, weaving in quotes from producer Richard Zanuck, director Tim Burton and cast members Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman as well as crew and other cast members to help the reader grasp the goings on behind the scenes. Salisbury was wise to also add his own first hand experiences while on the SWEENEY TODD set at Pinewood Studios to bring an overview of the different pieces that brought this musical thriller together. The author then has the reader "attend the tale of Sweeney Todd" in Part Two, by adding illustrations, production stills and sketches to text pieces from the script. This is no ordinary companion book, this is a companion book that brings humanity and heart to an often macabre, gruesome and bloody story. It's easy to see that this is a labor of love by the author.
  
  Mark Salisbury is the former editor of Britain's "Empire" magazine and is the author of numerous movie books, many in collaboration with Tim Burton. Mr. Burton penned the forward to this book.
  
  This is not your average glossy, trendy coffee table book. It's a must read for SWEENEY TODD fans, the fans of Stephen Sondheim, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. And it also serves as a wonderful invitation to those who've never met the demon barber of Fleet Street, to those who've never seen a musical and to those who've not yet seen the magic that Burton and Depp bring to a project, to get to know how a book can work hand in hand with a film. Mark Salisbury has written what I consider to be a Sweeney Todd primer. Get one for yourself and several as gifts. Neither Sweeney Todd nor Mark Salisbury will let you down.
  
  
  
  

• Good for pictures but not much else.

  
  By A1XG5JEHLTF6KT on 2007-12-28
  I've been a fan of Sweeney Todd for a long time. I saw the movie and loved it, I thought it was a brilliant adaptation.
  
  I bought this book hoping to find out more about the making of the movie, which it does do, it just doesn't do it well. Their are several glaring inaccuracies (on both ends of the spectrum, about Burton and about the musical.) The prose is somewhat mundane (not that I expected genius from a picture book about a movie) as well as being a little too focused on Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, as opposed to the actual film making process. I was also hoping for a little more on Sondheim and the other contributers to the music as opposed to the whole three or so pages and seldom references to him.
  
  

• A must have

  
  By A37IBLCT99GOR7 on 2007-12-28
  This is a great companion piece to the film. Lots and lots of behind the scenes photographs (which are beautiful), lots of pre-production stories of how the thing began, insight into the director's, actor's, and screenwriter's thoughts on character, staging, storyline. Comes with the complete script of the film.
  
  

• Wonderful Movie, Brilliant Director

  
  By A35SOTBC57I8ZB on 2008-01-28
  This book is fantastic if you are looking for in-depth information on the Sweeney Todd movie. The book also includes some of lyrics to the songs, as well as some of the screenplay. Wonderful interviews with Burton, Bonham-Carter, and Depp. Also great pictures, and sketches. Book also includes the background history of the "real" Sweeney Todd. A number one book for me!!
  
  

• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

  
  By A3FS2H1ZKSCFYM on 2008-02-08
  I saw the movie before I purchased the book. The book helped provide a lot of insight to the story. It was well written and the artwork was great. The artists explained where the inspiration for the looks of the characters came from and how they used color (or lack of it) as a important element in the movie. I really enjoyed the movie and I think this was one of the best movies of 2008. I also purchased the soundtrack from the movie and I will be purchasing the DVD when it is released. This book is a excellent companion piece to the movie and I highly recommend it.
  
  
• A must for fans of the movie!
  By A12C8CSRB11X9K on 2008-01-21
  I'm a long-time Stephen Sondheim fan and was quite familiar with Sweeney Todd before the release of Tim Burton's film. My expectations were high and I was not disappointed. It's an astounding, thoroughly entertaining achievement. After seeing the film, I purchased two copies of this book--one for myself (which I read from cover to cover in one sitting)--and one for my sister and brother-in-law as a Christmas present. The photographs are beautiful and the text is enlightening and entertaining. This is a wonderful keepsake to return to over and over again until the DVD is released.
  
  
• Must Have Companion Book
  By A12BDTTYJ43EQW on 2008-01-27
  This is a must have companion book to the Tim Burton film. Wonderful photos. Truly a keepsake.
  
  
• Very cool coffee table book
  By A1XQUM75WLAMNE on 2008-03-10
  What a great conversation piece to have set out on your coffee table. Very well put together and very interesting. Again, if you are a Johnny Depp or Tim Burton fan it is a must have.
  
  
• Wonderful accessory to watching the movie
  By A33V6O7PUCWPLZ on 2008-01-07
  This a very nicely put together production book of the film. There are wonderful costume and set detail photos. Also included are interviews with director, producers, cast and crew. Often times I have been disappointed by the movie production book for a film but not this time around. It's awesome!
  
  
• If You Can't Get the Songs from the Movie Out of Your Head...
  By A167TJ2XFGHR9T on 2008-02-09
  Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Deluxe - Complete Edition
  I had to buy the soundtrack, I couldn't get the wonderful music from this movie out of my head. From start to finish, the soundtrack is amazing. If you loved the movie, I highly recommend purchasing the music- and it comes with a beautiful booklet of photos, the complete lyrics, and a forward from Tim Burton.
  
  
• Excellent book!!
  By A2HO2LVC2TAEBG on 2008-02-12
  This is a great book for anyone who has seen the movie. It's full of pictures from the set and even has some of Tim Burton's character sketches! I would recommend this book to fans of Tim Burton, or just anyone who loved Sweeney Todd! Check out the soundtrack too!
  Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Deluxe - Complete Edition
  
  
  
• Sweeny Todd Book
  By A12DK8UP62ZH1Q on 2008-02-15
  Excellent book , which enhances one's enjoyment of the film. Well illistrated and first class content. One for the fans !
  
  
• Excellent service
  By A72U4CAQRQVZI on 2008-02-18
  I ordered the Sweeney Todd DVD for my daughter in Washington State, but she received a book instead. Oh well, these things happen. She was
  OK with that.
  
  
• Just wonderful!
  By AZY69V3Z92N46 on 2008-02-18
  This soundtrack was amazing! I don't think it is possible for any producer to have done a better job. It has all the songs that are in the movie, and each one is played exactly how it was in the movie as well. My favorite part is how there is some dialogue between the verses and lyrics of the songs. It really is like a quick summary of the movie.
  I absolutely love it!
  
  
  
• Bloody Great Score!!!
  By A1AQWFGLWFC8GM on 2008-02-25
  I have had no problem with the CD it self, and the music is wonderful. It's like reliving the movie every time you listen to it. Every time you listen to the music you find more reason to love the movie.
  
  
• Sweeney Todd
  By A2KZR5KI3ZKH5C on 2008-05-05
  This is the greatest book ever. That is if you liked the movie of SWEENEY TODD! This is a great book for any movie buff. Especially if you like to know how movies are made. Definately worth buying
  
  
• Wickedly Delicious
  By A3RQNQDKLZO5XO on 2008-05-11
  It was something else to watch and it was another thing to see how the masterpiece was made. The book goes over the characters, how the actors made the role, the music, sets, costumes and has part of the original script. Plus, it gives great insight on Tim Burton and other artists' decisions into developing the scenes, climax, music, and characters.
  
  The thing that makes this book is the pictures. It's hysterical to see a laughing Sweeney sharing a joke with Tim Burton. Plus, you get to see interesting behind the scene shots and the original set and costume designs. I'm very glad I bought this book and I still look at it even though it has been almost half a year since the movie came out. Five stars!
  
  
• Sweeney rules!
  By A3R126KCJ4NXES on 2008-05-18
  The film and soundtrack of Sweeney Todd are a perfect distillation of what for many was an unapproachable Sondheim oeuvre. Having seen the original Broadway version ages ago, and two local productions since, I can say that this is the definitive essence of every aesthetic and poetic aspect of Sweeney. It may be an acquired taste for some, but once savored, it will be relished for quite some time. Bravo to all!!
  
  
• this is the original folklore, not the story seen in film
  By A1INAVBDPWRDZX on 2008-05-27
  I have read this twice in my life. It is not like the film in a lot of ways and really captures the folklore that originally drove this story into the realm of urban legend. This is a slow reading book with many characters to follow. I enjoyed this book, but please realize just because Johnny Depp is on the cover does not mean it is an adaption of the screenplay. If you really want to go to the roots of where this heartwrenching and horrific story began please read this book. otherwise just enjoy a stunning movie and score.
  
  
• Superb photography but lightweight commentary.
  By A2QLNQVVQ6T7GJ on 2008-05-31
  I have been a Sweeney Todd (the musical)fan for some time now and have researched the myth/legend from around 1602 to 2007 through a variety of sources. Indeed, Robert L.Mack's, The Wonderful and Surprsing History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend (Continuum Books, 2007) is but one invaluable source for the avid admirer of the story and the musical.I was therefore keen to read the Mark Salisbury book on Tim Burton's movie of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I was delighted by the stunning photographs and drawings, strung together with well selected extracts from the movie. The visually challenged will find it difficult to read many of the explanatory captions however! My biggest criticism is that the narrative is more about justifying the choice of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter as the lead characters ( why not say the old firm of Burton-Depp-Carter was easier to work with after doing so many movies together?)rather than more substanially discussing the rationale for the actual making of the movie itself. In short, too much of the commentary is self-ingratiating waffle. The photographs on the other hand are evocative and, along with the pencil drawings and diagrams, take the reader into the world of Sweeney Todd rather than the production itself. Oh, in case I sound too critical, I enjoyed watching the movie but only wish the book told me more about it rather than the director and the lead players.
  
  

• Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Deluxe - Complete Edition
• Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
• Inside the Actors Studio: Johnny Depp
• Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Broadway) (Keepcase)
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, US & Canada Ed.