Hugh Jackman Gives More Les Mis Info

[Fan2]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 4:36pm

Hugh is on the promotion rounds for "Real Steel" and he's been asked about Les Mis a few times. Highlights:

Testing (probably costumes and such) before he starts his one-man show:

"“We shoot in March. I am going in the next couple of weeks to do my first tests there. I auditioned for it and had about a 3-hour audition for it about 3 months ago. I’m really pumped about doing this. I’ve done a lot of musicals and I’ve done a lot of movies, so this feels like something that I’ve been waiting to do.”

3D:

“It’s in discussion. Honestly, that’s probably gonna be part of what the tests are about, to see what that does. It’s always interesting – how do you actually convey thought through song? We’re used to the convention on stage. In film, we used to be used to it, and now sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. You need to be fresh and really look at the material. I think [Hooper’s] basically gonna do it, screen it, look at it, and see if it adds something genuinely or not. I mean, the strength of Les Mis is in its characters and the emotion, so if it aids that, fantastic. If it doesn’t I’m sure we won’t. It is not like there are massive special effects in Les Mis, you know?”

Songs:

“Who Am I? I love. That’s a great one. Bring Him Home is great. Both of those songs are mine. God, I don’t think there is a bad song in that whole piece.”

He also said in another interview that he's seen the musical three times.

Les Mis Info Updated On: 9/30/11 at 04:36 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/30/11 at 9:40pm

I wonder which songs will get the heave ho

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 3:09am

The score could use some cuts that's for sure. "Turning" can go. That's always irritated me for some reason.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 4:13am

Inever cared for Turning either.

[MattDean]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 5:31am

I've always enjoyed Turning!

Each to their own:)

Matt

[sueb1863]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 7:06pm

'Turning' will almost certainly go. It's only in the score at all because they wanted to give the women something to do in the second act after the barricades fall. That's not needed in movie.

Otherwise, songs might get trimmed here and there but I'm not sure any other whole songs will get tossed out.

I'm not a fan of 3D and hope they don't use it. This isn't the sort of movie where it'll be helpful. I am glad that they're doing tests first and not just blindly rushing into anything.

And still no firm casting news other than Crowe, everyone else is in talks. And NO word on even possible casting for Marius or Enjolras! Hmmm...

[Jon]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 7:46pm

I hope they keep all the actual "songs" and replace most of the recitatives with spoken dialogue.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 10/1/11 at 9:11pm

Just as long as they don't speak the recitative like in the "Phantom" movie.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/2/11 at 12:25am

If they want to do a dark, murky production like the original, they should go with 3D. If they want to go with the shinier, more visible post-freshening version they should do it flat.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 10/2/11 at 2:04am

If they want to do a film adaptation of the stage musical, they shouldn't be concerned with neither, unless they plan to do anything but an adaptation and film the stage version direct, which we all know isn't what's being planned here.

I've always said a professionally filmed performance of the original stage version would be preferable to me, but after learning more details of Hooper's plans for his film adaptation, I'm hopeful it won't be a mediocre film take on the remarkably successful original stage version, which unlike the recent 'refreshed' version, was a cohesive and integrated work that set the right mood and tone and flowed as beautifully as the music did before it was reduced to a bunch of reeds.

While I don't think any of the two stage versions should be visually represented in a film adaptation, I do think taking the original's movement, its brilliantly nuanced score full of character that told stories of its own, and the brilliant use of color into consideration in adapting it for film wouldn't hurt in the least

Updated On: 10/2/11 at 02:04 AM

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 10/2/11 at 4:43pm

Has nobody even considered the fact that Nick Jonas is probably being approached for Marius?

Appealing to females under 30?

[sueb1863]

Posted: 10/2/11 at 6:34pm

I'm pretty sure Jonas is out of the running, not only because of the vitriol heaped on him after the O2 concert, but also because when things start gearing up for the film early next year, he'll be on Broadway in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying".
Updated On: 10/2/11 at 06:34 PM

[Dre2387]

Posted: 10/2/11 at 11:33pm

I thought he was ok in the concert until I heard Michael Ball sing again and no doubt Nick was terrible, even if Michael like in his 50s now. He still sang better than Nick.

[sueb1863]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 6:58pm

He wasn't very good but I don't blame him personally for that. I'm not sure whose idea it was to cast him, probably Mackintosh's to get the attention of the kids. And it worked, a LOT of JoBro fans watched the show that they would have ignored otherwise.

I think Nick went along with it thinking he'd be able to do it, but later on he found he was in way over his head. I don't think he ever had the option to cancel, though, at least not without a messy contract dispute erupting.

He doesn't have a chance to be in the movie, though. I guess they're still working that casting out.
Updated On: 10/4/11 at 06:58 PM

[Fan2]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 10:47am

Jackman on Good Morning America today said Anne Hathaway was in the movie.

>>When asked what challenge he was looking forward to, Hugh replied, “Well, I’ve never been in a movie-musical, and this may sound like a plug but it’s not meant to be, but I’m actually going to do ‘Les Miserables’ the movie… Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway… and we’re going to shoot that next year.”<<
GMA Appearance

[jo]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 11:18am

Thanks.

In the actual video clip though, Hugh says "...Russell Crowe, I think Anne Hathaway..."

Maybe because there have been no official announcements, hence he hedged with " I think Anne Hathway" ? But I hope this is already a done deal.

[aliceripleysnumber1]

Posted: 10/5/11 at 10:28am

Interesting... Would Anne Hathaway play Cosette..or Eponine? Even though I adore her acting skills, how well can she sing? When she sang on the Academy Awards, I thought she was just 'ok'. I realize it's Hollywood, so they are going to pick big names, but I really hope they don't butcher this like Sweeney Todd - just to have big names. Yes, I do know that Anne is a MUCH better singer than Helena Bonham Carter, but still. Isn't Helena in talks to play Madame Thenardier too? If she does win the role, I hope she belts out better than she sang in Sweeney...

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/5/11 at 10:30am

She would play Fantine, not Eponine or Cosette.

[aliceripleysnumber1]

Posted: 10/5/11 at 10:32am

Oh! Well, I can definitely see that more! :)

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 8:26am

Interesting info Thank you for sharing.

LES MIZ is my favortite musical of all time and I love Hugh.

While I want this to happen and be GREAT, as I have said before, I will believe nothing I see or hear about this movie until I am sitting through the closing credits

[Fan2]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 8:42am

On many interviews Hugh is doing for Real Steel, he's being asked about this movie. Here's another interviw with more info, including what will be happening in January and February.
Rehearsing for Les Miz

[jo]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 10:23am

I thought this portion was really funny --

>>>Road trip


With a smile, he told an anecdote: “I went to France this summer. I was so excited, like I was doing a road trip. We went 6,000 kilometers in this car. Wherever we went, the GPS told us the road we were on. So in the first town, I went, ‘Look, this is Avenue Victor Hugo.’ I stopped the car, got out and said, ‘I’ve got to get a photo.’ We got to the next town and I was like, ‘There’s Avenue Victor Hugo!’ I had no idea that in every town in France, the main road is Avenue Victor Hugo. So don’t come to a slide show night of my trip to France. It’s very boring.”<<<

Too bad there seems to be no plans to film any outside scenes in Paris itself

A musical composed by Frenchmen, based on one of French literature's greatest works, taking place in many places in France, and focused on stories with some French history background -- and no filming in France itself ?!! Paris itself is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has retained a lot of its sense of history and its great architecture! It is only a channel ride away from London where they are doing most of the filming. If they are doing some location filming - why not Paris ( instead of Prague or Hungary, as reported elsewhere)??

Updated On: 10/6/11 at 10:23 AM

[Fan2]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 10:25am

Cost-prohibitive could be a factor, you can't film everywhere you want all the time for various reasons (assuming they even considered that).
Updated On: 10/6/11 at 10:25 AM

[jo]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 10:39am

Sorry, but Prague reminds me too much of Van Helsing ( with its dark scenery)

Hey, they even allow tours of the Parisian sewers, where Valjean carried Marius to safety. And Javert must have committed suicide by throwing himself on the River Seine. And the Latin Quarter on the left bank is famous as the area where students congregate.

Besides, if you need some background chatter for the street scenes, Paris will provide the authentic sounds from French film extras...rather than the extras they used for Van Helsing in Prague - LOL!

C'est dommage!



Updated On: 10/6/11 at 10:39 AM