Les Misérables: So, what did you think?- Page 21

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 1/17/13 at 1:52pm

Cameron Mackintosh said that the movie probably would not have happened if it were not for Susan Boyle and her performance of "I Dreamed a Dream".


Susan Boyle helped spark 'Les Miserables' movie, says producer Cameron Mackintosh

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/17/13 at 4:05pm

Listen to the soundtrack CD without the visuals[of Hugh/Russell/Ann and Amanda ]--you won't be able to as the visuals-whatever you thought of them,sidetracked you from how they all REALLY sound-not pretty.

I heard the soundtrack before I saw the film and loved all the vocals with the exception of Crowe. Now, Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard, on the other hand...

[Kad]

Posted: 1/17/13 at 6:26pm

"Listen to the soundtrack CD without the visuals[of Hugh/Russell/Ann and Amanda ]--you won't be able to as the visuals-whatever you thought of them,sidetracked you from how they all REALLY sound-not pretty."


...But this is a FILM, not a concert recording.

[Dave19]

Posted: 1/17/13 at 6:32pm

It's quite sad that the movie probably would not have happened if it were not for Susan Boyle....

Is that really what's needed for Joe average to realize what kind of music is beautiful? Do people really pay that little attention to themselves?

The music and the show have been out there for years, but they only realize it when they get it smashed into their faces? And then love it?

[Kad]

Posted: 1/17/13 at 6:51pm

...it's not like Les Miserables is exactly a small, obscure score. It is a worldwide franchise at this point. People know about it. People have known about it for going on three decades. They were unable to strike when the iron was first hot. So they did it when it became hot again.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 1/17/13 at 7:10pm

I'm just now seeing this, and I have to say that I liked it overall. It seemed like a movie with music though. I couldn't get lost in the same way that I do in musicals.

I thought that Russel Crowe was the weakest. My favorite performances were from Amanda Seyfried, Samantha Barks and Aaron Tveit (who was absolutely incredible.) Also, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen had me in stitches.

It was certainly entertaining, but there was a lot left to be desired. Updated On: 1/17/13 at 07:10 PM

[Dave19]

Posted: 1/17/13 at 8:15pm

I would like to share what I thought were the best moments of the actors in the film.

Hugh Jackman: I think he has only 2 good moments in the film, his Soliloquy and the Finale. But both moments are really great.
(except for the strange "tur-ning-of-the-years" timing.)The rest of his scenes do not reach that level of quality in my opinion.

Russel Crowe: His moment with the dead gavroche is the only one I can think of.

Anne Hathaway: I especially like all of her moments aside from "I dreamed a dream", with the best one being "Fantine's death". That is the scene that was most heartbreaking to me.

Eddie Redmayne: Empty chairs at empty tables and the scene with Valjean at the end where Valjean tells his story. His acting is outstandig there, the way he listens to Valjean and answers with "you're jean Valjean". Just beautiful.

Amanda Seyfried: She has 2 great moments I think. One is when she sings to Valjean "Please forgive what I say, you are loving and gentle and good, but papa, in your eyes, etc". I feel like an entire lifetime of contact between the 2 is told in that part.
Second, I just LOVE the reprise of "Suddenly" at the end of the film. Wonderful lyrics too.

Samantha Barks: The end of "A heart full of love" and her first scene with Marius. And "A little fall of Rain". Eddie was also great here by the way, he really pulled off the fine line between emotion of her death and being here for her as some sort of "love comfort" out of respect because he knows she's dying.

Aaron Tveit: Everything he sang/acted was wonderful. His best scene is right before he dies, the face he makes with his arm up.









Updated On: 1/17/13 at 08:15 PM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/18/13 at 11:34pm

"Russel Crowe: His moment with the dead gavroche is the only one I can think of."

I realize it's a compassionate, affecting and unexpected touch, but does it make any sense? Were you really persuaded that Javert would ever do such a thing?

[Dave19]

Posted: 1/19/13 at 6:31am

Not really. Maybe Gavroche and the music were actually the main reason for my goosebumps at that moment......

Updated On: 1/19/13 at 06:31 AM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 1/19/13 at 6:59am

For me it was Gavroche's dead eyes and the little bit of "Bring Him Home" we heard that touched me. Crowe had nothing whatsoever to do with it. Hated him in this.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 1/19/13 at 9:37am

I finally saw it last night. I wanted to love it more than anything that had ever been put on screen before, I thought I was going to hate it after listening to the CD- I ended up somewhere in the middle.

I do believe in the end the movie had two killer flaws: Russell Crowe (I'm sorry but he had zero business being in this movie) and the live singing. I feel that the live singing held back some of the bigger musical moments in the film, and the orchestrations were obviously held back as to not totally drown out the vocals. The handful of moments for Jackman and Crowe that worked the best vocally, were the ones like the confrontation that were re-recorded due to the nature of filming a fight scene that can't be sung live.

Hathaway will do a sprint to Oscar Gold and it is well deserved. I was happy that there was more of the score preserved than I thought there would be, but was still a bit surprised at some of the cuts. As far as song order and things that were changed here and there- I don't really think any of it hurts the movie, in fact I ended up LOVING "Do You Hear The People Sing" being moved to the funeral procession. I also think it was a small stroke of genuis having the Bishop waiting for Valjean at the films end- gave me goosebumps.

I get that the acting was real and in the moment, but as I have already said, if they just had filmed this the way a Movie Musical is typically filmed with the vocals recorded first and then played back I think the sound of the film would have been far superior and added a lot more. If they had simply gotten someone capable of carrying a tune and not someone who would make small children cry every time he opens his mouth to sing like Crowe, the role of Javert would have been much stronger. My only other vocal critique comes from Jackman: we know he can sing- why in God's name did he feel the need to scream or push certain parts of the score that would have been much better served by a softer touch i.e. "Bring Him Home"?

I'll probably see it again, but I might wait until it comes out on Blu-Ray so I can really pump up the volume at home. If they had only made a few slight changes in casting and technical aspects I think they really would have hit this one out of the park.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 1/19/13 at 10:12am

PunchyPlayers present...
Hazel reviews 'Les Misérables' XD

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 1/19/13 at 10:46am

Honestly, the fact that Russell Crowe improvised that scene with Gavroche indicates to me that he did not understand his character.

Posted: 1/20/13 at 2:16pm

Just brainstorming here but at one point doesn't Javert talk about being born in a jail? Maybe when he sees Gabroche's dead body, he sees how Gavroche was unable to escape the life he was born into, unlike Javert did when he pursued a life of law enforcement, and he empathizes and sees a younger version of himself in Gavroche. Just a theory, could be completely wrong. Tom Hopper coulda just been reachin out for another tear jerker moment.

[shane54]

Posted: 1/20/13 at 2:39pm

Hi,

Can you help me? I'm looking for the song "Bring Him Home" from Les Mis O2 (Valjean Quartet)
I live in Europe and it's only available in the US Amazon and Itunes, but not in the Europe, I don't understand why.

If you can send me the song, it would be great.

Thanks in advance,

https://castalbums.org/recordings/Bring-Him-Home-from-Les-Miserables-at-the-O2-2010-The-Valjean-Quartet/21969

[Dave19]

Posted: 1/20/13 at 6:06pm

I have a question about the Valjean character.

At the end, why does he want Marius to lie to Cosette and tell her some story about that he went on a journey? And then why is he still there in the next scene to face Cosette? How much time is there exactly between "A heart full of love" and "Valjean's death"? Because he is all grey and stuff, but Marius and Cosette did not change at all?

[Dave19]

Posted: 1/20/13 at 7:31pm

Does anyone know if the film is dubbed into other languages? I know that every Hollywood film is dubbed for the French audiences. It would be cool to see the French version, and they always have amazing singers.

Is there a list of countries where a dubbed version is playing?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/20/13 at 7:39pm

Maybe if you keep asking questions someone will finally answer.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 1/20/13 at 8:50pm

Honestly, the fact that Russell Crowe improvised that scene with Gavroche indicates to me that he did not understand his character.

Read screenwriter William Goldman on the subject: almost all movie stars want their characters to be "likeable".

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 1/20/13 at 9:50pm

Yeah, that's probably it.

At the end, why does he want Marius to lie to Cosette and tell her some story about that he went on a journey? And then why is he still there in the next scene to face Cosette? How much time is there exactly between "A heart full of love" and "Valjean's death"? Because he is all grey and stuff, but Marius and Cosette did not change at all?

In the book, it's Marius who refuses to let Valjean see Cosette.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Posted: 1/21/13 at 11:24am

3 unspoken moments I love in the movie:

1. The facial expressions on the lead factory worker when Fantine sings "It is none of your business, With a husband at home, And a bit on the side!" In that nanosecond we see her evolve from a catty coworker who is perhaps jealous of Fantine's youth and beauty to a bitter person out for revenge. It's a great performance.

2. The expressions of horror on the two background women when the bishop says that the stolen candlesticks were a gift. Neither have any lines of their own but say it all with their faces.

3. Marius' reaction when Jean Valjean reveals his past. Over the course of a some seconds he evolves from excitement to wonder to realization and finally acceptance. Beautiful job.

Here's an unexpected pleasure to help celebrate these moments. Get ready to smile.
Les Mis celebrates a milestone. January 2002.

[Dave19]

Posted: 1/21/13 at 11:50am

"Maybe if you keep asking questions someone will finally answer."

What is that supposed to mean? I had 2 questions yes, and only expect an answer if someone actually has an answer.

I actually think of things, you should try it sometime instead of being ignorant and only give personal comments to other users.

[Dave19]

Posted: 1/21/13 at 11:57am

Rumpelstiltskin, I loved those moments too!
Examples of great acting.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/21/13 at 6:40pm

Um, I have a question too.

Gavroche is Eponine's brother, right? If so, is he the baby that we see in the Master of the House scene? And again, if so, are we supposed to realize this or is it an inside thing for people who've read the book?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 1/21/13 at 6:50pm

Yes, and it's an inside thing.