Les Misérables: So, what did you think? — Page 6

I remember reading somewhere of Tom Hooper saying that they went back and fixed only about 30% of the audio. I was trying to see where they could have had to go back and fix, and do you guys think that the auto-tuning happened with Russell Crowe's last note in "Javert's Suicide" and "Stars", and in Seyfried's high note in "A Heart Full Of Love"?

David Bowie, who has major acting and singing chops, would have been a very interesting Javert, as would the aforementioned Hugh Laurie or Robert Downey Junior.

"Henrik, I don't think any of those people have the comparative stature of Russell Crowe (except for RDJ) but going with the basic argument against RC (his voice), can any of those people you mentioned sing the role better than him?"

Reilly is a great singer as he proved in Chicago. And is certainly renowned as an actor.

My other suggestions (all of whom sing) were more in response to the argument - one I don't nec. share - that Crowe was miscast (which I didn't nec. take as referring to vocals; I have not seen the movie yet btw). And while stature wasn't my concern, as you mentioned, Downey certainly has a stature as an actor and celebrity comparable to Crowe's. Laurie and Lewis have enormous stature as actors and are well known from tv. Grammer is a big star and a Broadway musical performer. I didn't see La Cage but I assume he can sing at least as well as Crowe; maybe I'm wrong. He certainly would be very well cast as Javert. There are of course many others who are lesser known who could have played the role in the movie and perhaps have become stars by doing so.

Updated On: 12/26/12 at 03:24 PM

Joaquin Phoenix would have been great because he has strong acting chops and can sing (Walk the Line).

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I mean I believe that is just simply incorrect. They either are lying or are not aware of it, but there is some heavy autotuning going on particularly with Russel Crowe's voice. It's so sickeningly obvious, he sounds like a machine at points. That last night of STARS sounds so unnatural to me.

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Updated On: 12/26/12 at 04:58 PM

Anne Hathaway, BRILLANT. I saw Alfie Boe last week with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. After hearing him sing "Bring Him Home", I was spoiled and thought the song was too much for Hugh Jackman. Didn't mind his dying version of it, though. I will buy "I Dreamed A Dream" on iTunes, but forgo the rest and stick to my OBC CD.

Having seen Les Miserables on stage 5 times (once on Broadway, twice in London and twice in Philadelphia) and having seen Hugh Jackman live twice (Boy from Oz and his one man show last year), I had very high expectations of the movie. Overall, I was not disappointed. I thought Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne were wonderful in their roles! And I loved Colm Wilkinson (original Jean Valjean) as the Bishop. I agree with some that Master of the House was weak, as well as Russell Crowe's voice. But I thought overall, it came pretty close to perfection.

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Updated On: 12/26/12 at 06:14 PM

I thought the deathbed scene make-up was sub-par. The brown smudges under the eyes and elaborate yet dull and fake looking hair and beard stuff (far too Wolverine, The Later Year, oddly enough) drew attention to itself. Less is more, and simply keeping Jackman pale would've sufficed (he's not 30 year old anymore, after all.) He looked honestly older in the opening shots, when he was so thin (why not shoot them when he was at that weight?). We don't need all of that stuff piled on. The camera atop his face, he looked powdered up and senior class play-ish.

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Updated On: 12/26/12 at 06:44 PM

While I don't think it was perfect, I did love the experience.

Performances I loved: Hathaway, Redmayne, Tveit, Barks, Gavroche & young Cosette (sorry that I am unfamiliar with their names)

Performances I got nothing from: Cohen, Carter, Seyfried, Crowe

On the fence, but mostly liked: Jackman

There was almost NO time that I liked Crowe's performance, I just felt he was out of his league at all times. I also felt there were really odd directorial choices for his filming -- ie. Both for Stars and for his suicide, he is high up...and we see his same exact (and calm!) footsteps on the precipice. (I didn't take the SE of his suicide as being his spine cracking, just of his impact.)

I really did love Hathaway's performance. I found her riveting. I also loved the Biship returning to welcome Valjean to heaven -- made so much more sense than Eponine being there -- and of course it was made sweeter being played by Wilkinson.

***Possible Spoiler (if you've never seen LM)**** When the first shot was taken at Gavroche, the woman next to me had such a loud and gutteral reaction...I sat there thinking: really? You didn't know the kid bought the farm? But then I realized, my 16 year old (on the other side of me) hadn't realize it either, although she's listened to the cd for a few years. (I had the same reaction when I produced West Side Story a number of years ago, and people were SHOCKED when Bernardo and Riff were killed, too. I forget that for some, THAT moment is their first.)

I don't mind saying, I cried. A lot. I found it very satisfying and emotionally fulfilling.

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When Hugh stepped into Cosette's room to tell her they must leave did anyone else wonder where the Michael Landon wardrobe came from? Even Hugh's hair was like his ... it totally had the giggles every other moment i saw him with that hair..

Also, his shirt was unbuttoned at the top and chest hair was peeking out like a Harlequin Romance cover model, and the way he entered with his hair mussed looked like he was gonna seduce her. haha

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Updated On: 12/26/12 at 07:29 PM

Well, it's kind of in the novel too. Hugo says that Valjean never had a wife or daughter or anyone that he loved, so Cosette kind of fills all of those roles for him.

Edit: I should add that my Les Mis viewing plans were foiled due to my fiance's awful work schedule. I am HOPEFULLY going to see it either late tonight or tomorrow.

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Updated On: 12/26/12 at 07:51 PM

OH FOR CRAP'S SAKE!