Les Miserables Character Art — Page 3

I still don't like that they made Fantine a brunette. She's a blonde in the book and is usually portrayed as such in productions and other film versions. It makes it a desirable asset 'cause it was less common back then, in the days before peroxide. I can see a wig maker lusting after her natural blonde tresses. But common brown hair? Not so much.

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I love the Amanda Seyfried one. She looks gorgeous.

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Does the adult Cosette poster look oddly modern to anyone else? The hairstyle and the clothing don't look particularly period. Maybe that's the point. If I didn't know when the story took place, I would have thought that was Amanda in everyday street clothes and a modern hairstyle.

Amanda's pic kind of looks like it could be on a box of hair dye?? but I still like it! and Anne looks angelic (as in, post-mortem...)

Actually in some productions, Fantine was a brunette. Besides, hair color doesn't matter. Her hair can be beautiful, luscious and desirable without it being blonde, even in those days. Seriously, this really doesn't matter at all.

In the original London and Broadway productions, Fantine was a blonde. Both Patti LuPone and Randy Graff were costumed with blonde wings. It wasn't until much later that they started color-blind casting, but in the original production Fantine was conceived as Hugo described her -- blonde, reason being that her golden hair was her greatest asset. Fantine is blonde for a reason. Her hair color is plot relevant and mentioned a lot in the book. Throughout her section, descriptions of Fantine all emphasize her beautiful blonde hair. It's worth so much when she sells it because she's blonde more so than because it's long. The musical does not depart from the novel sufficiently to obliterate Hugo's symbolism and rationale for making Fantine blonde. Fantine's blonde hair represented, to some extent, purity and innocence. When she cuts it, she loses that. The symbolism just isn't the same when the character blends in with everyone around her.

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Yeah, I think they probably just left Anne a brunette for the simple reason that she would not have made a very convincing blonde. I don't know whether it's because we're all so used to seeing her with brown hair, or her features just don't go with blonde hair, but I can't imagine any dye job being anything but distracting.

Hooper and Company obviously wanted big names to fill out this cast. I think Anne fit the bill. They may have chosen a blonde actress in preference to her had someone who had the same name recognition, and singing/acting ability auditioned for them. But no one like that came along, so we get a brunette Fantine. Although Hooper is also going back the the novel for details, I think name recognition was more important for this project than utmost faithfulness to Hugo's vision. I would have preferred a blonde Fantine, because Hugo does indeed make a huge point about her golden hair and it ISN'T a trivial detail as it may seem, but so long as Anne gets the pathos of the character, I can overlook it.

Updated On: 10/12/12 at 10:57 PM

Exactly, Phyllis. It just seems like something you could see her walking down the street today wearing. It looks like it was styled that way, rather than just falling naturally. Anne's hair is simple enough for it not to be too contemporary-looking for me, but I know what you mean. Looking at it again, I think maybe they wanted to draw a parallel between Young Cosette and Adult Cosette, by having her wear her hair down. It looks like she wears her hair up through most of the film in a period-appropriate style (and it's definitely much lighter than in the picture).

I wish they would have chosen more compelling shots than these vacant stares that look like Entertainment Weekly covers. You know I wouldn't be surprised if EW actually used these as "collectible" covers, like they sometimes do.

Updated On: 10/12/12 at 11:16 PM

I like these posters, but I feel like their expressions are off. Hugh's is okay, but I feel like Russell should be more stern, Anne perhaps a bit more sad, and Amanda with a hint of a smile or maybe a dreamy expression. The way they are now they don't mesh with the tag lines.

" the original London and Broadway productions, Fantine was a blonde. Both Patti LuPone and Randy Graff were costumed with blonde wing"

Yes But Patti Looked awful in that blonde wig.It did not look natural on her.She looked like a biker/Amadeus....

The blonde Hair is important to the character but I'm glad they did not make Anne wear a wig.It would have been so off because she is clearly NOT a blonde and it would have been distracting.

Anne actually cut her hair when they were filming Lovely ladies so it will be more emotional for the audience to see Anne's emotions when all her actual hair is chopped off.It also shows how deeply commited anne is to this character.....OSCAR OSCAR OSCAR

Updated On: 10/13/12 at 07:58 AM

^ GENIUS!

The Thenardiers present a character contrast from the previously released ones.

Helena's hair ornaments hint at a scene not found in the musical but derived from the book.

Updated On: 11/1/12 at 08:17 PM

Yeah, the inn portion with the Thenardiers when Valjean rescues Cosette is set on Christmas Eve, as it is in the book. Should be very cool!