Les Miz Soundtrack Highlights now available on iTunes — Page 2

I was so worried about Stars probably more than anything else, and no he doesn't sing it like Philip Quast or any of the others but it felt more intimate and contemplative than I've heard it before even if Crowes voice is not outstanding. I'll probably get shot down for saying that. Bring Him Home has never been a favourite, but again, it's very different and just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad. Can't please everyone I suppose. The one that really blew me away was Empty Chairs, it's always been a song I could do without but Eddie made this into an event and I'm so pleased he has.

"1. Look Down: LOVE the into overture. Full rich, beautiful. And wow, all the chain gang solos are cut. =( In fact most of the song has been cut. This is my least favorite part where Russell Crowe sings. It also feels like his first scene he shot."

I just wanted to point out that the convict solos ARE in the film, they just weirdly edited them out for the soundtrack.

Master of the House was really exciting on film. But not for the singing. If I can recommend one thing to anyone, it's that they don't listen to the soundtrack before seeing the actual movie.

Master is definitely a highlight in the film. Very funny and very clever.

"Helena is being quiet during her solo because she is using it to "woo" a customer so she can pickpocket him."

That was smart to film it that way since, y'know, she can't really sing.

"Does anyone else think that the new orchestrations sound more like the underscoring from a non musical film score than the score from a musical?"

YES.

I don't necessarily love it for that, but I don't mind it because it isn't done in an awfully cliche manner and compliments the many, many parts that are directly lifted from John Cameron's original work. It's as if they looked to the existing scoring from John's work as inspiration to where next to take a given note or notes. It all nicely blends into, through, and alongside elements of John's orchestration.

With the harmonies restored and adapted to the style of a film score and with the attention to texture and cohesion, you'd be absolutely crazy to say this beautiful orchestral adaptation is based on the terrible 25th anniversary...anything.

It is based on the original John Cameron orchestration, just like the anniversary thing was based on his work also. Anything bad from the 25th ann. thing (which is a lot) has been reduced to a few bits here and there. Thank God.

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Updated On: 12/22/12 at 05:31 PM

"Has it ever been a requirement for either Thénardier to be able to sing?"

I don't think anyone expects either of them to have a pretty voice, per se, but Madame Thenardier is such a low-down, bawdy kind of character, that Bonham-Carter's breathy singing voice doesn't really seem to fit the character. Whenever she sings, it's always a whisper, and this isn't really a whispering type of character.

I do have yet to see the film, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, but I felt similarly about her Lovett (which was, in her defense, acted beautifully), but I was not impressed listening to the CD. On the plus side, Anne Hathaway absolutely kills her song. Magnificent.

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My hope is the bluray/dvd has an isolated score.