Les Miz on the Oscars. or Russell Crowe still can't sing — Page 2

At least Catherine did a good job of lip-syncing, unlike Liza and many others in Oscar and Tony year's past. With that much dancing, lifting, and rolling around other bodies, I'm glad she did it. I thought she was terrific.

Hudson was great, too, sure, but I could swear her dancing was completely done off-stage. All she did was walk around and stand in place with a mic. I'd like to see her sing that song live, with Zeta-Jones's full-out choreography.

As for Les Miz, I thought it came off a lot better than I was expecting. Crowe was the Elaine Stritch of the group. Fine in the solo parts, but toward the end, his mic was too loud. I kept thinking of the OBCR of "Company" with Stritch too loud and cutting off notes. But I kinda love Crowe's insistence and persistence with the music. It's almost like, "Screw you. I'm here, and I'm not giving up, and I won't go away." Which is why, to a degree, he works for me a Javert in the film. Unfortunately, he is ultimately way too reserved in the part (and in the music).

It was nice to see them spend so much time on movie music and musical moments. I really loved that, and in year's past, they have paid tribute to other film genres ... so yeah, it was about damn time.

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This blows my mind! This is supposed to be a theatre site, anyone who thinks with the exception of Barks, Tveit, and Jackman that the Les Miz performance could hold a candle to any Broadway cast is crazy! Thank God they included the Canadian and Touring casts or it would have been completely unlistenable! Anne should've lost after that! The mics and sound for all the musical performances were terrible for it being such a music heavy show it sounded rough even the balance for Adele was off! For what little bit Crow did in the performance it was tolerable compared to his movie performance, kudos to him for showing up in general. CZJ, is a Tony winner! To lip synch is intolerable, the casts of many singing and dancing shows on Broadway do it seamlessly, so no, it wasn't necessary for her to do it! That's BS! IMO, I thought she started the song and as soon as the dance break started it was recorded, I could be wrong, but that's when I really noticed it. The beginning of the vocals and dancing were shakey at best for her portion, Les Miz was a mess, and J-Hud was flawless! Seth Mcfarlane was my surprise of the night, he can more then carry a tune! Pretty abysmal tribute to the movie musical, it was the thought that counts!

I love how dramatic people can be with stuff as unimportant as this LOL

I actually enjoyed de musical tribute they did. It wasn't perfect, but still a lot better than what I was anticipating. I was entertained!

I didn't have a problem with Catherine's lip-syncing. I'm actually glad she did it... there's no way she would pull that off vocally with the choreography and all.

The Les Mis number was fine. I was glad to see people like Barks and Tveit on that stage, not just the big names. I'm not a big fan of Crowe as Javert, but I loved how he got the biggest cheer from the audience when he entered the stage haha

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Updated On: 2/25/13 at 09:35 AM

As stated here earlier, the entire number was lowered a whole step for this performance. The question that I'm wondering is: "Why?"

And I suspect the answer is that it was done for Anne Hathaway. "One Day More" properly begins in A and ends in C. Last night it began in G and ended in Bb. In the movie Hathaway began "I Dreamed a Dream" in Eb and ended in F.

Since they wove IDAD into the beginning of ODM, this meant Hathaway had to sing it in G, already a whole step higher than she finished it in the movie. And I suspect it was decided that it just didn't sound good, or "right", or "like Fantine" in the key of A.

Pity though that they didn't work out some way to shift things back up the whole step after she had done her bit, since I feel it considerably lessened the number's impact.

I have no problem with Catherine Zeta-Jones lip syncing. She's not a strong singer and did what she needed to do to make it entertaining.

If only every single person on the stage from Les Mis with the exception of Banks and Tveit had given us the same degree of mercy it might not have been so painful.

I thought the Les Mis performance was absolutely atrocious.

I still haven't seen the film because the singing sounded so poor in clips I've seen. Last night's performance didn't do anything to change my mind.

Thought CZJ was great- didn't notice she was lipsyching but i can agree that the song was not as powerful as it could have been.
Jennifer Hudson was awsome, but kinda seemed to struggle with some of the notes and breathing.
The Les Miz song did nothing for me except for the wonderful Aaron Tveit

My favorite performance of the night goes to Shirley Bassey- 76 and still an incredible performer who both looked and sounded awsome! Goldfingaa!

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Nah, that wire was her permanent botox IV.

I thought Crowe was really great last night. Did he get applause when he entered?

I didn't mind his singing when I got used to it.

The CZJ was just kind of a flimsy production number. What was with the horrible lighting?

Jennifer Hudson needs an Emmy for that performance. What a talent.

"For reasons that escape me, CZJ has her champions here. But, again, I have it on excellent authority that they barely got useable tracks for the CHICAGO film out her and had to record her part, basically one line at a time.

She's a dancer who barely sings and occasionally acts."

She's an actor who moves well. She is by no means a dancer.

But, again, I have it on excellent authority that they barely got useable tracks for the CHICAGO film out her and had to record her part, basically one line at a time.

I'm not doubting your source, but she sang live at the Oscars the year the movie was nominated and she'd sung on stage before. If you said Zellweger sang the score note by note I'd be more inclined to buy it, but perhaps that really was the case. I dunno. I like her, though I do think she was lip-synching last night.

Tha LM medley was the lamest dang thing. Glad I saw the movie and that was not a PR glimps of the premiere. Staging, blocking, sound mix all off,off off.

Disliked all the live perfomrmaces except for Shirly Bassey's Gold Finger tribute. Chicago was a joke. Wait, you've got all 3 stars and you don't create a classy medley using them? Barbara sounded "spent" "Looks 10- Sound 5". Hudson slammed that money song into a trilling screaming mess. Capt. Kirk was right too about "Seth Mac Farlane being a mediocre host". Sorry, this was not my idea of a well presented program in any way.

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The only people on this board who crucified Beyonce were theatrenet (who has already posted a sniping Beyonce thread on the OT) and metropoliswhatevernumnbers who started this twatty thread.

I think the wire that was on her back that many are mentioning is an ear-piece, so she can hear her self lip-sync.

I thought the whole tele-cast was boring...sadly...and everyone looked like they did an impromptu presentation. Seth looked like he had to go to the bathroom every time the camera was on him...