Les Miserables

[Jim&AngieMarriner]

Hey Gang!
For those of you who enjoy Broadway Musicals there is pretty big news. They are releasing a Hollywood movie of the musical Les Miserables. Russle Crowe is playing Javert, Hugh Jackman is playing Val Jean, Anne Hathaway is playing Fantine.

I watched a Youtube clip of them making the movie and I was very much impressed. Do a seach for Les Miserable and this clip was loaded on Sept 20th.

The movie is due out this Christmas.

[Dsnygirl]

HUGE Les Mis fan here, been counting down the days 'til the movie comes out... CANNOT WAIT! :cloud9: The only question will be how many times I go... :blush:

[brad192]

I posted about this a few months ago when the first trailer was "leaked". The film looks awesome, and quite visually stunning.

One thing I thought was neat was that all the actors did on-camera "live" singing - no lip synching! Heck, I didn't evan know Russel Crowe could sing!

I never go to opening day of a film, but I'm going to make an exception for this.

[Jim&AngieMarriner]

Brad, Sorry, I didnt go back far enough I guess when I looked if this was already a topic. Shame on me. I thought this was new stuff.

[PirateLover]

I love that they sang live... I really think that is why many musicals just don't translate as well on screen. So far, I think this looks like it's going to be pretty good! I'm sure I'll be taking my mom to see it, as we are both fans of the show.

[PirateLover]

Brad, I knew Russel Crowe has been in some bands but I never actually heard him sing. (I think one of them was called 30 Odd Foot Grunts? I remember them promoting a show around here a few years back).

[DizneyFreak2002]

Opens in a few days.... Why am I excited about this movie the more I see commercials for it?

[joanna71985]

I have my ticket! I will be seeing Les Miserables tomorrow at 10pm. Can't wait!!!

[DizneyFreak2002]

I have my ticket! I will be seeing Les Miserables tomorrow at 10pm. Can't wait!!!

Must report back your opinion... :)

[NotaGeek]

Well -- I thought Anne Hathaway, Marius and Eponine and all the guys from the barracade were awesome -- however -- Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Cossette were, uh, not my favorite in the musical department. I think that overall ACTING got in the way of signing -- so often I just wanted to yell "SING THE DARN SONG ALREADY!" -- oh well. Visually the movie was amazing -- and the costuming was great -- can't win them all.

[joanna71985]

Must report back your opinion... :)

I really enjoyed it! I'm already planning on seeing it again

[PirateLover]

A musical turned movie always loses a certain something when compared with the upper echelon of live productions. I have seen a few live version of Les Mis and the best one was a local production done by the Walnut Street Theatre.
That being said, I think this really was the BEST it could've been, seeing as how it is a "Hollywood" production and it had to have some major stars. I love that they sang most of the songs live and not to a prerecorded track. I actually liked the acting for the most part. My only quibble with Hugh Jackman is that he's not really a true tenor and you could tell he was straining a bit during "Bring Him Home," but overall I was really impressed. Russel Crowe was probably the biggest clunker. He has absolutely no emotion. I liked Amanda Seyfriend well enough. Marius was the biggest surprise, he was great! Oh, And Sascha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham carter were perfect casting choices.

[JanetMegan]

I wish a couple theaters would offer a sing along showing ;)

[Aurora]

This is a review from my 16yo daughter, who has seen several live productions of the musical over the years, both amateur and professional, including the most recent one in Chicago. She's also performed in a student version. So this comes from a non-casual fan. :)

She said Russell Crowe was awesome but has more of a pop than a classical voice, which was distracting but not bad. Hugh Jackman was a great actor but she also was disappointed with "Bring Him Home" -- she thought Jackman pushed it too hard and has too much vibrato in his voice. On the other hand, she doesn't feel anyone can come close to Alfie Boe's performance of the song in the televised concert version of the show. She loved Amanda Seyfrield's performance and hated Anne Hathaway's -- she felt there was no subtlety to her acting and she couldn't stand her singing. She wasn't connected with the actor who played Marius but felt for Gavroche. And she said of course Helena Bonham Carter and Sasha Baron Cohen as the Thenadiers were fantastic and stole the show.

She noticed two parts in the movie that were new/different, one of which was very emotional, but I won't give them away. Also apparently the song "Little People" is not often performed in live productions (it's on the London soundtrack) but it was used in the movie.

[PirateLover]

I think that Anne Hathaway isn't doing herself any favors by beating everyone over the head with the story of losing 25lbs in an unhealthy manner and having to live in "dark" place to play the role. She is gunning for that Oscar too hard and it's coming off as desperate, and for me, it did take a bit away from her performance.

[BriarRose0708]

I thought it was incredible, and much better than I expected it to be. I haven't seen it performed fully staged live, but have been so some concert versions and performed a few of the songs myself in some community choirs. I've been well acquainted with the original London cast soundtrack, so it was hard to hear Anne and Hugh sing instead of Patti LuPone and Colm Wilkinson (OMG did anyone see him at the end, I know Blythe did!) but I really like that they did their own take on the characters. With such an iconic score and well known characters of course they wouldn't have been able to please everyone. I think for a cast of mostly actor-singers and not really singer-actors (except for Eponine and a couple smaller characters who have either played those roles on the stage or have other Broadway experience) they really held their ground with the material. I too was disappointed with "Bring Him Home" but that was really my only issue. But, it was nice to hear the voices as live as possible instead of auto-tuned and lip synched. It helped to bring as much of the live theatre experience as possible to the screen version. I can't wait to see it again!

[joanna71985]

I saw him at the end.

For me, I loved Anne Hathaway and Samantha Banks (Fantine and Eponine). My favorite scenes were the 2 barricade scenes (the students were all great). Hugh and Russell were good, but I wasn't a fan of their singing voices.

[TwinPrincesses]

All my kids are theatre fanatics, both acting and viewing and we have seen several versions in the theatre, including the original in NY.
I had such a roller coaster experience with this movie. First I couldn't wait, I love Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried, I was so excited. But most all of my friends who saw the movie before me hated it, mostly because of the singing and Russel Crowe. So when I finally saw it, I had low expectations. I thought it was pretty good. Marius and Eponine were my favorites and I thought the kid actors were amazing. I also like Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.