Les Misérables!

[Bluebird]

I didn't see a topic around here for this yet, and I'm a little surprised, seeing how many movie lovers are around here.

But anyway, I got to see it with my Thespian society last night, and oh my God. It was simply stunning. Literally everything they did, they hit the mark with. It's extremely faithful to the stage play, though they cut a few verses of songs for time, but it's not a huge problem. Though if you know the show well (like I do), Monsieur Thenardier's song at the end is cut, which is a bit of a disappointment. But it's made up for by the plethora of other songs.

The scenery was awesome. Every depiction of Paris that they had was just so...immersing, as if you were there with the character on-screen. Even at parts when they'd be showing grittier landscapes, it was still captivating enough that you wouldn't want to look away. The cast was all incredible (well, everyone except Russell Crowe, anyway), the songs were formatted well even with cut verses, and I just adored it. They really did a marvelous job with this film.

Side note: be prepared to bawl or at the very least cry rather hard when you see it. I didn't cry myself, though I was a writhing heap by the end, but most of my friends and both my sisters were crying during it. Tissues are reccomended. This movie screws with your emotions.

[sneezewuv]

I want to see this SO badly! It looks so amazing and I think it's pretty cool to know that they sang most of their songs out of a studio.

[Ciel]

I watched it on Christmas day and it was the best musical I have ever watched! The song I liked best was "Do you hear the people sing". My mom and even my DAD had tears in their eyes at the end!

[tma]

I want to see this SOOOOO badly. I'm a Huge "Les Mis" geek - from way back when I first heard the music back in 1988. I was skeptical prior to hearing the trailer w/ Anne Hathaway's chilling rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream", then I heard that Sam Banks is playing Eponine. The way that I've heard that they've done the filming (having the actors actually sing *on set*) is perfect to really keep things in character. It looks like it would be visually stunning.

The one thing that I'm afraid of is that I know in the back of my mind that I'm going to compare Jackman and Crowe to Wilkenson and Quast- and regardless of how well they sing... they will NOT be Wilkenson or Quast (my Favourite Val Jean and Javert). But... I do love the storyline as well- so I can get over that. lol!!

**ETA: In looking for links I *did* get to hear Jackman/Crowe version of Confrontation- it really wasn't bad at all. Jackman totally surprised me. Crowe was mostly good (a couple parts I didn't quite like)- but all in all it makes me even *More* excited than I was.

Oh... and now I have to "spam" with 3 links of Colm Wilkenson and Philip Quast singing some of my favourites (10th anniversary special).

Wilkenson/Quast "Confrontation"

Quast- "Stars"

Wilkenson- "Bring Him Home" (I've heard that this song was written after in the composer heard Wilkenson's voice- and in my opinion it fits it Perfectly)- clear and pure, and but with a bit of brokenness and full of emotion. And that last note.... holy crud....

Ok.... enough fangirling. Glad the movie is awesome... *can't wait to go*

[Bluebird]

That preview is a total lie. Anne Hathaway KILLS "I Dreamed A Dream." I teared at it. And my best friend's boyfriend actually linked to Quast's version of "Stars" on his Facebook after he saw it (he's a huge Les Mis geek ). Crowe I thought was alright for what he was worth, but certainly not the best Javert I've heard.

In all, go see it. You're going to love it and bawl and love it some more. xD

[tma]

Oh... when I said chilling rendition- I meant that I got goosebumps it was so haunting and gorgeous.

re: the Quast link on FB. I love hearing about other "Les Mis" geeks. :D I wish that two of my girlfriends from high school were still in the area and we could all go to see it together and geek out.

[_Daisy_]

Ooooh, I saw Les Mis on Christmas Day and it was so unbelievably good...Anne Hathaway was so amazing. That movie better win just about every award out there because it has to be the best thing that I've seen in years.

[Bluebird]

My bad then I guess I was tired and misread it. And he's really funny about it xD he's normally extremely quiet unless you start to talk about Les Mis with him. Then he goes on for hours.

[Dusty15]

I'm a total Les Mis geek too. I liked the movie well enough, though I was very disappointed by Russell Crowe on all counts. I never had major doubts about Hugh Jackman, because I saw him in 'Boy from Oz' on Broadway and I knew he could at least hit most of the Vajean notes! Though Colm Wilkinson will always be Valjean in my eyes!

Anne Hathaway blew me away (I've never been a fan of her but she KILLED it. Amazing). I like Amanda Seyfried but her vibrato could cut glass and I wish she'd sing alto parts. Eddie Redmayne was a very handsome and solid Marius. I'll definitely see it again. I thought the live-singing, though risky for some parts, really did work out well.

[tma]

Colm Wilkinson will always be Valjean in my eyes!

Another Wilkinson "geek: . Horrah!

Very glad to hear that Jackman did it creditably though. :)

[Seeker of the Way]

I'm a theatre geek in general, so definitely count me in on the Les Mis geek squad! I'll probably end up seeing this with my mother before long, as I'm the one who introduced her to the show. All authorities seem to agree about Crowe, though however bad he is, he couldn't top David Hasselhoff in Jekyll and Hyde for bad casting. I'm thinking it will be good.

[hails]

Umm...biggest Les Miz geek EVER? *raises hand*

I LOVED LOVED LOVED Russel Crowe's "Stars." Beautiful.

And i think I see a fic coming on in the near future.

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

I saw it, finally! I have such mixed feelings. Anne Hathaway SLAYED ME, as did the actor playing Marius, and of course Eponine was beautiful as always. I actually rather liked Amanda Seyfreid's "glass-cutting" vibrato, and here's why: I think it really added something symbolically to the character of Cosette, because it sounds feminine and innocent. I was taken aback by how well Russel Crowe portrayed Javert, and at how he sang differently when he was a spy than when he was not; usually singing in very military clipped yet powerful notes, which was also amazing characterization on his part. His performance of "stars" was astonishing. I also enjoyed the Thernardier's parts, the added sensation of constant pick-pocketry was a delight to watch, and Mrs. thernardier as a driving force behind the whole operation was beautiful. I even enjoyed the priest who sets Valjean off to be an honest man. THAT BEING SAID, I was disappointed in three major things that really brought the experience down for me. The one is that visually it was not as interesting as it *could* have been in several places. Compare, for example, "Look Down" to "What Have I Done". I feel like in the first one, there's stuff going on that makes the song seem in-place and it brings MORE meaning to it, whereas their portrayal of "what have I done" is unimaginative and dry, and that bringing the camera about an inch from Jackman's face through most of it is distracting and uncomfortable rather than effective or emotionally stirring. the next major thing I was disappointed in was Jackman's artistic decision to speak a third of his lines. I feel it really drained power from his parts and brought his entire performance down ESPECIALLY considering there was literally nothing more to focus on than his face for most of it, and even as a dramatic technique it was far overused and contrasted so heavily with everyone else's knock-out performances with little to no spoken bits that it was entirely underwhelming. And of course the third is that serious liberties were take with the lyrics, but I suppose that's t be expected of any film adaptation.

Over all, it was an enjoyable, emotional experience, and I'd watch it again, but i would not go back and see it another time, and if I'd have known that it wasn't everything i'd hoped for, I would likely have waited to see it in DVD (because cinema is expensive, and for no reason besides such. i don't regret having seen it but it was not worth two cab rides and a ticket.)

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

OH HOLY COW I JUST REALIZED THAT THE BISHOP IS PLAYED BY COLM WILKINSON OH MY CRAP

[tma]

OH HOLY COW I JUST REALIZED THAT THE BISHOP IS PLAYED BY COLM WILKINSON OH MY CRAP

*nods* And he ROCKS *so* much!

[Smokey]

Saw this last week and LOVED it!! Anne Hathaway was superb, especially her 'I Dreamed A Dream' part, mind you the whole cast was, so well cast, i also really liked Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen parts, i think they brought some comedy to the story which was needed.

You could really here the crying in the cinema towards the end- although i do feel my friend i went with went just a little over the top with the sobbing lol - almost louder then the film , we all clapped at the end, everyone was just blown away. I had all the songs stuck in my head afterwards and had to listen to all the songs again when i got back.

[cuneas]

As for the way they filmed "What Have I Done?", remember that that song (as well as several others) is traditionally done on a bare stage in the stage version, so I think they were trying to be true to that aspect.

[midnight in paris]

I was very disappointed in the film after running out on Christmas Day to see it--bad direction causing most of the problems.Keeping Anne Hathaway crunched in close-shot for the entire length of I Dreamed a Dream was appalling("look at my great suffering"-there are better visual ways to evoke sympathy),and it was the same for most of the movie.It was a film that needed to look at itself in long and medium shot once in a while,not be strangled with close-ups.Director Tom Hooper had it so together in The King's Speech,a well-nigh flawless film,but he really blew it with this one.I've been a Les Miz fan forever too.Too,too bad.