Les Miserables
- Thread starter Felonius_sl
- Start date
I'd like to echo some of what's been posted.
I love Le Mis, and I've seen it in its live musical format a few times. I listened to the soundtrack growing up, as they were excellent pieces to practice on various instruments.
Russel Crowe has no business being in the movie. If it were an acting part I'd say he's a great choice, but it's not, it's a singing part. He looks so stiff while singing, and that's probably because he realizes he's not doing a very good job. He's not exactly in a bit part either. It's Javert. Javert needs to hit it out of the park, he's not in a chorus, he's singing solos that are supposed to make youfeel.
Anne Hathaway is easily as good as the best Fantine I've ever seen and practically stole Act I. The director and others that worked on the film must have known this because there are somedaringshots they take with her, long single shots where she holds the character extremely well. Hugh Jackman was middling to good, he's a decent anchor as a Jean Valjean.
Other notable performances were delivered by Samantha Barks as Eponine, and Aaron Tvveit as Enjolras. In the movie format, there was quite a bit cut from these characters' song parts (A little Fall of Rain in particular doesn't have the bridge followed by the other chorus). The Marius casting choice grated me, but I find no real fault with the acting and his singing was delivered well. I didn't mind seeing the Little People number cut down to what it was, the movie's tone wouldn't have fit the extended version. The downside to that of course, is that we don't care as much about Gavroche, and when he is shot it isn't nearly as heartbreaking as it is in the musical.
Overall I'd say the movie is a 3.5/5, which is certainly more than I'd ever give the Phantom adaptation.
I love Le Mis, and I've seen it in its live musical format a few times. I listened to the soundtrack growing up, as they were excellent pieces to practice on various instruments.
Russel Crowe has no business being in the movie. If it were an acting part I'd say he's a great choice, but it's not, it's a singing part. He looks so stiff while singing, and that's probably because he realizes he's not doing a very good job. He's not exactly in a bit part either. It's Javert. Javert needs to hit it out of the park, he's not in a chorus, he's singing solos that are supposed to make youfeel.
Anne Hathaway is easily as good as the best Fantine I've ever seen and practically stole Act I. The director and others that worked on the film must have known this because there are somedaringshots they take with her, long single shots where she holds the character extremely well. Hugh Jackman was middling to good, he's a decent anchor as a Jean Valjean.
Other notable performances were delivered by Samantha Barks as Eponine, and Aaron Tvveit as Enjolras. In the movie format, there was quite a bit cut from these characters' song parts (A little Fall of Rain in particular doesn't have the bridge followed by the other chorus). The Marius casting choice grated me, but I find no real fault with the acting and his singing was delivered well. I didn't mind seeing the Little People number cut down to what it was, the movie's tone wouldn't have fit the extended version. The downside to that of course, is that we don't care as much about Gavroche, and when he is shot it isn't nearly as heartbreaking as it is in the musical.
Overall I'd say the movie is a 3.5/5, which is certainly more than I'd ever give the Phantom adaptation.
Djay
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As someone that knew most of the music, but never actually saw the musical in its entirety before, I was pretty impressed. The acting was superb. The singing was superb, except for Crowe who was horribly out of his league as others have said. (I sang Stars at a karaoke bar the other night after telling some friends I would have done a better job than Crowe...he doesn't have any richness to his singing voice and is constantly straining. I thought he played the character well, but why would you agree to do a musical when you can't sing? I've never understood this.) There was a point where it started to feel a little long and I was ready for it to end, but I don't know what you could have cut and still had the emotional richness left intact. 4.5/5 with the only deduction being because of Crowe's singing.
Siliconemelons
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I still ahvent seen it as much as I want to- but newborns are needy :-( although I got the soundtrack highlights CD and Crowe does better than I thought- but having just the music I can tell this is a very much visual and audio performance- you need both to get everything that it has going- while pure "song" musical versions can just be held up on their own with just the audio- on stage you really do not do much when you are singing- atleast all the main solos/duets.
Hopefully I get to it at the big screen, if not blu-ray it is
Hopefully I get to it at the big screen, if not blu-ray it is
Siliconemelons
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A on the road production will be good, but one of the big draws of its broadway production was the movable sets and shit it was like crazy for its time etc etc- Javert's suicide in the production has him like actually falling illusion etc etc people can walk and the stage moves or something its cool.
The DVD is just a costumed performance with some theatrics but its mostly them just sitting there singing at each other.