Les Miserables

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 121
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    She definitely does!


    I think Miss Saigon is a question of when not if as well, though the Broadway revival of that is more immediate - opens next year if all goes to plan. As for the Wicked movie, I think that's a question of casting more than anything else now Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth are too old. I'd love to see Sam Barks as Elphaba :)

    Is My Fair Lady still happening? Last I heard, Keira Knightley was going to play Eliza, but can she sing? :confused: I'd be really disappointed if she did it and was dubbed - Les Mis has shown that some Hollywood actors can sing, it's just a question of finding the right ones (they all were right except Crowe), so it's set a benchmark now really.

    Agreed on the Samantha Barks needing more recognition, she was bloody brilliant! Though whether I'd want her to be Elphaba is different matter! That said, she'd certainly be a better choice than some Hollywood starlet who only has a so-so voice, at least Barks is West End professional and an amazing actress, even if I don't think her voice would suit Elphaba all that much. I didn't much like her version of Defying Gravity on that ALW show, though admittedly she was a lot younger then.

    I don't agree with Crowe being the weak link vocally! I really enjoyed the way he portrayed Javert and vocally found him to be more than adequate, especially considering I'd seen so much negativity. It's Jackman who's the big disappointment for me. His vocals at the beginning were adequate enough, but as the movie went on he just got worse. His Bring Him Home was awful and people in the cinema still applauded. His acting was very good though, I'll give him that.

    I think for me, Eddie Redmayne was the biggest surprise. His Empty Chairs At Empty Tables was just heartbreaking and had me in tears. I really didn't expect much from his Marius, but he was truly excellent. His A Little Fall Of Rain with Barks was another tearjerker moment, just as it should be. It was beautifully acted and sang.
  • EiraEira Posts: 558
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    Jordosaur wrote: »
    I think for me, Eddie Redmayne was the biggest surprise. His Empty Chairs At Empty Tables was just heartbreaking and had me in tears. I really didn't expect much from his Marius, but he was truly excellent. His A Little Fall Of Rain with Barks was another tearjerker moment, just as it should be. It was beautifully acted and sang.

    Same here. I always find Marius pretty bland - I've yet to see a really fantastic Marius on stage. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables is always sung well but I've never felt the emotion conveyed like Eddie Redmayne does - even when listening to it on the soundtrack without the visuals. I was a bit 'hmmm' when I saw he'd been nominated for an Oscar but I can see why now.
  • tracystapestracystapes Posts: 3,309
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    Funnily enough that also really moved me too, Marius singing 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables'. It was really sad. There was a certain atmosphere about it.
  • Kolin KlingonKolin Klingon Posts: 4,296
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    Eira wrote: »
    Same here. I always find Marius pretty bland - I've yet to see a really fantastic Marius on stage. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables is always sung well but I've never felt the emotion conveyed like Eddie Redmayne does - even when listening to it on the soundtrack without the visuals. I was a bit 'hmmm' when I saw he'd been nominated for an Oscar but I can see why now.

    This is what I found as well. I am/was a Les Mis virgin who knew and loved the songs and the major points about the main storyline.

    Puts on thick tin hat: The clips that I have seen Michael Ball do of Marius songs led me to think that this character was very drippy trivial love part. A lightweight mills and boon aspects of soppiness affair.

    However, Eddie's rendition of it was great and whilst maybe biased by my lust for him, he really sang with passion and convinced me that he had real feelings. So if the past was generally like the above, Eddie has saved it from a gooey mush that it could have been.

    He can come and sing it to me any night he likes. No appointment required!
  • EiraEira Posts: 558
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    Puts on thick tin hat: The clips that I have seen Michael Ball do of Marius songs led me to think that this character was very drippy trivial love part. A lightweight mills and boon aspects of soppiness affair.

    Haha - that's how I always feel about the whole Marius and Cosette romance. It's too sugary sweet in the middle of such a dark musical/movie for me. I know it's the light amongst the darkness and all that but it makes my teeth hurt.

    Although - you haven't seen anything until you've seen the Jonas brother (I still can't tell them apart or remember which one it is) sing Marius on the 25th anniversary concert. I'd never actually wanted Marius shut up and go away before seeing that.
  • tracystapestracystapes Posts: 3,309
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    Not sure if someone can confirm but I swear some scenes were cut or rearranged from the trailer when it came to the film (as I know so often does)

    But I swear...
    In a clip I saw before, Anne is singing 'IDAD' and her hair is being cut as she's singing it :confused: Probably just merged clips so it looked that way.

    Also, There was a picture of Marius carrying Eponine's body through a crowd, but in the movie he just kneels with her and someone else comes and takes her
  • RecordPlayerRecordPlayer Posts: 22,648
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    I saw Les Miserables yesterday - didn't know the story and haven't seen the stage show.

    On one side of me sat a woman sobbing throughout the entire film and on the other, my husband, who hated it so much that he wanted to walk out half way through,(some people did) he mainly disliked the music. The only singing he liked were the nuns in the convent.

    As for me, I loved Hugh Jackman and liked Anne Hathaway and the girl who played Eponine (sp?).... and Marius.
    I cried at the end....but hated the fact that they sang non stop.
    Hope Jackman wins an Oscar.:)

    Russell Crowe was rubbish - he can't sing! (was flat most of the time) I cringed every time he sang.:o

    Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Coen were good at first but then got a bit silly - I tired of them pretty quickly.

    Good story though. I went out and brought the book today - look forward to reading it.:)
  • SuzeSuze Posts: 879
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    I saw Les Miserables yesterday - didn't know the story and haven't seen the stage show.

    On one side of me sat a woman sobbing throughout the entire film and on the other, my husband, who hated it so much that he wanted to walk out half way through,(some people did) he mainly disliked the music. The only singing he liked were the nuns in the convent.

    As for me, I loved Hugh Jackman and liked Anne Hathaway and the girl who played Eponine (sp?).... and Marius.
    I cried at the end....but hated the fact that they sang non stop.
    Hope Jackman wins an Oscar.:)

    Russell Crowe was rubbish - he can't sing! (was flat most of the time) I cringed every time he sang.:o

    Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Coen were good at first but then got a bit silly - I tired of them pretty quickly.

    Good story though. I went out and brought the book today - look forward to reading it.:)

    I am always a bit surprised that people are still surprised that it is sung through entirely -- but a lot of people have been. I think it needs a warning sticker! :)

    I'm a real fan of the book - but be warned you'll probably get impatient with Hugo once or twice when he seems to abandon the plot entirely and go on a bit too long describing something.... Hope you enjoy it!

    On an unrelated note - am I the only one who was a little distracted by Eponine's perfecty shaped eyebrows? I'm intrigued in a cast where Hugh and Anne lost huge amounts of weight, and Anne hacked her hair off to make it realistic no one thought maybe Eponine should look a little rougher. (She sang beautifully though, and it is a minor quibble.)
  • Mystical123Mystical123 Posts: 15,811
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    Suze wrote: »
    On an unrelated note - am I the only one who was a little distracted by Eponine's perfecty shaped eyebrows? I'm intrigued in a cast where Hugh and Anne lost huge amounts of weight, and Anne hacked her hair off to make it realistic no one thought maybe Eponine should look a little rougher. (She sang beautifully though, and it is a minor quibble.)

    That was a bit weird, especially considering Sam had to lose quite a lot of weight as well and wear that ridiculous corset! She looked a bit too skinny I think, I was more distracted by that than the eyebrow error.


    I'm always surprised people don't know it's sung-through either, it's one of the best known sung-through musicals! Sung-through or mostly sung-through should be expected when you know you're going to see a musical. There would have been a fan outcry if it hadn't been sung through on screen I would think.
  • tracystapestracystapes Posts: 3,309
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    Samantha Barks' waist has it's on twitter :D

    She said she did lose weight for the role but the corset really did make her look much slimmer than she actually was (lots of people have mentioned about her waist :D)

    She was definitely a stand-out for me, excellent character played by an excellent actress.
  • Kolin KlingonKolin Klingon Posts: 4,296
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    Technically anything that is sung all the way through is an Opera.

    Jesus Christ Superstar - a rock Opera!
    Tommy - Another rock Opera.
    Miss Saigon - Technically an Opera as it is also sung all the way through.

    The problem is that people confuse the word Opera meaning something which is sung all the way through with GRAND OPERA (The likes of Tosca, etc) Which is also sung all the way through, but it is a different style of grandness.

    There is of course lots of cross-over from Musical - Opera and Grand Opera but that is the technical musical difference.
  • RecordPlayerRecordPlayer Posts: 22,648
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    Suze wrote: »
    I am always a bit surprised that people are still surprised that it is sung through entirely -- but a lot of people have been. I think it needs a warning sticker! :)

    I'm a real fan of the book - but be warned you'll probably get impatient with Hugo once or twice when he seems to abandon the plot entirely and go on a bit too long describing something.... Hope you enjoy it!

    On an unrelated note - am I the only one who was a little distracted by Eponine's perfecty shaped eyebrows? I'm intrigued in a cast where Hugh and Anne lost huge amounts of weight, and Anne hacked her hair off to make it realistic no one thought maybe Eponine should look a little rougher. (She sang beautifully though, and it is a minor quibble.)

    Thanks.:)
    I bought the hard-back edition translated by Norman Denny. I was afraid the paperback one would fall apart by the time I got to the end. :D
    Just read the introduction and first page... really like the writing style and can see I'm going to race through it.
  • Lucy LouLucy Lou Posts: 8,574
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    Thanks everyone for putting your reviews on here :) I am going to see it next week - I've seen the stage show 3 times and was a bit concerned that I may not like the film version but you have allayed my fears.
    I shall stock up on the tissues in preparation.:cry:;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 672
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    Technically anything that is sung all the way through is an Opera.

    Jesus Christ Superstar - a rock Opera!
    Tommy - Another rock Opera.
    Miss Saigon - Technically an Opera as it is also sung all the way through.

    The problem is that people confuse the word Opera meaning something which is sung all the way through with GRAND OPERA (The likes of Tosca, etc) Which is also sung all the way through, but it is a different style of grandness.

    There is of course lots of cross-over from Musical - Opera and Grand Opera but that is the technical musical difference.

    Not true. Carmen (Bizet) is an Opera. It has plenty of spoken dialogue. The term "Rock Opera" describing a unified narrative rock album or show is nothing to do with opera (in the same way, "Space Opera", "Soap Opera").

    The old fashioned distinction between opera and musicals was that musicals used microphones and opera didn't.

    Les Miserables and Miss Saigon are sung-through musicals.
  • BrokenArrowBrokenArrow Posts: 21,665
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    Saw it last night.

    The weak point was definitely Russel Crowe, not just a bad actor but rubbish singer too.

    Hugh Jackman is also a bad singer but made up for it with great acting.

    First time I've heard an audience applaud in a cinema.
  • Kolin KlingonKolin Klingon Posts: 4,296
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    ozark1 wrote: »
    Not true. Carmen (Bizet) is an Opera. It has plenty of spoken dialogue. The term "Rock Opera" describing a unified narrative rock album or show is nothing to do with opera (in the same way, "Space Opera", "Soap Opera").

    The old fashioned distinction between opera and musicals was that musicals used microphones and opera didn't.

    Les Miserables and Miss Saigon are sung-through musicals.

    There are always exceptions to the rules and as I commented, cross-over between them.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 824
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    Not sure if someone can confirm but I swear some scenes were cut or rearranged from the trailer when it came to the film (as I know so often does)

    But I swear...
    In a clip I saw before, Anne is singing 'IDAD' and her hair is being cut as she's singing it :confused: Probably just merged clips so it looked that way.

    Also, There was a picture of Marius carrying Eponine's body through a crowd, but in the movie he just kneels with her and someone else comes and takes her

    Yeah, I also think Marius
    says something like "Who was that girl?" and Eponine replies, "Cosette" as she looks down. That was in the trailer but I can't recall it in the film! Someone correct me if I'm wrong!
  • Mystical123Mystical123 Posts: 15,811
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    Dharma572 wrote: »
    Yeah, I also think Marius
    says something like "Who was that girl?" and Eponine replies, "Cosette" as she looks down. That was in the trailer but I can't recall it in the film! Someone correct me if I'm wrong!

    That bit's definitely not in the film, it doesn't make sense plot-wise. It was a scene shot specifically for the trailer.

    The bit about Anne in IDAD was just merged clips in the trailer I think.
  • Yorkie47Yorkie47 Posts: 1,487
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    This is what I found as well. I am/was a Les Mis virgin who knew and loved the songs and the major points about the main storyline.

    Puts on thick tin hat: The clips that I have seen Michael Ball do of Marius songs led me to think that this character was very drippy trivial love part. A lightweight mills and boon aspects of soppiness affair.

    However, Eddie's rendition of it was great and whilst maybe biased by my lust for him, he really sang with passion and convinced me that he had real feelings. So if the past was generally like the above, Eddie has saved it from a gooey mush that it could have been.

    He can come and sing it to me any night he likes. No appointment required!

    In fact, Michael Ball plays the part of Marius true to the original novel. I swear Marius walks through the park to look at Cosette for twelve months without getting up the nerve to speak to her. I was rolling my eyes to Heaven, for pity's sake, get on with it! He is the drippiest character in literature.

    So don't blame the actors for the sickly sweet romance between Marius and Cosette, blame Victor Hugo!
  • sunnymegsunnymeg Posts: 1,312
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    Was anyone else distracted by Anne Hathaway's perfect teeth during IDAD? Considering her character had just had a couple of teeth pulled out, they could have blackened some side ones out.
  • ImOnlyWeeImOnlyWee Posts: 11,554
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    sunnymeg wrote: »
    Was anyone else distracted by Anne Hathaway's perfect teeth during IDAD? Considering her character had just had a couple of teeth pulled out, they could have blackened some side ones out.

    I thought I could definitely see blackened ones on the right side of her mouth?? (or her left even lol)
  • streetwisestreetwise Posts: 787
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    Yes, definitely, I have friends who've seen it who have never seen the show or read the book and they loved it - they all want to go to London to see it now :D

    Thank you. :)
  • streetwisestreetwise Posts: 787
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    sunnymeg wrote: »
    Was anyone else distracted by Anne Hathaway's perfect teeth during IDAD? Considering her character had just had a couple of teeth pulled out, they could have blackened some side ones out.

    That's what's going to lose her the Oscar. :cry:;)
  • tracystapestracystapes Posts: 3,309
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    I swore Anne's teeth were yellow? Oh well, never mind lol

    BUT that does raise a good point about teeth though....(slightly going OT here). Eponine (or Samantha Barks rather) is a very attractive girl but her yellowy/nearly black teeth (obviously for the role, not in real life :D) do sort of 'mar' your appearance!

    Brush 'em daily kids! :D
  • allthatyouwantallthatyouwant Posts: 1,381
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    Absolutely loved the film, amazing performances by everyone espc, Anne Hathaway (God she knows how to steal a scene), Samantha Barks and the underrated Amanda Seyfried

    The only slight negative I have is with Eddie Redymane, yes his solo song was good but I thought overall he was wooden and showed no emotion especially in the scene where Jean Valjean is bearing his soul to him, he was smiling!!

    However overall one of the best films I have seen in a long time, would see it again tonight!
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