Les Miserables 2012

[Dave (imported)]

For people who can get HBO, there might be a 14 minute preview about LES MiSERABLES on the movie section.

It's well worth the watch. When the roads are clear and the snow is gone from my driveway (a day or two, at worse three), I'll get out and see it.

[~Tiamat~ (imported)]

It looks like they've focussed a lot more on action and less on the actual singing, kind of like the Phantom film. Hopefully though if it's as good it can fill the gulf between how often I want to watch it and how often I'm able to Also the only DVD I can find is the anniversary concert River mentioned and it's hard to get someone else sitting through them singing on stage when they don't know the story.

Slammr it's less of a musical and more of an emotional assault, kind of like a Dan Aronofsky film. You won't be disappointed!

[Slammr (imported)]

I saw it today.

Anne Hathaway's performance of I Dreamed a Dream was the vocal high point of the movie, and it occurred early. I was getting a little bored at one point - remember, I don't generally like musicals - but I stayed. By the end, tears were streaming down my face.

Whereas early, I was thinking of criticizing some of the vocal performances by these non professional singers - the actors that played the parts sang - by the end, I was ready to stand and applaud all of them. The movie did earn a round of applause from the movie audience.

[Dave (imported)]

There are very few DVDs or BluRays of musicals that film on the stage.

There are lots of older movies made from the stage -- My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Finnian's Rainbow, Can-Can, Gigi, a very rare Pirates of Penzance in Central Park NYC, Man of La Mancha, Grease, Evita, Sweeny Todd twice and the second time shamefully bad, recently Phantom of the Opera... Notice the age. Only ovation cable channel seems to show the stage musical of Victor Victoria. Most show the original movie.

You will find non-musical productions of Les Miserable but not the musical. It's very hard to get a video of a stage production because of the contractual requirements involved.

The "concert" versions of Les Miserable that most of us hear are done in London and usually on the 5 and 10 years (it's up to 25 years, I think) anniversary of the original production. They are the province of PBS and used as fundraisers.

The reason the actors can sing such different versions of the songs than we normally hear is because they did not record a master version of the songs first and then act to them. Quite amazingly, the actors are wearing earpieces (Careful photography hides them) and singing on stage and live action. Now some of the chorus and bit parts have describe the large scenes as quite bizarre. They have huge sets in large buildings or outdoors and suddenly after the Director calls "ACTION" the entire ensemble bursts into song and continues up the ramparts or hauling the huge boat or streetwalking... The chorus said it was unreal the first few times.

I've heard each of the principle actors in interviews say the same thing -- they had no reason to belt out the songs.

That is the difference between the stage and the film.

On the stage, an actor must command the attention of the audience and must be seen and heard throughout the hall. So stage performances are big gestures, big voice, big songs. That's why Opera works -- the voices are huge and fill the hall and the action is broad and overly dramatic. Staged musicals and operas share those big singing voices that thrill from the stage. An actor on the stage cannot whisper unless the theater is absolutely silent at the height of the dramatic climax.

In a movie, dialog can be whispered and still be heard by the audience. And we see the actor so close up that emotions don't have to have big gestures, a slight glance or a single eyebrow raise can be seen twelve feet high on the screen. Singing is the same. These actors didn't have to be heard in the last row because the sound system would take care of that -- so they could focus on the emotional impact of the songs and bring the acting way up.

So we hear Fantine (Ann Hathaway) sing "I dreamed a dream" not as the thrilling operatic aria but as a cry of despair from the pit of hell On the screen she has lost it all -- hair, teeth, virginity, daughter, she is alone, unloved and unmourned, not dead but not alive except as the scum of the Paris streets, cast off garbage suitable only for use and abuse. Listen to the words of "I dreamed a dream" it isn't a happy song. It's a lament and in this film version you will hear that song and suffer with her. (that's not a spoiler)...

Seventy very talented musicians in a studio orchestra added the accompaniment after the film was cut and assembled.

It is very rare and very difficult to make a film this way.

[Dave (imported)]

Finally got to see LES MISERABLE (the movie)

My complaint: The theater was over-air-conditioned and I froze. It's nearly three hours long and I was cold.

Also, plan for food before or after. THis is not the movie to rustle popcorn or rattle candy.

My biggest surprise: It's such a quiet movie. Even though it has the choruses and the full orchestra there's no explosions, racing cars, banging crashes and the gunshots do not deafen your ears. And the audience (about half of the theater for the first show (1pm last Saturday) sat in perfect silence at parts of the movie. During I dreamed a dream you could hear pins drop that how intense the movie is for the audience.

Take a hanky (kleenex, crying towel), I heard sniffles and sobs all through the movie.

The movie screen is intimate and personal. If you've seen this on the stage, the actors are well away fro you even in the first row of the theater. In the movie, you are inches from them on the big screen and everything emotional is supercharged.

Second Biggest surprise: EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES ... a diamond hiding among rubies and pearls.

Not so great:

Russell Crow who is not as evil and threatening and severe as he could be.

[Cainanite (imported)]

I just saw this tonight with my parents. (they are in town) They were not impressed. I think they were actually bored by it. I think at one point, my father fell asleep.

I was embarrassed to even talk to them about it when we came out of the theater. We clearly had very different movie going experiences.

I was floored by how much I liked this film. The singing wasn't the over acted pantomime of other Hollywood musicals. It was extremely subdued and VERY emotional. You don't really care that these are actors who aren't known for singing. It is what they are imparting to the audience that is important, not how technically flawless their singing is. The emotions were always powerful and personal.

I have seen a DVD of a stage performance of Les Mis, and I really didn't care for it. I read the book in school, and I didn't care for it. This movie finally made me care about these characters.

Like others in this thread, I don't usually like musicals, but this one was done right. This is how musicals are supposed to be done. I expect more musical movies to do this same thing in the future, of recording the vocals at the same time as the performance. It really lets the actor inhabit the part, and do the job of acting, and not just reacting.

Also, there are ZERO big dance numbers in this film. Sure, some things are choreographed, but not obviously so. The director clearly realized that actors have a difficult time leaping, shucking and diving while keeping a tune, and imparting any emotion. Some of the most powerful moments in the film are just a single actor standing in one spot and pouring out their heart. It really moved me.

I recommend the film to anyone who enjoys an emotional roller-coaster. Sadly, my parents were not a part of that group.

[Riverwind (imported)]

Sorry about your parents, glad you had a good experience otherwise. I am one of the few here that like musicals and have many in my collection. I think some of my favorites are CATS, 1776, Singing in the Rain, and the list goes on. I have not been to enough plays but of those most were musicals. I love the song and dance, much better then a horror film.

I know the music of Les Miserable can't wait to see the movie but it will be when it is out on CD nobody I know likes musicals and I wont go alone. (I don't drive)

River

[Arab Nights (imported)]

Wife and I went to see it and were bored out of our minds. We almost walked out. Yet, when the movie was over, several people applauded. Just goes to show, different strokes for different folks.

[tugon (imported)]

I love musicals and I loved "Les Miserables" on the big screen. Sadly I have missed the stage productions but I do not think some of the events depicted could have been as impressive on stage. I was one of the ones who was ready to clap at the end.

[Riverwind (imported)]

Interesting point, remember when we went to a movie and stood and clapped when it was over, I don't remember the last time that happened.

River