Les Misérables

[Steerpike]

The new trailer for Tom Hooper's movie of the Broadway musical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-WSCf3rDDc

I'm looking forward to it more than The Hobbit.

[portia]

I have tried to watch it twice on stage. I could not make heads or tales of the story, the lyrics or the characters, even though I pretty much knew what they were. It was just a wall of impenetrable sound, to me (too much chorus to hear the solos, for example).

I hope a movie's ability to focus the action and control the sound will turn this into a comprehensible production for me. I intend to give it a chance.

[MerriadocBrandybuck]

I have tried to watch it twice on stage. I could not make heads or tales of the story, the lyrics or the characters, even though I pretty much knew what they were. It was just a wall of impenetrable sound, to me (too much chorus to hear the solos, for example).

I hope a movie's ability to focus the action and control the sound will turn this into a comprehensible production for me. I intend to give it a chance.

Surprised to hear that. I have seen it twice on stage and it's by far my favorite musical ever.

[Pericles]

It's the only musical I have ever seen that I truly loved. I have seen it five times. Delighted they are bringing it to the screen, although sadly it's clearly a sign that it's flagging on stage. Still, 30 years or so isn't bad.

[Steerpike]

They were touring with a new production last year without the turntable and with more modest sets but it still was a great musical.

[Steerpike]

I have tried to watch it twice on stage. I could not make heads or tales of the story, the lyrics or the characters, even though I pretty much knew what they were. It was just a wall of impenetrable sound, to me (too much chorus to hear the solos, for example).

I hope a movie's ability to focus the action and control the sound will turn this into a comprehensible production for me. I intend to give it a chance.

I loved it but I had the advantage of hearing the cast album first

[notlistening]

My favourite musical as well. I hope they do it justice. I'm a bit dubious about Russell Crowe being able to carry off the songs for Javert, otherwise he is a good choice for the Inspector acting wise.

[andurilwest]

Why doesn't the trailer mention Victor Hugo anywhere?

[PatriotBlade]

I can't wait for this one! One of my favorite Broadway musicals!

[portia]

I have hopes for it, as I know many people love it. I love musicals and it would be nice to be able to add this to my favorites list.

Most musical characters are a delicate balance of acting and singing. Too much of one and not enough of the other will harm the movie/show. I present as evidence of poor voices ruining movies: "Paint Your Wagon" and "Camelot," the movies. My Fair Lady worked because non-singer Rex Harrison was perfectly cast. I thought the movie of Phantom of the Opera with Gerard Butler, who is not primarily a singer, worked very well because he is a very good actor and a less-than-perfect voice works for that character (Michael Crawford is a lightweight singer and he obviously did well in the Phantom, too). Maybe it will be the same with Crowe.

After seeing the trailer: Hugh Jackman, too? Where do I go to get in line?

[MerriadocBrandybuck]

If you disliked Michael Crawford as much as I did, check out Colm Wilkinson. He's my favorite Phantom, and was the original Jean Valjean (and the best IMO)

[Hobbituk]

I have never seen Les Mis, but there was a trailer before 'Skyfall' and I was completely blown away by it. The movie looks gorgeous, the music sounds amazing (with the the songs being 'acted' rather than 'sung' which I always think works better in film versions of musicals than just trying to get the most competent singers), and what a great cast they've got.

Definitely intrigued to see how this pans out.

[portia]

Yes. I would like to like this production. I watched a piece on the website and learned that the singing is live, not to a playback, so the actors are acting the songs, in the scene. Also, it seems that more attention will be given to the solos. My biggest problem with the stage versions I have seen was poor sound balance which allowed the chorus drown out the solos.

Looks good!

[Almatolmen]

Aside from The Hobbit, this is the only forthcoming film I'm planning on seeing in theater.

I first heard the music on 60 minutes many years ago. It so stirred me! I've seen it on stage. I've bought the audio tape version and recently the CD versions in both English and French (original concept and cast versions in French 4-CD set). I've watched the anniversary concerts on PBS. I've made instructions that some of the music be played at my funeral (the finale).

So you might say I'm looking forward to this with anticipation, great hope, and reasonably modest expectations, as with all adaptions of all types.

[rwhen]

I just visited the "official website" for the movie and it is stunning.

One great moment in the extended clip is Hugh Jackman explaining how the "acting whilst singing" works and how much better it is than recording the songs and miming it for the movie much later...there is no spontanaity in that. The other way they can take their time in singing the songs, put more of a personal tone to it that matches the scene they are playing rather than the other way around.

Also..the truth is Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crow, Amanda Seyfried...they all can legitimately sing. Crow has had a band in Oz for many many years...tends to sounds a bit Country to my ear. So great choice in casting and like others, while my first choice for the year is The Hobbit...this is right up there and I will see it in the theater, which is rare for me.

portia...I too love musicals, but I have to disagree on Paint Your Wagon..it is a fun movie and I think it tries to make the people look silly singing to the way I view it. Lee Marvin is awesome. Clint Eastwood bites..but he fancies himself a good singer. He is a great composer, no doubt about it. The movie is thoroughly enjoyable and still is today for me. I also adore Camelot. TOTALLY...now one instance of the phenom that you cited is Mamma Mia...the ladies killed the parts on the big screen..including Meryl Streep, Julie Walters and Amanda Seyfried. The guys? YIKES...especially Pierce Brosnan. I almost cried for him. Still, I get the point you are making.

Can't wait!!!

[portia]

Yeah, the 4 possible fathers in "Mama Mia" were pretty bad. All creditable actors who were obviously miscast and uncomfortable in the singing numbers.
It is not easy to cast movie musicals. There are so many factors to consider. The box office appeal of the stars, especially. Indications are that "Les Mis" gets it right.

More on "My Fair Lady" and Rex Harrison. I believe that his numbers were written for him, just a some of the King Arthur numbers in "Camelot" were written for Richard Burton, another non-singer. That can work, with a good enough actor, and if there are other strong singers in the play.

Well, Tastes differ on "Camelot." I left the theater almost in tears for the ruination of beautiful Lerner and Lowe music. "Camelot" on stage is my favoritie; slightly ahead of "My Fair Lady," which takes some doing.

[Swordsman_Of_The_Tower]

I've grown to like musicals more then I did when I was younger. I like Rent now quite a bit, though I have never seen it live. I enjoyed the Phantom of the Opera film as well, and am going to really try to see it in NYC while I'm still in the area.

I'm looking forward to this film, even though my theater backlog is still on Argo, I might just have to chop off the top two movies (Argo and Skyfall)

[portia]

Today, the local PBS station had a long concert presentation of "Les Mis," recorded for its 25th anniversary in 2010.
The concert format partially solved my problem with the show (the chorus drowning out the solos and the solos being too hard to understand).
I didn't watch it all, but what I saw was very good.

Anyone else see it; I am sure that other stations are carrying it.

[Swordsman_Of_The_Tower]

Today, the local PBS station had a long concert presentation of "Les Mis," recorded for its 25th anniversary in 2010.
The concert format partially solved my problem with the show (the chorus drowning out the solos and the solos being too hard to understand).
I didn't watch it all, but what I saw was very good.

Anyone else see it; I am sure that other stations are carrying it.

I saw that before, I quite liked it. That's the one with one of the Jonas brothers right?

[PatriotBlade]

YES! I ranted quite thoroughly when I saw it last year!

He has a good voice, but he was too young for the role, and he's a *bleepity* teeny-bopper pop star, not an opera singer!

LOL I'm mostly over it now.

[portia]

I thought Nick Jonas was OK. He acted well, and his voice was what I would have expected from the character. I saw Colm Wilkinson at the end, with the other men who had played Jean Valjean. He seemed like he would be a good Phantom, too.

Did you notice the SIZE of the audience? Most football teams (American, British or Australian) would kill for an audience that big. Good.

On 60 minutes" there was an interview with Hugh Jackman (sigh). At the end it was mentioned that one of the duets with Russell Crowe was shown, briefly, on "60 minutes overtime" on the web. Also, more of the nuts and bolts of how the movie was done were shown.

[PatriotBlade]

If anyone's interested, here's the a fore mentioned clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8WSysB5vKM&feature=youtu.be

[Corazi]

Thanks for posting that clip. I was really scared about Russell Crowe playing Javert but now not so much. I'm still really excited and nervous for the movie to come out. I've seen the show on stage a few time and loved it! I'm one of those dorks who has listened to the cast recording so many times that I have it memorized.

This movie could still be seen either amazing or really bad. I enjoy how they act out the songs rather than just singing them but that could be an issue for some movie goers. People are so used to autotuned perfect voices, will they appreciate the raw, real voices acting the music rather than just trying to sound perfect?

One thing for sure I know is that I'm ecstatic that Samantha Barks is Eponine. I heard rumors that Taylor Swift was trying to get the part and thought that if she got it then maybe the world would actually end this year! I don't think her voice can carry the proper emotion needed for that role.

[PatriotBlade]

Other than the girl playing Eponine, and the young man playing Marius, I knew the leads could sing.

Russel Crowe was in a band at one time and he sang a little in Robin Hood.
Though I've never heard him sing, I was aware that Hugh Jackman has done Broadway more than once.
I've heard Ann Hathaway sing before (Ella Enchanted), and Amanda Sigfried sang in Mamma Mia.

So as far as the actors singing, that was never a concern for me.

Even though I'm only 30, I grew up watching old musicals, so acting/singing through the songs is the way to go as far as I'm concerned. The more I've seen of this, the more excited I've become! I think it's going to be amazing. I hope to be wowed and moved like the way I was the first time I experienced it (a vhs from the library of the 10th or 15th Ann. performance) when I was about 14 or 15.

[Corazi]

Other than the girl playing Eponine, and the young man playing Marius, I knew the leads could sing.

Russel Crowe was in a band at one time and he sang a little in Robin Hood.
Though I've never heard him sing, I was aware that Hugh Jackman has done Broadway more than once.
I've heard Ann Hathaway sing before (Ella Enchanted), and Amanda Sigfried sang in Mamma Mia.

So as far as the actors singing, that was never a concern for me.

That's good to know. I've never seen Robin Hood and wasn't aware the Russel Crowe was in a band so I was worried about him playing Javert. I feel much better now I love Amanda Sigfried's rendition of Thank You for the Music from Mamma Mia so I was pleased with her casting.

I've never heard the person who plays Marius sing so I hope he's up to it. However, after Nick Jonas in the 25th anniversary concert I figure at least it can't get much worse.

I do love Samantha Barks. She's a beautiful girl with a gorgeous voice and really seems to understand Eponine.

[Corazi]

Oops... Sorry, posting from my phone and hit the button too much.

[portia]

ok, what is keeping you people?

[PatriotBlade]

Don't know about anyone else, but I spent Christmas at my parent's house with my family, not at the movie theater. I've only ever gone to the movies on Christmas day once, the year my Gram died, cause that year didn't feel much like Christmas anyway.

[Telemachos]

I saw it and thought it was mostly terrible. Somehow I've made it through life without reading the Hugo book or seeing Les Mis on stage. So I'm a total neophyte. However, it didn't work at all for me -- the actors all try hard (REALLY hard, I thought Hugh Jackman was gonna bust a vein in his neck a few times), and Jackman and Anne Hathaway do well, I guess, but the direction is atrocious.

[PatriotBlade]

I finally got to see it! It surpassed expectation! I remember now why I fell in love with it in the first place! My one complaint, though Anne Hathaway did a superb job, I still see her as too young for the role. Everything else... Magnifique!