Les Miserables: Even the thread will make you cry - Part 2

[Doctor Jones]

I've still been wanting to see this. I think tomorrow. I think this might be the last film I see in 2012.

 

[danoyse]

My mom is now texting me again, asking when we can see the movie again.

 

[gwynplaine]

I wonder if the success of this will bring more musicals like it to the big screen.
I personally would love to see "Man of La Mancha", the Don Quixote musical, done right. Clint is too old now but he would have been a great Don imo.
Also "Notre Dame de Paris" would be great (the French musical has some really good songs in it.) Bardem for Quasimodo and his wife for Esmeralda.
And to all those who really loved Les Miserables, I highly recommend going back to the original Victor Hugo novel, a true monument of literature.

 

[danoyse]

http://www.hitfix.com/news/box-office-les-miserables-still-no-1-post-christmas

"Les Miserables" has passed the first hurdle in breaking the movie musical curse. The Tom Hooper adaptation of the London West End and Broadway stage musical grossed another $12.1 million on Tuesday for a spectacular $30.2 million in its first two days of release and the no. 1 spot at the box office. Most stage musical adaptations end up with a big opening, but can fade fast after the hardcore fan base dissipates. That does not appear to be the case with "Les Miserables." Even with mixed reviews, word of mouth is strong and the Universal Pictures release could easily be at $80-90 million by end of day on New Year's Day. I dreamed a dream, indeed.

 

[danoyse]

I wonder if the success of this will bring more musicals like it to the big screen.
I personally would love to see "Man of La Mancha", the Don Quixote musical, done right. Clint is too old now but he would have been a great Don imo.
Also "Notre Dame de Paris" would be great (the French musical has some really good songs in it.) Bardem for Quasimodo and his wife for Esmeralda.
And to all those who really loved Les Miserables, I highly recommend going back to the original Victor Hugo novel, a true monument of literature.

I read the Victor Hugo novel years ago. The new film actually incorporates a lot more of the book than the stage version was able to.

I'd love to see a remake of Man of La Mancha. It's one of my favorite stage musicals, but the movie is awful.

 

[narrows101]

My mom is now texting me again, asking when we can see the movie again.

God, I wish I knew people like that - I don't know anyone that wants to see any movie more than once. I may have to go again by myself. I was bombarded on Christmas Day as soon as I walked into my sister's house about this movie, everyone asking when I was going to go. Not because THEY wanted to go, because hardly any of them go to a movie or even know what Les Mis is about (yes, I'm related to a bunch of rubes), but they were kinda making fun because I couldn't go on opening day and they know what a big Hugh fan I am. And then one of my sisters says "it only got 2-1/2 stars in my paper" (yes, they rely on reviews!) and I responded back "well, my paper gave it five stars, it depends what you read" (I actually lied as I don't get a newspaper but she pissed me off LOL). So this is what I'm dealing with. If I went to a movie twice (heaven forbid!) and they knew about I would never hear the end of it.

 

[Quasimod0]

I hate when people try to sway me from a film I wanna see with reviews. Like before I saw the hobbit, a few people mentioned that they heard the reviews weren't great when I told em I was gonna see it. But I ended up loving it likei thought I would

 

[danoyse]

God, I wish I knew people like that - I don't know anyone that wants to see any movie more than once. I may have to go again by myself. I was bombarded on Christmas Day as soon as I walked into my sister's house about this movie, everyone asking when I was going to go. Not because THEY wanted to go, because hardly any of them go to a movie or even know what Les Mis is about (yes, I'm related to a bunch of rubes), but they were kinda making fun because I couldn't go on opening day and they know what a big Hugh fan I am. And then one of my sisters says "it only got 2-1/2 stars in my paper" (yes, they rely on reviews!) and I responded back "well, my paper gave it five stars, it depends what you read" (I actually lied as I don't get a newspaper but she pissed me off LOL). So this is what I'm dealing with. If I went to a movie twice (heaven forbid!) and they knew about I would never hear the end of it.

My standard response to anyone who tried to pull a negative Les Mis review on me in the last week or so was, "But that critic's an ***hole."

One of my friends was bashing the movie on Facebook last night. The projector died after 'One Day More', she posted that the blank screen was better than the movie. They got free passes after the movie due to the projector breakdown, she posted how they 'got passes to come back and see a GOOD movie." And went on and on about how they butchered the score and ruined the whole thing.

Reminded me why I hated seeing shows with her back when she lived in NY.

My folks are big fans of the show. The tickets to the movie yesterday was an early Christmas present from my mom - she ordered the advance tickets a few weeks ago and emailed me the confirmation with the subject line "Merry Christmas!!"

When I got to my brother-in-law's house on Christmas Day, instead of a hello, my mom belted a "ONE DAY MORE!!!" at me. If you can hear my mom sing, it's fairly terrifying.

Normally, my folks don't see movies more than once anymore (well, my dad did just see The Hobbit a second time)...but since the two of us were virtually text-sobbing the soundtrack at each other this afternoon, we made plans.

Gonna try to take my sister along this time, she's never going to make it through I Dreamed a Dream. Never.

 

[danoyse]

I hate when people try to sway me from a film I wanna see with reviews. Like before I saw the hobbit, a few people mentioned that they heard the reviews weren't great when I told em I was gonna see it. But I ended up loving it likei thought I would

I not only didn't care about the negativity surrounding The Hobbit, I brought the Gandalf hats I got at the premiere (didn't see the movie, but they were passing the hats out in the crowd watching the arrivals), and my dad and I took pictures wearing them next to the poster.

The Hobbit is one of my favorite books, like hell some jackass critic was going to keep me from seeing that movie.

And I loved The Hobbit.

 

[CapedCrusader14]

Have to wait till next Friday for this. Going to be a long week.

 

[Gort Baringa]

gwynplaine,

Cameron MacIntosh has said that if Les Mis is successful then Miss Saigon will be next.

 

[gwynplaine]

gwynplaine,

Cameron MacIntosh has said that if Les Mis is successful then Miss Saigon will be next.

Thanks for the info

 

[DACrowe]

I wonder if the success of this will bring more musicals like it to the big screen.
I personally would love to see "Man of La Mancha", the Don Quixote musical, done right. Clint is too old now but he would have been a great Don imo.
Also "Notre Dame de Paris" would be great (the French musical has some really good songs in it.) Bardem for Quasimodo and his wife for Esmeralda.
And to all those who really loved Les Miserables, I highly recommend going back to the original Victor Hugo novel, a true monument of literature.

I am sure Miss Saigon is on the way. Maybe this (and Oz: The Great and Powerful next year) will get Wicked off the ground? The problem with most modern musicals right now is that they're all based on movies--and usually not very well done ones.

Personally, as impossible as it is, I'd love to see another adaptation of POTO. Except this time, do it right.

Though, Ms. Rossum would be hard to top. Butler? Not so much.

 

[Silvermoon]

Just got back from seeing it. It was a sold out showing... and ignoring the person who kept kicking/pushing on the back of my seat (why do I always end up with 'that' person behind me?), as well as the person that was snoring (and may have been the same person that blurted something weird out during Empty Chairs - a lot of people were getting annoyed by that person), I thought it was absolutely fantastic. I know some have complained with the camera work/the close ups/dutch angles etc... but it didn't really bother me. It made it feel very personal to me.

I felt that Crowe was probably the weakest of the voices, but even with that said, I felt that he did extremely well and worked with the characterization that they were going for.

Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, were absolutely wonderful. I started getting emotional during 'I Dreamed A Dream'... several other moments got to me as well. [blackout]I admit Gavroche's death seemed to hit kind of hard, even though I knew it was going to happen, because my mind went the events of Sandy Hook[/blackout], and I was in complete and utter tears by the end.

I don't know if I'll go see it in the theater again (if only because it's kind of an emotionally exhausting movie), but it'll definitely get added to the home movie collection

 

[danoyse]

I feel the same way about Rent. God, that movie...

I'd love to see In the Heights get out of whatever development hell it got lost in.

Wicked, I'm sure we're going to be seeing sooner rather than later.

 

[DACrowe]

I love the original cast of Rent (I was lucky enough to see Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in their roles on stage), but that movie was very poorly misjudged.

I too am sure that Lea Michele will be pushing to get Wicked made.

Especially after losing the Eponine role this year.

 

[JP]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Seyfried as Glinda, giving that she's now starred in two of the biggest musicals in box office history.

 

[danoyse]

I love the original cast of Rent (I was lucky enough to see Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in their roles on stage), but that movie was very poorly misjudged.

I saw the original cast as well (in NY and in London), but yeah, the movie was such a mess. Turning the sung dialogue into spoken dialogue - but not changing it at all so it just sounded awkward. Cutting the reprise of Goodbye Love. Leaving out chunks of the story so that the characters all looked like spoiled brats who just didn't want to work.

The show was always unfinished, in a way, due to Jonathan Larson's sudden death, and they were really reluctant to touch the plot problems it had. But it was Jonathan's, and what it was was really a tribute to him. The movie, on the other hand, was something they could have really improved upon.

 

[JP]

I saw the original cast as well (in NY and in London), but yeah, the movie was such a mess. Turning the sung dialogue into spoken dialogue - but not changing it at all so it just sounded awkward. Cutting the reprise of Goodbye Love. Leaving out chunks of the story so that the characters all looked like spoiled brats who just didn't want to work.

All that, plus the original cast just being far to old. A bunch of young 20-somethings crying about rent, fine. But 30+ year olds? Not cute...

 

[danoyse]

All that, plus the original cast just being far to old. A bunch of young 20-somethings crying about rent, fine. But 30+ year olds? Not cute...

Yep. I love them, but at that point it would have worked better with younger actors in the roles. Although Jesse L. Martin's "I'll Cover You" reprise was probably the best scene in the film.

 

[danoyse]

I have to say, while listening to the soundtrack for the umpteenth time in the last two days...

...I'm totally loving Russell Crowe's version of "Stars".

There it is, I said it. And I ain't taking it back.

 

[JP]

Album is #1 on iTunes.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

Ok, I was saw this earlier today. Let me just say that I've rarely seen musicals in my 24 years of existence. In total, I think I've only attended two prior to Les Mis. With that out of the way, wow... fantastic film! I only bought the ticket for Anne Hathaway [who was phenomenal by the way] but I was impressed by the overall film. Jackman had hands down the best male performance. Crowe, however, had the weakest (yet he was still somewhat above average).

Hathaway blew my mind. I didn't cry when "I Dreamed A Dream" was sung but I received a gut-check. Oscar!

9/10

 

[Quasimod0]

I have to say, while listening to the soundtrack for the umpteenth time in the last two days...

...I'm totally loving Russell Crowe's version of "Stars".

There it is, I said it. And I ain't taking it back.

He was great. Loved his singing actually. Didnt care that his voice isnt as perfect as others

 

[Kansiov]

Hong Kong reports that in addition to applause at the end, some people are rushing out to the box office to buy tickets for the next day. A lot of "Must Watch Again" comments online.

Hong Kong grossed $194k and set the record as the biggest opening day for a musical of all time and the biggest Russell Crowe opening day of all time. The total with previews is $536k.

http://www.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2012-12-26-global-les-misrables-reaches-234-million

Just a fun fact: Do You Hear the People Sing was the anthem of solidarity sung by protestors in Hong Kong after the Tiananmen Square Massacre.