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

[JP]

Sasha Stone/Awards Daily: The Case for Les Mis

http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2012/12/26/the-case-for-les-miserables/#more-59510

LOL, she's a mess.

 

[Primal Slayer]

The stage musical was all sung too.

It works for a stage musical, but for a movie...no me gusta.

 

[JP]

You simply can't adapt this work by switching songs to dialog. It's not like Rent where there are major songs, and sung dialog in between (yet RENT turned the sung lyrics to cringe worthy dialog in its respective film). In Les Miz, the songs aren't as easily defined. There's only 4-5 legit songs that you can seperate. Everything else is too blended to separate. At what moments do you change the songs to dialog, and at what moment to you let them sing?

 

[Drizzle]

I just got back from a PACKED noon showing. I loved it and I think it's an outstanding film. I don't really understand the negative criticism that this film has received (Entertainment Weekly gave this a C. Really?). It's possibly the best movie musical I've seen. Considering I'm not much of a musical fan, that's saying a lot. Seriously, the only other movie musicals I really enjoy are Sweeney Todd and Little Shop of Horrors (not counting Disney films). I saw the show when it was on Broadway 12 years ago and I enjoyed it then, though there was a lot that I didn't remember or understand (Les Mis is a heavy show for a 12-year old). So before going to see this I watched the 25th Anniversary concert on YouTube to refresh my memory. After watching that, I was really excited to see the film.

Hugh Jackman was amazing as Jean Valjean. I believe he deserves the Oscar this year. Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis was great as Lincoln, but he didn't have to sing while covered in human fecal matter and carrying a full grown man on his shoulders. Jackman just brought so much heart to the character.

Speaking of Oscars, you might as well just give it to Anne Hathaway now. Fantine had such little screen time, but she left such an unbelievable emotional impact on the film. What's left to say about her rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream" that hasn't been said already? It's like every scene she's in after the factory, she just wrenches your heart out. Fantastic performance.

I know I'm in the minority but I loved Russell Crowe as Javert. Maybe it's because Javert is my favorite character, so I have a soft spot there. Did he have the best singing voice in the film? No, but he's far from a bad singer, and he has a commanding presence. The only complaint I have about Javert is the [BLACKOUT]awful Looney Tunes sound effect in his death scene when he hit the water. THWACK! [/BLACKOUT] But I loved "Stars". The way it was shot reminded me a lot of Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame, specifically the song "Hellfire", where another Victor Hugo villain sang while looking upon Notre Dame.

I really liked Samantha Barks as Eponine. Eddie Redmayne as Marius did a great job too. I was very impressed by "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables". As for Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, she was fine, but the character has so little to do that I could care less who was in that role. Other standouts were Enjolras and Gavroche. As for the Thenardiers, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter really brought the comic relief. I just love how much sleazier they get each time you see them. And "Master of the House" was absolutely hilarious. All in all, this was a damn good cast.

The film itself played out like the show, more or less. The funny stuff is funny (pretty much anything with the Thenardiers), and the sad stuff is SAD. I shed a few tears in the beginning during Fantine's scenes and at the finale. That damn Anne Hathaway, she just breaks your heart... The only things I didn't care for apart from the afore mentioned sound effect are the same problems I have with the show, namely the fact that there's not enough development for the characters introduced later in the story (Eponine, Enjolras) and that a lot of the second act feels rushed after the slow buildup to Valjean meeting Cosette. I had no problem with the camera angles, and the fact that they sang everything live made it all the better.

But it's a great film and a great adaptation of the show. I hope it gets a lot of Oscar recognition.

 

[JP]

Glad you liked it.

 

[Primal Slayer]

You simply can't adapt this work by switching songs to dialog. It's not like Rent where there are major songs, and sung dialog in between (yet RENT turned the sung lyrics to cringe worthy dialog in its respective film). In Les Miz, the songs aren't as easily defined. There's only 4-5 legit songs that you can seperate. Everything else is too blended to separate. At what moments do you change the songs to dialog, and at what moment to you let them sing?

Considering the musical itself was adapted from a novel, I am sure they could have found a good middle ground and found places to introduce the songs.

 

[Project862006]

everyone keeps on saying how badly edited this film is

 

[JP]

Considering the musical itself was adapted from a novel, I am sure they could have found a good middle ground and found places to introduce the songs.

But what I'm referring to is the stage show.

 

[Drizzle]

Some of the edits were a little jarring (like during the opening number) and I would have given a little breathing room between "On My Own" and "One Day More", but on the whole I wouldn't say the editing was terrible.

 

[Primal Slayer]

But what I'm referring to is the stage show.

I am fine with the stage show being all in song, but I think the movie shouldnt have been adapted all in song just like the stage show. I wouldve preferred if they found a happy medium between the two.

 

[JP]

I am fine with the stage show being all in song, but I think the movie shouldnt have been adapted all in song just like the stage show. I wouldve preferred if they found a happy medium between the two.

And again, I say:

You simply can't adapt this show by switching songs to dialog. It's not like Rent where there are major songs, and sung dialog in between (yet RENT turned the sung lyrics to cringe worthy dialog in its respective film). In Les Miz, the songs aren't as easily defined. There's only 4-5 legit songs that you can seperate. Everything else is too blended to separate. At what moments do you change the songs to dialog, and at what moment to you let them sing?

 

[DACrowe]

Finally saw it this morning.

We thought it was great. I will say that I have my quibbles--Tom Hooper's heavy reliance on close-ups and unmoving cameras, the movie's long-feeling pace, and Russell Crowe's voice namely--but to dwell on those would be to nitpick on the whole.

I think the success with which they had adapting this gargantuan musical is incredible. It got almost all the major musical moments from the show I love. Yes, I wish they had done more more of the "Look Down" chorus at the beginning and that we had all of "Beggars at the Feast," but I didn't miss them in the context of the film.

Anne Hathaway was astounding in this movie. You can complain about the long one-takes all you want, but that was a stunning scene. I've heard that song dozens of times, but she still broke my heart and made it feel new in that moment. Hugh Jackman is perfectly endearing and sympathetic as Valjean and hits all the notes he intends to hit. To Crowe's credit, while I disliked his voice he did a better job than any actor (or the novel itself) at convincing me that Javert would [blackout]kill himself.[/blackout] Indeed, the visual clues that Hooper adds to the movie truly help the picture.

The rest of the cast is fine. The stand outs were, unsurprisingly, Barks and Reddymane. The former knocked her big song out of the park and the latter brought the needed anguish. Indeed, the way they handled the fall of the barricades was surprisingly painful and saddening for me to watch.

Overall, it may not be a masterpiece, but it is still one of the best of the year the one fans can truly enjoy.

 

[DACrowe]

I LOVE that remark about the Hall of Presidents! Just because he's DDL everyone is already giving him the Oscar and I am secretly hoping that Hugh's name will be called instead - I think the actors know what he put himself through to do this role (judging on reports from the SAG and Academy screenings) and DDL already has two Oscars. Well, that's the way it will happen in my mind anyway....

You can say DDL maybe shouldn't win it because he already has two, but his performance in Lincoln is astounding. It is more than just a caricature. In many ways, he humanized the man that has been so canonized into marble, most moviegoers forgot he was a real man and not a product of PBS cartoons and vampire kitsch. Just my opinion.

Still, Jackman really impressed me. The scene where he makes his confession at the beginning pulled me in and brought the prologue alive in a way I had never noticed.

 

[kvz5]

Finally saw this and I enjoyed it a lot. It wasn't the flawless movie the very, very early reviews made it out to be but it wasn't the huge pile of **** that the haters made it out to be either. All the performances were superb as expected. I especially liked both Barks and Redmayne and was glad that they held their own. Without taking anything away from him, I'd still say that the weakest link in this movie is Hooper.

8/10

 

[sueb1863]

Loved Hugh, but DDL has the Best Actor Oscar all sewn up. As great as Hugh was, he would have had to be beyond incredible to beat DDL. He's not only fighting DDL's talent, but also the Academy's perception that he's the comic book movie actor who played Wolverine. It will be a major victory if they even nominate him.

I think Anne Hathaway will probably get the movie's only Oscar.

 

[kvz5]

Cooper probably even has the edge right now over Jackman in the Best Actor race. But Jackman is probably ahead of the others like Hawkes and Phoenix.

 

[Drizzle]

Cooper probably even has the edge right now over Jackman in the Best Actor race.

Not a chance.

 

[danoyse]

Sasha Stone/Awards Daily: The Case for Les Mis

http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2012/12/26/the-case-for-les-miserables/#more-59510

LOL, she's a mess.

Not only that, I can't be the only one finding it hilarious to see people on the ATC message boards completely losing their **** that this seems to be doing really well so far.

 

[danoyse]

You can say DDL maybe shouldn't win it because he already has two, but his performance in Lincoln is astounding. It is more than just a caricature.

Admittedly, I have had absolutely no time to see Lincoln yet (hoping to catch up to it this week), but my mom has been singing the DDL praises since she saw it a few weeks ago.

My mom's reaction after the Soliloquy scene in Les Mis today: "Holy ****!!"

She is now singing the Hugh praises.

I'd love it if it happened, but I don't obsess over it. Whoever wins, wins. I have no control over it, and it's just not something I get worked up over.

But I'd still love to see to Hugh win the damn thing.

 

[X Knight]

I hope Les Mis at least wins in its Golden Globe categories.

 

[X Knight]

a question about the ending:

Spoiler

based on the singing in the epilogue, I was always under the impression that it was the spirits of Fantine and Eponine who lead Valjean's spirit to Heaven.

is that still the case in the film, or is it just Fantine's spirit?

 

[Gort Baringa]

I would be thinking that Hugh Jackman scored a few votes with Academy voters by his hosting of the awards even three years ago.

 

[danoyse]

a question about the ending:

Spoiler

based on the singing in the epilogue, I was always under the impression that it was the spirits of Fantine and Eponine who lead ValJean's spirit to Heaven.

is that still the case in the film, or is it just Fantine's spirit?

In the stage version:

Spoiler

Eponine joined Fantine for "take my hand, I'll lead you to salvation", but in the film it was just Fantine. The Bishop didn't reappear in the final scene on stage, which is something I loved in the film.

 

[X Knight]

In the stage version:

Spoiler

Eponine joined Fantine for "take my hand, I'll lead you to salvation", but in the film it was just Fantine. The Bishop didn't reappear in the final scene on stage, which is something I loved in the film.

thanks.

Spoiler

so it's just Fantine in the film? I couldn't really tell just listening to the soundtrack.

I guess that makes more sense since Valjean never had a connection with Eponine.

 

[flickchick85]

Just got back. I really liked it, even though there were things that bugged me (namely Crowe's voice - not his acting - and Hooper's distractingly weird camera angles).

As for the Best Actor discussion, Hugh was wonderful and I look forward to seeing him get his first-ever Oscar nomination out of this, but...Joaquin Phoenix still gave the best performance of the year, imo. I know he has no shot at this point, but that doesn't change how much I think he deserves it.