Les Miserables: One Thread More!

[narrows101]

Yay!

Republic Records ‏@RepublicRecords @russellcrowe A deluxe of the #LesMis soundtrack is in the works. Hopefully in time for the DVD release!

 

[AnneFan]

Yay!

Republic Records ‏@RepublicRecords @russellcrowe A deluxe of the #LesMis soundtrack is in the works. Hopefully in time for the DVD release!

Fans will be thrilled.

 

[CapedCrusader14]

In my mind, Crowe is one of the strengths of the movie, not one of the weaknesses.

 

[CGHulk]

I'm not crazy about Anne's voice! *runs away*

But she's good at sobbing though! *runs away again*

 

[Pink Ranger]

I'm not crazy about Anne's voice! *runs away*

But she's good at sobbing though! *runs away again*

I disagree, but criticisms welcome. I had the balls to trash Hugh Jackman's performance, which got me suspended from the gay community for 2 months.

Having to eat all your meals at Hooters for 8 weeks gets hellish after a while.

 

[Kelly]

I would put it this way....

I DEFINITELY KNEW who were "Singers first" and who were "Actors first"....

 

[Schlosser85]

In my mind, Crowe is one of the strengths of the movie, not one of the weaknesses.

The more viewings I have, the more I agree.

Yes he's an ACTOR FIRST not a SINGER FIRST, but I don't think in the movie it even matters.

 

[Kansiov]

Couldn't disagree more on Crowe, his voice was absolutely terrible, especially at his death scene.

 

[JP]

I'm with Schloss.

 

[Drizzle]

Yay!

Republic Records ‏@RepublicRecords @russellcrowe A deluxe of the #LesMis soundtrack is in the works. Hopefully in time for the DVD release!

It isn't hard for them to do. All they need to do is rip the audio track from the film and they're good to go.

 

[Earthland]

I would put it this way....

I DEFINITELY KNEW who were "Singers first" and who were "Actors first"....

I didn't. I liked them all both as singers and as actors, and I didn't notice heavy changes in quality.

 

[danoyse]

The more viewings I have, the more I agree.

Yes he's an ACTOR FIRST not a SINGER FIRST, but I don't think in the movie it even matters.

I agree. I finally got my sister to see it a few weeks ago. As soon as it ended, she just said, "So why are people *****ing about Russell Crowe? I thought he was fine."

 

[Raiden]

Sigh, looks like I won't be able to see it in theatre due to work and family. Hopefully the DVD will be out soon so I can finally see this movie.

 

[Schlosser85]

I agree. I finally got my sister to see it a few weeks ago. As soon as it ended, she just said, "So why are people *****ing about Russell Crowe? I thought he was fine."

Both people I went to see it with were pleasantly surprised by Crowe and thought he was fine.

 

[danoyse]

Both people I went to see it with were pleasantly surprised by Crowe and thought he was fine.

My aunt, who's seen the show a bunch of times and has watched the concert versions so many times I think she'd marry Alfie Boe if she could, absolutely loved both Crowe and Jackman. She sobbed so much during the movie that she literally had an empty popcorn bag filled with discarded tissues on the way out.

Another friend of mine who's also a big fan of the stage version, just had a baby this year, after a long time of trying. The song that had her bawling? "Suddenly".

 

[sueb1863]

I think a lot of people have the same reaction - "Why is everyone slamming Russell Crowe?" I also thought he was fine, he wasn't Phillip Quast but he wasn't Lee Marvin in "Paint Your Wagon" either.

 

[Kelly]

The two people I went to the movie with said that Crowe was the weakest of the cast, but was fine. Nothing earth shattering in his portrayal.

Myself AND my friends were much more entertained by the young people in the movie and their musical as well as acting abilities. IMO, they out shined the veterans.

 

[The Guard]

There's little wrong with Crowe's performance. He was clearly directed to sing the songs a certain way. He obviously didn't have the vocal power/technique and skill to rival some of the better performances of the songs...none of them did, really.

 

[Earthland]

I loved Eddie and Amanda more than any stage Marius/Cosette, and this includes the singing part also. Especially the singing part. And while everyone hail Lea Salonga as the greatest stage Eponine, I think Samantha was at least as good at singing and times better at acting.

 

[danoyse]

I actually liked Samantha better than Lea Salonga.

Agreed about Eddie and Amanda too. Their songs are usually the ones I can skip when I listen to any of the recordings (although I still love Michael Ball), but I love those songs on the movie soundtrack too. Eddie's gut-punching version of "Empty Chairs", Amanda breaking down when Valjean dies has so far destroyed any chance I had of making it through the ending without sobbing.

I loved the new placement of "On My Own" as well. As much as "One Day More" is easily my favorite stage moment ever, all Eponine does in that song is look longingly at Marius and Cosette - which she just did for two whole songs. Where it is now, she really understands that she's sunk as far as Marius ever falling for her is concerned, and from there through "One Day More" makes the decision to hide the note and follow Marius to the barricade, where they'll die together, without Cosette.

It also gave took Eponine out of Valjean's discovery of Marius, which let them focus more on Valjean finally learning that he needed to let Cosette go, which the stage musical didn't really go into as much, and made Valjean's story that much stronger.

 

[CapedCrusader14]

Me and my friends found that Javert was the most interesting character in the film. Not to mention his screen presence was perfect.

 

[The Guard]

I loved Eddie and Amanda more than any stage Marius/Cosette, and this includes the singing part also. Especially the singing part. And while everyone hail Lea Salonga as the greatest stage Eponine, I think Samantha was at least as good at singing and times better at acting.

I adored Redmayne's performance during Empty Chairs and Empty Tables. He was very well cast. I loved him.

That said, he very much is not better than any stage Marius. Michael Ball beats him with a stick made of pure iron, and there are quite a few Marius' with much better voices.

I've never been a fan of Lea Salonga as Eponine, but then, anyone who isn't Lacy Chabert as Eponine looks good by comparison.

 

[Drizzle]

Me and my friends found that Javert was the most interesting character in the film. Not to mention his screen presence was perfect.

Javert is my favorite character, and "Stars" is one of my favorite songs in Les Miserables. I love how it's the only song that's melody is not repeated at all in any other song in it (like how I Dreamed A Dream's melody is repeated in One Day More). It makes "Stars" unique.

 

[Schlosser85]

I really liked Redmayne as Marius and thought he was definitely one of the standouts.

In fact, he was probably my favorite after Hathaway.

 

[Anita18]

Finally caught Les Miz. For next Christmas, we should all chip in for Tom Hooper to get a wide angle lens and a Steadicam. Maybe a gyroscope mount too. The shot and lens choices were completely inconsistent and took me out of the movie several times. Bleck.

Anna Hathaway ROCKED. Eddie Redmayne was my favorite after her. IDAD and Empty Chairs At Empty Tables were pretty much the only songs where I didn't mind the uber-closeups so much.