Tom Hooper to take on Les Miserables

[elgato]

The trailer already made me cry.

 

[The Guard]

I'm in. If a guy wanted to watch the musical on DVD, which is the best one to start with?

The 10th anniversary. Its closer to what the show is/was, and its got better performances pretty much all around.

The 25th anniversary concert is good. The 10th anniversary one blows it away.

I'm not all that wowed by Hathaway's rendition of this song. Its good, but I don't know that she's a strong enough singer to really nail it. Obviously there's more to the song than what we've seen. It's an interesting approach though, gives some idea what the live singing will sound like, and its certainly not without emotion.

Visually, this looks fantastic.

I can't wait.

 

[Angel_Faerie]

I really like Anne's rendition. A lot of times the emotions Fantine is expressing gets lost in all the "OMGZ I'M SUCH A G00D S1NGER, GUIZ" that some singers *cough*PattiLupone*cough* bring to it. There needs to be a mix of vocal prowess and emotionality in every note of Les Mis. And Anne, to me, has that.

 

[Pink Ranger]

We're almost past 999 posts, and for most threads, they mark the occasion by giving the new thread a creative new title. Might I suggest.

Les Miserables: even the thread will make you cry

 

[DACrowe]

Trailer looks epic and I like the visual style. Definitely will see this.

I must add though that while Hathaway gives a strong performance just from the trailer, the vocals for that song were a bit underwhelming. And I'm not a Les Miserables snob when I say that. I've never seen the show (though I really wish I had before the movie came out), but I've heard that song sung out of context done with a lot more power. I do like how intimate it is, but I hope she can take it home when she needs to.

I have no worries about Hugh Jackman's singing. Anyway, that nitpick aside, it looks like a good film. I hope it's more Sweeney Todd and less Phantom of the Opera when it comes to getting to the emotional core of the story.

 

[Raiden]

We're almost past 999 posts, and for most threads, they mark the occasion by giving the new thread a creative new title. Might I suggest.

Les Miserables: even the thread will make you cry

That's a good one. We can also use the movie's tagline for the thread: Les Miserables: The Dream Lives.

On my third viewing of the trailer, I became a bit emotional and I'm surprised at my reaction, because I'm not the type who cries in movies. I think Hathaway's poignant and moving performance truly elevates the trailer, and if it can elicit emotions from just an one minute clip, I think the complete scene will probably be even more incredible.

 

[Clu]

thread name should be

Les Miserables: Mod on high, Read my posts.

 

[DACrowe]

I confess this is what actually made me research the original when I was younger, because I hadn't even heard of it until the parody.

[YT]pQLAXqKa-eE[/YT]

Wow that brought back some crazy nostalgia for me.

 

[Raiden]

Trailer looks epic and I like the visual style. Definitely will see this.

I must add though that while Hathaway gives a strong performance just from the trailer, the vocals for that song were a bit underwhelming. And I'm not a Les Miserables snob when I say that. I've never seen the show (though I really wish I had before the movie came out), but I've heard that song sung out of context done with a lot more power. I do like how intimate it is, but I hope she can take it home when she needs to.

Well, I think Hathaway gave the appropriate feelings and weight to the song, and not tried to stretch her vocal just to show-off her voice. Fantine was out of money, and already sold everything valuable in her possessions, and her daughter was sick. What's more is that, Fantine was also dying from TD (from what I could remember). That was why Fantine was recalling the happier times with her former beau, and all the dreams she had before the nightmare begins. Hathaway knows this, and I think that's why her interpretation of the song is not underwhelming at all.

 

[The Guard]

There's definitely sadness to that song...but there's also frustration, anger, and a number of other emotions. Hopefully Hathaway will bring all that to it.

 

[danoyse]

Well, I think Hathaway gave the appropriate feelings and weight to the song, and not tried to stretch her vocal just to show-off her voice. Fantine was out of money, and already sold everything valuable in her possessions, and her daughter was sick. What's more is that, Fantine was also dying from TD (from what I could remember). That was what Fantine was recalling the happier times with her former beau, and all the dreams she had before the nightmare begins. Hathaway knows this, and I think that's why her interpretation of the song is not underwhelming at all.

Agreed. On stage, they're usually singing it into the rafters, but she's dying at this point. It sounds right the way she's singing it here.

I also love that the trailer isn't trying to hide that this is a musical.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Though I'm not a fan of musicals, if this is anything like Sweeney Todd where it struck a real chord with me, I'll love this. And I loved Sweeney Todd.

 

[Raiden]

Agreed. On stage, they're usually singing it into the rafters, but she's dying at this point. It sounds right the way she's singing it here.

I also love that the trailer isn't trying to hide that this is a musical.

Hathaway can clearly hit the high notes if she wanted to, judging from some of her past singing performances, but she's not doing it here because the scene requires her to be more intimate and less flashy. The performance I saw on the stage was louder than this, but stage isn't the same as the movie, and in the movie the actors have to act more and the songs have to complement the scene, and not the other way around. I'm sure there will be some Les Mis fans who would want Hathaway to belt it out like she was singing a Mariah Carey song, though.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Yeah, I think we all have to remember the medium is the message here. In a stage show, your breakout song basically stops the show, and is meant to be both part of the narrative but also a standalone performance for the audience. In a movie musical, especially one like this, the song continues to be part of the overall storytelling experience, and storytelling takes precedence over pure vocal performance in this film.

The studio album they put out for this movie will definitely have Anne singing a more vocally robust version of this song.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Wow, the trailer gave me chills. The sets, the costumes and the cinematography all look spectacular. Based on the trailer, Hooper seems like the perfect fit for the film adaptation of the Les Misérables musical.

 

[AnneFan]

Agreed. On stage, they're usually singing it into the rafters, but she's dying at this point. It sounds right the way she's singing it here.

I agree. There is a sense of vulnerability with her interpretation of the song that recalls all the previous hurt and the current situation. It sounds like a real human being singing the song and not just a stage performer.

 

[DACrowe]

On an ironic note, both Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway were almost in the 2004 film version of The Phantom of the Opera.

The role of the Phantom was offered to Hugh Jackman who turned it down (too bad, because while Gerard Butler was solid in that role, Jackman would have knocked it out of the park) and Anne Hathaway almost got the part of Christine Daaé until Webber saw Emmy Rossum at the last minute and cast her in the role instead. I think that actually worked out well because Rossum has a more powerful voice and that is so central to the part of Christine (and the story of POTO) that it worked out while Hathaway's pure intensity can work for something like Les Mis much better.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I'm going to guess neither of you are going to change your avatars to Anne sobbing while her hair is being hacked off.

 

[Brother Jack]

Strong trailer, and I'm not even a big fan of musicals.

 

[danoyse]

We're about to be overtaken by Thread Manager...still taking suggestions for the new thread name!

 

[Raiden]

On an ironic note, both Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway were almost in the 2004 film version of The Phantom of the Opera.

The role of the Phantom was offered to Hugh Jackman who turned it down (too bad, because while Gerard Butler was solid in that role, Jackman would have knocked it out of the park) and Anne Hathaway almost got the part of Christine Daaé until Webber saw Emmy Rossum at the last minute and cast her in the role instead. I think that actually worked out well because Rossum has a more powerful voice and that is so central to the part of Christine (and the story of POTO) that it worked out while Hathaway's pure intensity can work for something like Les Mis much better.

I actually thought Gerald Butler was terrible as The Phantom, and Patrick Wilson sang circles around him. I was most disappointed with the part of The Phantom in the movie.

 

[sideburnking]

This looks great!
In particular, I LOVE the casting of Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham- Carter as the Thenardiers. I bet it'll be worth every penny of the ticket price just to see/ hear the two of them performing 'Master of the House'!

 

[Thread Manager]

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