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I have read several message boards about the Les Mis film and the more I read, the more annoyed I get. Let me preface this by saying that I am qualified to be a music snob. I have lots of training, perform on a regular basis, have won many awards, and have been directed by some of the world's best. With that being said...I don't understand all the criticism for this movie! People in the classical music and theater industry should be thanking and backing Tom Hooper for stirring up a huge interest in a genre that is losing audience. Have you been to a symphony or musical lately? The majority of the audience is silver hair (nothing against silver hairs). The newer generations are putting their money into computer-generated music and horrible half-ass pop concerts, while the classical and theatrical community is slowly dying. I think this movie is beautifully done. It has something for everyone- big name stars, sweeping panoramic vistas, storylines and characters that we can identify with, and wonderful songs.
I keep reading all the reviews from die-hard Les Mis fans whining about who could and couldn't sing, blah blah blah. Okay, sure. No one blew my mind in the classical singing technique department, but that was not what the movie was about. I am willing to bet that in the next few months, there will be a new interest in the musical, generating more money for the touring shows and on Broadway/West End. And I think it will be a new audience that has never attended a musical before. I also think that the Victor Hugo novel will be overstocked on bookstore shelves. Thanks Tom Hooper for creating something that the general public can digest and for sparking a new interest in the realm of Broadway music!
Saw it in London, on Broadway and the movie on Christmas Day. Each is terrific in its own way. Today I found this 25th Anniversary Concert which is 2 hours, 49 minutes long. The last half hour or so has the original cast singing some terrific numbers with later casts. 4 Valjeans singing One Day More is not to be missed.
The theater was packed during a midday showing here in Tampa. Couldn't believe it. Thought most people would rather see a shoot-em up movie. I have a little more respect for the level of culture in this area. Most unexpected.
Just got home from seeing it and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. Magnificent sets, great singing and I cried pretty much the whole way through. I've seen it twice on stage and this was far more moving than the stage versions, even as moving as they were. Went to see it with my best friend and we had to sit in the theater for several minutes after it ended just to put ourselves back together again. Had I watched it at home there would have been a lot more out loud bawling. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
mezzogirl, thanx for your considered input based on your training and experience. There isn't much in the theatre arts that I appreciate more than a stage voice. I haven't yet seen this film but expect to do so sometime after kids return to school and moms return to work. I too have seen the musical productions on TV with well trained voices. And I was okay with Mr. Jonas singing the Marius role. And I have read the book. The last page took almost as long to read as the previous hundreds of pages, slowed by a flood of tears between each following word. I can only suspect that critics of this - or any production of Les Miserables has either not read the book or just didn't appreciate the story.
I hated "Les Miserables" ( the musical) precisely because I love Hugo's Masterpiece so much. I found it contrived and realy painful to sit through. I am not sure I can cope with a screen adaptation of the Musical. I might be dragged to see it by friends but I can't say it appeals. I adore the book ( one of my favourite books) and some of the films were superb but a Musical of it to me is tantamount to Blasphemy. I suppose most musicals make me shudder though I love Opera.
I found Schonberg's score really grating and the lyrics ( whether in French or English ) rash inciting. It seems I am in a tiny minority though. Whatever floats people's boats I suppose...
And I have read the book. Many, many times, for pleasure and also studied it at school. I am a huge fan of Hugo both as a Poet and a writer but to me all the musicality of the text and its poetic wonders are lost in a sea of mawkishness and triteness which I simply cannot like....
I resent the implication that people like me have not read or understood the book.... Considering I am French this was part of my basic education....
I saw this yesterday, and I thought is was amazing, as did DH. The entire movie is well made, and I can only think of a few nitpicky things I noticed as off or distracting. The music is beautiful, of course. The acting is also very fine. I think the recording of the songs directly on camera gives an immediacy and emotional effect similar to seeing this in a theater, but I also think doing so gives a less finished sound. But the camera gets you into the story immediately, and you stay there throughout. Hugh Jackman does a very good job inhabiting his character; as many reviews have noted, Anne Hathaway is amazing. But so is Eddie Redmayne who is a fine actor with a lovely singing voice. Some reviews I read suggested that Russell Crowe is out of his singing depth, and yes, he sounded as if he had had a bunch of voice lessons but hadn't quite found his voice. I didn't mind that so much, because it could easily be part of his character. But to me he is a bit miscast. I had trouble believing in his characterization. Everyone else--superb.
You should see this movie. Take tissues. Ask yourself what it is telling you about forgiveness, our duty to the poor, our ability to love. "To love someone is to see the face of God." No kidding, this is a great movie. A feast.
I liked it better than the theatrical production I saw several years ago.
Saw it in London, on Broadway and the movie on Christmas Day. Each is terrific in its own way. Today I found this 25th Anniversary Concert which is 2 hours, 49 minutes long. The last half hour or so has the original cast singing some terrific numbers with later casts. 4 Valjeans singing One Day More is not to be missed.
It's doing extremely well at the boxoffice in spite of the length and the subject matter; it grossed $9,400,000 yesterday, right behind 'Django Unchained', which took in $9,600,000, & 'The Hobbit', which took in $10,700,000.
Total boxoffice receipt after its first four days are estimated at a stellar 48,400,000, an all-time record for a musical, so perhaps that packed movie theatre in Tampa wasn't that big of a surprise after all, since it's packing patrons in everywhere.
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