Les Miserables

ASUADPi · #1 12-21-2012, 10:39 PM

Anyone else excited about this movie opening on Christmas day or just me?

glittergal1985 · #2 12-21-2012, 10:44 PM

I can't wait! I will be seeing it December 26

happilyanchored · #3 12-21-2012, 10:49 PM

I'll be on vacation so I won't be able to see it until January! But I can't wait, I've been dying to see this ever since it was announced. Les Miserables is one of my favorite musicals ever!

AGDee · #4 12-21-2012, 11:18 PM

I sent a text to Hypo earlier this week asking "Will you go see Les Miserables with me while you're home?" and got a response "Of course!" Can't wait!!

Smile_Awhile · #5 12-22-2012, 12:03 AM

My mom, fiance, and I will probably be attending Christmas night!!! My office got mailed some passes to a pre-screening, but I wasn't able to attend.

DeltaBetaBaby · #6 12-22-2012, 01:17 AM

Yeah, I've been obsessing over pretty much every trailer/clip that's out. The latest shows the Thenadiers, and that made me so happy.

indygphib · #7 12-22-2012, 09:28 AM

Count me in!

Cheerio · #8 12-22-2012, 02:32 PM

Is this the movie version of a play (opera?) that was filmed very poorly? There IS one of those in movie theatres this holiday season but I can't recall which movie-from-a-play is the 'bad' one.

ASUADPi · #9 12-23-2012, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Is this the movie version of a play (opera?) that was filmed very poorly? There IS one of those in movie theatres this holiday season but I can't recall which movie-from-a-play is the 'bad' one.

I'm not sure what you mean by "bad one".

This movie version is based off the musical. The musical is based off the book. The book, Les Miserables, has been turned into movies before, but this is the first time the musical has been turned into a movie.

I'm not too happy that Itunes just released the "highlights". I'm not going to buy it because I'm sure in a couple weeks time the entire soundtrack will be released. The highlight is missing the following "main" songs (and plus a lot of minor ones, as the musical is strictly singing, but I've heard the movie won't be, much like the Rent movie was)...

1. Lovely Ladies (seriously one of my favorite songs, I've always said if I could be in Les Miz, I'd want to be one of the "whores")
2. Who Am I
3. Fantine's Death/Come With Me
4. The Bargain/The Thenardier Waltz of Treachery
5. Do You Hear the People Sing (why this isn't on it, who knows)
6. The Attack on Rue Plumet
7. Little People (go Gavroche)
8. A Little Fall of Rain
9. Dog Eats Dog
10. Turning

There is a new song called "Suddenly". I'm sure this was written so that it could be nominated for an Academy Award, as the rest of the songs cannot be.

The movie also can't be nominated for Best Original Screenplay, but it couldn't be in the first place as it is a movie based off a musical that is based off a book, hence it would need to be an Adapted Screenplay.

I'm sure it will garner some Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

CutiePie2000 · #10 12-26-2012, 03:25 AM

Am I the only person on these boards who remembers this version from 1998? I don't think it was a "musical" version, but with actors like Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush and Claire Danes, it's not exactly a crap lineup.

CutiePie2000 · #11 12-26-2012, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Is this the movie version of a play (opera?) that was filmed very poorly? There IS one of those in movie theatres this holiday season but I can't recall which movie-from-a-play is the 'bad' one.

No idea, but I'm sure if you google "December 2012 holiday movie releases", you'll know in about 3 seconds.

AlphaFrog · #12 12-26-2012, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

Am I the only person on these boards who remembers this version from 1998? I don't think it was a "musical" version, but with actors like Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush and Claire Danes, it's not exactly a crap lineup.

I found this one to be somewhat equal to the new version, obviously minus singing, which besides a few people (ANNE HATHAWAY - OMG!!!!) doesn't add much to the overall performance.

The new version:
Anne Hathaway wins this movie x50.

I will forever love Colm Wilkinson...great that he made an appearance.

Sacha Baron-Cohen and HBC actually made great Thénardiers.

Gavoroche was adorable and young Cosette was good.

To me, Eddie didn't have the right look for Marius, but I've mostly not been a fan of Marius' casting in any production I've seen.

I like that you could understand almost every word.

I liked that they added another level of humanity to Javert.

I didn't care for a lot of the straight-to-camera cinematography.

The rest of the people, I felt their performance was good, but their singing didn't add anything more than just speaking their lines would have (like I mentioned above). Russell Crowe had a few moments of musical brilliance, but he lacked the depth of someone like Phillip Quest.

AlphaFrog · #13 12-26-2012, 04:26 PM

I'm having trouble locating anything about this, but it seemed like many songs were in a higher key than the original (which is odd, because movies usually get transposed down). I suppose it could be that the tessitura of those cast aren't what we're used to hearing - rumor is that Amanda S. is a classically trained mezzo, but we're obviously used to hearing a soprano sing Cosette. It makes a difference to the ears.

ASUADPi · #14 12-27-2012, 08:40 AM

I read an article that said that Amanda essentially struggled with those high soprano notes. I've never understood why they (producers, directors) do that. Why cast someone who can't sing the part. They did it in Phantom of the Opera with Minnie Driver who didn't do any of the singing for Carlotta (as Carlotta is an operatic soprano and Minnie Driver is an alto). Then now with Amanda. They are so many talented actresses out there that can sing the part, cast them.

On youtube, Les Mis posted "official" videos of behind the scenes. One is Hugh Jackman talking about how in one of the songs (totally blanking now) Colm Wilkinson (original Valjean in both London and Broadway), made the notes higher and then all the other Valjeans just kind of followed suit. Well when Colm was on set for his part as the bishop he and Jackman talked and Colm told Jackman that the role was his now and make it his own, just like he did when he originated the roles.

I wish I could see it but I'm truly cash poor until next payday, so I will be seeing it next weekend (not like its not going to be there).

AlphaFrog · #15 12-27-2012, 08:50 AM

^^ I actually read that Minnie was the one who refused to sing for Carlotta - apparently she us capable and the producers wanted her to, but she didn't feel she could do it justice.

And, by the way, "alto" is not a term used in labeling fach (operatic voice parts). It's Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, and VERY RARELY Contralto.