Les Miserables Review Thread (Use Spoiler Tags)

[cinemaphile]

All of the recent updates and conversation about this went bye-bye in the Great Server Crash of 2012, so I wanted to repost the trailer and renew the conversation.
* I know there's already a thread on this movie buried somewhere, but the last pre-crash posts were months ago I think, and with the search function not operational I can't get to it. So mods if you can access it, feel free to merge.

Les Miserables - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTube

[cinemaphile]

Saw the trailer again tonight and I am so psyched to see this movie! It's probably my most anticipated film of 2012.

[toddly6666]

The server crash went all the way back to 1998 by the way. I'm so psyched to see Liam Neeson and Uma Thurman in this!

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Saw the trailer again tonight and I am so psyched to see this movie! It's probably my most anticipated film of 2012.

I've already SEEN my most anticipated film of 2012, and PBS has been running the 25th Anniversary concert video into the ground over the last pledge drive (that, and "Memphis"...Aaugh, make it stop, make it stop! )--
But I'll admit, the King's Speech director got it right. I'm all for movie musicals to preserve them for posterity, and this one seems to get the visual tone dead on.

[flyinmunky99]

Think this looks awesome. Liked the liam neeson version aswel.

Cant wait!

[thelittleprince]

Made me cringe when I heard Anne Hathaway sing I Dreamed a Dream in the trailer. Would have preferred one of the more capable stage actresses from one of the Les Mis productions. I guess they want star power in this movie to draw the big crowds. I hope the other actors will do a better job. Still looking forward to this though for the visuals.. I hope Miss Saigon and Wicked will get movie adaptations soon as well.

[Moviefan1203]

Les Miserables looks absolutely magnificent. I'm calling it right now, Hathaway will win Best Actress at the Academy Awards.

[Adam.C]

The trailer is fantastic. I really want to see this, and I am not one for musicals. I am a big Hugh Jackman fan though.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by thelittleprince

Made me cringe when I heard Anne Hathaway sing I Dreamed a Dream in the trailer. Would have preferred one of the more capable stage actresses from one of the Les Mis productions. I guess they want star power in this movie to draw the big crowds. I hope the other actors will do a better job. Still looking forward to this though for the visuals.. I hope Miss Saigon and Wicked will get movie adaptations soon as well.

In all honesty, given that Russell Crowe is portraying Javert, I think that Hathaway was doing a pretty damn good job with the little bit of I Dreamed A Dream that we get to hear in the trailer.

Russell Crowe singing Stars will be utterly atrocious.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

A collection of other songs sung by the Les Mis cast at some other point in their careers.

Did you hear the cast sing? - LES MIS 2012 - YouTube

Russel sounds pretty good. But, I still don't hear Javert anywhere in there.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

A collection of other songs sung by the Les Mis cast at some other point in their careers.

Did you hear the cast sing? - LES MIS 2012 - YouTube

Russel sounds pretty good. But, I still don't hear Javert anywhere in there.

I don't either, and 'Stars' has a vocal range that is pretty wide for a baritone.

[cinemaphile]

A bunch of song clips taken completely out of context tells us nothing about how they'll handle this musical.
I've heard most (not all) of these actors sing and I have no doubts or fears about any of them. I will admit, however, that I have not heard Crowe sing anything beyond his band performances, but those dont tell us much about his theatrical abilities.

[benzgrl]

Originally Posted by thelittleprince

Made me cringe when I heard Anne Hathaway sing I Dreamed a Dream in the trailer. Would have preferred one of the more capable stage actresses from one of the Les Mis productions. I guess they want star power in this movie to draw the big crowds. I hope the other actors will do a better job. Still looking forward to this though for the visuals.. I hope Miss Saigon and Wicked will get movie adaptations soon as well.

Funny how people so quick to judge Hathaway and don't know that she's actually a classically trained soprano - performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the All Eastern Honors Chorus before she became an actress. She actually won the part of Christine for the 2004 movie Phantom of the Opera oppposite Hugh Jackman - both had to back out of the movie due to scheduling conflict w/ filming Princess Diaries 2 (contractual obligation) and Hugh due to his filming of Van Helsing. As we all know, the parts went to Gerard Butler & Emmy Rossum.

There's no question as to Hugh's and Anne's ability to sing - the person we might be more interested in seeing how well their singing is is Amanda Seyfried who will be playing Cosette. She has a nice voice (Mamma Mia) but is not as trained. Rusell Crowe I have no idea about.

By the way, thought Anne's rendition of I Dreamed A Dream was fabulous and moving, deeply into character.

Here's Anne easily singing at Kennedy Center Honors for Meryl Streep:

Anne Hathaway sings "She's Me Pal" to Meryl Streep - YouTube

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

Funny how people so quick to judge Hathaway and don't know that she's actually a classically trained soprano - performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the All Eastern Honors Chorus before she became an actress. She actually won the part of Christine for the 2004 movie Phantom of the Opera oppposite Hugh Jackman - both had to back out of the movie due to scheduling conflict w/ filming Princess Diaries 2 (contractual obligation) and Hugh due to his filming of Van Helsing. As we all know, the parts went to Gerard Butler & Emmy Rossum.

There's no question as to Hugh's and Anne's ability to sing - the person we might be more interested in seeing how well their singing is is Amanda Seyfried who will be playing Cosette. She has a nice voice (Mamma Mia) but is not as trained. Rusell Crowe I have no idea about.

By the way, thought Anne's rendition of I Dreamed A Dream was fabulous and moving, deeply into character.

Here's Anne easily singing at Kennedy Center Honors for Meryl Streep:

Anne Hathaway sings "She's Me Pal" to Meryl Streep - YouTube

Amanda might not be 'trained' but listen to the deleted song 'The Name of the Game' from 'Mamma Mia' she really nails the song

The Name of the Game

[JenM]

I thought Anne sounded great. They're singing live, not lip-synching to a track, and considering Fantine's situation (which, even if you're not familiar with the stage version, is not good at all), she shouldn't be trying to sing it like an American Idol contestant.

It looks like the song happens at a different point than where it happened on stage - its after she sells her hair and presumably after joining the "lovely ladies", so it just sounded right the way she is singing it.

Fun fact: Anne's mother played Fantine in the first national tour of Les Mis.

Can't wait to see the movie. This is my favorite musical and it looks amazing.

[cinemaphile]

FALSE. They are singing on set, so it wont look like lip syncing, but that audio will not be used. they are singing along to the prerecorded track being played on set which will be used in the final film. there is bts footage of hugh which confirms this.

people had the same misconception about Across the Univrse. they CANT sing live on set and use that audio when the scene will be cutting between shots/takes, not to mention locations. It would only work if they used one continuous take.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

FALSE. They are singing on set, so it wont look like lip syncing, but that audio will not be used. they are singing along to the prerecorded track being played on set which will be used in the final film. there is bts footage of hugh which confirms this.

people had the same misconception about Across the Univrse. they CANT sing live on set and use that audio when the scene will be cutting between shots/takes, not to mention locations. It would only work if they used one continuous take.

the 5.1 mix for the trailer - which I saw before 'Snow White and the Huntsman' gave me goosebumps.... oh this movie (or December for that matter) couldn't come any sooner could it?

[The Mad Kiwi]

Originally Posted by JenM

It looks like the song happens at a different point than where it happened on stage - its after she sells her hair and presumably after joining the "lovely ladies", so it just sounded right the way she is singing it.

I noticed that, and I'm surprised more people haven't pointed that out. I like where they moved it since they seemed to have placed it right when Fantine has hit rock bottom, whereas in the show, she sings it before she's about to head in that direction.

A lot of people have been giving Hathaway grief for her rendition of the song, and I admit I was taken aback when first seeing the teaser since I expected her to belt it. But she gave me major goosebumps (especially when I saw it in theaters), and the approach makes sense. Someone in that situation isn't going to be singing purely and loudly. From what I've heard Hooper say in interviews, he's approaching this as realistically as possible, and that means the actors will be approaching these numbers as actors first, singers second. I'm perfectly fine with that. It may not make for the most pleasing listening experience in isolation on the soundtrack, but in the context of the film, it should work beautifully. I do admit, though, that I hope Jackman belts "Bring Him Home."

[cinemaphile]

Actually last night I heard the original cast version of the song again, and I thought it sounded too over-the-top and operatic. I think I actually prefer Hathaway's version.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

I've been thinking about this A LOT the last few days and I've been researching the film cast. And I am conclusively content with everyone except Crowe. And that's only because I haven't been able to find anything that makes me believe he can sing the part of Javert. I trust that he can sing. I trust that he can play the gravitas of Javert. I just have extreme reservations about his ability to combine both efficiently.