It's not perfect but I really liked most of it. Crowe just seemed to back off of every note..like he was self-conscious about singing. His presence is strong but the singing came across as tentative. He seemed to be trying for subtle and quietly seething when at times he needed to be big. I missed the bigness of some of the music, especially in the first half. Still, as a fan who's seen it probably 25 times on stages all over the world..it's good to have it permanently captured. Makes me want to get back to London soon for the live experience.
Just got back from a noon screening in Pittsburgh; I was very surprised that the theatre was as full as it was (about 3/4).
Enjoyed the movie over all; thought the acting and design elements were quite solid. It was certainly a feast for the eyes.
I had issues with understanding lyrics (I think I would've had an extremely difficult time understanding what anybody was singing/saying if I didn't know the score so well already) and with the way the film was edited. One shot would sometimes move to another so quickly that I was unsure of the action that had just occurred in the former shot.
Regardless of its flaws, any form of mainstream media that brings musical theatre to a forefront gets high marks in my book!
It was weird seeing black bars at either side of the screen, such that it almost felt like watching a 4:3 movie. Why did they do this, and is this common for movies to do? (I.e. which other movies and musicals have done this recently?) I never really noticed it until this movie. I wondered if they made a mistake at my cinema..
Maybe in the past they have put the curtains in the right place so I haven't really noticed.
I just got back from the movie and it was FANTASTIC. The scenery and the music were both beautiful.
Hugh Jackman was perfection as Jean Valjean. His acting and singing were excellent.
Anne Hathaway was just wonderful as Fantine. Her singing was absolutely lovely and she gave the character so much depth.
I also enjoyed Amanda Seyfried as Cosette. Her singing voice was pretty and this was one of the best acting performances that I have seen from her.
Russell Crowe's singing wasn't awful like Pierce Brosnan's was in 'Mamma Mia'. It just was not strong enough for the role like Gerard Butler's was not in 'The Phantom of the Opera'. His acting was fine though.
When I first heard that Samantha Barks was cast as Eponine I was a little disappointed because I wanted to see someone new in the role. But she was very good like she was in the 25th Anniversary Concert.
Eddie Redmayne and Aaron Tveit's performances were terrific and I thought Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen were great villains.
I plan on seeing the film again with my friend this weekend and I am very much looking forward to it.
If you saw "black bars" on the sides, they didn't set the theatre right for displaying the proper "Academy flat" ratio of 1.85:1.
"Les Miz" was filmed that way, for some unknown reason for an "epic" of this scale. The two most common aspect ratios for modern films are 1.85:1 and 2.35:1, also known as CinemaScope.
Both are widescreen formats, but CinemaScope is the widest. Most action movies today or big adventure movies are shot in the wider format. It makes the movies feel more expansive and just plain "bigger."
Many smaller dramas and comedies still use the Academy ratio. Up until recently Spielberg also preferred this ratio. Of his earlier films, Jaws and Close Encounters used CinemaScope, but E.T., The Color Purple, Schindler's List, etc., all used the Academy flat ratio. And Woody Allen always shoots in this format. There are other "epic" movies, such as Out of Africa, that were shot Academy flat, not the wider CinemaScope.
There is an opinion by many directors that this ratio is better for actors and "acting." Audiences will focus more on the acting and less on the expansive scenery. I disagree with this. A good director and cinematographer can frame scenes and capture performances very well in the wider CinemaScope ratio.
Although, I will say that a majority of the Oscar-winning performances since the 1970s have come from Academy ratio films, not CinemaScope, so there may be something psychologically to that format.
Could not agree with you, more. Crowe was a major disappointment. No expression whatsoever, and a very marginal voice. Loved Ann Hathaway, and Hugh Jackman.
"I loved seeing some West End actresses in the credits: Dianne Pilkington"
I read in previous articles that her 'Wicked' co-stars Kerry Ellis and Alexia Khadime were in the film but I did not know that she was a part of it as well.
I also forgot to mention in my previous post that the performances from the kids: Isabelle Allen, Daniel Huttlestone, and Natalya Angel Wallace were very good.
Crowe wasn't as bad as I worried he'd be - as was pointed out, at least this wasn't a Pierce Brosnan situation - but yeah, even next to Jackman, who was struggling with the upper range of Valjean, Crowe just didn't have the vocal expressiveness of a real musical theater performer. I did enjoy the hell out of "The Confrontation," though, because there was actual staging and things happening, which let Crowe and Jackman's acting come to the fore.
I do think that saying that Crowe "even next to Jackman" sounded bad underrates Jackman's singing ability. Jackman is a 'true' musical theatre singer who gave a good performance, even if it was slightly strained sometimes and not perfect. He is not a non-singer cast in a singing role. Crowe simply cannot sing.
Recently I have found myself thinking about possible edits that could have reduced the running time and tightened things up.
Suddenly- Yea I get the point they want a new song for Academy eligibility but still- cut ( 2.3 mins)
Red & the Black. Some may love this song- I'd have reduce a least a chorus and maybe a verse. Slows down sooo much. 20 secs cut
At least one verse out of Master of the House. U can barely make out the lyrics anyway as the Rube Goldberg version of larceny spins in front of u. 15 205 secs
The early case sequence in the streets- gut by 10 secs & we still get the msg.
Drink With me cut a chorus. 15- 20 sec
Valjeans's wanderings after release -we get it NObody want u! 10-15 sec.
Any Others? ( no wholesale butchery like cutting out ALL for Crowe's singing!)
Avengers was also filmed like that. It bothers me in the theater, yes, but once I own said film on dvd/bluray its a none issue since it generally fills my entire flatscreen.
I wish they would have sexed things up a little. At least when they were getting ready for the revolution.. maybe have some boys, shirtless, getting dressed. Maybe some getting out of bed after making love to their women for the last time. Just something to humanize them a little more. This was my only complaint. But I say this about everything.
I loved it. Granted, I love Les Miserables anyway and will blindly enjoy any exposure to it, but I was pleased.
Anne Hathaway has never been a favorite of mine, but credit where it's due - she was phenomenal. The most honest Fantine I've ever seen.
I was also really surprised by Eddie Redmayne. I usually detest Marius and hate the fact that he's one of the few that survives, but I loved him in this and he turned "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" into a new favorite. He was charismatic, interesting...I can't rave about him enough.
Also impressive: Samantha Barks (she reminded me why I used to love Eponine so much), little Gavroche, Aaron Tveit (again reaffirming that Enjolras is actually the best character), Hugh Jackman (not perfect, but I was okay with him), and I actually really liked both SBC and HBC.
I didn't hate Russell Crowe - most of the time he acted it well enough that I could look past the voice. But "Stars" is my favorite song, so that hurt a bit. Amanda Seyfried was the only thing I truly hated. Cosette is tough to play, I assume - she generally doesn't get a big ballad like the others, nor much character development. But yikes. She couldn't sing it AT ALL. I usually like Amanda in other things, but I just can't with her in this.
Going back tomorrow...I expect I'll have a SLIGHTLY more critical eye this time around!
I'm mixed on it. The performances ranged from serviceable to wonderful, but I'm one of those people who just don't do well with nearly three hours of shaky-cam. I'll be able to watch it at home when it's released on blu ray and the screen is not filling my entire field of vision, but I certainly won't be a repeat viewer at the movies, as I don't need another bout of movie-induced motion sickness.
I havn't read the book but does/did Jean Valjean ever have any female company? And maybe the book explains how he got to be mayor,owned a factory--there seemed to be so many gaps-also with the students-I never questioned this with the stage show-maybe a movie is more 'in your face' and the gaps more obvious[to me]-maybe I SHOULD read the book.
I can see people having trouble coming up with a way to label the student cause in a concise manner, but do people really not at all get what they're fighting for?
It is only mentioned repeatedly that General Lamarque--the last man in the government to give a rat's ass about the plight of the poor--is deathly ill and, as Marius notes, "fading fast."
The impoverishment of the city has gotten out of control thanks to a corrupt, uncaring government and once Lamarque passes on, so will their last shred of hope. This is why upon notice of his death, Enjolras and his followers take to the streets handing out flyers that detail their cause and hope to rally civilian support in what they feel will culminate in an insurrection by the people against the government that they hope to overthrow.
Like I said, I understand not getting exactly what I detailed above from a single viewing of a version of the musical, but most know it is a fight for freedom and justice from a corrupt ruler by civilians that is initiated by idealistic students of a local university.
At bare minimum, the vast majority of audiences do seem to get that it's a fight on behalf of the impoverished, who are the victims of corruption. That's what I understood from it when I saw it for the first time at age 11.
It is based on an actual June rebellion that took place in France, and it is not the French Revolution.
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Posted: 12/27/12 at 01:46pm