Comments on Les Miserables movie

[steven22]

Just had a thought, Samantha Barks would be a great Elphaba in WICKED. Just time time for the movie....?

[TBFL]

Not a bad idea! Back on the 'id do anything' tv programme, she did attempt defying gravity and wasn't great, but that was a long time ago and she has improved so much since then. If she gets amazing reviews, she could definitely be a contender.

[scripps]

I was at the 7:30 screening tonight and the director, Tom Hopper came on stage to introduce the film and stated that he put the finishing touches on it at 2 AM Thanksgiving morning. I guess he is clearly an idiot, misremembering or poorly shilling his product.

[best12bars]

"Apparently, the creative team on the movie finished editing the movie last night at 2am!"

No. Not possible. And anyone saying that is clearly an idiot, mishearing it, or a shill.


Yes, it's possible, especially with digital media and projection.

bk, where do you get your information?

[best12bars]

Jackman praised Hooper saying he was a real warrior and didn’t think he got more than three hours sleep a night for the past four months in getting the film ready to be seen. Hooper confirmed it. “I finished it at 2AM yesterday and was already screening it today at Alice Tully Hall. I don’t think I’ve ever been more exhausted. But it’s been an extraordinary response. I think they broke into applause 14 or 15 times during the film. I remember the audience breaking into applause near the end of The King’s Speech but this is taking that to a new level. Towards the end of this film today this weird thing happened like a rustling kind of sound. For a minute I freaked out wondering what’s that odd sound on the soundtrack. I looked around and realized it’s the sound of people crying en masse. Rather extrarodinary for me,” he said.

LINK

[My Oh My]

"I ain't wasting my time reading what seems to be a 5 page rant over a troll's post. Really?!!"

LOL. Someone mentioned misconceptions about the musical, and I interjected with examples, but you knew that already.

I'm glad you know that reading posts on the internet is still optional. The more you know...

[henrikegerman]

I'm optimistic, but let's not forget. During the first screenings of Dreamgirls, the audience broke into applause a multitude of times as well; sometimes when it was justified; that didn't make it a great movie. Or even a good one.

[lotiloti]

It certainly IS possible to have finished @ 2am that morning. Movies are no longer on film. In the digital world, it is much easier & quicker.It would have only been final tweaks,to complete the DCP. And I do know what I'm talking about.

[wickedfan]

To be fair, Henrik, the first screening of Dreamgirls that received such high praise and wild applause wasn't of the whole movie, but of the first 20 minutes or so (up until either "Fake Your Way to the Top" or "Cadillac Car").

[My Oh My]

Dreamgirls film was too long. I lost interest 2/3 of the way through but that's probably more about the story running out of steam even in the original stage version. I thought they'd fix that for the film. Instead, they made it longer. XD

I wonder what song didn't make it into the Les Mis film adaptation? Which song is more effective on stage and far less so enough on film that adapting it wouldn't make a difference? Don't mind me...thinking out loud.

[Fan2]

It's been reported that the song that was cut is an Act 2 song - don't know if it's a spoiler or not so I won't post it but it's not one of my favorites and sung by Thenardier.

[Movidude742]

I think people usually know the show so well by now that they forget that the playbill included a partial synopsis to fill in the gaps. I don't know if they still do it but it certainly happened on the original Broadway run and the tours of that production. I think they even used some of that text as interstitials in the 10th Anniversary concert

[willep]

Interesting tweet...

"Jeremy Smith ?@mrbeaks
One LES MIZ caveat: went to early screening of THE PRODUCERS in '05 filled with fans of the musical. Walked out convinced it would be a hit."


Yes, a lot of the buzz around yesterday's screenings in NYC is fantastic, but keep in mind most of that audience was primed to like it. It will be interesting when we hear from more people who aren't familiar with the show/story and such and fans already going in.

[Fan2]

There were also a lot of film bloggers/reviewers/critics there who had the same reactions. There are tons of screenings today in LA so there will be a lot more tweets and reviews today.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

The reason I trust these reactions more than those from fans of DREAMGIRLS or THE PRODUCERS is that people like Pete Hammond, Kris Tapley and, especially, Dave Karger (well known film critics and Oscar bloggers) saw it and were as wowed by the film as the fans. Tapley had been very skeptical about the movie throughout the year, often criticizing what he called a "claustrophobic" feel to the movie and after seeing it, he says he cried and thinks all the actors in the ensemble deserve Oscar recognition. Plus, the film has had amazing buzz for a while now, these early reactions only confirm that.

[scripps]

Concerning Act 2's cut song, "Dog Eats Dog," doesn't make it.

I'd like to see the film again before I make any real criticism but I have to say that the new placement of "On My Own" just doesn't work for me. You now have essentially three songs of Eponine self-pity in a row ("In My Life," "A Heart Full of Love" and "On My Own") and it's just redundant at that point.

If anyone has any questions though, feel free to PM me, I'd be happy to answer.

[little_sally]

For the first time ever, I'm disappointed I won't get to hear "Dog Eat Dog" just because I'm really excited for Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier.

[little_sally]

Sorry, double post.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Not sure if this link's been posted yet...
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER analysis of first screening

[willep]

I'm sad we won't get to see Cohen's take on Dog Eats Dog as well...hopefully it will be a deleted scene on the DVD (Director's cut, perhaps?).

[bobs3]

There is a critics review embargo until December 11 but several reports (Huff Post, Variety, Hollywood Reporter) have hinted that the movie is going to be a critics favorite.

The IMDB is not allowing any audience reviews to be posted yet. (I'm sure it has something to do with that big advertisement on the Les Miserables page -- must have cost a pretty penny.)

[jacobsnchz14]

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/tom-hooper-unveils-les-miserables-to-over-the-moon-theater-loving-nyc-audience

http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2012/11/les-miserables-nyc-screening-met-with-standing-ovations-director-tom-hooper-and-cast-cheered/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/23/les-miserables-screening_n_2181475.html

http://collider.com/les-miserables-audience-reactions/213369/

http://collider.com/2013-oscar-preview-best-picture-best-director/213417/

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

http://www.goldderby.com/news/3627/les-miserables-lesmiserables-oscars-entertainment-news-721685394.html

http://www.goldderby.com/news/3626/les-miserables-lesmiserables-oscars-entertainment-news-721694853.html

[CapnHook]

If an Academy member happens to need a +1 for a NYC screening, I'll make myself available to join!

[henrikegerman]

"To be fair, Henrik, the first screening of Dreamgirls that received such high praise and wild applause wasn't of the whole movie, but of the first 20 minutes or so (up until either "Fake Your Way to the Top" or "Cadillac Car")."

Wickedfan, I wasn't talking about the enthusiastic applause-filled reactions during that screening of the first 20 minutes of Dreamgirls (I wasn't there so I'll take your word for it), I was talking about the wildly positive applause-filled audience response during the opening week of the movie at the Ziegfeld (I was there).

[Kad]

I think Gold Derby is underestimating Lincoln.