Went to a screening of

[minicko88]

Two Questions...

How was the Bishop scene? I am anxious to see Colm!

Also, how does Russel perform Stars? I am very worried he won't be able to pull it off...

[Mister Matt]

Great, but the character was kind of annoying at times. Sometime you get the "oh him again?" .... 'cause all he does is going after Hugh Jackman throughout the ENTIRE film and the film spans like over 10 years. Get a life already.

So...you're not a fan of the main plot to the story? I mean, it's not like it was changed specifically for this film. Or do you mean you didn't like the way his character was filmed? I just thought that comment was a bit confusing.

[sueb1863]

Yeah, bringing Valjean to justice IS Javert's life! It's the same way in the stage show and mostly that way in the book, although in the book it's more a matter of them just constantly running into each other.

[BroadwayStar4]

How did Eponine's role get reduced? This makes no sense to me. This is sung-through. If they reduced her screen time, did they took out her parts in The Attack on Rue Plumet, One Day More, Eponine's Errand, etc,

One of the critics said that she almost stole the show, how is that possible if her role is apparently so small in this?

[broadwaydevil]

I often wonder how old some of the people who post on here are. Les Miserables was written in the 1860s and is part of the Romantic movement. At the time, writers were very interested in exploring the human psyche and the idea of monomania - an individual's singular obsession with a particular task. Ever read Moby Dick? Why is Ahab so obsessed with some whale? It's the same idea. Javert lives for justice and to him Valjean has been slipping through the cracks and epitomizes injustice. The only mechanism for making all that's right in society is by bringing him to justice, no matter how long it takes. Sure, it seems ridiculous on the face of it, but it's literature.

Javert's obsession with Valjean has nothing to do with how the film was cut or edited and all to do with the source material.

[SueleenGay]

I love how you state: It's absolutely flawless and perfect in every way. I don't think they could've done it any better... and then you kind of go on about how they COULD have made it better.

The clip on line of Javert/24601 makes it appear that they could have certainly made it better in the make-up design.

[DAME]

Well I got all that from the film. And if I had not.. then it would have been the films fault. I don't go see a movie and judge it by its source material. I let it stand on its own.

[jpbran]

"I often wonder how old... Les Miserables was written in the 1860s..."

I think I know what you're saying, but when you're talking about the 1860s, what does someone's age TODAY matter?

[camncal]

"How was the Bishop scene? I am anxious to see Colm!"

It was good. Nothing bad, nothing good. He does return for the finale.

"Also, how does Russel perform Stars? I am very worried he won't be able to pull it off..."

I don't remember the original, but i thought he was good for what i saw.

[theaternut]

I hated Russels "Stars".

[camncal]

"I love how you state: It's absolutely flawless and perfect in every way. I don't think they could've done it any better... and then you kind of go on about how they COULD have made it better."

Every film can be made better, but i do believe they did the best they could with this and what i wrote are my opinions, i stand by the fact that they put out a solid perfect film adaptation of the musical.

[camncal]

"How did Eponine's role get reduced? This makes no sense to me. This is sung-through. If they reduced her screen time, did they took out her parts in The Attack on Rue Plumet, One Day More, Eponine's Errand, etc,

One of the critics said that she almost stole the show, how is that possible if her role is apparently so small in this?"

I took a friend to another screening of it today, and she also agreed that Eponine didn't get enough screen time, because my friend really liked her. The Attack on Rue Plumet was shorter than the stage version? It felt brief. One Day More had a bunch of people singing with a bunch of cutaways, so she wasn't the focus. Eponine's Errand was very short as well.

I think the focus was just never really on her. For instance, Attack on Rue Plumet, you were so much more in it for Cosset and her safety. One Day More, it was everyone. Eponine's Errand felt like it was more of a moment for Marius.

However, she has an awesome death scene.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I think maybe he was pointing out that something can't be flawless if you go to list its flaws. Kind of like when you just said, "It was good. Nothing bad, nothing good."

[My Oh My]

I'm immediately wary of people who say something is perfect, flawless but...could have been done better.

And I wouldn't take the audience applause as anything unique. These are screenings where the director and some of its stars are in attendance. Audiences are very good at kissing ass at such events.

[eatlasagna]

didn't really want to start a new thread since i am lazy... and i'm too lazy to see if someone posted this... but the young Cosette in the movie is going to perform the part in London... that's cool... and it's a nice article

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/l-les-mis-ingenue-isabelle-allen-poised-stardom-184119938.html

[scripps]

I'm happy I'm not the only one who felt Eponine was superfluous in the film. Granted, I've never liked her enhanced role in the musical, but there are a few revisions and exclusions in the film concerning her character that really give her the shaft.

First of which is song order, or rather, Eponine's quartet of self-pity (In My Life. A Heart Full of Love, On My Own and One Day More). Here you have four songs, pretty much in a row of Eponine singing about the same damn thing, over and over. We get it.

Remember that moment after the botched robbery attempt, when oblivious Marius introduces Eponine to Cosette as his "friend" who brought him to her and just saved the day again? Cut. Remember when Marius, at his wedding tells the Thenadier's that Eponine was "more than you deserved, who gave her birth." Cut.
At least with small moments like such, you can gather that Marius actually cared about this poor love sick girl, so her affections don't appear completely unfounded.

Also, the film now has Fantine and the Bishop appearing to Valjean in death. No more Eponine appearing and singing that to "love another person is to see the face of God;" and this only makes sense, it's Valjean's conclusion to his story after all.

[BroadwayStar4]

The Attack on Rue Plumet was shorter than the stage version? It felt brief. One Day More had a bunch of people singing with a bunch of cutaways, so she wasn't the focus. Eponine's Errand was very short as well.

I think the focus was just never really on her. For instance, Attack on Rue Plumet, you were so much more in it for Cosset and her safety. One Day More, it was everyone. Eponine's Errand felt like it was more of a moment for Marius.

Well I wouldn't take your word for it. You really showed no proof of even going to the screening of this film. You didn't even bother to mention if her part was cut shorter in "The Robbery" or not.

"It's like she comes on, sings her song, and then became a background character"

Obviously that's not true since she sings more than one song. Is she also in the background of her own death scene? You're seriously not making any sense.


.

[camncal]

"Well I wouldn't take your word for it. You really showed no proof of even going to the screening of this film. You didn't even bother to mention if her part was cut shorter in "The Robbery" or not...Obviously that's not true since she sings more than one song. Is she also in the background of her own death scene? You're seriously not making any sense."


People like you is exactly why i barely post on the board here. Just because you have a different opinion, you want to attack. I'm simply sharing my personal thoughts on the film as i know people in the Broadway world cares about the film. If you've seen the movie, you'll know what i'm talking about. She's simply not in the film enough, simple as that. if you don't like my opinion, then open your own thread.

i barely remember the stage production, so I can't compare much to the stage production other than being familiar with I Dreamed of a Dream and On My Own.

As for "The Robbery" i don't even know the song, i googled the lyrics, and the only part i remember from the film was a little conversation between her and Marius-

Marius :I like the way you always tease
Eponine: Little he knows! Little he sees!

Besides On My Own and death scene as her shining moments, she is more of a background character. The story always focused more on Marius and Cosset when she's involved.


If anyone have questions about anything, just PM me. Going stop checking here since the film is coming out soon.

[henrikegerman]

"It was good. Nothing bad, nothing good."

Is this Les Miserables or A Tale of Two Cities?

[DivaBrigader]

I have seen a screening as well (loved it) and one Eponine moment I missed specifically was the acknowledgment from Marius that she is there fighting as a boy ("God Eponine, the things you do / I know this is no place for me, still I would rather be with you," etc.) It felt like she was just there as a guy the entire time and everyone knew it.

[Movidude742]

"How did Eponine's role get reduced? This makes no sense to me. This is sung-through. If they reduced her screen time, did they took out her parts in The Attack on Rue Plumet, One Day More, Eponine's Errand, etc,

One of the critics said that she almost stole the show, how is that possible if her role is apparently so small in this?"

If I said reduced I misspoke. It was condensed. Other than Fall of Rain, her scenes are all pushed together into one sequence. So all of her scenes are there, if trimmed here and there, but they happen all at once and then she takes a back seat until she dies. And then when that happens, I don't even think that "She is the first to fall . . ." eulogy is sung, she is just carried off.

In the show she is woven through more of the action over a longer stretch of time. we get to savor her for a longer period of time. She is my favorite character in the piece so it may be more of a gut feeling than a a quantifiable fact.

[BroadwayStar4]

one Eponine moment I missed specifically was the acknowledgment from Marius that she is there fighting as a boy("God Eponine, the things you do / I know this is no place for me, still I would rather be with you," etc.)

Wait, they took out that scene?

[StageManager2]

At least with small moments like such, you can gather that Marius actually cared about this poor love sick girl, so her affections don't appear completely unfounded.

In the novel, Marius is quite oblivious of Eponine and only utilizes her to get to Cosette. There is no friendship there for him to care about her. It's my understanding that the movie incorporated a lot of elements from the book not found in the stage show, and since Eponine is practically a nonentity in the book, I can understand them shifting the focus off of her and onto Cosette, who is much more important to the storyline. One of the "flaws" with the show is the beefing up Eponine's role at the expense of Cosette, who pretty much got the shaft. Which brings me to...


First of which is song order, or rather, Eponine's quartet of self-pity (In My Life. A Heart Full of Love, On My Own and One Day More). Here you have four songs, pretty much in a row of Eponine singing about the same damn thing, over and over. We get it.

"On My Own" is one of the most pointless songs in musical theater, for it doesn't contribute to the plot and, in fact, stalls the show. In the song, Eponine doesn't tell us anything we don't already know, that she has an unrequited love for Marius, which has been stated several times before as scripps pointed out. Eponine isn't a significant character and her feelings at the time don't really warrant a big show stopper.

I'm glad her part was reduced. Now, if only they hadn't cast a beautiful actress...

[My Oh My]

I'm Ok with what they seem to have done to Eponine's part in the film, for the most part. I do wish they would've kept her in the trench coat get up for "On My Own" if just because I love how much more degraded it makes her look and the poignancy it evokes. I also wish they would have left "On My Own" closer to where it has always been at, because in that specific place in the show, having her sing that just moments before her death gives it a sort of "last words" climactic feel to it. I know I always got a majestic sense of what she was going through and what she was about to face every time I saw it live and that song neared the end and that french horn blared boldly from the pit. That was magical and hugely evocative.

I know this isn't theatre, but I still wish they would have left some of the placement alone. I'm not saying much though because for all I know I won't take issue with it after seeing it. But for now, it seems it may lose something more than just the size of Eponine's role.

[BroadwayStar4]

I'm glad her part was reduced.

According to someone here, her part was not reduced, but condensed. Somebody on another site told me that all of her scenes are there, but has a few lines taken out.

Even if Eponine's role is condensed, I don't see how that would make Cosette's any larger. She just sings a couple of songs and then she doesn't come back until "Every Day".

[Johnnycantdecide]

My Oh My, have you seen the film?