Les Misérables

the les miserables movie looks beautiful! I'm so glad that someone with credential and talent is actually making it, hopefully it live up and beyond the hype!

i was on imdb though, looking cast for the Les Mis 25th Anniversary, and i was totally surprised to see Jonathan Williams, Mike Sterling and Gerónimo Rauch in the names for the convicts. If someone could identify which actor was which convict, i'de really appreciate it!

Thanks

Jonathan Williams is the first convict, I don't know about the Geronimo Rauch or Mike Sterling.

So, the Les Miserables trailer is apparently attached to Skyfall. They sing bits from 'One Day More', 'I Dreamed a Dream', and 'Castle on a Cloud'. There may be more, but that's what I got from people who've seen it.

Can't wait to see Skyfall, especially now that I'll get to see the new trailer! I expected them to attach it to Lincoln, which comes out the next weekend, but Skyfall makes sense too. Maybe it'll play before both.

The Thenardiers look so ginger. Love it.

Agreed, pretty funny to see Sasha wearing what looks like lipstick...I can only imagine how his Dog Eats Dog is going to be.

There's been some leaks of the new trailer, but Universal seems taking them down as fast as they can find them. Worth hunting down, especially since it's the first time they've showcased Crowe's vocals (My verdict: not amazing, but not something that makes me cover my ears and run for the hills either.)

~LCD

Seeing Skyfall Saturday night, and I think I'm more excited about the trailer than the movie itself. I don't want to be spoiled about its contents before then, so please try to put any discussion of that in tiny text or something.

I like the new TV spots. Check out the Facebook page if you haven't seen them.

The trailer is amazing; and Ive noticed the amount of "If only Phantom had been given this treatment on film!" comments, which I defiantly agree with; however I will say in all fairness, Les Mis is known mostly just for it's score, not it's blocking and set/costume design. Whereas Phantom has so much of its success grounded in not only the score but the look of the show, which I don't think is as easily adaptable without making it look either too "sexy" or "tacky". I'm very excited for Les Mis, but I do think Phantom could be done right at some point, but I don't think it needs to be a huge scale film, but rather a more dark and intimate piece scattered with the 'big' moments (like the show)

Phantom will never again be done on film.

The Les Mis trailer didn't play before Skyfall for me. I was disappointed. So I had to watch it later that night, and I've watched it probably 4 or 5 times since.

I wouldn't go as far to say it will NEVER be done, in Hollywood even the most unthinkable (good and bad) are done if there is an appetite for it. I mean many said a sequel to Casablanca would never be done...and it's in development, Lucas said there would never be any more Star Wars films, and we have Episode 7 officially hitting theaters summer 2015; I'm not saying these are good ideas, but powers shift, and money talks. I say if Phantom runs in the west end to hit a 50th anniversary, there would defiantly be a remake happening.

So: I've been meaning to ask for a while... Did something happen to the (London) Les Mis orchestration or sound system around (very) roughly 18 months ago?

I've been 6-7 times since and on each occasion come away very unhappy with the music. Tonight, I felt especially antagonised so decided to ask.

It used to be so deep, rolling, mellifluous, tuneful and melodic (very like the OLC recording); now it strikes me as rather shrill and monotone, quite high-pitched, rather shrieky and a bit up-tempo.

Also, I noticed for the first time tonight that they'd removed the 6 'AA' row seats, presumably to make the pit bigger.

I'm awfully unhappy with these developments. Does anyone know what's happened?

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote:there would defiantly be a remake happening.

Just as a future FYI, "defiantly" is very different from "definitely."

LadyCDaae wrote:There's been some leaks of the new trailer, but Universal seems taking them down as fast as they can find them. Worth hunting down, especially since it's the first time they've showcased Crowe's vocals (My verdict: not amazing, but not something that makes me cover my ears and run for the hills either.)
~LCD

I'm one of those impossible to please people, so even though it isn't agonizing, anything less than Philip Quast will make me cry.

SenorSwanky wrote:

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote:there would defiantly be a remake happening.

Just as a future FYI, "defiantly" is very different from "definitely."

Glad to see you still knew what I meant.

As far as the soon-to-be-released film
The only number I'm a little nervous for is Stars, I'm afraid we may have another Gerry trying to sing Music of The Night scenario going on, but I will try to keep expectations in check. Interestingly the soundtrack release has been delayed, originally scheduled for late Nov. it is now coming out on the day of the films release, Dec. 25th.

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote:

SenorSwanky wrote:

StrangerThanUDreamt wrote:there would defiantly be a remake happening.

Just as a future FYI, "defiantly" is very different from "definitely."

Glad to see you still knew what I meant.

As far as the soon-to-be-released film
The only number I'm a little nervous for is Stars, I'm afraid we may have another Gerry trying to sing Music of The Night scenario going on, but I will try to keep expectations in check. Interestingly the soundtrack release has been delayed, originally scheduled for late Nov. it is now coming out on the day of the films release, Dec. 25th.

Ooh, hadn't seen that. I was thinking the same thing when I was watching the TAC just a bit ago. No way anyone can top Quast's rendition of that song anyway, but when I heard the short snippet of Crowe in the new trailer (which did not play before Lincoln when I saw it yesterday--they showed the teaser instead), I cringed a bit. He actually did sound a lot like Gerry.

Based on that clip, I think Crowe has the edge on Butler--better sense of pitch and he doesn't sound like he's trying to annunciate around a mouthful of marbles. He could be better, though. I think the problem is not so much that Crowe is not Philip Quast, but that he's trying too hard to be. Based on his singing with TOFOG, his voice has a lighter, huskier tone than the big, powerful baritones that play Javert onstage. And that's not necessarily a bad thing--but I think he's trying to hard to force himself into that big powerful baritone mold, and that's only going to make him look inferior by comparison. I hope he sticks closer to his natural tone for "Stars;" that could make for a very pensive, quietly intense version of the song.

~LCD

LadyCDaae wrote:Based on that clip, I think Crowe has the edge on Butler--better sense of pitch and he doesn't sound like he's trying to annunciate around a mouthful of marbles. He could be better, though. I think the problem is not so much that Crowe is not Philip Quast, but that he's trying to hard to be. Based on his singing with TOFOG, his voice has a lighter, huskier tone than the big, powerful baritones that play Javert onstage. And that's not necessarily a bad thing--but I think he's trying to hard to force himself into that big powerful baritone mold, and that's only going to make him look inferior by comparison. I hope he sticks closer to his natural tone for "Stars;" that could make for a very pensive, quietly intense version of the song.

~LCD

I agree. He's always been a simmering sort of actor anyway, so not just for the sake of the vocals, but acting-wise as well, I've been hoping for an understated, brooding Stars.

I am mainly excited to hear Eddie and how Aaron will sound. Im hoping that because they kept him and the Thenadiers a secret this long, that they will blow us away. Russell's Javert is going to be excellent for sure! I really hope that people don't go in there expecting to see Phillip Quast or Norm Lewis...when he clearly is neither. Im hoping for a fresh take on all of the roles, which from what i've seen so far, is exactly what i am going to get.

http://www.thewrap.com/awards/column-post/les-miserables-unveiled-ovations-controversy-and-high-oscar-hopes-66341

Les Mis had its first screening for Academy members, and it ended in a standing ovation.

I was just reading another article that received it well: http://movies.yahoo.com/news/les-miserables-first-look--we-saw-it-and-anne-hathaway-killed-190620572.html

I remember when i saw the ads for Phantom back in '04, and how excited i was....thats NOTHING compared to how excited I am for this movie.

Another pretty glowing review:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/26/les-miserables-is-new-frontrunner-for-best-picture-oscar.html

New French poster, which I hope shows up in theaters here:
http://www.moviefanatic.com/2012/11/les-miserables-french-poster-all-the-characters-together/

Interesting that the solos are all in one take--it really forces the actors to step up and give the song its dramatic arc. With this cast, though, I can imagine they're up to the task.

I'm really encouraged by the early reports on this, which generally range from mixed-positive to raves. I just wish the soundtrack were coming out earlier...

~LCD

Only a highlights disc? http://www.playbill.com/news/article/172629-Les-Misrables-Film-Soundtrack-Will-Have-Dec-26-Release

A few new pics here: http://www.playbill.com/multimedia/gallery/4671/New-Shots-of-Aaron-Tveit-Eddie-Redmayne-Helena-Bonham-Carter-and-Amanda-Seyfried-in-the-Les-Miz-Film

SenorSwanky wrote:Only a highlights disc? http://www.playbill.com/news/article/172629-Les-Misrables-Film-Soundtrack-Will-Have-Dec-26-Release

I haven't yet decided whether to buy this or maybe wait for a while just in case they will release a full version later on. But I'm so looking forward to hear more of the music! Here in Sweden the movie will not be released until late January

Official clips are coming out: Eddie Redmayne and Amanda Seyfried sing "A Heart Full of Love"

I didn't know Redmayne from Adam when he got cast in this, but I am adoring the Hell out of him right now--he's so wonderfully earnest that I just want to hug him. And I love his subtle "Oh my God, is this absolutely perfect and radiant goddess actually saying she loves me back?" reaction when Cosette begins singing. Seyfried...I don't hate her. She's obviously not a powerhouse soprano, but for some reason I like her voice for this character--it puts me in mind of an old-school Disney princess (in a good way). And best of all, they're not just singing, they're actually having a conversation which happens to be set to music. It's dramatically and emotionally honest, something that has been missing from far too many recent movie musicals.

~LCD

I told myself I was going to avoid clips, but it was only a minute, so I succumbed. Love it. So sweet.

There's other clips on the film's official YouTube channel, for anyone who's curious and not desperately avoiding spoilers. Overall I liked them--Hooper makes a couple odd directing choices, but I think he has a good overall vision and the cast ranges from adequate (Crowe, who isn't knocking anything out of the park but who isn't making me weep with pain either) to seriously awesome (Hathaway, Barks, and Jackman--who isn't belting Valjean to the rafters but brings a quiet, contemplative intensity to the character).

Yeah...Crowe...we'll see. Otherwise, brilliance.

Yeah, I think the real test for Crowe is going to be his solos. And "Confrontation" too, I think--Jackman is the superior vocalist of the two so Crowe is going to have to act the Hell out of that scene to sell his half of it.

I've heard people complaining about the abundance of close-ups, but I like the intimacy of it--as epic as the events of Les Mis are, this is a story ultimately about the individual people caught up in that tide, and it's nice that Hooper is allowing us to get close to them and hear their story, rather than putting them at arms length the minute they start singing.

~LCD