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Les Miserables

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Post  Esseilte Fri Jan 04, 2013 10:32 am

Don't know if everyone has seen this already?

Les Miserables for iPhone

Created by Andy Richardson from 'Newsies', which makes it even more hilarious for me - my two obsessions collide!
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Post  whatthedeuce Fri Jan 04, 2013 2:56 pm

LOLing at all the French flags and music notes at the bottom.

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Post  ulkis Fri Jan 04, 2013 3:21 pm

laddical wrote:Ebert's tweet was basically "So I guess David Denby really doesn't like Les Mis" followed by the link. So it's hard to say if he shares the opinion or found Denby's tirade so over-the-top that he had to share it.

ah, okay.

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Post  Francie Nolan Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:49 pm

I quickly skimmed the article at first, and I didn't even need to scroll back up to the byline to know that it was Denby. That reads like a parody of a New Yorker review. Also:

As everyone knows, the stage show was a killer for girls between the ages of eight and about fourteen. If they have seen “Les Mis” and responded to it as young women, they remain loyal to the show—and to the emotions it evoked—forever. At that age, the sense of victimization is very strong, and “Les Mis” is all about victimization.

Oh, how hard can I roll my eyes? What silly ladies we all are, for having an attachment to something we first enjoyed as teenagers!


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Post  CaroJC Sat Jan 05, 2013 2:15 am

Right, it's fine not to like it, but the whole tone of "I need to educate these simple women in the ways of Quality Entertainment" is insulting. He also completely misses the point of a lot of the aspects of the show as well, even asking what the revolution is, when this is a pretty basic plot element. (It is also absurd to say that the idea of revolution is not relatable.)

I also disagree on his comments about Valjean's and Javert's characters. Valjean is not a saint who does everything right - he makes a choice early on to be a moral person and works hard to live by that code. And the show is not about their relationship. Nor is it about vicitmization. I find Denby's whole idea that adolescent girls like Les Miz because they identify with victimhood pretty gross. People respond to the show because it is about love and believing in something. Whether you like the material or not, those ARE the themes.

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Post  queenofdenile Sat Jan 05, 2013 1:18 pm

I don't know how anyone can think that Valjean is a perfect saint when one of his first reactions to finding out about Marius and Cosette is to say, "Oh, maybe he'll die at the barricades tonight! Cool!" Obviously he gets over that instinct and goes above and beyond to help them, but his first thoughts on the matter are far from saintly.
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Post  whatthedeuce Sat Jan 05, 2013 5:25 pm

Denby seems like he completely missed the point of Les Mis. Valjean wasn't a saint. He had to work hard on moving away from a life of crime. It would have probably been easier for him to just keep thieving and running, but he put down roots and raised an orphan to make up for his past crimes and to become a better version of himself, to be a better man. Isn't learning from your past errors and trying to improve yourself something that lots of people try to do?

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Post  QueenSix Sun Jan 06, 2013 5:55 pm

How long is the film? Is it three hours?

I don't have a problem with long films but I just realised that I said I'd go to the 4.25pm show on Friday with a friend, forgetting that I have to book in an overnight group to the Guide centre that evening. I'm not sure what time they're coming in at but now I'm panicking that I'll have to leave the film early and I'll tell you now, I would not enjoy that!

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Post  MLIS Sun Jan 06, 2013 6:00 pm

It's about 2:40. Here it came in at just under three hours with the previews and such.

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Post  QueenSix Sun Jan 06, 2013 6:26 pm

Thanks, MLIS!

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Post  rivki8699 Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:41 pm

whatthedeuce wrote:Denby seems like he completely missed the point of Les Mis. Valjean wasn't a saint. He had to work hard on moving away from a life of crime. It would have probably been easier for him to just keep thieving and running, but he put down roots and raised an orphan to make up for his past crimes and to become a better version of himself, to be a better man. Isn't learning from your past errors and trying to improve yourself something that lots of people try to do?

As for having no relevance in today's world, the main conflict between Javer and Valjean is a conflict between justice and mercy. How is that not always topical?
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Post  whatthedeuce Wed Jan 09, 2013 2:13 am

Justice and mercy have no place in this world! What planet are you from?!

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Post  Grainne Mhaol Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:21 pm

I surprised myself by really enjoying the hell out of Les Mis, even most of Hugh Jackman's singing. His rendition of 'Bring Him Home' got away from him, though. I think he should have pulled it way back and gone for a quiet, vulnerable performance, instead he sounded like he was trying too hard.

Russell Crowe's voice was okay, but his performance was flat-out weird. It struck me today that his performance was informed by the opinion that Javert was an actually nice guy, which is the impression I get from some of his interviews. It's the only way I can explain the checked-out sleepwalking performance he gave during his big numbers.

In any case, it way outdid my expectations.
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Post  Francie Nolan Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:14 pm

I saw it for a second time and I still love it, flaws and all.

I think Crowe's performance is stronger when he's playing off Jackman, but weak when he's alone on screen. Part of it's the staging--for both "Stars" and "Soliloquy" he just walks back and forth. It's very "And now, Russell Crowe will sing a song." His voice bothered me more the second time around, particularly in those two songs. There are points in some of his--I don't know what you'd call them, interludes?--where his voice is deeper and sounds more appropriate for Javert. I noticed it in "Tell me quickly what's the story..."--he almost sounds good there! But yeah, not so much in the solo performances.

On second viewing, one thing that comes across so much stronger in the movie than in the play is just how outmatched the students are against the French army. That whole part is particularly wrenching, and I think the student roles were all really well-cast. I also really cared about this Marius and Cosette--they seemed much less wooden on film, for some reason.

I got the giggles in the scene where Valjean and young Cosette are on the run and he recognizes Fauchelevent at the convent. There all whisper-singing because Valjean is, you know, on the run, but then Jackman SHOUTS out his lines for some reason. Inside voice, Valjean!

I've seen this twice now, and I'm still not seeing how it's acknowledged that Eponine and Gavroche are siblings. I thought I read somewhere that the movie makes it clear?

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Post  ulkis Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:55 pm

I've seen this twice now, and I'm still not seeing how it's acknowledged that Eponine and Gavroche are siblings. I thought I read somewhere that the movie makes it clear?

They were going to in the script, but I guess they cut it out (notice how they had a shot of Gavroche crying after Eponine dies). I don't blame the director for cutting it - it would have been confusing for people.

I think Crow's stronger in his recitations than his solos because he probably was concentrating more on his acting than his singing. imo much like Jackson in BHH I think he was trying too hard with the solos.

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Post  laddical Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:45 pm

Part of it's the staging--for both "Stars" and "Soliloquy" he just walks back and forth.

True, but I kind of prefer that to the way everyone else's solos were shot: plant the camera, do it in one extreme close up take, no coverage.
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Post  big chicken Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:54 pm

I think Hooper's best staging was for the confrontation between Valjean and Javert after Fantine dies. Very few things aren't improved by the addition of a swordfight.

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Post  Francie Nolan Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:23 pm

[quote="ulkis"]
I've seen this twice now, and I'm still not seeing how it's acknowledged that Eponine and Gavroche are siblings. I thought I read somewhere that the movie makes it clear?

They were going to in the script, but I guess they cut it out (notice how they had a shot of Gavroche crying after Eponine dies). I don't blame the director for cutting it - it would have been confusing for people.

Ah, thank you for clearing that up. I knew I had it read that it was in the script--that does explain the close up of Gavroche crying.

True, but I kind of prefer that to the way everyone else's solos were shot: plant the camera, do it in one extreme close up take, no coverage.

Oh, I definitely agree that it was staged better than most of the extreme closeup solos--the way "Empty Chairs" was shot drove me particularly batty. I'm not exactly sure what Javert could have been doing while singing, but like ulkis pointed out, I think Crowe was better when he had something physical to do. One thing I liked about the way "Who Am I?" was shot was that Valjean was actually doing something, not just standing around, singing with a camera shoved an inch from his face.

I really liked the confrontation staging too. Swords! Jumping into the sea! Foreshadowing! I did not like that they cut out "And this I swear to you tonight...," but I can see why, since Valjean would have to sing that from underwater. Unless being able to sing underwater is another one of his superpowers.

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Post  ulkis Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:20 pm

big chicken wrote:I think Hooper's best staging was for the confrontation between Valjean and Javert after Fantine dies. Very few things aren't improved by the addition of a swordfight.

Sometimes. Remember the swordfight in Phantom?

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Post  Shalamar Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:35 am

Saw it, finally. Loved it.
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Post  Kookla Sat Feb 02, 2013 7:24 pm

I just watched it the other day, and I have to say I didn't really like it at all. I'm speaking as someone who wasn't really familiar with the musical, but I felt like the movie jumped so rapidly from scene to scene that I didn't get any sense whatsoever of the relationship between characters. In addition, I tend to agree with the reviews that says it was just filmed so claustrophobically. I guess by that reasoning I would say the biggest problem was the directing. I had no problems with the actors really (though Hugh Jackman didn't particularly grab me), and some of them were downright great (Anne Hathaway, guy with the "red and black" song, little girl Cossette <--her song was the standout for me) but the whole thing absolutely did not add up to the sum of its parts, and at times just felt like a drag to watch.

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Post  The Glen Sun Feb 03, 2013 8:05 pm

I saw it today and enjoyed it immensely. I also cried most of the way through. The annoying parts were: Hugh Jackman's vibrato; the close-ups; Sacha Baron-Cohen. His part was cartoonish, but he just bugged me.

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Post  Melk Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:32 pm

I finally went to see it last weekend. There were a bunch of teenage girls sat behind us, and I admit I was dreading that they were going to talk all the way through, providing their own 'witty' commentary like so many teenagers feel compelled at the cinema (including myself on occasion once upon a time, to my eternal shame). And initially they did, but by the end all of them were in tears. It was kind of sweet to see how much they got sucked into it. When the lights went up as the credits rolled I looked around the theatre, and I was amazed at how many people were crying. Myself included.

It wasn't perfect, but it was nevertheless very good I thought. And it packed a serious emotional punch.
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Post  big chicken Fri Feb 22, 2013 1:20 pm

I'm really glad they replaced Eponine with the Bishop. Whatever the reason the theater version has for having Eponine being there at the end (I always assumed it was to show Eponine had also found God's grace), it makes more narrative sense that the Bishop is there for Valjean because he played such a pivotal role in the Valjean's life.

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Post  MLIS Fri Feb 22, 2013 2:24 pm

My understanding is that the original theatrical production was supposed to have the bishop at the end, too. I've heard several explanations for why it was changed to Eponine, the most common ones being that audiences loved Eponine and wanted to see her again, and the actress playing Eponine in the original cast was involved romantically with the director and he pushed for the change. There's also the idea that if Fantine is there to say goodbye to Cosette, or watch over her, Eponine is there for Marius, and also it brings together the two women who sing that musical theme earlier in the show (Fantine during her death scene, Eponine as "On My Own"). But I much prefer having the bishop there, it makes much more dramatic sense. I love the symbolism of it being Colm Wilkinson, too, in the movie. :-)

I was expecting to cry buckets, because I always do. I was not expecting my husband, who didn't know the story and only went because I wanted to, to do the same.

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