• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

"King's Speech" director to take on "Les Miserables"

I'm interested in the movie, but I have to admit I've had mixed feelings on the trailers so far. I think they're going for a very interesting format in trying to make the music feel more realistic than it might seem in the theater setting, but going only by the trailers it doesn't have the same feel for me. It feels almost like some of the songs are only half sung and don't have the same emotional resonance. But the trailers are pretty short and that might not be the case with the full movie. I'm keeping an open mind. :)
 
Awesome. I really can't wait to see it. Thanks for the links.

This thread has been alive for over a year.
 
A Few clips:

Valjean's Release:
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8WSysB5vKM[/yt]

At the End of Day:
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHwyCp6ah6U[/yt]

Who Am I
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx7K42uyrts[/yt]

A Heart Full of Love
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVFr56GR1mo[/yt]

On My Own
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvzLZIiD5TU[/yt]
 
The difference in the actors' approaches is kind of interesting. Crowe and Barks are pretty much singing like they were on stage (Barks a bit less so), whereas Jackman and Hathaway especially are pretty heavy on sing-talking.

"At the End of the Day" is the standout sequence there, I think.

I like the realistic look overall, though I'm not really sure how they're going to make "A Little Fall of Rain" work in this aesthetic.
 
I, for one, am so glad it's not merely the stage musical put on film. The actors' interpretations are more intimate and personal, without the broad constraints of live theater. I think it's going to be phenomenal!
 
Pthalo BlueMoon said:
I, for one, am so glad it's not merely the stage musical put on film. The actors' interpretations are more intimate and personal, without the broad constraints of live theater. I think it's going to be phenomenal!
Click to expand...

It is a pleasant surprise to see you posting, Pthalo BlueMoon. Hope you will be staying around.
 
New clips. Yay!

Some thoughts:
* Javert's lines after Valjean says 'Yes, it means I'm free' have been completely changed, and I'm curious as to what the motivation behind said change was and who, exactly, generated the new material; I'm also not seeing where this criticism of Russell Crowe's performance is coming from

* In the musical, there's more emphasis usually placed on Fantine's line 'what's the matter with that', but I like the more subdued approach that Hathaway brings when she says that line; it's almost as if she's trying to avoid breaking into tears

* There's an adorable awkwardness to A Heart Full of Love that I don't remember picking up on in any of the other renditions of the song that I've heard; that might be due to Seyfried and Redmayne's performances, or it might be due to the choreography and direction, but whatever the reason is, I like it

* I've heard Samantha Barks perform On My Own before, but it seems to me as if she's brought a more vulnerable approach to the song this time out, particularly when she says 'and he has found me', which I find really neat because it adds more pathos to the song
 
DigificWriter said:
Some thoughts:
* Javert's lines after Valjean says 'Yes, it means I'm free' have been completely changed, and I'm curious as to what the motivation behind said change was
Click to expand...
I would guess they thought the "yellow ticket of leave" wouldn't really be clear to people unfamiliar with the mid-19th century French penal system.
 
^ This is the first adaptation of the musical that I'm aware of not to include the original lines, so I'm doubtful that worries about people being confused motivated the change, which is why I'm curious in the first place as to why the lines were changed.
 
DigificWriter said:
^ This is the first adaptation of the musical that I'm aware of not to include the original lines, so I'm doubtful that worries about people being confused motivated the change, which is why I'm curious in the first place as to why the lines were changed.
Click to expand...
What earlier adaptations of the musical? This is the first film.
 
DigificWriter said:
CaptainCanada said:
DigificWriter said:
^ This is the first adaptation of the musical that I'm aware of not to include the original lines, so I'm doubtful that worries about people being confused motivated the change, which is why I'm curious in the first place as to why the lines were changed.
Click to expand...
What earlier adaptations of the musical? This is the first film.
Click to expand...
^ Okay, 'adaptation' was the wrong word to use; I should've used 'iteration'.
Click to expand...

Even the largest of stage musicals are by definition aimed at a smaller, more affluent, and better-educated audience than most films. This adaptation seems to be aiming for a wide, mainstream audience, so I wouldn't be surprised if other aspects were altered for clarity.
 
Sci said:
DigificWriter said:
CaptainCanada said:
What earlier adaptations of the musical? This is the first film.
Click to expand...
^ Okay, 'adaptation' was the wrong word to use; I should've used 'iteration'.
Click to expand...

Even the largest of stage musicals are by definition aimed at a smaller, more affluent, and better-educated audience than most films. This adaptation seems to be aiming for a wide, mainstream audience, so I wouldn't be surprised if other aspects were altered for clarity.
Click to expand...

The lyrics to some of the less known songs have been changed or eliminated over the years. When I first saw the musical in London, it had Little People as a full song, then a later touring version back home in Texas, had the song eliminated about 5 years later leaving only the bit of Little People sung when Gavroche exposes Javert. Also The Finale has some minor line changes between Cosette and Vajean compared from the stage version and the 10th Anniversary concert. I've also noticed changes in One Day More, again minor changes but noticeable if you have been listening to the Original London Cast Recording.
 
Last edited:
Hugh sang Happy Birthday to Amanda Seyfried and even did a lap dance

http://www.indiewire.com/article/wa...-seyfried-at-les-miserables-nyc-dinner-video#

Amanda Seyfried got quite the birthday present at the Porter House last night, following a special screening of "Les Miserables," hosted by Universal Pictures, Working Title Films and Cameron Mackintosh. After taking to a mic in the center of the packed dining room and demanding that Seyfried make herself known to the crowd, her co-star Hugh Jackman teased, "I once gave Barbara Walters a lap dance and I promised her I would never do it again, but seeing as she is not here tonight..." -- and then proceeded to get down.
Click to expand...


Qqvq1.jpg

I0Fhi.jpg




Video of Hugh singing Happy Birthday to Amanda:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/wa...a-seyfried-at-les-miserables-nyc-dinner-video




Soundtrack listing. Can't wait to hear #5 fully!

25062521581151194012435.jpg
 
I saw the musical in London in 1987 (and Phantom 2 months after it opened in 1986). There have been changes in the lyrics over time, as I noticed in the 10th and 25th anniversary versions. Not a big deal to me. A reason was found to change things. And yes, Gavroche's "Little People" ha shad more changes. Maybe it was determined that it slowed the pace too much right then, and that outweighed the need for character background.

As for performances, anyone watching the anniversary DVDs will see differences in style. Each performer gets to, and needs to, put himself into the role to make it his own. I don't have a problem with Crowe's performance; he's an actor known for giving his all. This is his, and the director's, version. I personally enjoy different interpretations. And Javert's supposed to be rigid, especially at the beginning--only someone that stiff will become obsessed with Valjean and then have the fall he has when his rigid rules are upended.

I've read that, since the actors didn't have to sing to each the last row, and were singing on set, they got to put more emotion in.

I am SO looking forward to this, but Hubby is working Christmas Day, so we'll have to wait.
 
I saw the musical in London last January, and I'm really excited for the movie!

IMDB tells me it's not going to be released here in Norway until the 18th of January. . . , I wish I could see it for Christmas too :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top