Les Mis Fans ~ Keep An Eye Out During PBS Pledge Break Times

[jenny12]

Here is a clip of him singing a song that's closer to the Les Mis style. He's not Alfie Boe, but he's more than qualified for the role.

That's why I'm worried about the contrast between him and Crowe. One of the reasons Nick Jonas sounded bad is that he was singing alongside glorious powerful voices, and that made his weakness more apparent.

Yeah, I love The Confrontation, but part of the tension comes from two great singers battling it out. Jackman's voice might be too strong compared to Crowe to make it into a real battle.

Here's the ultimate with Colm Wilkinson v. Philip Quast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0SWaGfkPxA

I also enjoyed the 25th anniversary version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN9SQAcW5Dw

[Spareoom]

^^ Colm vs. Philip will go down as quite possibly the most epic rendition of the Confrontation ever. It is just incredible; everything else has always paled in comparison to me.

[Holley Calmes]

I actually prefered the 25th Anniversary rendition....though both are spectacular. I think I like Boe's voice best. Just a personal preference. Wow! I think whatever Jackman might slightly lack in vocal he will more than make up in presence. Valjean is supposed to be a super-strong man, is he not? Jackman is just a large guy to begin with, and then you add his imposing presence....

I can't wait! And I doubt Crow will be much in the voice line (doesn't he have a rock band?) but his presence will also be "bringing it." He can do menacing! Acting and character development count for a lot.

[cruisin]

I think Philip Quast was the quintessential Javert. As amazing as the Wilkonson/Quast duo was, I would guess that a Boe/Quast would be mind blowing!

I agree that Crowe has the physical presence to play Javert, but Javert has a hugely important singing role. I'm not sure Crowe is up to that.

[Gazpacho]

Yeah, I love The Confrontation, but part of the tension comes from two great singers battling it out. Jackman's voice might be too strong compared to Crowe to make it into a real battle.

Here's the ultimate with Colm Wilkinson v. Philip Quast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0SWaGfkPxA

I also enjoyed the 25th anniversary version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN9SQAcW5Dw

Sigh, no matter how good they are, they won't vocally be anywhere close to Colm/Philip nor Alfie/Norm.

Do you think they might turn The Confrontation into a speaking scene rather than a singing scene?

[AragornElessar]

Oh wow!! Love what I see in that trailer.

Now that the Trailer's out, it's now real the movie's really happening if that makes any sense. Between this and The Hobbit, I haven't looked this forward to December and big time movies in a long time. Can't wait!!

[cruisin]

Sigh, no matter how good they are, they won't vocally be anywhere close to Colm/Philip nor Alfie/Norm.

Do you think they might turn The Confrontation into a speaking scene rather than a singing scene?

I hope not! There is virtually no speaking in the musical. I hope they stay true to that in the movie.

It appears that Marius will have a very decent voice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxFEqPUu57s , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDK-k...eature=related , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYTTT...eature=related

It appears that Anne Hathaway (though this is tongue-in-cheek) can sing this musical: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlZ9k...eature=related

I heard on GMA, this morning, that all of the singing is being sung while filming. No voiceovers. While that is admirable, will it lose something on screen?

[Theatregirl1122]

Do you think they might turn The Confrontation into a speaking scene rather than a singing scene?

Only if they want to be crucified by the fans.

[Wyliefan]

Cute Twitter exchange between "Javert" and a follower:

Russell Crowe ‏@russellcrowe
there is nothing on earth that we share...Javert may not make it home tonight...#lesmis

Nick Holder ‏@valetudocage
@russellcrowe take a life jacket

[sk8sue]

Awww. And then: Russell Crowe ‏@russellcrowe
shooting schedule changed...I live yet...supposed to be Monday now...#lesmis

Alfie Boe is going to be in the Queen's Jubilee Concert on Tuesday, which it appears will be televised in Canada and the U.S.! CBC is promising to show the full concert.

eta Or Monday. Looks like it's live on Monday, but being shown in N. A. on Tuesday.
There were rehearsals today by Buckingham Palace.

[Kruss]

Last night, after subjecting myself to the atrocious Love Never Dies on PBS, I missed that Alfie Boe's concert at the Royal Albert Hall was on. Thankfully, it's on again Tuesday night, so the DVR is set.

[Gazpacho]

I heard on GMA, this morning, that all of the singing is being sung while filming. No voiceovers. While that is admirable, will it lose something on screen?

Personally, I think that's a marketing gimmick and a misleading statement, if not an outright lie. I will be shocked if the songs are not recorded in the studio and/or post-processed to sound as if they were. When you're filming, there are so many extraneous noises.

Perhaps what they mean is that while filming, all the actors will be singing rather than merely lip-syncing. But that doesn't mean the audio recorded from the filming will be the final audio.

[cruisin]

Personally, I think that's a marketing gimmick and a misleading statement, if not an outright lie. I will be shocked if the songs are not recorded in the studio and/or post-processed to sound as if they were. When you're filming, there are so many extraneous noises.

Perhaps what they mean is that while filming, all the actors will be singing rather than merely lip-syncing. But that doesn't mean the audio recorded from the filming will be the final audio.

I don't really know, for sure, what they are doing. All I can tell you is that they announced on GMA that this was the first time this has ever been done. That they were singing the songs during the actually filming performance. I was wondering if that might be why Anne Hathaway's I Dreamed a Dream sounded a bit weak. It sounds like a bad idea, hopefully GMA did have their info bit mixed up.

[bek]

I actually like Anne's version. Don't get me wrong I haven't heard every single version ever made... BUT what I like about her version is that it isn't perfect but rather raw and full of emotion. I think my favorite version is Ruthie Henshell's. Lea has the best voice of them all but is too perfect. But I loved how Ruthie got extremely raw in the end.

Obviously there's Ruthie's famous tenth anniversary addition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHjCv...eature=related
But there's also this version which I love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmSHk9TB3sI

What I love about Ruthie's addition is the voice is gorgeous but the rawness is still there.

[cruisin]

I actually like Anne's version. Don't get me wrong I haven't heard every single version ever made... BUT what I like about her version is that it isn't perfect but rather raw and full of emotion. I think my favorite version is Ruthie Henshell's. Lea has the best voice of them all but is too perfect. But I loved how Ruthie got extremely raw in the end.

Obviously there's Ruthie's famous tenth anniversary addition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHjCv...eature=related
But there's also this version which I love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmSHk9TB3sI

What I love about Ruthie's addition is the voice is gorgeous but the rawness is still there.

I agree with you. Lea does have the best voice, but I see her as Eponine, from the 10th Anniversary version. This always makes me cry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFv2TBwnX-E

[UGG]

I don't care how old Michael Ball is even if he is older than Jean Valjean! He should be the only person allowed to play Marius.

[Kruss]

I don't care how old Michael Ball is even if he is older than Jean Valjean! He should be the only person allowed to play Marius.

Hear hear!!

[Wyliefan]

[Gazpacho]

What I love about Ruthie's addition is the voice is gorgeous but the rawness is still there.

And what's more, Ruthie's rawness builds as the song progresses and then fades into defeat. In her 10th anniversary performance, notice how she sings the following:

"forgiving" at the beginning of the song (1:29 in the video)
"tear" at the middle (2:18 in the video)
"living" (3:42 in the video)

Then listen to the last line as she fades into defeat.

She sang it so that even if you don't know a word of English, you would still know Fantine's life. Amazing. Untouchable.

[cruisin]

And what's more, Ruthie's rawness builds as the song progresses and then fades into defeat. In her 10th anniversary performance, notice how she sings the following:

"forgiving" at the beginning of the song (1:29 in the video)
"tear" at the middle (2:18 in the video)
"living" (3:42 in the video)

Then listen to the last line as she fades into defeat.

She sang it so that even if you don't know a word of English, you would still know Fantine's life. Amazing. Untouchable.

You described that so well, you gave me goose bumps!