Les Miserables - the movie

[michelle K]

Les Miserables ROK Air Force Parody

[cruisin]

Finally saw it on pay per view, last night. It was just okay. The lyric changes and sequence changes drove me crazy. The facial expressions on Hugh Jackman war a bit over the top. Hathaway was good. Seyfried was worse than I expected. Crowe was horrible. His voice was awful, his lack of personality, even worse. And what was with him putting his medal on Gavroche? Javert was not that compassionate. Even Colm Wilkenson sounded weak. Thought Marius and most of the students were very good. Bark is great, but I did not love how over acted "On My Own" was. I would have preferred a bit more strength/frustration/even anger in her voice. The scenery was good, but a lot of it looked fake. The sewer scene - did it have to be that gross?

[skatefan]

I finally got to the cinema to see Les Mis on Wednesday evening with my daughter who hadn't seen the theatre show (I have) and didn't know the storyline. We both loved the film although as the credits went up she turned to me and said 'You never told me it was soooo sad (at which point two women sitting in front of us laughed) - and I'm emotionally traumatised after watching that' Thoroughly enjoyable film, a couple of vocal wobbles yes, but I didn't feel they detracted and, cruisin, to my shame I actually laughed when Valjean came out of the sewer with just the whites of his eyes showing ... also a little too much vibrato in his voice for me but hey, still loved it!

There was much sniffling and rummaging for tissues by the audience (of maybe 30) during the film - I had a bit of a hard time not applauding at the end of some of the big songs and the end of the film, as though we were in the theatre which was a bit odd I loved the placing of Do You Hear The People Sing? and Red & Black, and we were both at the final barricade.

[orbitz]

The sewer scene - did it have to be that gross?

You want to see roses petal floating in crystal clear water in the sewer ?

[cruisin]

You want to see roses petal floating in crystal clear water in the sewer ?

No, but I didn't need it to be quite so thick

cruisin, to my shame I actually laughed when Valjean came out of the sewer with just the whites of his eyes showing

That was just so over the top! And I thought he looked like a clown.

[Latte]

I finally got to see it on Pay per View. It was a lot better than I thought it would be after reading what everyone else had written. Maybe it is because I'm not a expert in music. So I was more easily satisfied.
I loved it.

[CynicElle]

I saw it this weekend at the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse. Maybe I was grading on a "two glasses of wine" curve, but I really enjoyed it. (Keep in mind that I've never seen the musical, so this was my first experience with the whole thing.) And yes, I was at the end.

[cruisin]

I saw it this weekend at the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse. Maybe I was grading on a "two glasses of wine" curve, but I really enjoyed it. (Keep in mind that I've never seen the musical, so this was my first experience with the whole thing.) And yes, I was at the end.

I think that, if you've never seen the musical, you are much more likely to enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, but it frustrated me. It was like they made a consumer friendly version of Les Miz. They chopped off some of the songs. They changed (major change) lyrics. They had spoken lines. Most of the lyric changes and spoken lines seemed to be to help the audience understand the plot better. I don't understand that. The musical has been around for 33 years in French and 28 years in English. The millions who have seen it in the theater got the plot. why did they assume the general movie audience needed remedial Les Miz?

[Impromptu]

The funniest part of my movie experience was during the credit roll, and they noted Sacha Baron Cohen, my mom turned to me and said, "The skater? Who was she in the movie?"

[Smiley0884]

Kind of off topic, but has anyone here seen the 1997 movie based on the book? It had Geoffry Rush as Javert, and Liam Neeson as Valjean. I've never seen the musical in it's entirety, but I've seen several performances from the 10th and 25 anniversaries online, as well as downloading many of the songs to my ipod.

When I went to see the 2012 movie/musical version, I was mostly comparing it to the 1997 film, as well as the book. I loved it. There were a few minor things I didn't like...I thought Crowe was horribly miscast as Javert, both acting and singing wise. What I loved most about the 1997 movie, was that Rush WAS Javert. The chemistry he had with Neeson was phenomonal. I was dissapointed with this aspect in the 2012 version, but everything else definitely made up for it.

[Artemis@BC]

Was this posted earlier? If so, apologies for the repeat.

Honest Trailers - Les Mis

[Artemis@BC]

Kind of off topic, but has anyone here seen the 1997 movie based on the book? It had Geoffry Rush as Javert, and Liam Neeson as Valjean. ..What I loved most about the 1997 movie, was that Rush WAS Javert. The chemistry he had with Neeson was phenomonal.

And don't forget Uma Thurman as Fantine and Claire Danes as Cosette! Don't get me wrong, I like both Danes and Thurman, but both were so completely wrong for those parts.

Which was the main problem with that version of the film, IMO. Hardly the first time a studio has gone with star power over suitability for the role, and I'm certain it won't be the last, but it could have been soooo much better if they hadn't tried to hedge their bets.

I agree that Rush and Neeson were amazing, though, and more than make up for the other shortfalls.

[gkelly]

Most of the lyric changes and spoken lines seemed to be to help the audience understand the plot better. I don't understand that. The musical has been around for 33 years in French and 28 years in English. The millions who have seen it in the theater got the plot. why did they assume the general movie audience needed remedial Les Miz?

Because the average education level of people who buy tickets to live theatre is higher than the average level for moviegoers?

[Skittl1321]

Was this posted earlier? If so, apologies for the repeat.

Honest Trailers - Les Mis

Hysterical.

Thanks for posting.