jo
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Post by jo on Jan 19, 2013 18:58:43 GMT -5
Wow - I just found this post on the BWW message board :
LOL - did we read each other's thoughts ??!!
Re The Confrontation being one of the highlights
and how he viewed Bring Him Home as a transforming moment for Valjean!
Jo
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Post by birchie on Jan 19, 2013 19:19:57 GMT -5
<snip> I hope the Oscar voters discern how much he has accomplished in this movie when they decide on the Best Actor for the year! Sue - I have left IMDB maybe almost two weeks ago-- I cannot stand the constant tirades against the movie and even Hugh. Some people there are just contrarians or plain nasty or have agendas. I have rechecked the site once or twice just to see if there is any new news, but there isn't much except for the continous harping. It is mainly Maestro20 who valiantly defends the movie and the cast - and he has every right -- he is SAG ( he was in the nominating committee) and also a professional singer, so he comes from a background that can make a good judgment authoritatively ( although he was disappointed with Hugh's Bring Him Home) and he continues to wave the Les Miserables flag! Jo I started a small rant about the Oscars but decided to put it in the awards thread instead.  As for IMDB, good decision!!! They can be pretty appalling over there. i did always appreciate seeing what Maestro20 had to say about things but it's too hard to sort through all the garbage just to weed out a couple of intelligent, adult comments from the rest. I keep thinking of little new insights so I'm sure you will come up with some more gems for us. It is good to have a nurturing, Hugh loving home where we can voice these opinions. :-* Sue |
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Post by jo on Jan 19, 2013 19:28:15 GMT -5
Sue, I have also noticed that some of the oldie-posters at IMDB, who were with us all through the pre-production, rehearsals, filming, and post-production no longer or hardly post there. We did have a cherished time when we were seeing this film project unfold - and were lucky to have been able to see glimpses on the filmmaking from the actors and some of the creatives themselves ( Simon Hayes who is looking good for an Oscar for Sound Mixing) when they shared insights with us. I almost laugh to myself when I recall some of Russell's humorous tweets. I guess we did invest a lot of ourselves in the movie project ( I could hardly wait to see new posts or new tweets then  ) at that time -- and the sight of all these current nasty posts has become irrelevant to me. Jo |
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Post by birchie on Jan 19, 2013 20:43:48 GMT -5
Sue, I have also noticed that some of the oldie-posters at IMDB, who were with us all through the pre-production, rehearsals, filming, and post-production no longer or hardly post there. We did have a cherished time when we were seeing this film project unfold - and were lucky to have been able to see glimpses on the filmmaking from the actors and some of the creatives themselves ( Simon Hayes who is looking good for an Oscar for Sound Mixing) when they shared insights with us. I almost laugh to myself when I recall some of Russell's humorous tweets. I guess we did invest a lot of ourselves in the movie project ( I could hardly wait to see new posts or new tweets then ) at that time -- and the sight of all these current nasty posts has become irrelevant to me. Jo That's the part I miss, the camaraderie of the early adapters devouring every little tidbit of news, the tweets, sneaky clips and relishing every memory of Les Miserables from the book to the the show to the plethora of films. It was the best time I ever had (maybe will every have) at IMDB. We all started to drop off, one by one, as more trolls and snarky negative people came on board when the screenings started. It was great while it lasted.  Sue |
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Post by jo on Jan 20, 2013 11:18:40 GMT -5
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Post by carouselkathy on Jan 20, 2013 12:53:39 GMT -5
Sue, I have also noticed that some of the oldie-posters at IMDB, who were with us all through the pre-production, rehearsals, filming, and post-production no longer or hardly post there. We did have a cherished time when we were seeing this film project unfold - and were lucky to have been able to see glimpses on the filmmaking from the actors and some of the creatives themselves ( Simon Hayes who is looking good for an Oscar for Sound Mixing) when they shared insights with us. I almost laugh to myself when I recall some of Russell's humorous tweets. I guess we did invest a lot of ourselves in the movie project ( I could hardly wait to see new posts or new tweets then ) at that time -- and the sight of all these current nasty posts has become irrelevant to me. Jo That's the part I miss, the camaraderie of the early adapters devouring every little tidbit of news, the tweets, sneaky clips and relishing every memory of Les Miserables from the book to the the show to the plethora of films. It was the best time I ever had (maybe will every have) at IMDB. We all started to drop off, one by one, as more trolls and snarky negative people came on board when the screenings started. It was great while it lasted. Sue I have noticed that snarkiness in general is increasing on the internet. People will say nasty things in the anonymous protection of print that they would never say out loud to someone's face. Unfortunately, this lowers the bar for intelligent discussion and disagreement. Too bad. |
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Post by birchie on Jan 20, 2013 13:33:30 GMT -5
I have noticed that snarkiness in general is increasing on the internet. People will say nasty things in the anonymous protection of print that they would never say out loud to someone's face. Unfortunately, this lowers the bar for intelligent discussion and disagreement. Too bad. Sad to say you're right about that. The often quoted 'familiarity breeds contempt' may need to be updated for the age of the internet. I think maybe these days it's anonymity that breeds contempt! Sue |
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Post by chessie on Jan 20, 2013 18:16:46 GMT -5
Jo, thanks for your beautifully written, insightful review. More food for thought to consider for the next viewing!
Carol
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jo
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Post by jo on Jan 20, 2013 19:18:43 GMT -5
The day after the movie opened here, I was pleasantly surprised to see an Op-Ed columnist in our largest newspaper devote her entire column to the emotional impact of the movie on its local audiences! It talked at length of how it can be related to our social and cultural behavior. And I know quite a few people who read it who thought it was a very effective word-of-mouth piece on the movie.
But today -- I was even more surprised, even flattered, that another Opinion/Editorial page columnist in a business newspaper ( a very serious publication) chose the topic " 24601" as her lead topic to talk about how the character of Valjean can be used as a model for promoting individual and common good in society, after endless struggles . She also chose the stunning question of " Who Am I" to review ( like a self-evaluation) how far our nation has come towards reaching its social, political, and economic goals - all towards improving the lives of everyone in a nation still classified as a developing economy. Of course, this is all due to Victor Hugo's classic tale, but it is the medium of movies which has the power to reach so many...and that the lessons come nearest to each member of society.
That is partly why I am so proud of Les Miserables!
Jo
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Post by jo on Jan 20, 2013 20:50:30 GMT -5
Michael Ball has a new radio show on BBC where he plays all kinds of music for two hours and adds his amusing commentaries. He rarely features musical theatre ( he says that belongs to Elaine Paige's radio show) but made an exception and played ONE DAY MORE from the movie musical. He said he has seen the movie twice, praised Anne and Hugh and thought they deserve Oscar recognition, and admitted to crying while watching it. He was particularly pleased with the appearance of Colm Wilkinson in the finale - they were both original cast members. He also whispered that when he plays the song, he was going to sing along in the studio booth ;D
Eddie Redmayne - someone's trying to take your place - LOL!
Jo
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Post by klenotka on Jan 21, 2013 14:55:29 GMT -5
Well, I am happy to say that all my friends loved the movie. Even my friend (and currently a colleague at work) said to me (after I came to work late) something like "I was afraid you wouldn´t come cos I need to talk to you about the movie!" She said she cried about five times, loved everybody in it, and I wasn´t the only one singing "Look down" all day this time  So apparently, viewers and movie fans love it, except critics and IMDB users... |
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Post by rmtndew on Jan 21, 2013 22:09:50 GMT -5
I finally got to see it today. I went with my grandmother and her sister and it clearly wasn't their cup of tea, but I really enjoyed it. I'd seen the straight movie version with Liam Neeson as Jean ValJean a while back and I was familiar with the story, but I didn't know much about the musical so I was surprised that practically every word was sung. No wonder they've been praised for the live singing. I can't imagine how exhausting it must have been for the whole cast. Also, I didn't see why so many people have been snarky about the singing; it sounded amazing to me. Nothing seemed like it was purposefully raw just to sound 'live'. I thought it was beautiful and moving and I cried a lot more than I thought I would at the end, even though I knew it was coming. I'm so happy to have finally seen it and I can't wait for the Oscars. Hugh deserves the win!
- Alicia
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Post by foxie on Jan 22, 2013 9:00:54 GMT -5
glad u saw it Alicia. Wasn't it incredible?sorry grams didn't like it don't se how anyone can not love it but that's me!
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Post by jo on Jan 22, 2013 12:32:38 GMT -5
Have you been a longtime Les Mis fan? This one is for you... and for newfound ones, too It's from The Atlantic -- but it is really a story of why Les Miserables transcends the ages ( almost 3 decades of it, anyway ) www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/12/les-mis-rables-has-always-been-too-big-for-criticism/266565/----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Les Misérables' Has Always Been Too Big for CriticismBy Meghan Lewit inShare.Dec 21 2012, 11:01 AM ET16 Bombast? Bathos? That's the point. The the original production has endured because it gave audiences exactly what they wanted. Early reviews of Les Misérables are not very promising. As of this writing, Tom Hooper's cinematic adaptation of the hugely famous musical has a score of 55 on Metacritic. (In a particularly harsh review, Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum said the movie made her long for the guillotine.) A common theme is that for all its impassioned intentions, the film is an exhausting 157 minutes of vibrato and pathos and extreme close-ups on its weepy stars. Les Mis fans will be discouraged by none of this. When it first opened in London in 1985, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel also received very mixed reviews and complaints that the three-and-a-half hour show was overlong and overwrought. Of course, this did not stop it from becoming an international sensation and the third longest running show on Broadway after it hopped the pond. When I see the film next week, I intend to revel in every quivering note and cheer at each call to revolution. The point of Les Misérablesis its pure bombast: the way that it steamrolls any suggestion of cynicism with yet another soaring refrain. A relic from the heyday of the '80s mega-musical (its peers include Cats and The Phantom of the Opera), for many of its fans Les Mis served as an early introduction to Broadway. I also suspect that it's a prime example of a cultural experience that you must encounter when you are young or you will never wholly embrace it. Fans of the musical are legion, and they come in all ages, genders and nationalities—but the onslaught of emotion released over the course of the production is best absorbed in a state of pre-irony vulnerability. (For a taste of this fandom, visit les misérables confessions.) My affinity for this musical epic about redemption, first love and doomed revolution is at least partially rooted in nostalgia, and the fact that I fell in love with it at a time when I had not yet developed any emotional armor. There was a distinct period in my very early teens when if the original Broadway cast recording of Les Mis wasn't on my CD player, it was only so that Miss Saigon could get some airplay. Embarrassingly, my friends and I used to harmonize to our favorite song, "On My Own," on the bus ride to middle school. We had no use for boring, flaxen-haired Cosette (the emblem of the show) who gets the guy in the end. It was the resourceful, lovelorn street urchin Éponine who inspired us. "On my own, pretending he's beside me" is a poignant anthem for a girl who, at the advanced age of 12, fears she will never find love. The current Glee era seems like an opportune time to dust off the beloved musical and dress it up as extravagantly as possible for a film audience. But Les Mis has remained a constant presence in popular culture—largely due to national tours, revivals, and anniversary concerts—also because it has a tendency to pop up in unexpected places, like an episode of Seinfeld where George can't get the song "Master of the House" out of his head, or a memorable scene in the first season of Dawson's Creek. (Even my bus rendition of "On My Own" can't have been as painful as Katie Holmes's version.) Until it was undertaken by Anne Hathaway, the musical's signature ballad "I Dreamed a Dream" was most notably revived by Susan Boyle in her legendarily viral 2009 audition for Britain's Got Talent. It was a television moment carefully orchestrated for maximum impact, from Boyle's introduction as the frumpy underdog to the moment when the judges' smirks and the audience's eye rolls are transformed into thunderous applause. But despite the knowledge that you are being shamelessly manipulated, the catch in your throat when those first pure, mournful notes emerge from Boyle's unimposing person is entirely real. Such is the magic and the appeal of Les Misérables: It is impossible to approach the material with anything less than quavering earnestness. Take for instance this great impromptu performance of "The Confrontation"—a tour-de-force vocal duel between the musical's hero Jean Valjean and its antagonist Inspector Javert—by Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel during a 2006 talk show appearance. Paul Rudd and writer/director David Wain also tackled the song in an enjoyable, if inexplicable, promo for their film Role Models. These clips demonstrate that resistance to Les Mis is futile; there's much more fun to be had by simply giving in to it. Fans of the musical come in all ages, genders, and nationalities—but its onslaught of emotion is best absorbed in a state of pre-irony vulnerability. Of course, the show's emotive score also has vocal detractors. Following Susan Boyle's moment in the sun, Nora Ephron (who was no stranger herself to unapologetic sentimentality) wrote a piece for The Huffington Post referring to "that song" as "the all-time most horrible song ever in history." (In keeping with my theory, Ephron's response to "I Dreamed a Dream" can only be the reaction of a person who first crossed paths with it as a fully formed, critically mature individual.) On the 25th anniversary of Les Mis, Guardian critic Michael Billington revisited his initial negative impression of the show, concluding: "What I find intriguing is that we think we live in a very cool, smart, cynical age. Yet, when the chips are down, what we really crave is a contest of good and evil, and lashings of spectacle." Given the excitement over the film from a number of quarters (New York Magazine's Vulture, for instance, has been counting down the days to the opening with an advent calendar) it's fair to say that Les Misérables is in fact cool—in the way that things that are supremely uncool can swing back around. Like Cats or Phantom, Les Mis retains a certain kitsch appeal that harkens to an outsized, more lavish era of musical theater. But the show also has an immersive and enduring power that continues to resonate in popular culture. That it has held up better and stayed relevant longer than most of its compatriots is due to the fact that underpinning the production's lush extravagance is a timely story about the struggle of a marginalized underclass and (all cynicism aside) a genuinely stirring score. Les Mis speaks directly to the inner theater geek that lurks in all of us. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've just converted a 11 1/2 year old grandniece. The torch has been passed ;D And so the film will now convert generations full of fans Jo |
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Post by rmtndew on Jan 22, 2013 14:40:47 GMT -5
glad u saw it Alicia. Wasn't it incredible?sorry grams didn't like it don't se how anyone can not love it but that's me! I think she enjoyed it well enough, but she and her sister were expecting more dialog. For the rest of the day my great aunt was singing everything, so it clearly got into their heads. lol But the movie was incredible, yes. It was so beautiful visually. The colors were amazing. And oddly, even though it was 2 and a half plus hours long, it didn't feel like it. I could have easily sat through another hour and been just as mesmerized. I'll be happy when it's out on DVD and I can watch it again. - Alicia |
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Post by israruth on Jan 26, 2013 20:23:30 GMT -5
Unlike many Ozalots, I came to the movie not knowing anything about the Les Miserables musical. Overall, I was knocked out by the movie. Right through the movie, I kept thinking how well it was done. Since then, I have read some of the criticisms and was curious about how the singing compared with the musical. I ordered the 10th Anniversary Concert CD version of the musical. After all the criticism of the singing in the movie, I was amazed to find that I much preferred the singing in the movie version because of its dramatic truthfulness. Of course the singing on the Concert CD was technically 'better' than the movie but it was not nearly so moving.
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Post by birchie on Jan 26, 2013 20:58:49 GMT -5
Unlike many Ozalots, I came to the movie not knowing anything about the Les Miserables musical. Overall, I was knocked out by the movie. Right through the movie, I kept thinking how well it was done. Since then, I have read some of the criticisms and was curious about how the singing compared with the musical. I ordered the 10th Anniversary Concert CD version of the musical. After all the criticism of the singing in the movie, I was amazed to find that I much preferred the singing in the movie version because of its dramatic truthfulness. Of course the singing on the Concert CD was technically 'better' than the movie but it was not nearly so moving. That is the difference in a nutshell!! And welcome, israruth! For some (like me) the movie is so wonderful because of the emotional impact of the singing which show the characters experiencing those very emotional moments, like you are there. Seeing such raw emotion doesn't take you away from the story but enhances it. As you say, on stage, whether in the concerts or a production of the musical, the singing is usually very good but for me it's kind of like 'excuse me a moment while I sing my big song' instead of experiencing what the character is going through. I love musical theater and live shows can't be beat, but for a movie musical I think this is the way they should all be done from now on. It doesn't compete with the musical theater experience, it is it's own entity! My thoughts anyway. Sue |
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Post by israruth on Jan 27, 2013 19:25:33 GMT -5
Thought everyone would like to see this comment on the Screenrant website:
" Favorites being what they are, Daniel Day Lewis will probably win the Oscar, but this year even though he was magnificent in Lincoln, he flat out doesn’t deserve it. Never for a second forget what Hugh Jackman did in order to disappear into this character. For Les Miserables, Mr. Jackman moved through a thirty year age difference with four distinct faces while singing and acting each age to perfection – a totally multilayered performance. All of it was done while up to his chest in icy water, climbing through snow-covered mountains in threadbare robes, slogging through watered peat sludge and physically changing in order to achieve the correct look for each stage of the role.
In the process he lifted masts, carts, children, and two full-grown bodies while filming, acting, and singing each song live repeatedly for 10 – 12 hours a day. Then he topped it off by being the lead and at the center of a great ensemble cast that made every one of his fellow actors better. No one but no one else could have done what he did for this role or even came close to doing that this year. (Yes that goes for Daniel Day-Lewis)".
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Post by bandala on Jan 29, 2013 13:07:11 GMT -5
Welcom Isaruth! That is beautiful, and so true. I was reading an account of a panel interview that included Hugh, Anne, Eddie, and Amanda. Toward the end of the interview, to paraphrase, Anne cautioned the reporters not be taken in by Hugh's charm and good humor. She said that it would be easy to use those qualities to discount who he is completely, which is an exceptionally disciplined, accomplished, talented, serious actor.
I also read a comment similar to the one you posted above. Someone said he guages performances to include another primary criteria - could someone else play that role as well. Using so many of the examples above, the writer concluded that the Oscar should go to Hugh, because, as Hooper said, it is clear that without him, and him alone, there would be no Les Miz. That is very likely not the case with DDL and Lincoln.
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jo
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Post by jo on Feb 3, 2013 21:50:44 GMT -5
I've learned to smile, be amused, be irritated, to agree wholeheartedly with many comments on Twitter --
But this one, made by this male New Yorker who says he wants to be an actor and a doctor ( maybe he has not decided yet which one) is quite one of the best --
Jaylen Bahamþ@Gleefuljaylen14
Everyone else's opinion on Hugh Jackman in Les Mis is IRRELEVANT. I'd like to see you try and sing all that LIVE like him. He was amazing.
Yeah, all the Adam Lamberts and other nitpickickers -- what say you??? I saw the movie a fifth time this weekend, and that was the same thought that pervaded my mind all throughout!
Jo
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Post by Jamie on Feb 3, 2013 22:00:19 GMT -5
Thought everyone would like to see this comment on the Screenrant website: " Favorites being what they are, Daniel Day Lewis will probably win the Oscar, but this year even though he was magnificent in Lincoln, he flat out doesn’t deserve it. Never for a second forget what Hugh Jackman did in order to disappear into this character. For Les Miserables, Mr. Jackman moved through a thirty year age difference with four distinct faces while singing and acting each age to perfection – a totally multilayered performance. All of it was done while up to his chest in icy water, climbing through snow-covered mountains in threadbare robes, slogging through watered peat sludge and physically changing in order to achieve the correct look for each stage of the role. In the process he lifted masts, carts, children, and two full-grown bodies while filming, acting, and singing each song live repeatedly for 10 – 12 hours a day. Then he topped it off by being the lead and at the center of a great ensemble cast that made every one of his fellow actors better. No one but no one else could have done what he did for this role or even came close to doing that this year. (Yes that goes for Daniel Day-Lewis)". That has been popping up ever since I put up the link to my blog article and I'm glad they did but I had some of the great pictures to prove it as well jdurward.blogspot.com/2013/01/why-hugh-deserves-oscar.html |
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Post by jo on Feb 4, 2013 0:07:06 GMT -5
Thanks, Jamie!
Hope my comments are not too late.
Jo
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Post by Jamie on Feb 4, 2013 8:07:29 GMT -5
Thanks, Jamie! Hope my comments are not too late. Jo Thank you for the comment. I just hope it gets seen by as many voters as possible. I just keep re-tweeting to get spread out there in case some folks would like to do the same to their circles, because he genuinely deserves it for bringing a once in a lifetime role to the screen. |
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Post by mamaleh on Feb 4, 2013 8:41:08 GMT -5
Totally agree, of course. As proficient an actor as DDL is, we saw he was out of his depths in NINE. I'm hoping for a major upset. Then again, I keep hoping gasoline goes down to 99 cents again.
Ellen
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Post by klenotka on Feb 5, 2013 15:15:19 GMT -5
I don´t even know who this Adam Lambert is. While Hugh is known world-wide, this Lambert, whoever he is...is not. It is too bad that some people let their jealousy over the success of the movie cloud their judgment. Especially when some of them are acclaimed stage actors...also known only for theater fans, even hardcore fans, since about 60% of people of Earth don´t speak English...
I learnt to ignore it. I just enjoy Hugh´s nomination, who we always wanted. He wanted a GG and now things can be only better for him. Academy members or producers or directors don´t care what some no-name guy says. Or what an internet bloggers or "movie fans" on the internet say. I spoke to about five people at work, some of them even didn´t know Les Mis musical (or had a vague idea about the story from school) and loved the movie. Also, my hard-core musical fans loved it. I think it is all just the bad wibe from internet boards, that just isn´t reflected into the real world.
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) at that time -- and the sight of all these current nasty posts has become irrelevant to me.
