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Post by njr on Mar 18, 2013 15:24:52 GMT -5
Caught my mom watching the 25th Anniversary Les Mis live on PBS last night, even though I have it saved on the DVR! ;D
Nancy
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Post by jo on Mar 20, 2013 22:02:38 GMT -5
Movie fans on the MOVIE AWARDS section of IMDB are still talking about Les Miserables -- this time, comparing Hugh and Anne's performances. www.imdb.com/board/bd0000005/nest/212159585Anyone want to add her/his preference? Jo |
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Post by jo on Mar 20, 2013 22:15:23 GMT -5
Maybe a little OT -- But this fantastic figure skating from the world champion, to the music of Les Miserables ! www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gn98iKAK2UShe is from South Korea and we know how much they loved the movie there! They even had that parody of Look Down  Jo |
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 21, 2013 0:15:46 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Mar 21, 2013 2:56:50 GMT -5
Very good singing, Ellen!
Jo
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Post by birchie on Mar 21, 2013 11:32:36 GMT -5
Movie fans on the MOVIE AWARDS section of IMDB are still talking about Les Miserables -- this time, comparing Hugh and Anne's performances. www.imdb.com/board/bd0000005/nest/212159585Anyone want to add her/his preference? Jo OK, I added my 2cents...well more like a dime!  Seems Hugh is the big consensus on that thread. Not a surprise here of course. Sue |
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Post by JH4HJ on Mar 21, 2013 14:47:34 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Mar 21, 2013 20:11:52 GMT -5
I've wondered how heavy those chains were !!
Meanwhile, here's an interesting interview with Colm Wilkinson --
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Colm Wilkinson talks Les Miserables
By Alexandra Heilbron
For many Les Misérables fans, Colm Wilkinson is and always will be Jean Valjean. He originated the role in London’s West End, then reprised the role when it debuted on Broadway, where he received a Tony nomination and won an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Theatre World Award and a Helen Hayes Award. He went on to play the title role in The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto, where he performed the role almost 1700 times.
On television, Wilkinson played Lord Darcy in the third season of the TV series The Tudors. He was a special guest at the Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert in London, and although he would have been the first choice to reprise the role of Valjean in the movie, he was too old by the time it finally began filming and the part went to Hugh Jackman. However, Wilkinson continues to be associated with Les Misérables, and many were ecstatic when he was chosen to play the Bishop in the movie version.
Like many fans, I was thrilled to see you in the movie. How were you cast in the film?
There have been various attempts to make the movie over the years and I saw that this one was serious and they were going ahead with it so I was thinking, would I like to be involved in this. I knew I was too old to play Valjean, so the obvious person was the Bishop. I phoned Cameron Mackintosh’s office and made the suggestion and eventually, after doing a screen test, etc. for Tom Hooper, I became the Bishop. They were quite surprised and glad that I offered to do it because of the fact that I originated the role of Valjean and I had played it for such a long period of time. I’m glad I did it. It’s sort of my way of saying goodbye to the whole project.
I think everyone who’s ever seen you was glad also. Did you give Hugh Jackman any tips on playing the role?
No, I didn’t give him any tips. We had a conversation early on in the rehearsal process about "Bring Him Home" and other songs, and he was talking about the death scene and we exchanged ideas on that. I wouldn't presume to tell anyone how to sing or what to do because everybody’s different, everybody’s unique. Nobody sounds the same, nobody sings the same. I had a certain way of doing it and I just said to Hugh, you’ve got to find your way. Don’t copy me, don’t copy other people, just do it your way. Sing it the way you feel you should sing it. And he was delighted.
Doing the movie has opened up a whole new interest in me again. There are people who follow me avidly but at the same time, I was really surprised when I went to L.A. to the SAG awards. I thought this is film, these are film people and they will not know about Les Misérables the musical or me. Every person I met had seen the musical, every person I met knew Valjean and I was astonished at the amount of knowledge people had of it and it gave me a new respect for music theatre.
When you were offered the title role in The Phantom of the Opera in 1985, you chose to play Jean Valjean in Les Misérables instead. Do you prefer Les Mis?
That’s a difficult one. They’re not that different emotionally—they’re both outcasts and they’re both people who have to justify their existence to a certain degree. If it had to come down to it, I think I would prefer to do Les Misérables. It was a much bigger thing and a much more physically demanding role to do. I’m glad it went that way. Andrew Lloyd Webber asked me to do The Phantom and when we were at the Sydmonton Festival to do the workshop, Cameron Mackintosh was there. I was already in rehearsals for Les Misérables and Cameron said, “I know he’s asked you to do The Phantom.” He said, “If Les Misérables doesn’t work, you can do The Phantom, but I need you to do Les Misérables first.” So I did that. That was a great position to be in, in hindsight. I mean, to have those two roles. But I eventually came here to Toronto to do Phantom and I’m here ever since. I’m here since 1989.
You still live in Toronto?
I do. Yeah, my home’s here, my kids are here and I’m still in the city, I’m looking out at the snow right now. It’s nice and bright. It’s freezing cold out there (laughs). It’s a great city. It’s a great cosmopolitan city and a great place for children—I have four children. And obviously The Phantom was a huge success—it was great for me.
Do you consider yourself Canadian or Irish now?
Oh, I’m a Canadian citizen now. I became a Canadian citizen at least 10 or 12 years ago. Ireland’s my home, it’s where my soul is I suppose but at the same time, Canada’s where I live. Canada’s been very, very good to me. I’d like to spend more time in Ireland, but would I ever settle back there? I’m not too sure. I’ve gotten used to living in Canada now, but I love the Irish people very much and I miss them a lot.
You started out in a rock and roll band, is there a difference between singing rock or pop and musical theatre singing?
Yeah, there is. I mean, the application can be the same but in pop songs you’re telling one particular story in three-and-a-half minutes and in musical theatre every song is plot driven as they say, moving the story along with each song. You have to be aware of the character you’re playing and to continue with the story line. I apply myself in the same way to the music and just get the honesty of the lyric. That’s the way I’ve always worked. But it is a different discipline.
Do you have plans to appear in any other stage musicals?
I’ve been offered different roles, they actually asked me if I would play the Bishop here in Toronto and in New York, but I turned it down. You know, it takes up your whole life doing eight shows a week. Like The Phantom, I did that on and off for four-and-a-half years. It just takes a huge chunk of your life. You don’t see your kids that much, you wake up in the morning and you’re basically gearing yourself all day to go in and do the gig that night, so your whole life revolves around the theatre. You don’t have much social life. And you have to look after yourself really well—keep your stamina up and keep yourself physically well so you can do that job. It’s pretty demanding. So I don’t particularly want to get involved. Depending on the role, I might see something down the line but I’m not particularly interested to get involved with eight shows a week again.
Would you like to do more movies?
I’d like to do more movies and I’d like to do plays and I’m planning to do more concerts. I’m starting another tour in late November to mid-December in Sarnia, Burlington, Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo, Markham, Guelph and New York as well. I’m going to Ireland at the end of May to do about 15 concerts in and around Ireland, Wales and Scotland from June to August. I only have the U.K. tour dates on my official site (www.colmwilkinson.com) but I’m going to put the North American dates up there soon as well.
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Some interesting things --
*I thought it was very statesmanlike/professional ( as a leading musical theatre talent) of him to have given Hugh those reassuring words on handling the role, specifically Bring Him Home! Interpret it the way you see the role or the song of the moment!
*I never knew he was the first choice for Phantom and not Michael Crawford. I guess if I had known that he sang the role at Sydmonton ( ALWebber's estate, where he premieres his musical scores for the first time in an invite-only presentation), that would have been a clue that he was first choice. Interesting that after Les Miserables, Colm moved on to play the Phantom in Canada for a long time. If you have the DVD of the tribute concert to Mackintosh ( "Hey, Mr. Producer"), Colm sings the role of the Phantom there. In the same concert, Hugh first performed to the British public " Oh What a Beautiful Mornin' ".
*Given his early rock-n-roll background, I wonder if he ever discussed the Javert role with Russell since they did have a slight similarity in musical background ( RC was mainly pop, but he did do stage musicals, such as Blood Brothers, early in his career).
*I remember that he did talk to Hugh after the Toronto one-man show. By that time, Hugh had already known that he had the Valjean role.
*I had giggled when he said he called to inquire about a role in the movie musical. Sounds like someone we know, who also called and asked for an audition with a director who had not even formalized his deal with the producers. LOL!
Jo
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Post by jo on Mar 22, 2013 19:00:57 GMT -5
Also related to the release of the home video, but the always refreshing Samantha Barks shares more glimpses on set and her awestruck moments when she went to Hollywood -- >>> My goal is to have a varied career--I look to people like Hugh Jackman and Meryl Streep for inspiration. They didn't confine themselves.<<< She seems to look up to Hugh since Day One Re Hugh's varied career -- I was reading about Ryan Gosling's recent decision to stay away from acting for a while because he says he seems to have lost his way, or something to that effect. Just my thoughts - maybe because he seems to be confining himself to roles with a dark/always serious element and it must get a little tiresome playing similar characters all the time? I think Hugh is in a good place -- film and theatre, action/musical/drama/romcom movies, hero/villain, and occasional entertainer! I think he should not say Goodbye to Wolverine forever Jo |
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 29, 2013 6:06:46 GMT -5
Maybe Jo can best answer these lingering questions: One: Valjean tells Javert, "Three days are all I need" to presumably place Cosette in a good home, then he'd give himself up. What kind of a plan did he have in mind? Place with whom? And why did he renege on his word? Two: Valjean admits in song that hundreds of people depend on him for their livelihoods. But he seems to care more about saving his own soul ("I am damned") than protecting his workers. How saintly is that, really?
Ellen
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Post by jo on Mar 29, 2013 9:02:54 GMT -5
Ellen,
*"Three days are all I need" --
In the book, he asked for three days so he can get Cosette and bring her back to Fantine ( Fantine had not passed away when he asked for the 3-day reprieve, as Javert arrived before Fantine died). He actually returned to Javert and was incarcerated for some time once more...but then he escaped again by pretending to fall into the sea from a ship he was imprisoned in.
In the play and in the movie, Fantine dies before Javert arrives. Valjean asks Javert for 3 days so he can take care of Cosette ( no specific plan in mind, maybe just provide for her?). But during the confrontation, the opportunity to escape came along ( he plunged directly into the sea) and so he did renege on his promise to return after finding Cosette, maybe because Javert sounded intractable and uncompromising? Plus he felt strongly about the duty to Cosette that he had promised Fantine before she died ( "There is a duty that I am sworn to do...You would see me sooner dead. But not before I see this justice done"). I think the movie and the play also eliminated the sequence of another escape for brevity.
*Valjean admits in song that hundreds of people depend on him for their livelihoods. But he seems to care more about saving his own soul ("I am damned") than protecting his workers. How saintly is that, really?
Who am I
Can I condemn this man to slavery?
Pretend I do not feel his agony?
This innocent who bears my face,
Who goes to judgment in my place...
Who am I?"
That was one reason -- the sense of injustice that will be committed to an innocent man if he does not save him.
Can I conceal myself forever more?
Pretend I 'm not the man I was before
And must my name until I die
Be no more than an alibi?
Must I lie?
How can I ever face my fellowmen
How can I ever face myself again
My soul belongs to God, I know
I made that bargain long ago
He gave me hope when hope was gone
He gave me strength to journey on
Who am I?
Who am I?
I'm Jean Valjean!
So, it wasn't out of selfishness ( re letting his workers's fate go) but out of a sense of justice and fairness to the innocent man who was incarcerated for being mistaken for him...plus his own pact with God to be true to himself which made him make that decision! It was pure selflessness and sense of integrity!
Hope I have helped with those answers. I am sure there are others here who would also gladly add their explanations.
Jo
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 29, 2013 9:15:27 GMT -5
I don't know. It always seemed to me "how would they live/if I am not free" should have entered more into the equation. It's pretty convenient that it works out that his soul will not be damned--though in the process of course he does save the man mistaken for Valjean--but he is dooming hundreds of other innocent people to likely starvation.
I guess that's why he has such an ethical conundrum to face as he looks into the mirror.
Ellen
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Post by jo on Mar 29, 2013 9:26:42 GMT -5
Not necessarily that the factory would close. It was a thriving business ( actually, in the book, he invented a way of making less expensive but attractive jet stone jewelry which was fashionable in Europe then) and someone may continue the business and employ those workers. He could even make arrangements to sell the business to someone and make provisions for continued employment of the workers or give some sort of layoff benefits out of the proceeds.
He was living a lie, that was another consideration which weighed on him.
Moral questions - this resonates personally with me. During the financial crisis here in Asia, many companies had to downsize. Our bank was not exempt from the cost cutting commitments. It happened again when a merger happened. I was part of the group that had to rationalize how the cuts in personnel will be made. Not an easy task but had to made for the sake of the institution.
Jo
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 29, 2013 11:18:55 GMT -5
Many of our decisions have far-reaching consequences, that's for sure--whether in fiction or real life.
Thanks, Jo, for your perspective.
Ellen
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Post by birchie on Mar 29, 2013 15:46:11 GMT -5
Maybe Jo can best answer these lingering questions: One: Valjean tells Javert, "Three days are all I need" to presumably place Cosette in a good home, then he'd give himself up. What kind of a plan did he have in mind? Place with whom? And why did he renege on his word? Two: Valjean admits in song that hundreds of people depend on him for their livelihoods. But he seems to care more about saving his own soul ("I am damned") than protecting his workers. How saintly is that, really? Ellen Hi Ellen, The 3 days are not completely explained in the book, but one assumes that he had planned to make good permanent arrangements for Cosette. He already knew what crooks the Thenardiers were so he wanted to rescue her from them to be sure. As for his dilemma...it certainly was a whopper! It seems that he decided rather quickly in the musical version but he agonized about it all day and all night and even when he went to save Champmatieu (the lookalike) the next day, he was still unsure of his decision right up until the last minute. He actually thought that letting the man be condemned in his place was the lowest thing he could do and it was in essence sentencing him to death. Whenever he thought about his workers and all the good he could keep doing for his town it was actually his lesser self talking and trying to justify condemning the man to death. He went back and forth with himself all night. It's quite an interesting read. While he was wrestling with his decision, he had written to his money man, and gotten his papers in order. Then after Fantine died he was in fact taken into custody but escaped briefly by climbing out a window in the local jail and returned to his home where Sister Simplice and his housekeeper helped him by lying to Javert. He gave Sister Simplice another letter he had written to the local cleric along with some of his money to bury Fantine properly and distribute the rest among the poor. The cleric did not actually buy a funeral for Fantine but he did use the money for the poor. I always thought that the instructions to his banker may have included ideas and maybe even some money to use to preserve his business. He then went and buried approx. 600,000 Francs in the woods near the Thenardiers Inn in Montfermeil but he was recaptured and sent back to prison before getting Cosette. Then, as mentioned he escaped again and was presumed drowned. It was close to a year after Fantine's death that he finally got to rescue Cosette. It's unfortunate that the thriving business that he started was destroyed, not by what he did but by the greed and dispassionate nature of the people of the town who could have done right and kept things going but only thought of themselves and their greed and self interest killed the town once again. The 600,000 Francs (about 10million in US $ by today's rates) was eventually used as Cosette's dowry. He took out enough to live comfortably during their Paris years, including buying 3 properties so he could always move out at a moment's notice, and he had enough that he would still be able to give alms to the poor every day. But the bulk of his money was saved for Cosette. Hope that isn't too muddled. I'm afraid it's just a very condensed version of what happened in the book that this is all based on. Sue |
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Post by jo on Mar 29, 2013 20:32:00 GMT -5
Sue, Thanks for your detailed summary. I am also finding myself re-reading passages from the book from time to time. LOL - this is hard - moving back and forth from original source to original stage adaptation to film adaptation! As usual, I ran into someone on IMDB who was scoffing at one scene in the movie ( how Valjean was initially whispering when he and Cosette "landed" on the convent grounds...and how he eventually sang the recitatives "loudly" to connote how life will go on from there). Eventually, in our exchange, I suggested that it might be best to go back to the original source, the book, and not to simply dismiss the direction given for that scene. I should know better that some people on IMDB are simply out there to spew negativity... but this is one instance where it gave me a chance to enjoy re-reading the passages myself. www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/board/nest/209983307?p=6Jo |
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Post by birchie on Mar 29, 2013 21:48:21 GMT -5
Sue, Thanks for your detailed summary. I am also finding myself re-reading passages from the book from time to time. LOL - this is hard - moving back and forth from original source to original stage adaptation to film adaptation! As usual, I ran into someone on IMDB who was scoffing at one scene in the movie ( how Valjean was initially whispering when he and Cosette "landed" on the convent grounds...and how he eventually sang the recitatives "loudly" to connote how life will go on from there). Eventually, in our exchange, I suggested that it might be best to go back to the original source, the book, and not to simply dismiss the direction given for that scene. I should know better that some people on IMDB are simply out there to spew negativity... but this is one instance where it gave me a chance to enjoy re-reading the passages myself. www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/board/nest/209983307?p=6Jo Those fools will never change.  How can they complain about how he sings when he enters the convent??? It was never in the musical so his adaptation is the only one!!!!! Some people just have to complain about everything. I'm sure those that were complaining never read the book. He certainly wasn't shouting anything from the rooftops there! With the elaborate plan of Fauchlevent to get JVJ accepted by the nuns as his brother I'd say they were mostly whispering. 8-) Even after that it wasn't a place to shout so they don't know what they're talking about. I may read that page tomorrow. It's late now and I don't want to annoy myself just before bedtime.  Thanks for continuing to fight the good fight at IMDB. Sue |
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Post by jo on Mar 31, 2013 19:22:58 GMT -5
Here's Samantha Barks singing a song from EVITA called ANOTHER SUITCASE, ANOTHER HALL, with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Michael Ball looking on. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QSYv1pH5A0She really has a winning voice...and she seems to have picked up a lot from her recent film experience, acting-wise ( the eyes speak volumes!). This was part of the Easter Sunday TV special on ALW's 40 Musical Years, hosted by Michael Ball, and with ALW being part of the show. In a part of the show, he was asked by MB what song he would have wanted to have written -- it would be SOME ENCHANTED EVENING. We do go back to Rodgers and Hammerstein every now and then Jo |
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 31, 2013 19:37:36 GMT -5
She does sounds great. That's the song sung by Peron's about-to-be ex-mistress, as she's unceremoniously kicked out by his new squeeze, Evita.
I had read about that TV special; hope it finds its way to the US either on TV or on DVD.
Ellen
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Post by jo on Mar 31, 2013 21:23:20 GMT -5
Someone on IMDB noted that the context of the song is ironically evocative of On My Own - the woman being rejected by the man she cared for.
Jo
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Post by jo on Apr 4, 2013 9:50:55 GMT -5
 Hugh's Valjean costume as a convict, now on display for a limited period at a museum in Portsmouth ( where they filmed the opening scene), together with other costumes and props from the movie musical. It seems that the costumes and props are stored in Hollywood and were just flown in for the exhibit in Britain. Jo |
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Post by annetter on Apr 4, 2013 10:07:17 GMT -5
cool. wish the exhibit would travel - maybe MOMA in NYC?
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Post by mamaleh on Apr 5, 2013 8:38:41 GMT -5
Hugh'd have my vote for the Hobo of the Year full-color pullout spread.  Here's an interesting excerpt from a post on Broadwayworld.com about how actors amuse themselves during long runs: "Read the book Bound for Broadway (or something like that). They have a whole section about people in Les Miz who would be dead on the barricade and how they'd have certain body parts exposed in order to make the other people laugh, etc. " Do the "dead" flash? Ellen |
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Post by birchie on Apr 5, 2013 9:15:49 GMT -5
Interesting little/short article with Colm talking about Les Mis cuts: www.contactmusic.com/news/colm-wilkinson-there-s-another-two-hours-of-les-mis-footage_3587678Colm Wilkinson - Colm Wilkinson: 'There's Another Two Hours Of Les Mis Footage'
05 April 2013
Thespian Colm Wilkinson has given fans of movie musical Les Miserables a thrill by revealing there's up to two hours of footage that didn't make the film, including a powerful scene between himself and Hugh Jackman.
Wilkinson, who plays the Bishop in the hit movie, originated Jackman's Jean Valjean role onstage and admits he had a great time on the film set with the Australian star - but one scene between them was left on the cutting room floor.
The Irish actor tells BroadwayWorld.com, "There was one big scene we did that did not stay in - they had to take the whole thing down in the timing after a while... There is no intermission in this movie.
"You have to take into consideration that people will be sitting for two and a half hours, or whatever. For myself, personally, I am never really aware of timing or anything because I am passionate about what I do, so I have found that if you really love what you do then time flies. So, honestly, I can't tell you how long the movie actually is, but when you don't have an intermission like you do in the theatre, you have to be very conscious of the time element there - and he (director Tom Hooper) was.
"He had to cut and cut and pare it back to the bare bones, but I'm sure there's another two hours or so of footage there. I know it." In the screenplay there is more to the eating dinner scene but the one that I was hoping would not be cut from the movie was when the Bishop was sleeping. It was in the book and I thought it would be a beautiful scene to watch Hugh's face. In the book JVJ thinks the Bishop is waking up but sees that he is asleep but he can't believe the countenance of the man he sees sleeping. He's never seen anyone with such a peaceful and loving expression on his face and he can't imagine how one could ever look like that in life. I hope it's in the extended Director's cut. I wouldn't mind a 4hr version of this movie at all. While I hated MotH, I would like to see Dog Eat Dog put back in as it truly shows how evil Thenardier is. I really don't like SBC and the only scenes I thought he did a good job in were the scenes that showed that side of the character, not the funny stuff. But, back on the article...I would love to see a bit more of Colm and more of the dramatic/dilemma moments for JVJ. Another scene that was cut is after JVJ jumps out the window to escape from Javert (confrontation) they actually finish the song from their respective places...Javert searching, sings to JVJ and JVJ hiding in the water, under the docks sings to Fantine. I was sorry that was cut from the movie. Sue |
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Post by birchie on Apr 11, 2013 12:07:55 GMT -5
Didn't know where to put this, it's a Les Mis parody but very well done. Most of the performers are from On Broadway Academy so maybe they will appear in a theater near you some day soon New Yorkers. The boy parodying Marius looks and sounds amazingly like Eddie! youtu.be/P3fjFtlSz3Q Enjoy! Sue |
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How can they complain about how he sings when he enters the convent??? It was never in the musical so his adaptation is the only one!!!!! Some people just have to complain about everything. I'm sure those that were complaining never read the book. He certainly wasn't shouting anything from the rooftops there! With the elaborate plan of Fauchlevent to get JVJ accepted by the nuns as his brother I'd say they were mostly whispering. 8-) Even after that it wasn't a place to shout so they don't know what they're talking about. I may read that page tomorrow. It's late now and I don't want to annoy myself just before bedtime. 
Thanks for continuing to fight the good fight at IMDB.
