Postscripts to Les Miserables

[jo]

The theatre snobs on BWW are still defending the NPH joke in the Opening Number about live singing - arghh!!

Why don't they just joke about themselves, not other performing branches? That is what bugs me -- that they are doing it at the expense of another.



Jo

[jo]

Informative article on predictions for the film industry, including Spielberg's own perspective. But what is really very interesting was what he said about LINCOLN.

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielberg-predicts-implosion-film-567604

Lucas and Spielberg told USC students that they are learning about the industry at an extraordinary time of upheaval, where even proven talents find it difficult to get movies into theaters. Some ideas from young filmmakers "are too fringe-y for the movies," Spielberg said. "That's the big danger, and there's eventually going to be an implosion — or a big meltdown. There's going to be an implosion where three or four or maybe even a half-dozen megabudget movies are going to go crashing into the ground, and that's going to change the paradigm."

Lucas lamented the high cost of marketing movies and the urge to make them for the masses while ignoring niche audiences. He called cable television "much more adventurous" than film nowadays.

"I think eventually the Lincolns will go away and they're going to be on television," Lucas said. "As mine almost was," Spielberg interjected. "This close -- ask HBO -- this close."

"We're talking Lincoln and Red Tails -- we barely got them into theaters. You're talking about Steven Spielberg and George Lucas can't get their movie into a theater," Lucas said. "I got more people into Lincoln than you got into Red Tails," Spielberg joked.

Spielberg added that he had to co-own his own studio in order to get Lincoln into theaters.


"The pathway to get into theaters is really getting smaller and smaller," Lucas said.

What could have been...if LINCOLN played on cable TV, the Best Actor race could have been more to our liking

And I wonder how much he and his studio had to spend for that massive publicity campaign, including that TIME cover story for DDL and that White House screening?


Jo

[mamaleh]

I have no doubt Hugh would have won, which makes that article all the more frustrating to read. Argghh!

Ellen

[chessie]

A couple of days ago I turned the TV on as Russell Crowe was being interviewed on the Kelly and Michael show. I missed the beginning of the conversation, but they were discussing the performance by the Les Mis cast on the Oscars show. Russell said that after they all came out of their dressing rooms, they gathered together and Hugh gave a little speech before they went onstage to perform. Then he said, "There's a lot of love in that cast."

That statement doesn't come as a surprise to us, but it was nice to hear Russell say it in such a heartfelt manner.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a clip of the entire segment.

Carol

[jo]

One need not even have to hear the anecdote by Russell to know the love and respect that the Les Miserables cast had for each other and for their creative team. smiley-gen126

It was such a great experience to have been able to follow all that was happening during rehearsals, filming, advance screenings, premieres...up to the Oscarcast. Russell himself has helped tremendously to build the closeness of the group, when he regularly hosted singalong parties every Friday at the beautiful place where he stayed. And do you remember Russ's funny tweets about various filming scenes? Hugh was regarded as the leader who inspired the group and showed the fortitude, focus, dedication, and artistic excellence which marked the performance of the cast members! I have heard Tom heap praise on Hugh being such a leader and an inspiration for the group. And I think Cameron Mackintosh also regarded Hugh in the same light. And do you remember Annie's fulsome praise of Hugh whenever she gave an acceptance speech - always a very special nod to a respected colleague and friend!

When they first announced the cast and creative team, film blogger Anne Thompson said that Hooper and Crowe had explosive reputations which could make working together difficult. We never heard any incident of any filming disagreements! It seems that director and cast have collaborated on acting and singing choices the best that they could - and had worked as hard as they could within the budgetary and time constraints on this epic film project!

Do you remember when they won Best Picture for a Musical at the Golden Globes? The key cast members were so joyous onstage when the producers were receiving the award. They were like first-timers to a school contest and have just won it -- all jubilant and so proud of each other.

I loved this photo - as if they were friends at a school prom --



I wish someone would write a book, maybe a collaboration by the key people, on the real making of the movie - not like the book by Nightingale and Palmer which focused more on the artistic and creative developments as well as the successes of the musical. I would like someone to tell us how a group of people, inspired to create one of the most beautiful artistic creations, have come together as artists and as persons to create such a work of love and how they themselves have been inspired to love one another!

Jo

[birchie]

Saw this and thought I'd share. I guess Russell has been wanting to direct for quite a while according to the article... www.slashfilm.com/russell-crowe-to-make-directorial-debut-with-the-water-diviner/
I wonder what his sets will be like?! Russell doesn't suffer fools lightly, so it could be interesting to say the least!

My BFF who has been quite ill for months, is finally well enough to come over for a dinner & movie night which we haven't done since last year. Doing that tomorrow. Her movie request was Les Miserable which surprised me but it will be good for both of us I think.

I'll update more later in the week.
Sue

[birchie]

Interesting interview with Colm Wilkinson:
www.whatsonstage.com/cardiff-theatre/news/06-2013/colm-wilkinson-on-coming-home-to-the-west-end-and-_31057.html?cid=homepage_news
Here are the best parts about filming the movie:

Was it strange playing the role of the Bishop in the film opposite Jean Valjean?

Yes - I was usually the one who took the candlesticks! It has certainly come full circle. I suppose it was a bit strange listening to Hugh Jackman singing the songs I had sung. But I was delighted to be there and they all treated me with such respect - I was knocked out by the reception. Hugh is such a gentleman and a hard worker and the way he tackled that role is extraordinary. Physically, he's the only guy who actually made it possible for Javert to not recognise him. He became a different person as the Mayor, and that was incredible.

There was a lot of talk about Tom Hooper's methodology; did it feel revolutionary to you at the time?

Not really. You had the smallest monitor in your ear, and the sound coming through was absolutely dreadful - not the fault of piano player I hasten to add, it was just very tinny and distorted. For me it was ok, but Hugh Jackman having to do that prologue with the electric piano must have been ridiculously difficult. But at the same time, it meant Tom could go in very close to the actors and capture the emotion, which I thought that was extraordinary. Anne Hathaway's "I Dreamed a Dream" was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

Did you give Hugh Jackman much advice?

I didn't want to impose any advice on anyone unless they asked. But he did ask, and I said he needed to do it in his own way. I said "it shouldn't sound like me, it should sound like yourself, your interpretation". I thought he told the story really well. People say, "he didn't do 'Bring Him Home' like you", but why should he? He's not me.

Did you regret that a film version wasn't made back in the 1980s?

Of course, I would have loved to do that movie. But Cameron thought at the time it would kill the stage show, though in fact now it has done the opposite. I remember when Steven Spielberg came to the Palace Theatre and was thinking about taking it on. But I was glad Tom Hooper got it in the end - he put a lot of Victor Hugo back into the story. It was a hard shoot though, and maybe I would have had a bit more energy back then! We were out in the open air trying to sing at three o'clock in the morning, with Anne Hathaway wearing only a flimsy dress. Standing around for 12 hours is really intense; I have a new respect for those involved. In one scene I actually fell asleep in the bed when I was meant to be pretending.

Sue

[jo]

Colm is a good one for interviews - funny and candid but no hint of sarcasm or condescension! He really is my favorite stage Valjean ( although I was too late to catch him on Broadway - I missed him by a month or so -- but I did catch him on the London and Broadway cast recordings, in the 10th anniversary concert, and in a few clips from the London original casting, including appearances on TV... plus some anecdotes involving him in books and related materials then). I thought his gruff look and sound suited the "book" Valjean well -- and his tenor notes were quite unusual for the role. It was his fault that the original baritone range for Valjean was transposed up - because the creative team wanted no one else as Valjean once they heard him sing ( his audition song was ANTHEM , one of my favorites, from CHESS).

We were out in the open air trying to sing at three o'clock in the morning, with Anne Hathaway wearing only a flimsy dress. Standing around for 12 hours is really intense; I have a new respect for those involved. In one scene I actually fell asleep in the bed when I was meant to be pretending.

That convent finale scene looked so seamlessly filmed we do not realize how difficult it was to shoot. This was the rehearsal scene which stumped Hugh and prodded him to call Deb to tell her that he might not be able to go through with the role ( he said the rehearsals were disastrous)! During filming there were reports that the cold night air was making singing very difficult. Yet Hugh's Bring Him Home reprise is one of my favorite Valjean sung-throughs... it was fantastic, almost surreal, how his voice aged - now we know it must have been more of the cold night air and less of the acting skills of Hugh Jackman - LOL!. And didn't one tweeter among the cast say that Anne and Samantha ( who was eventually edited out) looked "ethereal" ( maybe their lips were blue - LOL)? But what a triumphant scene that was -- it was the scene that all fans acknowledged as the unexpected tearjerker in the movie!

Lol - I will never be able to watch the movie again without thinking that Colm was actually asleep as Valjean/Hugh eyes him before stealing the silver.


Jo

[jo]

but Hugh Jackman having to do that prologue with the electric piano must have been ridiculously difficult.

The other day, I started re-watching the video/BluRay copy of the movie musical. I got as far as VALJEAN'S SOLILOQUY and had to stop because it hit me more emotionally than it ever did when I saw it on the big screen a few times and even when I first re-viewed it on video. Why - because when you listen to each part of the soliloquy, with all the emotions that Hugh as Valjean had mustered ( completing his transformation from deep regret to firm resolve to change) -- from each facial nuance, each glimpse of the eyes, each change in the body language, each musical expression -- the Soliloquy is indeed the expression of the full cycle of Valjean's initial redemption and turn to grace. It was just too much to assimilate! That was a very fine, even exquisite, piece of acting!

And to think that the musical guide was not even perfect ( according to Colm) - to have acted it out so well and to have delivered it musically must have been a herculean effort. Not to mention that Hugh was wearing prosthetic teeth to sing the protracted number! Someone called the scene Hugh Jackman's Oscar moment!

Jo

[jo]

Another interview with Colm Wilkinson --

www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/life-after-jean-valjean-musical-4695225

Life after Jean Valjean for musical theatre veteran Colm Wilkinson
21 Jun 2013 10:35

After rubbing shoulders with Hugh Jackman on the set of the Les Miserables film, musical theatre veteran Colm Wilkinson is back on the road. He chats to Karen Price about life after Jean Valjean

When you’ve created one of the most iconic roles in musical theatre, it must be difficult watching other actors eventually taking over.

But when West End and Broadway hit Les Miserables was turned into a blockbuster film, Colm Wilkinson – the original Jean Valjean – was more than happy to see Hollywood heartthrob Hugh Jackman taking on the leading role.

And the Irish singer was delighted to land a cameo role as the Bishop of Digne.

Now aged 69, Wilkinson – who premiered Valjean in the West End in 1985 – says he enjoyed every minute of shooting director Tom Hooper’s feature alongside an all-star cast which included Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway.


And he says Jackman was perfectly cast as the French protagonist.

“He’s a very intelligent man and his work ethic is astonishing – he raised the bar every day,” says Wilkinson. “And I couldn’t have worked with a nicer guy.”

So did he offer him any tips?

“Not really,” he laughs. “I asked him if he wanted me to talk to him about the music. I wouldn’t impress my opinions on anyone. You have to try and make the role your own and not copy anyone else. He doesn’t sound like me and I don’t sound like him. There are now a lot of other Valjeans out there – John Owen-Jones was another great Valjean,” he says of the Welshman who’s also famously played the role.

Wilkinson says it was “a great experience” playing the Bishop – a role which he had asked musical impresario Sir Cameron Macintosh if he could be considered for.

“There have been lots of attempts to make a movie of Les Miserables over the years,” says the Dublin-born singer who lives in Toronto, Canada, with his wife Deirdre, with whom he has four children.

“Tom Hooper did an amazing job in capturing the feel of Victor Hugo’s book. I thought some of the performances were incredible. I thought the Bishop would be a nice part to play and they all made such a fuss of me being there.”

He particularly enjoyed attending the glamorous premiere.

“There was a spontaneous burst of applause when I came on the screen. It’s probably the fact I’m still alive,” he jokes.

Wilkinson is now performing some songs from the much-loved musical – namely Valjean’s famous solo Bring Him Home – as part of his current short concert tour which concludes in Cardiff next weekend...

[jo]

I don't think we ever saw this one - I know I haven't - a press junket with Hugh, Amanda, and Eddie.

The friendship and camaraderie is so easy to see!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q5MQCoRSxs&feature=youtu.be&a


Someday, I would like to see them in a movie again smiley-gen126


Jo

[birchie]

Jun 23, 2013 22:20:26 GMT -5 jo said:

I don't think we ever saw this one - I know I haven't - a press junket with Hugh, Amanda, and Eddie.

The friendship and camaraderie is so easy to see!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q5MQCoRSxs&feature=youtu.be&a


Someday, I would like to see them in a movie again smiley-gen126


Jo

They are all adorable together.
Sue

[Jamie]

This is sort of a follow up to both Les Mis and TBFO. If you can't get Hugh for a show, get people he worked with: Recording Academy Honors: www.playbill.com/news/article/179434-Recording-Academy-Honors-Featuring-Aaron-Tveit-Samantha-Barks-Stephanie-J-Block-and-More-Held-June-25 hosted by Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, and Stephanie Block. Among the honorees: Grammy-winning creators of Les Misérables — Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer and Claude-Michel Schönberg

[jo]

BoxOfficeMojo stopped reporting overall totals for box office receipts as of April 7, 2013.

But it continued to update on foreign box office receipts --

www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=lesmiserables2012.htm

Presumably, the total receipts may have gone beyond the reported worldwide results of $ 438 million.

What I find interesting is that box office totals for China amounted to $ 9.9 million. It surpassed figures for Germany, Italy, Russia and most importantly the low turnout in France. It has been disappointing that reception in Europe has been generally weaker than expected. Only in the UK were the figures spectacular - at $ 63 million, followed by Japan at $ 62 million, South Korea at $ 39 million, and Australia at $ 27 million. It did well in Spain at $ 11 million. One would think that the three Asian countries would not show excellent results given that English is not as widely spoken and there was no time for translations...and that the European countries would have liked the movie better because it is an European tale!

Jo

[jo]

Was this at the time of the advance screenings? Or was this a different affair since I did not know Daniel and Isabelle ever joined the screenings - maybe more of a benefit event? I think the background curtains seem to indicate this was at the Four Seasons in NYC.


Jo

[jo]

Found the event --

www.gossipcentral.com/gossip_central/2012/12/les-mis-at-the-four-seasons-museum-of-the-moving-image-honors-hugh-jackman.html

December 12, 2012


Les Mis at the Four Seasons/ Museum of the Moving Image Honors Hugh Jackman



They’ve been going non-stop. With New York screenings and lavish dinners, a quick jump across the pond for the London premiere, and back for the New York party at MoMA and appearances on many talk shows, Hugh Jackman was positive we’d all be sick of him by now. From his Jean Valjean role in Les Miserables, transformed from the bitter prisoner hunted by Javert to a spiritually liberated and rich factory owner, and his generous on-the-spot performances at various celebrations including a lunch hosted by Ron Meyer, Jackman is truly a songman you want to have around.

Even by Peggy Siegal’s high standards, the entertainment value at The Four Seasons for Tuesday’s lunch was through the roof. She had planned for Peter Cincotti, who performed a jazzy “Master of the House” on piano for celebrants seated around the restaurant’s back room pool. But you could not keep Samantha Marks, Les Mis’ Eponine, down. Before leaving for Dublin to perform in Oliver!, the girl from the Isle of Man sang the American classic, “Summertime.” Jackman followed with “The Way You Look To[day],” serenading his wife Deborra-Lee Furness. Anne Hathaway led the cast in “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Eddie Redmayne (Marius) gathered Daniel Huttlestone, the movie’s Gavroche, for a photo shoot; not only is he a fellow revolutionary, but Redmayne is a fan of the 13 year old, an actor since age 8. Isabelle Allen, young Cosette, who graces the movie poster was happy to be in New York for the first time for her film debut...

Les Mis party moved on to The Museum of the Moving Image tribute to Hugh Jackman where Liev Schreiber, Mike Nichols, Rachel Weisz, Christopher Nolan, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne lauded Jackman in between clips of his many films, among them Wolverine, Australia, Kate & Leopold, Swordfish, The Prestige as well as Les Miserables. Rachel Dratch assumed an Australian accent and introduced a clip of Jackman telling a bawdy tale of his father fighting a kangaroo, an Aussie Christmas tradition SNL style.

Jo

[jo]

Picked up this VENN diagram from a twitpic --





Any other defining characteristics ?


Jo

[jo]

Have you seen this before?

Great video - Bonus (Overtime) feature to 60 Minutes when it did that feature on Hugh around the time of Les Miserables!

www.edgeonthenet.com/entertainment/movies/146775/crowe_vs_jackman:_the_great_rivalry_of_les_mis

It is supposed to focus on the great rivalry in Les Miserables ( but that portion is only towards the end) -- it is mostly of Hugh behind the scenes! It includes quite a few scenes showing him rehearsing his singing or doing a take. He put in a lot of hard work - I get very annoyed when I read anyone who disses his singing (or the cast in general), as if Hugh (and the others) simply acted the role and did not pay attention to the musical aspects. They are so wrong!!

Where can I get one of the shirts he wore -- LOL -- it looks like it would make a great nightshirt ( esp with his DNA to put one to sleep ). He was shown with it billowing as they tried to attach some equipment to his torso and as he walked the set.

Jo

[mamaleh]

Wasn't that viewable after the initial interview last December? Yes, it's a nice companion piece to that interview. I always get a kick out of seeing and hearing Hugh make those throat-opening sounds.

Ellen

[carouselkathy]

Never seen that before! Is there a way to save it?

[jo]

Valjean and Javert "catch up" with each other - at the LORDS cricket test match.

[hu4601]

Jul 18, 2013 16:57:50 GMT -5 jo said:

Valjean and Javert "catch up" with each other - at the LORDS cricket test match.


Check out Russell's twitter for an audio  sound bite of their visit.

[jo]

How do you get the audio clip to work -- I have tried a few times, but no luck.

Jo

[jo]

Interesting poll on IMDB --

"If 'Lincoln' didn't exist, who would have won Best Actor last year? "

www.imdb.com/board/bd0000005/nest/217714598?p=1

[jo]

Because Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood called Hugh's portrayal in THE WOLVERINE " the best ever. period!" and Pete used to write film critiques for VARIETY, I thought I would revisit the Valjean performance. Also, someone who posted on BWW observed that while he absolutely loved Les Miserables as a stage production ( having seen it several times and having been in some productions), he said that the film version was something else -- that it hit him in the gut like nothing else, because it was raw and visceral! He also said Hugh and Anne gave performances of a lifetime!

So I decided to rewatch the BluRay disc - this time with the Director's Commentary On ( I have seen it with that feature at least twice).

I've added a few observations but I can honestly say that after some seven months since I saw the film musical on the big screen itself ( not counting the BluRay views) -- that it is more magnificent and more beautiful in my eyes! I thought that the sense of distance will dim my love for the musical, but seeing it now ( in a more objective manner - because I am no longer defensive against all the annoying posts or critiques from elsewhere) makes me appreciate it like any fine classic!

To me, all the negativity thrown at it coming from various sources ( those who disliked Hooper for having won an Oscar, the musical theatre snobs whose eyes and ears can only see and hear "live" productions and stage singers/actors, the musical theater actors who are likely jealous because they did not get the coveted roles, the film critics who disliked the musical format and are not in agreement with filming techniques, the everyday moviegoer who dislikes musicals, the message board posters who think it is cool to dislike something like Les Mis) are not deserved! Those who said too many negatives have done this musical a disservice by dissuading other people to give it a chance!

Hopefully, people who never had a chance to watch the movie will have access to it via cable or eventually other inexpensive sources! Someday! And hold it up as the true classic that it was from Day One!

One thing I will say again -- it is perfect casting for a film musical, as far as I am concerned...and I have been a longtime Les Miserables fan!

Tom Hooper's commentary was so informative and so insightful and occasionally humorous -- it clarifies his incredible, incredible vision totally; it gives us a more complete picture of the artistic focus, discipline, and acting rationale and singing choices of the cast; it totally relates what he derived from the original novel to address the stage musical's shortcomings; it even made more understandble why some lyrics or some scenes had to be cut; it rationalized why my long penchant for a Paris filming would have been impractical;  and in all these, we are constantly aware of the strict confines he had to live with ( budget and time -- to the extent that his explanation of why Valjean was somewhat exhausted to be on top of the mountain was not just because he had to walk up -- it was because Hugh had to help carry some of the filming equipment as Tom could only afford $ 50 thousand to do the whole south of France filming - LOL). Tom also expresses his great admiration for his actors -- for their artistic focus and unremitting discipline and for what they sometimes brought to the table! It sounded almost like a perfect project, from an artistic point of view!


As to Hugh's performance here -- The Wolverine was an outstanding portrayal because it was 3-dimensional and made us feel for the character and I have never seen Hugh more engaged in activities that strained his physicality!  But in Les Miserables, on the other hand,  my tear ducts were very active as I relived the life of Jean Valjean. LOL - I even thought that his very long lashes spiked with tears during the finale made my crying even more lacrimose. So, emotions win over wide-eyed awe this time

Forgive my raves ( with some rants) - I am too much of a Les Mis fan!


Jo