Les Miserables - In Production/Post Production

[JH4HJ]

There are always a few fans who go a tad "too far" for my taste. . .

[mamaleh]

The extended video is up!!! Hugh tries "What Have I Done?" in several ways! It's also on YouTube, but here it is on BroadwayWorld.com:

broadwayworld.com/article/TV-Get-an-Extended-First-Look-at-LES-MISRABLES-on-the-Silver-Screen-Behind-the-Scenes-With-Russell-Crowe-Hugh-Jackman-and-More-20120920

Ellen

[droverswoman]

I came over to post this, too! LOL! Here's the YT link, in case anyone wants that:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwgQjfg0hZw&feature=plcp

[rmtndew]

I got cold chills and teared up a bit during Hugh's part. I'm going to be a wreck in the theater! lol

- Alicia

[Jamie]

All I want to know is what are the "experts" saying. We know the it is going to amaze the public the way it has hit all the die hard fans, but what noises are the noise makers making?

[mamaleh]

We know some will like it, others will have had a different version in their heads. And amazing as it may seem to us, some people aren't as high on a certain Aussie as we are. I had to laugh at one of the YouTube comments about the size of Hugh's head compared to his "massive body," LOL.

Ellen

[JH4HJ]

You can download an MP4 of the clip here: (see post #8)
ozalots.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=memberonlytreats&thread=113&page=1

[ocjackie]

I agree with you Alicia. I just wish we could all be there together. I'm going to need a box of Kleenex. I remember when I talked to Hugh at BOB and told him he got robbed in the film Australia. I asked him to"please bring it home for us in Les Mis. With that wonderful smile on his face he said "I sure am going to try". I think he and a few others are really going to do it.

[droverswoman]

Don't even get me started on how much Hugh was robbed for Australia! That film was epic, beautiful, moving. . . . and deserved much better recognition that it got! *shakes fist*

Anyway. . . . Love this - already people who were discounting Les Miserables as an Oscar contender are changing their minds after seeing this video! Hee!

www.vulture.com/2012/09/this-our-oscar-frontrunner.html

[nevaeh777]

Sept 20, 2012 12:34:24 GMT -5 rmtndew said:

I got cold chills and teared up a bit during Hugh's part. I'm going to be a wreck in the theater! lol

- Alicia

I couldn't agree more Alicia! When Hugh's looking at the camera, and says with such emotion, "...that nothing remains, but the cry of my hate.." That did it. In pieces. :'( I am so proud of him. He always gives every part he plays 200% and just keeps getting better and better. ocjackie, I think Hugh is definitely going to keep his promise to you from when you spoke to him at BOB!

Thanks Ellen and Barbara for the links! I am so glad they put this clip out now to show just how amazing this film is going to be! Bigwigs have commented on other contenders out there and how well they think those films will do....well, in Hugh's words as Charlie Kenton in Real Steel, "BRING IT!"

[ocjackie]

Are we all prejudiced? I really don't think so. He's really a nice guy. But if you look back on all the rolls he's done, he like a chameleon. Whatever role he has, he makes it his and gives each one 100% from start to finish.Actor, dancer, singer, I've always said he's a triple threat, and now he is going to get his just desserts. The guy on Ebay that told me he was a "washed up actor" will be eating his words. And he who laughs last, laughs best.

[jo]

Just woke up ( from the other side of the world) - and just saw this :o

I have seen it twice now and it still gets me on a very emotional level. Showing us the process of an important part of the filmmaking is very meaningful on various levels --

*I am reliving all those months when we were "looking in " on the rehearsal/filming process -- it is as if some of those moments are coming back and now we see the completed process ( almost!).

*I can't believe that I am seeing, albeit for only some 4 1/2 minutes, how the movie is realizing my expectations -- it is not going to be a clone of the stage musical I have seen many times, but it promises to be a completely different experience of the story-telling and the characterization adapted for the big screen. I loved that bit where Hugh illustrates how the acting/singing go together on a completely different level. It would be difficult to employ those acting techniques while singing on stage - because a stage won't allow the intimacy of close-ups and sound whispers, as a cinematic presentation could bring to one's senses!

*Discovering or rediscovering the musical abilities of the actors not known for their musical talent ( Eddie! Amanda on a different level from Mamma Mia!) is adding to the wonder of this video. New close-ups of Anne and Samantha during their most emotional moments -- they will surpass whatever tears I might have shed when I first saw these iconic songs on stage!

*I am now just beginning to realize ( what an amazing feeling!) that the spectacle that a big screen offers is way more mind-blowing than the suspense-the-disbelief scenes on stage! Those flag-waving scenes and that view of Valjeam with all the lit candles - they reach your emotional core on two different levels! Even tne intimacy evoked by the "little" barricade is such a wonderful sight to see!

I am sure there are many other things I will begin to realize when I view this video a number of times -- but first impressions always work best for me!

And this is going to be such a glorious film to watch when the time comes!!


Jo

[carouselkathy]

I'm very impressed with this glance at the film. Maybe I won't be able to see it on the release day, but I may see it enough times to break my AUSTRALIA record of 13 times in 2 weeks. Definitely. Yep. Can do.

[jo]

Someone from IMDB has screen-capped this scene - because it could be part of the finale! Is that Valjean meeting The Bishop at heaven's door?

[jo]

And in this part of the video -- I get distracted because this Valjean is too handsome



Jo

[jo]

Someone on IMDB gave a breakdown of some of the scenes --

:08 frances rufelle as a lovely lady?
:28 - JVJ frees Javert
:32 - Fantine at JVJ bedside
:50 - A Little Fall of Rain
1:00 - JVJ with Marius & Cosette
1:12 - Gavroche, Enjolras etc with Tom Hooper
1:15 - Javert & Fantine (Fanitnes arrest)
3:34 - JVJ walks into court (Who Am I)
4:14 - JVJ meets the Bishop (in heaven??)

Jo

[jo]

Brit filmsite EMPIRE online talks about the extended feature and adds a poll on the best singer among a group --

www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=35254

You may want to vote for the actor who sings WHO AM I


Jo

[eugenia]

[jo]

Gracias, Eugenia

[jo]

Interested in the reactions of the most fanboy-oriented filmsite, AICN ( Ain't It Cool News), a site that Hugh actually follows on Twitter ??

www.aintitcool.com/node/58461

Click on EXPAND ALL (upper right hand side of the Feedback section) if the details of the responses are not shown.

Hmm...surprisingly not too bad!! And I LOL-ed when someone talked about how Hugh can deliver Bring Him Home ;D...This fanboy knows his musicals ( LesMis, at least)!

Jo

[jo]

Jo

[birchie]

Sept 21, 2012 6:45:14 GMT -5 jo said:

Someone on IMDB gave a breakdown of some of the scenes --

:08 frances rufelle as a lovely lady?
:28 - JVJ frees Javert
:32 - Fantine at JVJ bedside
:50 - A Little Fall of Rain
1:00 - JVJ with Marius & Cosette
1:12 - Gavroche, Enjolras etc with Tom Hooper
1:15 - Javert & Fantine (Fanitnes arrest)
3:34 - JVJ walks into court (Who Am I)
4:14 - JVJ meets the Bishop (in heaven??)

Jo

That was me.
A couple more were added later:
:08 Frances Rufelle-Lovely Ladies
3:24 On a humorous note: Enjolras and Marius standing next to the elephant's ass. Some of the Barricade boys tweeted about that picture this morning.

I just love this whole video. My favorite parts are JVJ meeting the Bishop at heaven's door and hearing "Cosette, Cosette" from Eddie. I think his voice is going to exceed my expectations!

[jo]

Thanks, Sue, for segmentizing those amazing moments of the video

I have always thought that Eddie Redmayne will be the vocal revelation in this movie -- and with only two words sang, he has shown us a glimpse of that glorious voice.

Michael Ball will be mighty proud of Eddie's Marius!

Jo

[jo]

It's interesting to read about the many reactions to the extended look video. Some of them came from the AwardsDaily site (with Sasha Stone as editor).


www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2012/09/20/les-miserables-first-look-theyre-singing-live/


In particular, I thought this one to be very interesting - very good arguments against the perspectives of musical theatre purists ( those who think songs in LesMis should only be sung by theatre stars and in the style of the legit stage) and haters of musicals ( in all forms) ;D

rufussondheim / September 20, 2012


Singing in the traditional musical isn’t supposed to be realistic and I tire of the sentiment that musicals aren’t realistic. Of course they aren’t. And I think those that expect them to be realistic lack all sorts of imagination. But interestingly enough these people don’t complain about animated movies that have songs. It’s really not that different.

Now I know that all sorts of movie musicals are finding ways to circumvent this supposed flaw of the musical. All the songs, for example, in Dancer in the Dark take place in Selma’s imagination as a form of emotional escape. The songs in Once were all part of the character’s daily happenings. Both movies were great in their own way, but neither compares to seeing Sweeney Todd on stage. Oh well, such is life.

Musicals use a different form of expression than non-musicals. There’s a different “language” so to speak. I can’t really describe it because, well, to me it’s completely obvious. As my online friend, David Ehrenstein, once said “I can’t believe we don’t burst into song” when living our lives. It’s a wonderful form of expression.

If done right.

Jekyll and Hyde is not right. Titanic is not right. These musicals, are monstrosities in my opinion. Miss Saigon is a monstrosity. Phantom of the Opera is a Monstrosity. Wicked is a monstrosity.

Les Miz, on the other hand, is half-monstrosity. For every song that soars, there’s another that sucks (and chances are it’s sung by Cosette) but the ones that soar really soar. And they work great on stage and now with the live singing they should soar on film. It’s still a question whether they mix the sound properly (I can’t imagine they won’t) but from these snippets it sounds like they know why they chose this method and will use it to its maximum.

What I really love is that they are departing from the note perfect interpretations of these songs you get when you see this show on stage. If the vocals are too perfect they sap the desperation that’s present in this show. And that’s always been the main problem with this show. The melodies are gorgeous, but they hide the strong emotions that are in the songs.

What people need to realize that are not familiar with this show is that virtually every song is sung by someone in an extreme situation (most of the exceptions take place in the third quarter of the first act.) The beginning portion (with Fantine) is a woman trying to save her daughter, and the end of the first act and the whole second act take place during a war. These people are not going to be note perfect. Nor should they be. They are fragile, desperate and often about to die.

There is so much emotion in this show. Maybe too much. Of course it’s melodramatic, of course it’s a bit over the top. But these people are leading over the top, melodramatic lives. Singing is the only way to truly express how they feel.

I’m not a huge fan of the show (the last time I saw it, I was mostly bored) but yet somehow I think this is going to be amazing. What the show did was parade the singers one after the next for the big song. The stage was mostly bare most of the show and that rotating stage, while interesting, really limited what they could do. (I’d have preferred a set more like Sweeney Todd) It really is one of the most ineptly staged shows I’ve ever seen.

BUt the movie isn’t forced to be staged as such. ANd it looks like Hopper made a huge effort to expand the setting (the ropes in the water scene is from Valjean’s imprisonment I’ve been told) and include things that can’t be staged. From the snippets we’ve seen it really looks like Hooper gives us a visual intimacy with these people and he really seems like he wants to give us a sense of immediacy in watching this film. (As an example, let’s look at In my Life/Heart Full of Love. In the show it’s really quite terrible. There’s not much you can do with it. Especially if you want to impress the people in the last rows, but in the movie you can strip the big notes of In My Life and make it very intimate and with Heart Full of Love you can put the camera right up into the character’s faces and suddenly you can have a really tender romantic moment.)

I have other concerns, the length, for example. It’s a long show. But I’m pretty sure they can condense a lot of the less important stuff with concisely edited sequences. The lack of dialogue might be offputting but there’s no reason they can’t add a well-placed line or conversation here or there. Although I hope they do keep it a through-sung enterprise.

But I can see how my early reservations can be overcome. I really think this is going to be a special moviegoing experience.

[jo]

The ghost of Fantine at Valjean's dying moments.

Jo