Les Misérables

[Winifred]

I-ammo, I saw the movie over the weekend, and Hathaway was amazing, as was Hugh Jackman. The entire thing was really awe-inspiring, actually, I loved it. Warning, though, the entire movie is sung, a la opera. I hadn't seen that done since Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, years ago. Les Mis was much more effective, imo, the subject matter was operatic enough to carry the singing (some voices uneven, however).

I still remember the highly jarring note in The Umbrellas when the gas station attendent sings out "Superrrre ou ordinairrrrrre?" Really funny.

Les Mis, on the other hand, keeps hitting you emotionally - dare anyone to sit through it and not tear up at some point, in spite of the wild antics of Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. I really admired the dancing and singing in harmony, too. Russell Crowe is great as the stiff-necked Javert, even as he manfully attempts to sing.

I'd be curious what you would think of this movie with its message of reaching out to help others, rather than doing what's best for #1.

[Phantom Paragrapher]

I cant wait to see this film, I saw the previous remake and I enjoyed it but in the new remake they have alot of my favourite actors and actresses , so looking forward to it when it arrives in New Zealand

[margaine]

I-ammo, I saw the movie over the weekend, and Hathaway was amazing, as was Hugh Jackman. The entire thing was really awe-inspiring, actually, I loved it. Warning, though, the entire movie is sung, a la opera. I hadn't seen that done since Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, years ago. Les Mis was much more effective, imo, the subject matter was operatic enough to carry the singing (some voices uneven, however).

I still remember the highly jarring note in The Umbrellas when the gas station attendent sings out "Superrrre ou ordinairrrrrre?" Really funny.

Les Mis, on the other hand, keeps hitting you emotionally - dare anyone to sit through it and not tear up at some point, in spite of the wild antics of Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. I really admired the dancing and singing in harmony, too. Russell Crowe is great as the stiff-necked Javert, even as he manfully attempts to sing.

Interesting review, Winifred! I've never read the book (though I should . . . ). I loved to sing the songs as a kid, but I've since grown somewhat unenthusiastic about musicals and wasn't planning to see the movie. Your review is convincing me I should think again . . .

[jeremy]

I am back! I just finished reading the unabridged version a week ago, and watched the film yesterday.

First, on the book. It was incredibly enjoyable and while there are some dull parts (that last for maybe 20-30 pages each time), when Hugo returns to the action, you will see that the description becomes necessary to gain insight. I loved the characters so much, and really would recommend the book to any patient, book-loving friend. The good parts were so overwhelmingly good, and contained so much truth, some of which are even found in short, ironic dialogue.

Here is my favorite passage from the book (no spoilers):
Are you what is called a lucky man? Well, you are sad every day. Each day has its great grief or its little care. Yesterday you were trembling for the health of one who is dear to you, today you fear for your own; tomorrow it will be an anxiety about money, the next day the slanders of a calumniator, the day after the misfortune of a friend; then the weather, then something broken or lost, then a pleasure for which you are reproached by your conscience or your vertebral column; another time, the course of public affairs. Not to mention heartaches. And so on. One cloud is dissipated, another gathers. Hardly one day in a hundred of unbroken joy and sunshine. And you are of that small number who are lucky! As for other men, stagnant night is upon them … There is suffering in the light; an excess burns. Flame is hostile to the wing. To burn and yet to fly, this is the miracle of genius. When you know and when you love you will still suffer. The day dawns in tears. The luminous weep, be it only over the dark ones.

I don't think I have liked a book this much before (although I haven't read THAT much, at least not a comparable amount to what some of you guys have read!). It was definitely worth it, and I keep telling myself what a great decision I made to read it.

On the film- it was well done. As a film, it does not work. The story is reduced so significantly that it is devastating to watch the incredible plot points in the book brushed over (and eliminated). As a result, it is a massive collection of a tiny, tiny portion of the variety of emotions Hugo reaches. And the film is already emotional. Other than story-wise, the film and music medium build on to the story extraordinarily well.

In short, I very rarely cry when watching/reading something - it takes complete belief and more in a fabricated world to cry because of it. The book did that at many, many points for me. The film barely did, even when it is so devastating in itself.

[intellectualammo]

She just did get an Academy Award for her performance.

[intellectualammo]

I-ammo, […]
I'd be curious what you would think of this movie with its message of reaching out to help others, rather than doing what's best for #1.

I'm no longer interested in the film, or book. I was in a discussion about it elsewhere and it had me thinking about it differently than I did before.