January 5, 201313 yr My mom wants me and my brother to go with her before he goes back to school in a week so I'll probably get to the theater in the next few days. I've been looking forward to this one.
January 6, 201313 yr Bring Him Home One of my favorite songs in the musical. Did you notice the camera shot? Valjean is singing over Maris from the broken window. His song is openly a prayer to God. And in the upper left, the window in the distant church forms an "eye." God's eye looking down on Valjean as he has throughout the story. Great job by the Director. Loved the presentation. Only real complaint is that Russell Crowe was out of his element in my opinion. He did a credible job but if you've seen or heard the stage Javert's then you'd understand what I mean. By not having a trained, powerful voice - the punch that the songs themselves bring to the character was missing IMO. Philip Quast in Javert's suicide - YouTube No comparison in my opinion.
January 6, 201313 yr Author Here's some more. [video=youtube_share;PQPsb8cPiDY]http://youtu.be/PQPsb8cPiDY
January 9, 201313 yr Finally saw it last night. Quite good. Interesting that I felt the women were all wonderfully cast (Hathaway, Seyfried and Banks) and the men less so (Jackman, Crowe, Redmayne). Didn't really care for Russell Crowe at all. I was worried about Jackman at the beginning (I didn't think his vocals at the outset were all that great) but he definitely had me back by the midway point. Solid performance from him. I absolutely endorse and echo AllTell's sentiments that it is impossible to watch Hathaway's "I Dreamed A Dream" and not choke up. She was magnificent. Saw Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter come out in over-the-top bizarre costumes and thought I'd accidentally wandered into a Tim Burton picture. I loved their characterizations even if I was less thrilled with their vocalizations. In the end, quite a good movie highlighted by outstanding performances from the three top-billed women.
January 9, 201313 yr Just heard a review that used a phrase I couldn't pin down on my own that perfectly describes one of my biggest problems with the movie, especially involving Russell Crowe: plodding recitative. Lots of times where characters were singing through exposition that they just... shouldn't have. It dragged on in several parts. It's worth noting that I hated everything else in the review; it was on Slate Magazine's Culture Gabfest. This movie was good enough that it didn't deserve the abuse it got in that review.
January 9, 201313 yr Author Finally saw it last night. Quite good. Interesting that I felt the women were all wonderfully cast (Hathaway, Seyfried and Banks) and the men less so (Jackman, Crowe, Redmayne). Didn't really care for Russell Crowe at all. I was worried about Jackman at the beginning (I didn't think his vocals at the outset were all that great) but he definitely had me back by the midway point. Solid performance from him. I absolutely endorse and echo AllTell's sentiments that it is impossible to watch Hathaway's "I Dreamed A Dream" and not choke up. She was magnificent. Saw Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter come out in over-the-top bizarre costumes and thought I'd accidentally wandered into a Tim Burton picture. I loved their characterizations even if I was less thrilled with their vocalizations. In the end, quite a good movie highlighted by outstanding performances from the three top-billed women. Glad you enjoyed the movie. I don't know if you've seen the stage production or not but the costuming of the Threnidiers on stage was very flamboyant as was that of Cohen and Carter in the film.
January 9, 201313 yr Glad you enjoyed the movie. I don't know if you've seen the stage production or not but the costuming of the Threnidiers on stage was very flamboyant as was that of Cohen and Carter in the film. I have. And maybe I wasn't very clear but I loved the flamboyance they portrayed. The "looking like a Tim Burton movie" comment wasn't meant to be an insult but a combined joke on their over-the-top look and a reference to their roles in an actual Tim Burton musical: Sweeney Todd. I thought the Thenardiers were great even if their singing wasn't what I'd consider all that impressive.
January 9, 201313 yr I was told there is no dialogue in this movie ... it is all singing. Is that correct?
January 9, 201313 yr I was told there is no dialogue in this movie ... it is all singing. Is that correct? Yes. Although as I mentioned in an earlier post, the movie has a lot of recitative, singing out of a set rhythm more closely appropriating the patterns of normal speech.
January 9, 201313 yr Yes. Although as I mentioned in an earlier post, the movie has a lot of recitative, singing out of a set rhythm more closely appropriating the patterns of normal speech. OK, thanks. My wife and I are on the fence about seeing it because of no dialogue. I like musicals but I have yet to find one with no dialogue that I enjoyed, and she feels the same way.
January 9, 201313 yr Author I have. And maybe I wasn't very clear but I loved the flamboyance they portrayed. The "looking like a Tim Burton movie" comment wasn't meant to be an insult but a combined joke on their over-the-top look and a reference to their roles in an actual Tim Burton musical: Sweeney Todd. I thought the Thenardiers were great even if their singing wasn't what I'd consider all that impressive. If I offended, sorry.
January 9, 201313 yr OK, thanks. My wife and I are on the fence about seeing it because of no dialogue. I like musicals but I have yet to find one with no dialogue that I enjoyed, and she feels the same way.You will like this one. The fact that they are "singing" doesn't really get in the way of understanding or appreciating the dialogue.
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