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Post by granolamom on Dec 17, 2012 17:52:07 GMT -4
A friend scored passes to a preview tomorrow night, and I get to go! I can't wait. I never really fell in love with the show, but the trailers are amazing.
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captain
Landed Gentry
Posts: 905 
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Post by captain on Dec 17, 2012 18:20:21 GMT -4
I'm curious why Anne Hathaway is considered a supporting actress. Is it because the story centers on Valjean and there isn't a "primary" female part or Cosette is "primary"?
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Post by Atreides on Dec 17, 2012 20:27:16 GMT -4
I'm curious why Anne Hathaway is considered a supporting actress. Is it because the story centers on Valjean and there isn't a "primary" female part or Cosette is "primary"? Simply a matter of screentime. Fantine isn't in it that much. The only lead character is Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman). |
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captain
Landed Gentry
Posts: 905
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Post by captain on Dec 19, 2012 16:26:57 GMT -4
I'm curious why Anne Hathaway is considered a supporting actress. Is it because the story centers on Valjean and there isn't a "primary" female part or Cosette is "primary"? Simply a matter of screentime. Fantine isn't in it that much. The only lead character is Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman). Thank you. That's what I thought. |
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Post by petitesuite on Dec 26, 2012 20:14:26 GMT -4
LOVED IT. So very, very much. I'm not someone who's been a fan for ages, but I do like the musical very much and thought it was a faithful adaptation. Incredibly rousing, I left the theatre wanting to rebel (while also sobbing). Crowe can't sing very well, but he has incredible presence which I thought made up for that. Hugh Jackman is really just perfect at everything. The only thing I didn't like was the near-constant close ups, at times it looked like the actors were in a fish bowl. But overall, amazing. Definitely seeing it again.
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boxofrocks
Blueblood
Posts: 1,769
Aug 25, 2007 11:01:39 GMT -4
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Post by boxofrocks on Dec 26, 2012 21:59:44 GMT -4
LOVED IT. So very, very much. I'm not someone who's been a fan for ages, but I do like the musical very much and thought it was a faithful adaptation. Incredibly rousing, I left the theatre wanting to rebel (while also sobbing). Crowe can't sing very well, but he has incredible presence which I thought made up for that. Hugh Jackman is really just perfect at everything. The only thing I didn't like was the near-constant close ups, at times it looked like the actors were in a fish bowl. But overall, amazing. Definitely seeing it again. Thanks for the heads up. I read on another board that the director used two main shots--the close ups you spoke of and swooping long shots. I watched some clips on YouTube and now the close ups are all I can see. I fear I will be disappointed with the singing, as I am with many movie musical adaptations. I'm of the school of thought that competent singing is not incongruous with emotional turmoil or good movie-making, and that good acting rarely compensates for unskilled singing. Especially in a work that is almost entirely through-sung. Orchestrations are almost always better in films (possibly due to larger budgets), so I am looking forward to that. |
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Post by Mugsy on Dec 27, 2012 16:30:37 GMT -4
The review in Entertainment Weekly was scathing, they gave it a C. But then, in another little pre-review, someone at EW said (paraphrasing), "Hathaway sings 'I Dreamed a Dream', which was unfortunately made world famous by BGT's Susan Boyle." Which, huh? "Unfortunately made famous by Susan Boyle"? Do they hate Boyle or BGT or the song or what? And that should not cloud their review of a movie.
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waytoocheerful
Sloane Ranger
Posts: 2,821
Jan 22, 2007 11:20:08 GMT -4
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Post by waytoocheerful on Dec 27, 2012 20:41:07 GMT -4
I could be way off base since I didn't read the review your post is about, but I read it as saying, most people (especially those not having seen Les Mis on stage) will know Susan Boyle's version of the song. Maybe that is how I read it because now when I hear that song and I immediately think of Susan Boyle.
I read the, "unfortunately made famous by Susan Boyle," as saying Susan Boyle's version of the song kicks Hathaway's version's ass. Once again, I might be way off base. Who sings it better is definitely an opinion, and unless one version is totally, undeniably awful, there will not be an agreement.
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Post by Baby Fish Mouth on Dec 27, 2012 21:59:51 GMT -4
The review in Entertainment Weekly was scathing, they gave it a C. The EW reviewer made it clear that she's just not a fan of the musical, which definitely biased her review. But I've read other reviews that aren't so great, and they all mention Hooper's direction and Russell Crowe's lackluster performance as negatives. This is looking more and more like a renter for me. |
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Post by Atreides on Dec 27, 2012 23:39:59 GMT -4
I saw it today and just loved it. I'm a big fan of the musical and this more than lived up to it. The live singing is not nearly as theatrically bombastic as the stage version because of Tom Hooper's directive but it works for this medium. The actors don't have to sing to the rafters so can afford to be more subtle and quiet. Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway are perfect as Jean Valjean and Fantine. The rest of the cast is pretty solid although Russell Crowe's singing voice is a definite weak link on most of his songs.
I cried five times! I'm such a sap for these kinds of movies where Big Tragic Events Happen.
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