Les Miserables

Eric Boellner

Eric Boellner

Well-known member
From Tom Hooper (dir. The King's Speech, The Damned United), starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, and Amanda Seyfried, along with Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Eddie Redmayne.

Written by William Nicholson (Gladiator, Elizabeth: The Golden Age).

Very much looking forward to this.


-JMT
 
I've been waiting for this to be released the last couple years. I saw a high school rendition of the musical (a very well casted with high production value rendition) and read the story. The trailer gave me chills! Can't wait for Christmas.
 
Last edited:
One of my favorite books and my favorite musical. Looks like they did an incredible job with it. Probably my most anticipated of the year now outside of TDKR and The Hobbit.
 
It was awesome. I wish I could see the original stage play. I liked the movie so much I went and purchased the soundtrack right away. It's gonna be a great contender for best Picture for sure.
 
It was probably the most uniquely, intense cinematic experience I've ever had. Incredible production value, great direction and it goes without saying how beautiful the acting was. I didn't think I could sit through a musical film this long, but I did and I now have a whole new appreciation for the genre.

Kegan
 
capitalP said:
It was awesome. I wish I could see the original stage play. I liked the movie so much I went and purchased the soundtrack right away. It's gonna be a great contender for best Picture for sure.
Click to expand...

Saw it on stage in London, Boston, and Chicago. Each performance was obviously different since there were different actors in each and the times I saw it were at different points in it's run. London (in 1991) was the worst performance by a very tired cast that had no interest in performing. Chicago was the best. Saw it closing night of the first US National Tour (closing night not only in Chicago, but of the whole tour). The performance had such energy. Amazing to be in that crowd.

Is it still touring in it's original form? I heard of a stripped down version touring - basically performers standing in costume and in place, sans set. I always wanted to see the musical Chess, and was so psyched to see a poster for it by a discount ticket stand in London when I was there in 1991, only to learn that it had closed a couple years earlier. That hurt!

Kegan said:
It was probably the most uniquely, intense cinematic experience I've ever had. Incredible production value, great direction and it goes without saying how beautiful the acting was. I didn't think I could sit through a musical film this long, but I did and I now have a whole new appreciation for the genre.

Kegan
Click to expand...

Wasn't there a revival (of some sort) of Chess up there in Toronto a year ago? I thought about flying up to see it, but there was very little info as to when it would debut and then it sort of fell off my radar....
 
We headed out Christmas day to see this, and I have to say after letting it stew for the past few days I wasn't as huge of a fan as I was hoping to be. I think Anne H. and Hugh Jackman did spectacularly (as did the rest of the cast, though Russel Crowe may not want to seek out a career in musicals, and Amanda S. had a few pitfalls as well). I shed some tears, and enjoyed the score (this was my first experience with Les Mis, though I've seen a variety of shows both on and off Broadway).

I think my main issue with the film was the use of so many tight dutch angle shots, it really took me out of the film. I believe Hooper's intent was to really pull us in to the actors in a way we don't get to experience when we see a stage production, especially because this is such a "heavy" play. I feel as if many times there was a lack of establishing shots and just room to breathe, and I often found myself wondering why he didn't just pull out a bit, and give the characters room to move (yet there are several scenes where he does). Beyond that, I felt that the vocals often far outweighed the score to the point where I couldn't absorb it.

The live recording used was certainly interesting, and I love the concept of it. That raw, in the moment emotion was astounding, and allowed the actors ample time to bring their own personal touch into each song. Samantha Barks (Eponine) was my favorite vocalist, and left me amazed.
 
I heard there is a 3+ minute long take with live singing throughout. That, among other things, has me interested in seeing this.
 
Since every song was recorded live during filming, there are several long takes, which is probably why so many close ups were used. Keeps production costs down and coordination to a minimum when you already have so much going on.
 
Just saw it, a very powerful experience and I'm surprised there's not more posts here.

The music and sound will definately get best Oscars. God the music, people were crying in the audience. They all sang live with a piano off screen,
once you know that, then you can appreciate how the players could really get into it.

They were all live performances so they all used lav mics and ear pieces which were digitally removed in post. Couldn't have been done 5yrs ago.

The orchestral backings were added later, anyone who knows how that's done can be speechless and rightly so. You could throw the click track out the window and when you really think about it, they couldn't have done it any other way.

Imagine the adrenalin rush everyone experienced when they heard they'd got the job, WhooHoooo!!

Anne Hathaway should make room on her shelf for an Oscar.

Hugh Jackman, the cast and crew deserve every accolade they get, sadly it was probably the project that cost Russel Crowe his marriage.

Foley was done way outback in Oz, waaaaay outback. http://www.feetnframes.com.au/

Cheers.
 
Last edited:
Very powerful story turned into a very powerful movie. ( I have seen the stage performance as well)

Outstanding dramatic performances were the highlight for me. Intense and personal.

Incredible production design and cinematography.

Have to ask of those that have seen it. What did you think of the Vocal Mix?

Where I saw it..I felt that the vocals ( sung/spoken) ...seemed to be "receded" and slightly diffused within the audio mix ( music / fx).

Cinema I saw it at could have played it louder (I thought) but still..the balance of the mix seemed "off" some how.

Whatever...I tried to ignore it as I got lost in the intensity of this emotional film ( story / performance)...and noticed....many weepy eyes and drained faces at its conclussion.
 
Shooter said:
Have to ask of those that have seen it. What did you think of the Vocal Mix?

Where I saw it..I felt that the vocals ( sung/spoken) ...seemed to be "receded" and slightly diffused within the audio mix ( music / fx).

Cinema I saw it at could have played it louder (I thought) but still..the balance of the mix seemed "off" some how.

Whatever...I tried to ignore it as I got lost in the intensity of this emotional film ( story / performance)...and noticed....many weepy eyes and drained faces at its conclussion.
Click to expand...

I thought it was just the theater I saw it in but apparently not, I do wish the mix was better. Many times I wanted to ask the theater to turn up the volume.
 
Saw it and enjoyed it. I'd seen the show before on Broadway, and I love the music.

My only major complaint was that I thought some of the performances seemed a bit stage-like at times, where the actors went more over-the-top than they needed to for having a camera right in their faces. Though they were singing at the time, so I think I can forgive them that.
 
I saw it in cinema 3 at our local complex, I always sit 2/3 back from the screen, right in the centre. Some people call me finicky,
but once a soundie always a soundie. I call it getting the thing balanced :)

The sound in our theatre was great, loud and impressive to start, way to go. I did notice some orchestral backings were a tad lower.
But there was so much emotion, right smack in your face, full on in the darkened theatre, it didn't need to be boosted by the orchestra.
imo even some arrangements were scored down.

Years ago, I remember running across that exact same situation, it became obvious soon as we started the mix.

But on a stage, seen from 10-30 rows back, all that emotion does need to be boosted by the orchestra. That's how musicals started out.

Yes if the theatre played the track at a lower level, then some backings could seem too low, heard from anywhere in the theatre.

There was some wonderful sound talent on Les Mis, the 3 mixers are up for Oscars and they well deserve them.
According to this thread, all the sound guys worked till their ears bled.

If you've got some time, read post 20+ ...

http://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/topic/13657-les-miserables-live-singing/

PS is that really how the French used to haul their ships into dry dock .. helluva thing.

Cheers.
 
Saw this today as well. (The wife wanted to see it more than I did, and since I dragged her to see The Master…)

I'll preface this by simply saying I like musical theater about as much as I like an occasional colonoscopy.

Now, that in mind, I have to say I actually enjoyed the film. I can certainly see where many take issue with the cinematography, and even my wife commented on it. But I thought the performances were inspired almost all the way around, and the production design was amazing. A well-crafted piece of cinema, to be sure.


If only there wasn't all that singing.
 
I had a real problem with the production design. In all of the interiors, I always felt I was watching a stage production. (SPOILER ALERT...) And what's with that street that the confrontation takes place on? It made me feel that it was just a little alley somewhere in the the suburbs. It had maybe a dozen shops on it. I didn't get the feeling that the confrontation turned on holding that barricade. When the French military got irritated and bored with the whole thing, they said, "if you don't tear it down now, we will blow it up for you!" Then they counted down, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1 KA-BLAM. End of story. My wife and I saw the stage production in London and the feeling was MUCH more grand.
 
Les Mis pulled in a few masks at the 013 BAFTAS bake off today. Anne Hathaway looked like she's getting used to it :)

I smiled when I saw the sound crew in their bow ties and tuxedoes. Then cheered when they all got up on stage to accept best sound mix.

The appreciative looks on Hugh Jackman and Co said it all, Oscars next.

Cheers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top