Saw Les Miserables last night
I've never seen a full adaptation so I can't compare musicals (I read the book getting close to ten years ago, saw a bit of one of the apparently many movie versions as a teenager but only like the first twenty minutes or so) but just a few thoughts below the cut. Spoilers, I guess.
All and all I liked it - I like musicals in general and big splashy numbers always get my attention. I was initially a little 'whuuuut?' when I noticed that they were casting actors instead of singers, but then again film is different then stage so they were probably going for raw emotion rather then 'how good can we get the songs down' because the story is very character-driven, but then again, if memory serves, so was the source material.
I think I would have been pretty confused if I wasn't aware of the plot going in - and it was like total genre change once Fantine died and we saw Mrs. Lovett and Mister Pirelli (Sorry - probably oldest joke on the internet by now) heck, every time we saw them it was like we forgot how awful the world is and how everybody's going to die because those darn shucksters are, while probably one of the roots of society's downfall, downright entertaining. I think if their segments were toned down a bit, the movie probably would have been way too bleak - then again, like I said, it was entertaining.
Still don't understand the intent of giving the non-love interest a better song/better character development then the actual love-interest. Having another Sweeny-Todd moment, I noted that Johanna and Tobias at least interacted - she gave him a key - I know you need to suspend belief for musicals, but I would have liked something other then, "Oh... our eyes met...!" You know, like a song before the two decide they love each other or some sort of interaction.
So yeah - I can't compare it to any stage productions because I haven't been to any and I read the book like ten years ago so I can't even say how faithful an adaptation it was, nor can I comment on the music because I don't really know anything about music on a technical level (so seeing it with friends who majored in music is a major up-shutter) but I *can* say I like plucky street-urchins and my heart goes out to the general, hapless, futile rebellion.
Worst. Review. Ever.
All and all I liked it - I like musicals in general and big splashy numbers always get my attention. I was initially a little 'whuuuut?' when I noticed that they were casting actors instead of singers, but then again film is different then stage so they were probably going for raw emotion rather then 'how good can we get the songs down' because the story is very character-driven, but then again, if memory serves, so was the source material.
I think I would have been pretty confused if I wasn't aware of the plot going in - and it was like total genre change once Fantine died and we saw Mrs. Lovett and Mister Pirelli (Sorry - probably oldest joke on the internet by now) heck, every time we saw them it was like we forgot how awful the world is and how everybody's going to die because those darn shucksters are, while probably one of the roots of society's downfall, downright entertaining. I think if their segments were toned down a bit, the movie probably would have been way too bleak - then again, like I said, it was entertaining.
Still don't understand the intent of giving the non-love interest a better song/better character development then the actual love-interest. Having another Sweeny-Todd moment, I noted that Johanna and Tobias at least interacted - she gave him a key - I know you need to suspend belief for musicals, but I would have liked something other then, "Oh... our eyes met...!" You know, like a song before the two decide they love each other or some sort of interaction.
So yeah - I can't compare it to any stage productions because I haven't been to any and I read the book like ten years ago so I can't even say how faithful an adaptation it was, nor can I comment on the music because I don't really know anything about music on a technical level (so seeing it with friends who majored in music is a major up-shutter) but I *can* say I like plucky street-urchins and my heart goes out to the general, hapless, futile rebellion.
Worst. Review. Ever.