And even more reaction and an interview with Hugh Jackman and Tom Hooper
Awards Circuit gave it 4 stars! Check out the last line of it and cross your fingers!
LA Times: 'At Les Miserables' debut, a director who likes love and loathes lip-synching
Pete Hammond of Deadline.com interviewed Hugh Jackman and Tom Hooper: Oscars: Universal Unveils ‘Les Miserables’ in NY And LA To Huge Reaction; First Hugh Jackman Interview: “A Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity”
Almost immediately after the Academy screening this afternoon I got on the phone with star Hugh Jackman in Australia. Shortly afterward its Oscar winning director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) called me as the second of the NY screenings was taking place (we could both hear the applause in the background). Both seemed relieved to have the film, which opens Christmas Day, finally in the race. ...
Jackman himself only just saw the film last night and when we spoke just a while ago he was still reeling from the experience. “I just saw it last night (in Sydney). I was pretty speechless I have to say. I think when I saw it in its entirety - I knew intellectually it was a big risk - but when I saw it I said ‘wow, man. This is massive, a big bone to chew on, that one’. I felt so proud to be part of it. And I think for Tom to do this as his first film after King’s Speech is just an incredible kind of testament to him,” he said.
Jackman praised Hooper saying he was a real warrior and didn’t think he got more than three hours sleep a night for the past four months in getting the film ready to be seen. Hooper confirmed it. “I finished it at 2AM yesterday and was already screening it today at Alice Tully Hall. I don’t think I’ve ever been more exhausted. But it’s been an extraordinary response. I think they broke into applause 14 or 15 times during the film. I remember the audience breaking into applause near the end of The King’s Speech but this is taking that to a new level. Towards the end of this film today this weird thing happened like a rustling kind of sound. For a minute I freaked out wondering what’s that odd sound on the soundtrack. I looked around and realized it’s the sound of people crying en masse. Rather extrarodinary for me,” he said.
Hugh Jackman:
“As Tom Hooper said ‘I want people to worry about you. I want your friends to think you’re sick when you see them’. I even went to the point of doing water dehydration before shooting that first scene,” he said.
I really liked the response from Craig Zadan and Neil Meron which I didn't quote above but can be read on Deadline.com. They are longtime movie producers who will be producing the Oscars telecast. They love musicals and have produced several over the years: Chicago, Hairspray, the TV versions of Annie, Gypsy, The Music Man, the 1990s Cinderella and the TV series Smash. Zadan is also a Sondheim expert having penned my favorite book on Sondheim: Sondheim and Co. (My favorite: the 2nd edition or later).
Now all that aside. NYC is full of musical theater lovers, so cross your fingers for the showings in LA tomorrow.
LA Times: 'At Les Miserables' debut, a director who likes love and loathes lip-synching
Pete Hammond of Deadline.com interviewed Hugh Jackman and Tom Hooper: Oscars: Universal Unveils ‘Les Miserables’ in NY And LA To Huge Reaction; First Hugh Jackman Interview: “A Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity”
Almost immediately after the Academy screening this afternoon I got on the phone with star Hugh Jackman in Australia. Shortly afterward its Oscar winning director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) called me as the second of the NY screenings was taking place (we could both hear the applause in the background). Both seemed relieved to have the film, which opens Christmas Day, finally in the race. ...
Jackman himself only just saw the film last night and when we spoke just a while ago he was still reeling from the experience. “I just saw it last night (in Sydney). I was pretty speechless I have to say. I think when I saw it in its entirety - I knew intellectually it was a big risk - but when I saw it I said ‘wow, man. This is massive, a big bone to chew on, that one’. I felt so proud to be part of it. And I think for Tom to do this as his first film after King’s Speech is just an incredible kind of testament to him,” he said.
Jackman praised Hooper saying he was a real warrior and didn’t think he got more than three hours sleep a night for the past four months in getting the film ready to be seen. Hooper confirmed it. “I finished it at 2AM yesterday and was already screening it today at Alice Tully Hall. I don’t think I’ve ever been more exhausted. But it’s been an extraordinary response. I think they broke into applause 14 or 15 times during the film. I remember the audience breaking into applause near the end of The King’s Speech but this is taking that to a new level. Towards the end of this film today this weird thing happened like a rustling kind of sound. For a minute I freaked out wondering what’s that odd sound on the soundtrack. I looked around and realized it’s the sound of people crying en masse. Rather extrarodinary for me,” he said.
Hugh Jackman:
“As Tom Hooper said ‘I want people to worry about you. I want your friends to think you’re sick when you see them’. I even went to the point of doing water dehydration before shooting that first scene,” he said.
I really liked the response from Craig Zadan and Neil Meron which I didn't quote above but can be read on Deadline.com. They are longtime movie producers who will be producing the Oscars telecast. They love musicals and have produced several over the years: Chicago, Hairspray, the TV versions of Annie, Gypsy, The Music Man, the 1990s Cinderella and the TV series Smash. Zadan is also a Sondheim expert having penned my favorite book on Sondheim: Sondheim and Co. (My favorite: the 2nd edition or later).
Now all that aside. NYC is full of musical theater lovers, so cross your fingers for the showings in LA tomorrow.