Glad to see you enjoyed it! Most of it anyway. Yes to much of what you said. 'Bigger picture' stuff works so well in film when you can't see it on stage.
I think Crowe could have invested more emotion into his words without needing to sing them, IFYWIM. It did look like he was holding back rather than totally becoming the part.
'Suddenly' didn't do much for me, I felt it was a bit of an Oscar bait thing.
Hee, 'weird clownish nasties'. I think book Fantine was a fool to leave her child with the book Thenardiers, frankly. Serious miscalculation!
Miscalculation of the century, I agree. But in the novel Hugo does at least explain how come Fantine is reeled into doing what she does, leaving Cosette behind, on a spur of the moment but nevertheless it is understandable...While in the movie, not so much. I never understood why she had to leave Paris though. Surely there would be better opportunities for some sort of honest work in the big city....
I agree with your take on the film, including the stuff about the Thenardiers, which I thought while I was watching but then forgot to put into my review.
I understand why they were lightened up for the musical, but the film took it one step too far. In particular, HBK's usual schtick from the Burton films doesn't really work here and the Director would have done better to tone down the pair of them because it felt a bit like they'd just wandered in from a pantomime.
I did like SBC's calling Cosette "courgette" though :)
Yes, the Courgette and Colette mistakes were a nice touch. As was Mme Thenardier's rant about not meeting a prince etc. seemingly being a joint Thenardier distraction tactic so that her hubby could lay his hands on the customer's luggage - I liked that the Thenardiers were presented as in perfect villainous sync at all times. Had they gone with that, made it more subtle and toned down the OTT pantomime behaviour and costumes, it would've been good.
Looking back on the movie now with a bit of distance, I think I agree with those critics who found the singing lacking in emotion and general *whomp*. Other actors except Crowe seemed very intent on holding back on the drama in the songs, and rather going for some more lower-key relative realism, and I think the musical aspect of the film suffered because of that. Though maybe it is because I'm so used to the way the musical is performed on stage and like that so much.
YEEEEEES! I was so delighted! And fandom exploded! That Bradley (Arthur) was sitting next to him, grabbed him and thumped him heartily when he won was the icing on the cake for most.
Thank you! Colin won over Benedict Cumberbatch, that makes your response to Colin's win even more magnanimous.
No chocolate just now. Slimming ongoing. But one day...... :)
Ooh, good for you, slimming. I'm on-again off-again for it. Perhaps you'll inspire me into the "good" path. :)
I was actually rooting for Colin this time around. I think Benedict Cumberbatch has been getting plenty of press, but this was Colin's last chance to win for what was truly a magnetic and appreciated role. So I'm delighted he was appreciated!
(In direct defiance of your slimming program, I'll snitch a little icing off that cake...)
You're welcome to all the icing in the world! :) Slimming's going well, so far, but Friday is a night out with friends and I have a feeling that will seriously put a spanner in the works...
YES! This was Colin's last chance to get recognized for Merlin. And I did really think he deserved to win, with all the talent and effort and time he'd put into the role, while I didn't at all think Merlin the show deserved to win "best drama". The writing on Merlin deteriorated to a level that was hard to believe, any one of every fanfic writer I know would have taken greater care and done much better. So I was cheering "Sherlock" on in that category. But the Merlin actors, especially Bradley and Colin, made the show worthwhile watching anyhow - they managed to spin gold out of dross. So all the awards to them. :)
Colin won "Best drama performance -male" in UK's National Television Awards, a rather big affair as can be seen from this 1 minute brief Youtube snippet of Colin's win: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U38GdDzDfBI Apparently, the final contenders are chosen by popular vote and that's why it was the actors playing Merlin, Sherlock, Dr. Who and one other guy who were in the final running. (I feel the need to mention that Colin's less than flattering hairdo in the clip is due to him already currently filming for another TV series, for the BBC in Dublin, opposite Gabriel Byrne in a show that's supposed to take place in the fifties. But later in the year Colin's indicated he'll be back on stage and I'm hoping to be there if at all possible.
Pardon my enthusiasm.... it shines through, I KNOW!
Aw, he looks charming! I'm happy for him and the Merlin fans. It is a big deal that he beat out Dr. Who and Sherlock. He's got a great future, that lad! :))
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It sounds like you appreciated the film for what it was!
<3
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I think Crowe could have invested more emotion into his words without needing to sing them, IFYWIM. It did look like he was holding back rather than totally becoming the part.
'Suddenly' didn't do much for me, I felt it was a bit of an Oscar bait thing.
Hee, 'weird clownish nasties'. I think book Fantine was a fool to leave her child with the book Thenardiers, frankly. Serious miscalculation!
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I understand why they were lightened up for the musical, but the film took it one step too far. In particular, HBK's usual schtick from the Burton films doesn't really work here and the Director would have done better to tone down the pair of them because it felt a bit like they'd just wandered in from a pantomime.
I did like SBC's calling Cosette "courgette" though :)
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Looking back on the movie now with a bit of distance, I think I agree with those critics who found the singing lacking in emotion and general *whomp*. Other actors except Crowe seemed very intent on holding back on the drama in the songs, and rather going for some more lower-key relative realism, and I think the musical aspect of the film suffered because of that. Though maybe it is because I'm so used to the way the musical is performed on stage and like that so much.
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Lovely to see that. Have a chocolate on me. :)
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Thank you! Colin won over Benedict Cumberbatch, that makes your response to Colin's win even more magnanimous.
No chocolate just now. Slimming ongoing. But one day...... :)
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I was actually rooting for Colin this time around. I think Benedict Cumberbatch has been getting plenty of press, but this was Colin's last chance to win for what was truly a magnetic and appreciated role. So I'm delighted he was appreciated!
(In direct defiance of your slimming program, I'll snitch a little icing off that cake...)
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YES! This was Colin's last chance to get recognized for Merlin. And I did really think he deserved to win, with all the talent and effort and time he'd put into the role, while I didn't at all think Merlin the show deserved to win "best drama". The writing on Merlin deteriorated to a level that was hard to believe, any one of every fanfic writer I know would have taken greater care and done much better. So I was cheering "Sherlock" on in that category. But the Merlin actors, especially Bradley and Colin, made the show worthwhile watching anyhow - they managed to spin gold out of dross. So all the awards to them. :)
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What award did Colin win? And over Cumberbatch to boot!
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Apparently, the final contenders are chosen by popular vote and that's why it was the actors playing Merlin, Sherlock, Dr. Who and one other guy who were in the final running. (I feel the need to mention that Colin's less than flattering hairdo in the clip is due to him already currently filming for another TV series, for the BBC in Dublin, opposite Gabriel Byrne in a show that's supposed to take place in the fifties.
But later in the year Colin's indicated he'll be back on stage and I'm hoping to be there if at all possible.
Pardon my enthusiasm.... it shines through, I KNOW!
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