The definitive Les Miserables Film

[kirarakim]

I just finished watching the most awesome adaption of Les Miserables from 1933/34 (I see both years cited) directed by Raymond Bernard. Why this version is not more well known is beyond me because it's so so good and probably the only version to really capture the spirit of the novel that I have seen (and I love the novel to pieces). Well for one

Comments

[zauberer_sirin]

I was able to find a copy of that one at the classic/indie/art house forum I normally use to get my downloads. pretty good one, but then again, i have a weakness for French films (even pre-Nouvelle Vague ones, which, admitedly, do not interest me as much as post-1959 films, unless they're by Renoir).

ps. I also like this adaptation because Bernard was obviously a fan of german expressionism and German expressionism and I are like BFF.

[kirarakim]

Now see I am in love with French Pre-War films (and the few that were filmed during the war) or the whole Poetic Realism movement. Renoir is definitely my favorite director during this period though. I also find these films historically fascinating because you never know what happened to the people involved in the films and I feel there is so many interesting stories (some sad like in the case with Harry Baur).

But I do really like the French New Wave a lot too. Yeah Classic French Cinema is definitely fascinating. I took two semesters of it in College but I think I appreciate it even more now when I try to watch things on my own.

And I am totally with you on German Expressionism. :)

[ifavorfire]

Sounds very good. I'll have to look for that version..I've seen both the Frederic March one (didn't care for :o) and the 1998 Liam Neeson version (pretty good,imo),but I haven't found a version to match the book yet.

[kirarakim]

I have not seen the 1998 Liam Neeson version which I will have to look into. I did like the Fredric March version but I went into it knowing they would cut & change a lot since it's only an hour & 1/2 which seems ridiculous considering the length of the novel. Still I thought it was well acted and directed.

But this version is incomparable. It still doesn't cover everything the book does but it's probably the closest you will get and I think it really did capture the spirit of the novel. After watching it I thought if only there were more classic novel adaptions like this (well there are few other great ones from the BBC).