Les Miserables Lovers...3rd UPDATE 10/18: Movie Dates!

[Deb in IA]

Originally Posted by Mikelly1221

I'm a new Les Mis fan...I saw the 25th Annversary concert on PBS and LOVED IT! I TiVo'ed it and have watched it again and again..and of course I had to order the DVD. Since I'm a newbie, I really don't have any comparisons, but I really, really, REALLY liked Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean!

I asked DH if possibly we could see the touring production in January/February when it comes to our neck of the woods. He said yes!!!

Great to hear that you will get to see it onstage! As good as the concert version is, there is no comparison to seeing it actually "acted out".

Alfie Boe is great, but if you get a chance, you should check out the 10th anniversary concert version. It is available at Amazon. Colm Wilkinson originated the role in London and then was the first to play it on Broadway, and he will always be my favorite Jean Valjean! He sings a bit of "Bring Him Home" at the encore with Alfie and the two current Valjeans.

[Mikelly1221]

Originally Posted by Deb in IA

Great to hear that you will get to see it onstage! As good as the concert version is, there is no comparison to seeing it actually "acted out".

Alfie Boe is great, but if you get a chance, you should check out the 10th anniversary concert version. It is available at Amazon. Colm Wilkinson originated the role in London and then was the first to play it on Broadway, and he will always be my favorite Jean Valjean! He sings a bit of "Bring Him Home" at the encore with Alfie and the two current Valjeans.

I remember seeing Colm Wilkinson when the 4 Valjeans sang at the end, and also in "One More Day". The 10th anniversary is in my Netflix queue, so I definitely will see it. I'm completely hooked!!

[Deb in IA]

Newly released extended first look at the movie!

Tom Hooper, Cameron Mackintosh, and the actors all talk about singing it "live"!

Looks AMAZING!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-uw5TehnZA

[Imzadi]

Originally Posted by Deb in IA

Great to hear that you will get to see it onstage! As good as the concert version is, there is no comparison to seeing it actually "acted out".

Alfie Boe is great, but if you get a chance, you should check out the 10th anniversary concert version. It is available at Amazon. Colm Wilkinson originated the role in London and then was the first to play it on Broadway, and he will always be my favorite Jean Valjean! He sings a bit of "Bring Him Home" at the encore with Alfie and the two current Valjeans.

Yes, I saw the Broadway show four times. (That was when Broadway shows were priced so you could see them over and over.) I know that Colm Wilkinson was definitely in it the first two times, as it was right after the show opened. I don't remember the other times. Colm will always be my favorite, too. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when Colm (or the others really,) sang "Bring Him Home." When the composer first heard Colm sing, he wrote that song specially just for Colm's voice, during the original London production.

Here he is singing it in the 10th Anniversary Concert. I hate the way the cinematography kept switching angles. Very distracting and takes you OUT of the emotion of the song. But, when you listen to Colm, one can't doubt that this man was born to sing this song. Interestingly, at the 10th Anniversary, he is much more the real life age, maturity and life experience of Valjean's age, to be singing the song. There is definitely a depth when he sings it. Life catches up with art.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsYnhVITf9E

[Deb in IA]

Originally Posted by Imzadi

Yes, I saw the Broadway show four times. (That was when Broadway shows were priced so you could see them over and over.) I know that Colm Wilkinson was definitely in it the first two times, as it was right after the show opened. I don't remember the other times. Colm will always be my favorite, too. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when Colm (or the others really,) sang "Bring Him Home." When the composer first heard Colm sing, he wrote that song specially just for Colm's voice, during the original London production.

Here he is singing it in the 10th Anniversary Concert. I hate the way the cinematography kept switching angles. Very distracting and takes you OUT of the emotion of the song. But, when you listen to Colm, one can't doubt that this man was born to sing this song. Interestingly, at the 10th Anniversary, he is much more the real life age, maturity and life experience of Valjean's age, to be singing the song. There is definitely a depth when he sings it. Life catches up with art.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsYnhVITf9E

You know that Colm is playing the Bishop in the new movie version with Hugh Jackman, don't you?

[Imzadi]

Originally Posted by Deb in IA

You know that Colm is playing the Bishop in the new movie version with Hugh Jackman, don't you?

Can't wait!

[Deb in IA]

Speaking of video clips, have you all seen this one, of Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel doing an improptu version of "Confrontation"???


It's HILARIOUS!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhXsJjVdj1E

[Muushka]

Thanks OP! I had it recorded on my DVR from PBS (including the annoying pleas for cash)
but it got erased for a NASCAR race of all things.

I remember watching a special that was on at least 20 years ago about the musical when it was first beginning. They were talking about how they added a song to it, "Bring Him Home". The cast heard Colm Wilkinson sing it and they all just stood there, stunned. Eventually someone told the producer or director (or someone important!) that they knew it was a play about God, but they didn't realize that they would get Him to sing for it. I hope that doesn't sound irreverent, but rather that Colm sang so beautifully.

[ilovefh]

Originally Posted by Deb in IA

Speaking of video clips, have you all seen this one, of Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel doing an improptu version of "Confrontation"???


It's HILARIOUS!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhXsJjVdj1E

This just cemented the fact that I HAVE to see NPH at Candlelight Processional this year!

[ilovefh]

Originally Posted by Deb in IA

Newly released extended first look at the movie!

Tom Hooper, Cameron Mackintosh, and the actors all talk about singing it "live"!

Looks AMAZING!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-uw5TehnZA

Love this! I cannot wait to see this! While watching this tonight DH, who doesn't usually like theater shows says "You know what I want to see? Wicked." And it will be in Orlando in February!

I don't usually get to see shows because DH is not a fan and I don't want to go by myself. Although, Les Mis at the movies...I'm there!

ETA: I still need convincing on Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean. I'm a Colm fan!

[coco392]

Originally Posted by ilovefh

Love this! I cannot wait to see this! While watching this tonight DH, who doesn't usually like theater shows says "You know what I want to see? Wicked." And it will be in Orlando in February!

I don't usually get to see shows because DH is not a fan and I don't want to go by myself. Although, Les Mis at the movies...I'm there!

ETA: I still need convincing on Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean. I'm a Colm fan!

I don't think you need to worry about Hugh- incredible singer and performer. have seen in singing roles in beauty and the beast, Oklahoma and boy from oz. has a very strong voice. and I wouldn't judge his acting on wolverine. judge it on a show like Corelli - fantastic performance.

now from the previews Anne Hathaway is the worry- she does not have the strongest voice.

[ilovefh]

Originally Posted by coco392

I don't think you need to worry about Hugh- incredible singer and performer. have seen in singing roles in beauty and the beast, Oklahoma and boy from oz. has a very strong voice. and I wouldn't judge his acting on wolverine. judge it on a show like Corelli - fantastic performance.

now from the previews Anne Hathaway is the worry- she does not have the strongest voice.

It's not his voice, it just, you know when you have a picture of what someone/something is supposed to look like? He doesn't match my picture of Jean Valjean. Colm Wilkinson is just my "picture" of Jean Valjean. Now Russel Crow as Javert I do like!

Like, Tom Hanks did not match my picture of Robert Langdon in the Da Vinci Code. And the kid cast as Peeta in the Hunger Games did not match my "picture."

I didn't love Anne Hathaway's voice but for me she looks delicate enough for Fantine.

[JenM]

Actually, the responses I've heard from the footage that has been screened is that....Anne Hathaway should start rehearsing her Oscar speech now.

They think it's going to be a huge hit.

[Deb in IA]

Just saw the US touring company again last night in Des Moines. Kind of a last minute thing - usually I get tickets as soon as they go on sale, but this time, I got them just 2 weeks before the show, and we were in the very back (row MM), but smack dab in the middle. I wasn't going to go this time, since we had seen it so many times before, but DH has been watching both the 10th anniversary and the 25th anniversary concert DVD's, and we are on a Les Miz kick, with the upcoming movie, so we decided to go at the last minute.

This is our 4th time seeing it on stage, at least. We have seen the original staging twice back in the 90's, and we saw this 25th anniversary version in March, 2011 in Louisville.

I think the new staging is growing on me. I miss the turntable, but I am liking the projections more, and I think it adds a new dimension to the stage.

Maybe it is because we have been watching and hearing the other Valjeans so much (Colm Wilkinson and Alfe Boe on the DVD's, and John Owen-Jones on the CD), but we were not as impressed with Peter Lockyer. First off, he looks way too young to be Valjean, and the makeup and wigs were not very convincing - DH thought he looked like a schoolboy pretending to be an old man. Secondly, his singing was serviceable, but not particularly memorable. And he cracked on the first line of "Bring Him Home". Finally, his acting is a bit on the weak side. Maybe he was having an off night - and this was the last show of a pretty grueling 8-show run, so I will cut him a little slack.

We had seen several of the cast before in Louisville, including Betsy Morgan as Fantine and Andrew Varela as Javert, who was fantastic. Varela's vocals were powerful, and his acting actually elicits some sympathy for Javert, not an easy task! He's fantastic! Morgan, on the other hand, was a bit flat and just didn't deliver as strong a performance as other Fantines we have seen.

We had a new Eponine, Brianna Carlson-Goodman, who was great! She brought a real poignancy to her role as the tragic Eponine. Loved her 'On My Own".

All in all, we are glad we went - it is still our all-time favorite musical! We also attended a pre-show educational event - they talked about the timeline of the French Revolution, the student revolt, and Victor Hugo's life. Pretty interesting stuff, and I learned a lot!

[wickey's friend]

I am also Les Mis newbie. I've heard of it for years, but only just started listening to the music as a result of listening to a Phantom of the Opera station on Pandora. I love Les Mis songs. I went to the youtube of the solo performance by Colm Wilkinson of "Bring Him Home" and was blown away. Then, I watched the four Valjeans and am sitting here amazed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-0MS...eature=related

Can't wait for the movie!