i finally heard the people sing

Well, finally, 8 months after its theatrical release, i finally saw Les Miserables on dvd.  Let me start out by saying that i am a huge fan of the show.  i think the score is wonderful and i saw the original staging 5 times, both on Broadway and the national tours.  Having said that, i will try not to compare the two entities too much.  Trying not to compare them, though, is not going to happen.

First of all, i will say that i enjoyed this film adaptation.  i liked it.  i didn't love it like i hoped i would.  But, it had some compelling work going on and there were some genuine moments in the film that were wonderful but some moments that failed.

Hugh Jackman did a fairly good job as Jean Valjean.  i was not blown away by him, but he handled the material well and has a beautiful voice.  And, of course, he's never bad to look at.  Actually his physicality going from the convict to the mayor and into old age was handled quite well.  He has a beautiful voice and i think his best singing came in the beginning of the film, in his soliloquies as the convict.  i was very disappointed in his interpretation of Bring Him Home, which is one of my favorite songs from the show.  It's a prayer to God and i didn't find it very prayerful.  He started the song way too loud and when it reached its emotional climax, he had no where to go with it except sing louder.  Still, he did some great work throughout the film.

Anne Hathaway walked away with critical raves and an Oscar for her portrayal of Fantine.  i will say that i think she deserved the praise.  Her performance was grounded and achingly raw.  Her emotional connection to the material was very impressive especially in her solo, I Dreamed A Dream.  Sometimes, though, i did find her emotions overwhelming in that number, simply because it got in the way of the actual music.  Still, a wonderful job.

Russell Crowe did not bother me nearly as much as i expected him too, after hearing almost every one i know pan his singing.  No, his voice is not appropriate for the role of Javert, but at least he can carry a tune.  It was not nearly a painful a musical performance to watch as say Lucille Ball in Mame or Rosalind Russell trying to expand her 3 note vocal range in Gypsy.  He's never been one of my favorite actors, but he does make a good villain.

i was very disappointed in Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen as the Thenardiers, but i blame this more on the script and direction.  They should be the comic relief in this movie and every opportunity missed its mark.  Samantha Barks was a very pleasant surprise with a very tiny waist!  Hers was one of the best versions of On My Own i have heard....and i've heard it a lot!  For once, it was not overdone.  Eddie Redmayne has a beautiful voice, but i will admit my personal preference that i cannot stand to watch a singer whose vibrato is so thick it shakes his entire head when he sings.  Amanda Seyfried's acting was better than her singing, a little too chirpy for me.  But then again, Cosette is a tough role, as are most ingenue roles if you want to make them believable, and i doubt any of Amanda's contemporaries would have fared better.  And what a delight to see Colm Wilkinson, the original JVJ, as the Bishop.

my biggest problem with the film is the moving around of songs.  That just irritated me.  I Dreamed A Dream and On My Own both were shuffled around and it undermined their emotional intensity, more so for the latter.  If you've not seen the stage version, IDAD comes directly after Fantine is fired from the factory and before she becomes a prostitute, not after.  And OMO comes in the 2nd act, after Eponine (not Gavroche like in the movie) delivers the letter for Marius, which makes her fatal return to the barricade that much more poignant.  As with most movie musicals, songs get shortened like Beggars At The Feast or cut completely like Dog Eats Dog, but it seems they were cutting songs the longer the movie went on.  Oh well.

All in all, Les Miserables was worth seeing and i would recommend it if you haven't seen it yet.  i won't be watching it with the frequency that i watch other movie musicals, but it will get another viewing in this household at some point!