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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Amph Les Misérables movie

Discussion in 'Community' started by Miana Kenobi, Sep 20, 2012.

  1. halibut

    halibut Ex-Mod star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 27, 2000
    I know, but the actress didn't have the quality that the vocals demand.

    But I agree that Marius was the standout performance.
     
  2. NYCitygurl

    NYCitygurl Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jul 20, 2002
    Just in case some people haven't read it :p

    When Valjean is singing about his story and leaving to protect Cosette, Marius seems a little stiff and eager more him to go. AGain, my interpretation, and possibly colored by my knowledge of the book, but still. He's eager enough to seek out Valjean when he knows Valjean saved him, but he seems perfectly eager to have him out of the way when it's just about Cosette.

    And, I might add, that's no fault of Redmayne's; I think it was a good interpretation for the character. I'm not a big fan of Marius :p
     
  3. I Are The Internets

    I Are The Internets Shelf of Shame Host star 9 VIP - Game Host

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    Nov 20, 2012
    I liked this film well enough, but Russel Crowe sounded off. Almost as if Hugh Jackman was punching him in the larynx between scenes.
     
  4. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    Yeah, in the book, he very definitely gets really cold. There's a lengthy sequence about how he allows Valjean to come and visit Cosette, but he just keeps making him less and less welcome until he basically forces Valjean to stop coming himself. It's really brutal.
     
  5. Barriss_Coffee

    Barriss_Coffee Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2003
    ...well I do believe it's high time I read the actual book. I never knew any of that -- I always thought Marius was just a pansy. Now he's a pansy and various unmentionable terms on the disallowed word list...
     
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  6. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    It's high time everyone reads the book. I've read it about four times and I'm currently reading it again!
     
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  7. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Apr 5, 2000
    I'm trying; really I am. Parts of it are just so boring. :(
     
  8. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    He takes a long time to set the scene sometimes. I'm up to the part where Cosette and Valjean have just returned to Paris from the Thernadiers and he takes like three pages just to describe this house, so he can then say, "And this is the house where Valjean and Cosette are going to live." He does things like that sometimes. And then sometimes he kind of goes on tangents. Some of them, like his dissertation on the Catholic Church or his section on the function of horror in literature, are really great and add to the value of the book in my opinion. Others, like his really lengthy dissection of the battle of Waterloo, are slow going. I think the Waterloo section is maybe the hardest section for me. It's hard to follow and it's an endless parade of names that would have meant something to his original readers, but mean nothing to the modern reader.
     
  9. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

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    Sep 2, 2012
    I'm 50 pages in. Why should we care for the Bishop? Is he the one from after Valjean is freed and he gets him off?
     
  10. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    Yup, that's him. I actually find that section to be pretty great. It's Hugo going on an exploration of what makes a true man of faith; he'll later kind of go off on the more common "man of faith" who is less admirable in Hugo's eyes. I think it's worthwhile to go into that character, since he's going to be one of the most significant figure in the novel. The part where he goes to visit the dying "bonapartist" or whatever is more or less opaque to the modern reader, but I like the rest of that section.
     
  11. SoloKnight

    SoloKnight Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 13, 2003
    Hugo spends an entire chapter on the Paris sewers. While reading it, part of me kept asking what thus had to do with anything, and another part was strangely interested in a whole chapter on sewers.
     
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  12. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Apr 5, 2000
    I'm on Marius getting involved with the ABC boys.
     
  13. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 27, 2000

    Ah well that's interesting. Both times I've seen it to me it just seemed like Marius was listening respectfully and feeling bad that he had to keep this from Cosette.
     
  14. NYCitygurl

    NYCitygurl Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jul 20, 2002
    Difference of interpretation, I suppose.
     
  15. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

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    Nov 4, 1998
    So finally Les Miserables made it to my neck of the woods so I could see it on the big screen. I cried a lot in the end, which surprised me since I knew very well how everything was going to end and I'm usually too angry with Marius and Cosette in the end that I don't get much time to be sad. I was pleasantly surprised by Russell Crowes singing, but thought that too many of the singers had to sing in a pitch that was too high of them. They did it well, but I would have preferred a lower pitch and more force behind the singing. I thought the best part of it all was scenes leading up to the barricades.

    And I really should make a new try with the book. I've only finished part 1 in a 2 part edition, and that was several years ago. I just never felt the urge to pick up the second volume.
     
  16. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    Yeah, I think that probably influenced by the novel, where Marius is essentially the biggest passive-aggressive jerk in history to Valjean after he knows about his past. That part of the novel is incredibly painful as Marius just slowly makes it more and more uncomfortable for Valjean to see Cosette. What a ****, for real.
     
  17. laurethiel1138

    laurethiel1138 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 6, 2003
    Just updating the thread with this magnificent video of sunday's Oscar ceremony, where the cast of Les Mis brought the fiery spirit of the revolution to the stage. A magical performance, with valiant efforts by all:


    Cheers,
    Lauré :)
     
  18. TheGuardianofArlon

    TheGuardianofArlon Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2007
    seen that bunches of times already. Samantha Barks looks stunning.

    The Enjoras guy looks like...um...I still can't figure out what
     
  19. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 27, 2000
    That part of the show made me wish that instead of talking and patter between awards, it was just all Les Mis songs.
     
  20. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Apr 5, 2000
    Or Joseph Gordon Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe dancing between awards.
     
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  21. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 2, 2000
    I love the fact that Helena Bonham Carter's personal wardrobe choices are basically indistinguishable from her character's costumes.
     
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  22. darthcaedus1138

    darthcaedus1138 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2007
    Well I finally got around to seeing this.

    And I loved it. Note, that I have never seen or heard it before, but I was absolutely overjoyed at what I saw and can't wait to see/hear the superior versions. But for now, awesome, amazing, I'm hooked and will pursue the other versions like Javert pursued Jean Valjean.

    Javert: I adored his character and Crowe was alright in the part.

    Fantine [face_love] Hathaway was amazing in a pretty small part, I thought there'd be more. But I Dreamed a Dream was fantastic.

    Eponine[face_love] =((

    Jackman was really good.

    Master of the House was hilarious, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter were perfect.

    The first half I liked more than the second, but just having Eponine, Valjean and Javert popping in from time to time in the second half more than made up for it.
     
  23. TheGuardianofArlon

    TheGuardianofArlon Jedi Master star 6

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    Feb 26, 2007
    that about sums it up
     
  24. Bacon164

    Bacon164 Chosen One star 8

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    Mar 22, 2005
    Arlon, your patronizing attempt to simplify something as thematically complex and elaborate as a musical adaptation of one of the most cherished literary phenomenons of all time is disgusting.
     
  25. NYCitygurl

    NYCitygurl Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jul 20, 2002
    How is that patronizing? Those smilies (at least, in my interpretation) say, "Eponine was awesome and it sucks that she died."