Universal Pictures released a musical movie of Les Miserables on Christmas Day 2012 that has received rave reviews since its first preview.
Director Tom Hooper has also directed other dramatic films such as The King’s Speech. According to Imdb.com, Les Miserables has a 8.2/10 rating and has made more than $12 million. Due to the hype surrounding the movie, the production company made it a high budgeted movie which it will undoubtedly make up in box office profits.
Senior Heidi Stevenson saw both the live musical performance at Susquehannock in 2009 and the recent movie. “The fact that they filmed live singing makes this an even more fantastic movie. It brings a rawness not felt by many movies,” said Stevenson.
Unlike most other musical movies, Les Miserables was recorded live on set, as opposed to the actors lip- syncing while filming and then recording the soundtrack in a studio. This let the actors focus more on the emotion behind the singing and acting rather than matching their mouths to the music. During filming/recording, the actors had small earpieces which played the piano parts of the songs and the orchestra was later added in, according to Imdb.com.
(Spoiler Alert)
The plot begins with main character Jean Valjean, played by former Wolverine Hugh Jackman, in a French prison for stealing a piece of bread for his sister’s starving child. Set soon after the French Revolution, the prisons are horrible, and the guards are strict. The main guard that the audience meets is Javert, played by Russell Crowe. Over the past 17 years, Javert has been making Valjean’s life miserable, and when the time finally comes after 17 years, Jean Valjean is paroled and believes that he is a free man.
What Valjean does not realize is that a man on parole is not going to be hired by anyone, and on top of this fact, he has to check in frequently to make sure that he has not fled. Not too long after being paroled, he decides the best thing for him to do is to start over with a new identity. He rips up his papers and moves to start a new life.
Some years later he comes across a woman worker, named Fantine, (played by Anne Hathaway) in the factory he runs. Fantine has recently been fired from his factory by the foreman for being a prostitute. Due to the dangers of the job, she becomes ill and explains to him that she has a daughter named Cosette, played by Amanda Seyfried, which is taken care of, sort of, by an innkeeper and his wife. Seeing that Fantine will not survive to take care of young Cosette, he promises to find her and take care of her.
“Anne Hathaway gave an astonishing and shocking performance as Fantine. Her manner of singing “I dreamed a dream” was unconventional from previous performances by other actresses, but it works and definitely feels real,” said Stevenson.
This begins a 157 minute cinematic journey through 19th century France to stay away from Javert while still making sure Cosette has a fairly normal life. This becomes complicated when teenage Cosette falls in love with a young revolutionary named Marius, played by Eddie Redmayne. The young couple must choose between staying together or disappointing Marius’ friends who are trying to start another revolution along with leaving behind Cosette’s fleeing father.
With critics raving and audience sobbing, Les Miserables the movie has delivered more than most had hoped and is sure to top the box office for many weeks to come, not to mention dominate the soon coming awards season.
See the Les Miserables Infographic:
http://www.lesmiserablesfilm.com/infographic/index.html
Sources:
–http://www.lesmiserablesfilm.com/
–http://www.imdb.com/
