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Brother Marvin Hinten, S.

Totally off-the-wall idea, but hear me out

What's this idea Bro Marv speaks of? Well, feel free to let me have it if you don't like it, but here goes: Les Mis as an animated film. WAIT, put down the tomatoes, hear me out!

With some re-shuffling, it could be a terrific animated film. Start in Paris in 1832 with "Look Down," and eliminate the entire first hour (i.e. Valjean arrested after being released from prison and the Bishop's kindness, Fantine getting fired and turning to prostitution, Valjean rescuing Little Cosette from the Thenardiers) because they're hinted at later on and it would just seem redundant, not to mention make the story shorter, which is key in cartoons. Thus, the focus becomes the Cosette/Marius/Eponine triangle (can you imagine the respective Barbie/Ken dolls?).

You've also got the battle/action sequences (to appease the boys), Gavroche as the cute character (no animal sidekicks needed), and the Thenardiers as comedy relief. Valjean would remain mostly a mysterious character (as he does in this part in the show) until the very end when he reveals all to Marius. As for Javert, he's the villain of the story (evil personified and all that) who gets his comeuppance. And like many a Disney villain (a la Evil Queen, Gaston, Frollo) he falls to his death from an elevated place (bridge). Of course, the ending is bittersweet 'cause most everyone dies (Valjean, Gavroche, the students, Eponine), but the two lovers survive and the outgoing song is a message of hope.

Proposed Track List for
Disney's Les Mis:

1. Look Down
2. The Robbery
3. Javert's Intervention
4. Stars
5. ABC Cafe/Red and Black
6. Do You Hear the People Sing?
7. Rue Plumet/In My Life
8. A Heart Full of Love
9. Attack on the Rue Plumet
10. One Day More
11. At the Barricade/Upon These Stones
12. The Letter
13. On My Own
14. Building the Barricade
15. Javert's Arrival
16. Little People
17. A Little Fall of Rain
18. Night of Anguish/The First Attack
19. Drink with Me
20. Bring Him Home
21. Dawn of Anguish/The Second Attack
22. The Final Battle
23. The Sewers/Dog Eat Dog
24. Javert's Suicide
25. Turning
26. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
27. Every Day/A Heart Full of Love (Reprise)
28. Valjean's Confession
29. Wedding Chorale/Beggars at the Feast
30. Valjean's Death
31. Finale
music is my life!!!

You need to have some of fantine's story in there too imo Smile otherwise people would be like "who's that random ghost at the end?" and "I don't remember Cosette's mother giving her life for her" Laughing

All in all, i'm not a big fan of this whole Disneyifying musicals, even if it gets more kids into musicals.... Disney can take trivialising a dramatic story a bit too far sometimes, IMO, even though some of the movies are okay. I just don't think it'll work with les mis Smile
lesmisloony

There are already at least three animated versions of Les Mis... not including Shoujo Cosette...
music is my life!!!

^^^ aww! I love that anime! It's soooo sweeeeeet! Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
















needed to let that out Smile
MlleTholomy�s

I kinda do want a Disney!Miz. It'd be kinda interesting, even if it sucked.

And aww! Shoujo Cosette was so blimey adorable. It had controlling!'Ferre and just the fact that it had 'Ferre made me squee.
Brother Marvin Hinten, S.

See, in this whole bit, I'm pretty sure one could completely cut Fantine. A lot of people sympathize with the bald-headed broad, but with all the stuff to cut from the first hour, she'd be the most convenient character dropped, unless she's in a few flashbacks as well. It's a cartoon, and it's hard to cram in so much. Plus, "I Dreamed a Dream" has earned a certain cachet thanks to Susan Boyle that really makes me want to see how the show would work without it.
eponine5

I love animated films, but...but...how could you start with Valjean already 3/4 redeemed and Cosette already rescued?
Or am I missing the point of the simplification thing? Wink
Brother Marvin Hinten, S.

As I said in my first post, cartoons are about simplification. Sometimes OVER-simplification. The stuff you mention is hinted at later on and it would just seem redundant if the hour's worth of material was included, and besides, Valjean would remain mostly a mysterious character (as he does in this part in the show) until the very end when he reveals all to Marius.
Mistress

I think perhaps you should keep the bishop sequence, so at least we have some idea of what happened to Valjean after he left prison before the flash forward.
Brother Marvin Hinten, S.

See above. All hinted at later.
       Musicals.Net Forums -> Les Miserables
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