Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net |
| Monsieur D'Arque |
Montparnasse: What's the big deal?I don't get the cult appeal of Montparnasse. And I want to, because he seems like the sort of character I could get into. Explain? |
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| Ulla Dance Again! |
This site should help explain Montparnasse a little:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255-s01/thenardier/renee/montparnasse.htm Although, lesmismoony should be able to help you more.  
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| lesmisloony |
Ooh, what an excellent way to procrastinate from my NaNo!
Well. It all began when, a wee lass of thirteen, I read the Brick for the first time... Basically, I have a tendency toward being extremely attracted to edgy types who are tall, thin, pale, and have dark hair. And cheekbones. And top hats. Seriously, those are my top criteria for being attracted to anyone at all. ...sound familiar? When I first went Monty crazy I was a member of Le Cafe (which has since perished) and ff.net, but I don't remember him featuring in fanfic much. I think he turned up in a few parodies by Mystical Chinchilla as the murder-obsessed sugar-high son of Batman (it was a funny story) and in one fic that was called "Welcome to the Jungle" wherein he was blond with blue eyes. And no one complained about those details being off because he was so ignored. Believe it or not, my favourite character was originally Javert (I think it was actually a middle school Quast crush and nothing about the character himself. Also, remember I have a thing for top hats. A long coats). Anyway, the second time I read the Brick I drooled a little over the description of Montparnasse. And then when I got to the infamous "the young chief stopped to have a chat with your daughter" bit I was shocked and thrilled. If Montparnasse is so pretty grisettes are throwing themselves at him, why spend time with creepy old Eponine? And then there was the line during the prison escape about him being "an unofficial son-in-law" to Thenardier. And the way Eponine talks to him in the Plumet robbery. Basically, by the time I got to the end of the Book, I was shipping them hardcore. ...that's all. |
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| Monsieur D'Arque |
Ah. So he's a rakish, sociopathic young man who has all the girls he wants, but keeps a deranged homeless girl as a f***buddy, just because he can?
That's actually pretty interesting. I'm starting to get it. Although the only mental image I'm getting is Malcolm McDowell as Alex Burgess-DeLarge in "A Clockwork Orange" who also fits that bill fairly well. |
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| lizavert |
Also, there's that lovely scene in the book where Montparnasse is stalking Valjean with a rose in his teeth.
Tell me that isn't just great. 
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| lesmisloony |
Um. You asked, I answered. It's an opinion; no need to be sarcastic about it. I'm not trying to force you to love him the way I do, I'm just telling you what it is that makes me like him. Because you asked. ETA: If you didn't intend that to be sarcastic--and it really, really looks snippy to me--then I do apologise for misunderstanding. I see it as someone attacking me for something I like, so I got defensive. But in the past I've always liked you and what you have to say around here, Monsieur D'Arque, so I'm going to try to give you the benefit of the doubt. |
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| Kragey |
Yeah, I'm pretty sure he wasn't being sarcastic. Let's be honest: that pretty much sums up Montparnasse, and that's why we love him. |
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| Monsieur D'Arque |
I wasn't being sarcastic. I am genuinely fascinated by the character.
Don't forget, I'm a huge Clockwork Orange fan, and Montparnasse seems like a direct parallel to the droogies. |
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| Ulla Dance Again! |
This is, by far, the best description of Montparnasse I have ever heard. Sarcastic or not, it's just great. Also, adding on, Montparnasse gets a nice little solo in the beginning of "The Attack of the Rue Plummet". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk0Es17xIWY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy-V6ILGyMA |
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| lesmisloony |
I'm quite relieved to hear that, actually.
It was the wee hours of the morn and NaNo has clearly turned my brain to mush... |
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| Orestes Fasting |
I always read it more like "Tries desperately to impress girls, to the point of financing his lifestyle with a robbery habit, but still ends up looking skeevy all the time." I have no doubt he was hot--Ol' Vic sure says he was--but I also don't get the impression that Eponine was so far beneath him. |
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| Colle |
I think I understand Montparnasse's appeal, he can be deceptively charming. I too get that impression that he tries to be as fastionable and impressive as possible, but is still a low life, which is what makes him dangerous. Still, I find lesmislooney's obsession with him strange.
As for his relationship with Eponine, I don't get the impression it was real love, which is why I haven't got into that pairing. As for the way Eponine, was talking at first during "Rue Plumett" in the book, she was talking nice to everyone, not just Parnasse. I think she was trying to sweet talk them out of robbing Valjean's house at first, but it didn't work. Also, from the way Eponine is described, I get the impression that while she was not gorgeous, or even pretty, she wasn't totally ugly either. |
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| lesmisloony |
Nope. She grabs his hand (admittedly once that doesn't work she also gets handsy with Gueulemer, but hey, it's Eponine). And she calls him "Mon petit Montparnasse" and then "Mon bon ami monsieur Montparnasse" whereas the others just get "Monsieur"'d... |
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| EponineBarker |
That's true, Eponine does talk differently to Montparnasse. 'Cause in the book I have, (or more, the second part of it, 'cause it was a two book set, but they only had one of them at the antique store) which is probably not the most accurate translation, she does take his hand and (in my version) she says "Montparnasse, my love..." |
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| Eppie-Sue |
I just have to add my two cents.
What first fascinated me about Montparnasse is the prospect that this could have been Gavroche's future. I think it's even mentioned in his characterisation (can't quote it right now, I've only got the German edition) that he is an urchin turned rascal turned felon (I'm paraphrasing here, sorry. bear with me). And furthermore - what is not fascinating about the guy? He's 18, 19, beautiful and merciless - and he already has a history of murder that makes other criminals of that time shudder. He's vain and he's elegant, but he sleeps under bridges and lives in a world of shadows and stench. Plus, there's the way he interacts with other characters. He's the most approachable of the Patron-Minette, I believe: He didn't want to give up on Th�nardier when they were helping the man escape, he takes Gavroche's opinion seriously (and yet Gavroche is convinced that he would kill him if he got in his way) and there are the aforementioned subtle references to Eponine. |
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| lesmisloony |
...have I mentioned yet how much I like you? | ||||
| MlleTholomy�s |
He be a pimp, M'sr. |
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| flying_pigs |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_iNfARLuq8
Did I just see Montparnasse give Eponine a rose :O How very Brick-like! |
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| lesmisloony |
Haha, that's my new favourite thing.
When �ponine threw the rose down I actually went "awwww" out loud... then I realised I was listening with headphones and I should try to stop acting like a crazy person. |
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| What you own |
Haha. I was not paying attention at first. And about 10 seconds in I was like. What are they saying it's so gibberish. Then I realized it was dutch.... |
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| Rose Des Enfers |
no lie... most of my fascination came from LesMisLoony's "Charmer of the Shadows," which you should go read
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| Lara |
The clip just made my love for the Dutch production reach another level! Eeeeeeeeeh the rose! | ||||
| Monsieur D'Arque |
He's kind of like House.
But... evil. And... not old or crippled or addicted to drugs. Otherwise... |
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| lesmisloony |
Aw, I'm glad you liked that fic... I'm currently rather ashamed of most of it due to its melodramaticness, but it's probably the most in-depth fic I've ever written or maybe will ever write for the fandom... 
That said, everyone interested in Montparnasse at all should really go over to the Pit and read Pyrexia by Falstaff. It's beautifully written and incredibly intriguing. It even stars an Enjolras who has yet to annoy me but doesn't seem OOC (though I'm hardly qualified to judge versions of that particular character). I think Montparnasse is fun to write and read because he's in the Book so seldom that he can have all sorts of characterisations. He can be utterly cruel or kind of a softie, anything that can be reconciled with those three or four scenes we're given by Hugo. |