Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net |
| flying_pigs |
Les Mis MovieI know there are already loads of topics but I can't be bothered to skim through all the pages.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1220758/The-hot-ticket-starring-Keira-Knightley-thats-million.html Scroll down to about half-way, discussions about Les Mis movie are taking place...again! |
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| Eppie-Sue |
I say Jason Segel for Valjean and Neil Patrick Harris for Javert.
(I'll just copy the whole section for everyone:)
Well. Part of me is excited for this, part of me is absolutely sure they will screw it up and a little voice inside my head is going: "What if they get Efron as Marius or John Travolta as Mme Th�nardier?" I'd rather have a filmed version of the stage production... speaking of which: Would they consider the stage performers for the roles, too, or would they strictly choose Hollywood names? I know that stage and screen are two different things, because the stage requires different acting than a close up in front of the camera does, but watching the show from BB so often has made me realise how much soft and subtle acting some put into their roles. And there are actors out there who also look the parts, especially in the female roles. I don't know. At least most of them can sing and know what to do with the characters. |
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| lesmisloony |
I can't think of anything to say about this that hasn't already been said millions of times... | ||||||||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
Same here. For the past 20 years. |
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| Eppie-Sue |
Well. Then it's a good thing there are people to the fandom who have not been active for the past twenty years and might be interested in discussing it, hm?! 
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| Mistress |
I think Jackman would be better as Valjean, vocally at least. Visually, it's iffy, and I can totally see the Russel Crowe thing, but vocally, Jackman's a solid tenor (judging by his Curly at least, I apologize if I assumed too much about his vocal range too quickly), and better suited to Valjean, less so to Javert. I think Rickman could do Javert, but he'd need to train his voice quite a bit more before he could do it, I think.
If Glee becomes the massive hit it looks like it will, than Lea Michele has my vote for Eponine (don't kill me anyone XD) |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Well, I guess that means John Lloyd Young is out! |
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| Yakko |
When ever I watch that video I no longer fear death. |
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| Eponines_Hat |
I reckon it would depend on how much money is getting thrown at it. Big names for big bucks love the hugh jackman idea for JVJ. i bet he could do a good Thenadier, too. |
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| RainbowJude |
Ha ha haBaz Bamigboye has to be my least favourite theatre columnist - I'm reluctant to call him a journalist - ever. As for his choices for the leads - Russell Crowe as Jean Valjean and Hugh Jackman as Inspector Javert - well, I'm chuckling a little.Later days David |
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| Ricey |
If Efron was Marius I would die from the horror. Even though quite a few people I know would love it (well, one person. No one agrees with her. Except her identical twin.) i would hate it. Now I have that horrible picture in my mind. Eww. Just, no offene to the guy, but it just wouldn't be right. |
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| HannahM |
Efron as Marius would be bad enough, but can you imagine him getting any of the other roles? Dear God, Efron as Enjolras anyone? 
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| lottielou22 |
Aw, don't say that, he'd make a wonderful Cosette. |
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| Eppie-Sue |
O.O don't jinx it. What is he, 5'9"? good Lord. (I'd still take Efron!Marius over Miley Cyrus!Eponine or something. I would pay a lot to see Efron!Marius next to a Thaxtonesque Enjolras, though. That would be funny.) Here are my thoughts on it (copied from LJ): "I actually kind of like the idea of Emily Blunt as Fantine, maybe, and Ben Barnes as Marius. I want Johnny Depp as M Th�nardier and PLEASE PLEASE Helena Bonham Carter as the Factory Bitch. Zooey Deschanel as Eponine? I don't know. Ewan McGregor will be 40 by the time production is supposed to start, is that old enough to play Valjean? I quite like his voice. I can't think of any actor good enough to play Javert, sadly. Alan Rickman would be awesome, and yes, he can hold a tune, but not in the Javert-sense. There is that girl Amanda Seyfried, who was in "Mamma Mia" and my initial reaction is NO NO NO, but I can just see them getting someone like her for Cosette. Scratch that, I YouTube'd her and she doesn't seem to have the range required for In My Life." |
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| Ulkis |
Ewan McGregor as Valjean would be odd. He's too . . . quirky, or something. To me, he always seems like a guy who's always gonna be ready with a smile. I don't know. I could maybe picture him as Thenardier. Johnny Depp is good for Thenardier too, although I can see him as Javert as well. And if he was younger he'd make a good Enjolras or to a lesser extent, Marius. Heh. Basically, Depp as any male part except Valjean. (Hell, dress him up as a woman, he could be Eponine too.)
Pretty sure that wouldn't happen. Miley Cyrus Eponine, that is. Efron Marius, maybe. You know, if My Fair Lady is a success though, we could end up with Kiera Knightly Eponine. Although, she doesn't exactly come off as miserable guttersnipe to me (ok, so that's what Eliza Doolittle is but that's a comedy and Les Mis is not), so I think she would make a better Cosette but that part might be too small for her. I don't think we'd get any super-famous Cosettes. It's such a small part! |
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| HannahM |
I'd quite like to see an unknown as Eponine. I don't think there's any way we'll get anything other than big names for Valjean and Javert but if there are too many "celebrities" it might detract from the story a bit. I suppose it would be too much to hope for for some of the west-end cast to reprise their roles... | ||||||||||
| Eppie-Sue |
Oh yes, I can see them doing that, too... either for Eponine or for Cosette. You're right, of course, they can't go with big names for every role... (it could be like Ocean's 11. )
David Thaxton. Sorry, I had to. |
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| HannahM |
That may or may not be who I'm hoping for *shifty eyes* |
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| Lauraa |
I could endure a Zac Efron!Marius if that happened. |
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| eliasatsalome |
i dont know why but i hate this idea. its like...the true essence of it goes away and what is seen on screen is only a pale imitation of what its like on stage, and what its like on stage is only the super-duper condensed version of the book | ||||||||||
| Jennifer Lynn |
I'd love the idea of a LM movie, but they would have to tread carefully in casting. I can see the dilemma...they want to cast actors with a screen presence, but that can handle this material. It's the same dilemma they went through with the original My Fair Lady--they were reluctant to cast Rex Harrison because he didn't have quite as much of a big-screen name. They tried to cast Cary Grant, but Cary reportedly told them, "This role was made for Rex Harrison. If you don't cast him, not only will I not do the part, I will not work for Warner's again!"
So I think Hugh Jackman in some age makeup would be good for Valjean. (Even though, in an ideal world, it would be Hugh Panaro--for singing AND acting.) And for Javert...none other than Brian Stokes Mitchell. He's done enough screen roles to have a screen presence, and the voice, the voice, MY GOD THE VOICE. It even makes sense to have a darker-skinned Javert, since doesn't the Brick refer to him being of a "gypsy race"? Now that you guys mention it, Ewan McGregor would be a good Thenardier! He has a good voice (and this role doesn't call for anything too operatic), and from his film experience, he's shown he can play the two sides of Thenardier--the grinning comic relief and the unpleasant, sinister predator crawling around in the sewers robbing corpses. If they can cast a few roles with big-screen "names", they might be able to get away with casting more of the stage-type actors in other roles. They can raid the various productions for the best of them! |
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| mezzo_soprano |
LEA AS FANTINE!!! PLEEEAAASSEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | ||||||||||
| Eppie-Sue |
What. No. No please. For several reasons, one being that... Fantine is in her early twenties. Lea isn't. It's easy.
They should really have a mix of big names for the leads and maybe one or two other roles, and established recent stage performers and a few new talented faces for the rest. I really like that idea... but let's not become too optimistic here. *sigh* |
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| mezzo_soprano |
But Lea is awesome!
LOL Fangirl, me no. Can I just say, better Lea than Efron or Cyrus as ANYTHING? Oh wait. I've got it. Miley can be the whore on the left. |
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| Muscialperformer92 |
If they would cast Efron as Marius (god forbid it!) I could see them also casting Vanessa Hudgens as Cosette and Ashley Tisdale as Epoinine haha  just imagine them hitting the last harmony in AHFOL or even "better" Efron in ECAET and Tisdale in OMO.. NO!.. I don't want them to make this movie  not another musical getting killed by hollywood like phantom.. Record the stage show- that would truly make me happy
I also don't really think it would work very well for the screen.. it's just too theatrical in a way.. |
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| Lauraa |
I agree, I just can't see it working as a movie and I don't want it to be ruined And what with all of this Susan Boyle hype, I bet they will have her on there with a really small part or something.
Aaaaand if they make it a movie, they will have to cut out SO MUCH to make it a normal running time (I think most films are like an hour and a half aren't they?). Arghh, it just won't work.
Yes! With the best of all recent performers 
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| Ulkis |
Most movies now are at least 2 hours, unless it's a kids movie. And musicals have a tendency to run long - Phantom, Rent, Dreamgirls both the movies were about 2 hours and 20 minutes. I'm sure if they made Les Mis, it would at LEAST 2 hours and a half. |
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| Eppie-Sue |
Yes, I don't think running time would be a problem, really. I mean, the London production runs, I believe, 2h 35 mins now. And there ARE cuts in there ( ) but it works just well.
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| Eponines_Hat |
What about the crazy woman who mutters to herself in "Look Down"? |
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| Elbow |
I want to be that woman. | ||||||||||
| AzelmaCombeferre9430 |
I actaully kind of want it to be made into a movie. I have never seen Les Mis, I've only read the book and have the OLC on my iPod (and listen to it like, everyday) and I live in the US so i won't be seeing it anytime soon.
Personally I'd prefer broadway and/or west end actors in the moive, but Hollywoods just gonna use hollywood names Jean Valjean-Hugh Jackman-sorry I know a lot of people don't want him in it but he's got theatre exprience. Javert-??? Marius-Jamie Campbell Bower- There's really not much difference between Marius and Anthony, being the lovesick tenor types...too bad he's now invovled in that Twilight trash (EW...) Cosette-I'd love to see Anne Hathaway, but the role is too small for her. So it'll probably be played by some one like Emmy Rossum... Eponine-Lea Michele? Maybe, i'm not sure. I think she'd create a new generation of Eppie/Marius shippers though. Fantine-I'd love to see it played by Stephanie J Block for some reason, but that ain't gunna happen so it'll probably be Lea Salonga or Idina Menzel
Thenardiars-Johnny Depp and Helen Bonham Carter. Sorry, but when I was watching Sweeney Todd, it just reminded me of them. They're good at the sneaky evil gross types. Enjolras-This is where I'm going to say DAVID THAXTON!!!!!!!!! But that won't happen. So really anyone but Zac Efron, Joe Jonas etc. I think they should do it similar to Joseph, RENT, and Cats, film it live on stage, so then we could have the awesome London cast on *legal* film
Yeah, I know I spelt like everyone's name wrong. I can't spell for my life. |
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| Elbow |
Eww, not Jamie Campbell Bower, we do not need some disgustingly wet Marius. | ||||||||||
| Mistress |
Still, Bower would probably be better than Efron-escept that Efron's voice actually sounds kinda sorta masculine. That's about all he has going for him. I second lea asEponine, only because she has the stage cred to pull it off (not to mention her playing the part at hollywood Bowl) and Glee has made her into a very plausible shose in terms of "big" names, excpet she's maybe more of medium name XD
Mitchell as Javert?-I'm in all the way! Same for Jackman as Javert. Eanjolras is a toughy though...it would be hilarious to see Efron attempt it, especially with all the slash jokes that would follow... 
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| Ulkis |
If they ever use Carter in a musical again, she needs to be dubbed. She couldn't sing, at all. |
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| Elbow |
And Johnny Depp is far too good looking for Thenardier. They need someone like Timothy Spall.
I can sort of see Helena Bonham Carter as Madame, but I agree about her voice. She's also a very pretty woman, I think they should pick someone not quite so stunning. |
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| AzelmaCombeferre9430 |
LOL. That would be hiralous. But I don't R would would be stupid enough to love that thing... |
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| Eppie-Sue |
... okay. As much as I don't want to see Efron in Les Mis... "that thing"?! Totally out of place. I'm really partial about the idea of Hollywood names who can sing just alright attempting to take on the Les Mis score. There is a slight difference between what most consider "singing" and actually being able to carry a song like "Stars" or "I dreamed a dream". Most "singing actors" would only qualify for pop musicals. Also, I can't think of any Hollywood name to play Enjolras. Really, really. |
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| Eppie-Sue |
Just thought I'd bump this. I know there's nothing overly interesting so far, but Mackintosh is working with Working Title and Universal to make the movie. It seems to happen now.
Considering how random the concert casting is and how little fans and producers seem to agree on many things, I'm actually dreading a movie version, also because I didn't like the tour, which tried to be much more "movie" in most places than the original production. |
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| Monsieur D'Arque |
If a movie happens, it's not going to "kill Les Mis." Mizzies will go on just like they always did. | ||||||||||
| Muscialperformer92 |
But will have to deal with iritating movie-fans- who thinks that the show is way to classical, and that the movie is "soo much better!" (I fear a new Phantom-movie-tendency coming up).. Speaking of Phantom- I could totally see them casting Emmy Rossum as Cosette. |
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| Quique |
Meh. Movie fans can get irritating, yes, but I'm a selfish mofo when it comes to Les Mis. I don't give a rat's azz what the public thinks of it. As long as they do the best possible film adaptation of the stage musical, while respecting the integrity of the original French/English work, then it would make a lot of fans and non-fans happy. But if it only happens to make ME happy, then so be it.
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| HobNob |
The anniversary concert thing seems a bit haphazard to me - as though they started thinking about the original cast and cast a couple, then changed their mind and wanted new people and cast a couple, then wanted celebrities and cast a couple more... Hopefully the film would be better thought out.
Glenn Carter as Javert. Yep. But only if Woody turns it down first. |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Yes, we will, but they couldn't be more annoying their your giant sig with a misspelled word. |
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| Muscialperformer92 |
OOH god how embarrassing! I never noticed that myself! Thank you- I will correct it  I do not agree with your angry way of pointing it out (and that you misspelled several words yourself)- but you're right- it does fill up too much space.
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| Violet |
A film version would be interesting, and would almost certainly guarantee bums on seats for the theatre production for the forseeable future, so should be good for that, regardless of whether or not the theatre Les Mis fans like the film.
When it comes to actual musicals, on stage in front of me, I very much favour casting great singers who can play the part convincingly, but for films with singing, I'd swap that and pick actors who are well cast for acting, who can sing the part convincingly enough in the recording studio, even if it requires several takes. I'm thinking mainly of Moulin Rouge which worked brilliantly with Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, neither of whom I'd describe as singers. However, the style of music, and the freedom they had when selecting the music made that possible. Les Miserables isn't an easy sing, even with several goes at it in a recording studio and there's only so much technical whizzery that can be applied without it sounding like a dance track. Hopefully they won't be heading in that direction. |
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| PureDiamondLight |
I agree with some of the earlier posts - I would prefer that CamMack just made a film of the stage production, with a modern "dream cast". (My dream cast would be Jonathan Williams as Valjean, Philip Quast as Javert (he's still the best I've seen), David Thaxton as Enjolras, Nancy Sullivan as Eponine... basically this years West End cast, with a few additions!).
I would forgive the producers for using big names, as long as those big names were famous for being incredible west end / broadway singers, not just for being famous - e.g Lea Salonga etc. One of the reasons I love the show so much is becuase of the incredible staging. In many places it's so simple, but it's the best theatre production I've seen, it's so unbelievably effective. This would be lost if they made it into an actual film. But I don't think that the film-the-show-live idea is going to happen - not if CamMack is working with Dreamworks! Also, a "proper" movie version would bring in a lot more money that a filmed stage version. Sadly. But I can dream, can't I? |
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| Eppie-Sue |
Not hugely important, but it's Working Title and Universal... at least that's what it says on the Les Mis website... And I know that DreamWorks has done more than just animation, but the image of a green ogre walking around and stealing a Kung Fu Panda's silverware, being hunted by a vegetarian shark and ending up in Paris with a revolution led by a group of Madagascar's penguins sounds AWESOME. (eta: Marius The Talking Donkey? Win.)
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| PureDiamondLight |
Hahahaha Enjolras as the penguin Skipper - hilarious!!!
But Dreamworks also did Gladiator... imagine Valjean saying: "who am I? I'm Jean Valjean, husband of a murdered wife, father of a murdered son... and stealer of a loaf of bread..." I can see endless amusement coming from this one concept...
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| Javvyshomegirl73 |
[/quote]Hahahaha Enjolras as the penguin Skipper - hilarious!!![/quote]
Ahahhahahhahaa!!! I had to be drinking soda when I read this. nice. I like the Idea Of Hugh Jackman being Jean Valjean and Robert downey JR as Javert...or the other way around.. |
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| poppylee |
omg, will someone please make a les mis movie sooooooon...
anyway, glad to find i'm not the only one who likes concocting dream casts... i think if they're gonna make a movie, now is actually a really good time because there are so many "movie" actors right now who can actually sing, some even have theatre backgrounds (ps i LOVE theatre actors and of course in an ideal world we would be casting them, but i'm being realistic, it is unlikely that a production house would sink so much money into a movie full of "unknowns". so no hate on this please.) so here is my very detailed "dream" cast list jean valjean - robert downey junior wait what? ok ok i know he's a love or hate kind of guy... but 1. he has a decent voice, 2. he has the build, 3. he has a big name, 4. his own life story kinda mirrors valjean's... a fall and then redemption. to be frank, for the longest time i thought i would cast hugh jackman in this role. as theatre fans would know, hugh jackman is a bone fide tony-winning theatre actor with a great voice. and movie goers will know he has the strong build to play valjean. HOWEVER.... javert - hugh jackman let's face it, javert's part is one of the most interesting and difficult. you really need an actor with theatre training for it. don't think jackman can play bad? watch the prestige. also, while i still think jackman would be a good valjean, i don't think robert downey jr has the pipes to play javert. so jackman it is. fantine - marion cotilliard do i really have to explain this? gorgeous woman, good actress, good voice. she's even french. the thenardiers - johnny depp and helena bonham carter. neither can really sing, but they did ok in sweeney todd and the thenardiers are there to be funny anyway. they'll be a scream. enjolras - jamie campbell bower oooh moving on to the young 'uns. ok so jamie seemed pretty "wet" in sweeney todd. but he has a strong voice. anthony warlow did his share of "wet" roles in his time =) remember, enjolras is described as being really pretty in the book... jamie has the height and the blond hair. i'm sure he'll do a good job, maybe just has to work out a bit =p marius - ben barnes ben who? he's prince caspian in the narnia movie. ok, so he's not done a major singing role, but he did sing a few lines in this movie called easy virtue, and he definitely has the marius voice. plus, he looks exactly like what marius should look like, for crying out loud (don't believe me, look at his imdb page). um, also he was apparently in a short-lived english boy band. hey, it's either him or zac efron... definitely go with ben! cosette - emmy rossum annoying girl for annoying role. voice and face matches. eponine - amanda seyfried say what? yeah, amanda has a nice voice -- see mamma mia. she's still growing as an actress, but i think she has an endearing quality about her. she's also pretty but not so obviously so that you would look at her and be like "umm why doesn't marius go for her instead of icky cosette/emmy rossum". that's it! comments and disagreements welcome =) LET'S MAKE THIS MOVIE HAPPEN PLEASE IN MY LIFETIME |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
What's with the shift key aversion? | ||||||||||
| poppylee |
what's with the being a total bitch making irrelevant comments? =)
anyone else actually want to comment on the content of my post? |
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| triplethreatplus |
Singing?Yeah, they may be good actors, but can they sing? Les Miz really has to be cast mainly on singing ability, though I guess with today's technology the movie could edit their voices.I like the Sweeney Todd reprise match up of Depp and Carter for the Thenardiers. I think if they did this they should get an unknown to play Eponine. Catapult someone to stardom and not have anyone that there may be fans of who already hate her, because you have to love Eponine! Someone should really make this movie. It's not like Hollywood has any original stories anymore, and this deserves a movie more than a lot of the shows they make movies of (Hairspray, Mama Mia) |
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| Javvyshomegirl73 |
Hhahaahahahaha!! EPIC WIN Poppylee!!
I like the idea of Hugh being Javert....NOW MY MOM WILL BE FORCED TO LIKE HIM Mwhahahhaha!!........O.o.....Sorry, My mom and I have a thingy for hugh
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| poppylee |
triplethreatplus: i agree, they MUST be able to sing. haha, that is why i am so proud of my dream list.. because i have ascertained that each and every one can actually sing! some (jackman, cotilliard, bower, rossum, seyfried) even have real theatre experience or classical voice training. i realise they might not all be of the standard of theatre actors, but actually in a movie context being too "theatre" can seem exaggerated/fake... because the audience is that much closer. everyone on my list has sung on film before and sounded ok to great =)
i agree they could cast unknowns for some of the younger roles... eponine is certainly a star-making role! javvyshomegirl: thanks! javert is certainly one of the most (if not the most) complex and intriguing characters in the story =) |
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| Javvyshomegirl73 |
Yeah he is, It took my mom 3 months to understand why I like him, I have been reading the brick and when Javerts Suicide happened I was a mess for a week, then my mom understood LOL! I was like....it was 10 Pages of pure heart crushingness. (Hahaha I used a word that is not real LOL )) | ||||||||||
| PureDiamondLight |
hmm... for me enjolras has to portray charisma more than prettyness... he has to be someone you'd give your life for on the barricades. I still can't think of anyone who has the almost inhuman, radiant quality of Enjolras... except David Thaxton, who somehow manages to do it. It must be by miracles 
I agree on the Ben Barnes Marius idea though. It fits.
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| Javvyshomegirl73 |
[/quote]
hmm... for me enjolras has to portray charisma more than prettyness [/quote] Ditto!! |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Learn how to quote! | ||||||||||
| Violet |
Actually, I think post preview, or indeed just scanning your post after it has been submitted works wonders.
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| She's_My_Sister |
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| hazellwood |
Thenardiers + played for laughs = Angry hazellwood. They are the villains of the story. They rob dead people. Yes, they are used as comic relief, but there has to be the malicious side there, too. That said, I think HBC and JD could do a pretty good job.
There is no way Jamie could handle the role of Enjolras. First of all, he's a Marius. Second of all, Enjolras should be more charismatic than pretty. Third of all, I really don't like his singing. I disliked his Anthony in Sweeney Todd. Fourth of all, he's not pretty enough. (Yes I am shallow and also a hypocrite.) I do not think any Hollywood actors could successfully play Enjolras. They just don't have It. Heck, many of the stage actors haven't been able to pull it off. My first choice is a stage actor (Guess who!), or an unknown. A big name could not pull Enjolras off from what I have seen.
I can see it. Not my first choice (Which, mind you, is a stage actor, again), but I could definitely live with it. I've heard his singing, and I think he could handle the role. And please, don't bring up Efron. You'll jinx it. *knocks on wood*
No. Just no. Cosette is a soprano role. Emmy is a mezzo at best. Those high notes in Phantom? Fake. Emmy could not handle it. Seriously, if there is one actor I am extremely against for Cosette, it's her. And to whoever said she is classically trained: no, she isn't. Children's choir is not classical training. Also, Cosette is awesome. She's my second favorite character. Again, unknown would be best here.
I can kind of see it. But she's very pop. I can see Marion as Fantine, however. Emily Blunt is another option- she has a very nice alto. Does anyone else think Nick Jonas may be considered for Marius? I mean, big name. Will have some experience in the actual role. I can see them trying to cast him. |
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| Madame Enjolras |
My brother suggested Johnny Depp as Thenardier too... after I quickly squished his idea of him as Enjolras.
I don't like Emmy Rossum. Or Amanda Seyfried. I'd put up with the latter though as long as I'm spared the former (not like I'm not going to see the movie at least three times even if it has both of them). I have never found anyone worthy of playing Enjolras. I've come close a couple times but not quite. I've resigned myself to the fact that whoever does it just won't deserve it. |
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| poppylee |
thanks for the great comments guys! well not that our talking about it will make it happen, but... one must live in hope!
hazellwood: sorry, realise i was rather flippant describing the thenardiers... i do realise that they are extremely dark characters. that said, depp and hbc certainly can do dark and funny =) i think emmy rossum has trained with a voice coach before (outside of her met opera children's experience)... i also meant classical training to mean formal training, not necessarily in the operatic style. incidentally, i read somewhere that sarah brightman sang as an alto before her christine days. i'll stop taking about cosette here because 1. i myself really don't care for the character, so am not very invested in casting well for it and 2. she can't be worse than tracy shane!
(i also feel anne hathaway would have made the perfect (likeable) cosette maybe 5 years ago. but now she's a little too old for the role... for most of the other "young" characters i would say you could cast actors all the way up to 30 years of age, but not cosette. it's just too much of an ingenue role.) googled emily blunt... she's younger than i thought! i thought she was 30 for some reason... hmmm if she does sing well i might reshuffle my list but for eponine, not fantine. MARION COTILLARD IS FANTINE lol. in that case i would bump seyfried to cosette, she could train up her head voice. bye bye emmy!
jamie campbell bower being a "marius": actually i think his face is too weird for that (not that i'm saying enjolras is weird lol)... you need someone more conventionally handsome, like ben barnes. i do like his voice and think he would be a good gentle enjolras (along the lines of gary mauer) as opposed to a ra-ra type like anthony warlow. but that's just me... enjolras is one of those characters that's really hard to cast because everyone has such admiration for him. nick jonas... no. nonono. he's just too strongly associated with a bad boy band, even though i realise he might be talented and has a real broadway background. (he is also way younger than everyone else in my "cast", it would just be wrong!) but i'd love to see a dream cast list of yours, as you have good opinions =) madame enjolras: i hear you but probably the only way we would ever near perfection for him is to have anthony warlow sing to... an anime version!
huh, the ben barnes as marius idea is gaining steam... which can only mean it will happen, right? right? oh power of the internets, please work your magic now! |
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| Javvyshomegirl73 |
I think this would be awesome -
Jean Valjean - Robert Downey Jr. Javert - Hugh Jackman Fantine - Isla fisher (Hey, IDK if she can sing but this is my DREAM cast and I pretend they all can sing so ha LOL) Cosette: Amy Adams. Marius: Michael Buble (DONT HIT ME!) Enjolras - Hmmmm No idea.... Thernadier: Johnny depp! Marius's grandfather who's name escapes me at the moment: Geoffrey Rush. Eponine:...This is a touchy area so I don't think I'll voice my opinion, I think I am already pushing it with Michael Buble. Gavroche - Jake Cherry??...IDK! Azelma - ME! ok..Let's be serious...Morgan York...cutie!! |
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| Quique |
It's obvious none of y'all take chemistry between actors into consideration, lol. | ||||||||||
| MSam |
I found this an interesting comment. Judging from Cotillard's voice from NINE I'd say she has the potential to sing in a Les Mis movie, but I'm not sure if she'd be appropriate for Fantine. She has an interesting texture of this smooth and dreamy tone, and I'm not sure she'd be suited for a power ballad like 'I Dreamed a Dream'. I'd have concerns about her singing the ending of the piece too ('...so different from this hell I'm living)...I think she'd be able to do it but judging from her performance on tracks like 'My Husband Makes Movies' (NINE), she can't hold higher notes for too long. Actually, as I was writing that I imagined her straining her vocals to reach the top notes, kinda mixing her belt with the grated agony Fantine experiences. It'd be spectacular.
I want her in it.
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| PureDiamondLight |
These characters don't actually appear in the musical... maybe we should write some extra scenes that involve them ...or maybe not... I doubt Mr Schonberg would be pleased!!!
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| Javvyshomegirl73 |
LOL! Like I said - DREAM CAST. Then again we could just stuff them all in a room and yell to them, "NOW MAKE FRIENDS! BUILD CHEMISTRY!!" I woulden't mind to see Philip Quast back as Javert he gives me goosebumps his singing is soooo good!
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| hazellwood |
I'm gonna be me and post my ideal cast for this. It won't even be all stage people, I promise.
Javert - Um. No idea. Part of me is screaming QUASTIE!, the other part is trying to come up with screen actors for this. I don't watch much screen. And I haven't heard any of the aforementioned people sing. (And obviously NPH is ideal for this. )
Jean Valjean - See Javert. Only the stage part of me is going SHANNONSHANNON! and EEEJOJ! because I really can't come up with anyone else. Fantine: She's who would be easily cast as a celebrity. Emily Blunt or Marion Cotillard, both previously mentioned, would be nice in the role. Catherine Zeta-Jones or Kate Winslet could probably pull it off, too. My only problem is whether or not these women could belt out IDAD. Thenardiers: Erm. Gonna have to go with Johnny Depp and Helena BC here. Both have experience doing dark films and both have experience in comedy. It'd probably be pretty epic. Marius: Gonna have to go with Ben Barnes. He's a big name, he's decent looking. Although Nick is still a possibility. And maybe Gareth Gates, as well? He's big in Europe, right? Well, Marius has to be adorable and he has to be able to handle ECAET. I'd be happy with any of this casting. Cosette: She better be good. Anne is too famous. Her voice is nice, but everyone seeing her will go 'That's Anne Hathaway!" which wouldn't work for Cosette. Any big name for Cosette wouldn't work. Amanda is not an option, she's a mezzo. Yes, she can develop her voice, no, that doesn't mean it'd sound any good. Stage actress or unknown. Cosette is an ingenue, she's soft, young, pretty. Just please, no Emmy Rossum or Selena Gomez. Eponine: Lea Michele. She's famous. She's done the role. It's her dream part. She'll hurt someone if she isn't cast. I think she's kind of decent. However, I'm worried that she'll be too soft/pretty/pop/insert adjective here. Because the last thing we need are more Eppie-Boppers. Eponine, in my opinion, should be gritty but still sympathetic. I still think Amanda would be good here, too. Enjolras: Stage actor or unknown. I say David Thaxton and I don't feel guilty. Or maybe Aaron Lazar or Ramin Karimloo. I like them, and they're hot. ...And then yeah unknown. Enjolras has to be powerful, he has to dominate everyone else in voice power and presence, he has to have chemistry with the other students and the people he interacts with.
Obviously the cast will need time to build chemistry and interaction. Cosette and Valjean can't be cold towards each other, Javert can't be a sadistic freak, Eponine can't be a pop princess, Enjolras has to actually interact with his fellow students, etc. I'd rather they just filmed a stage production, but if they aren't doing that, then this movie better be good. |
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| Javvyshomegirl73 |
Hhahahha!!! Eponine the pop princess, that made my day. | ||||||||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
Having seen her as Eponine at the Hollywood Bowl, your concerns are well-founded. |
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| poppylee |
ugh, no, anyone but lea michele, seriously. she's way too prima donna for eponine... not to mention that she doesn't look like she's starving... (i'm not saying she's fat, i am saying she has a lovely, healthy-looking body). someone like amanda seyfried has more of the personality and waif-looks. though of course, i realise this is all acting and maybe lea michele has secret resources of humility to draw on... hmm. re amanda being a mezzo and thus not suitable for cosette... lea salonga is described as a soprano, but when she did her stint as fantine they definitely transposed IDAD down for her. i actually didn't like the effect, but it (transposing down) has been done before, and i think "in my life" could be quite nice in a lower register, sung wistfully. it might actually make cosette seem more interesting. i know, i don't like cosette, but i might come round if they cast someone likeable like amanda, not an emmy - or a lea michele! |
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| Roseinmisery |
I agree that the musical should be filmed on stage. It would be very hard to make lots of the scenes work as a film e.g. all the big solos only really work when they just have someone on stage singing their heart out. It would also mean we would be less likely to get a "celebrity" cast and more likely to get one with people from the fantastic current cast (DT!).
As a fan of the book, I would love them to make a completely faithful book adaption too. Half the adaptions I've seen have Eponine looking like a supermodel in rags and don't even include Enjy! |
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| Monsieur D'Arque |
To be fair, Lea Michele plays off-putting rather well. Though the writing on Glee is often shoddy, it does a good job making the Rachael Berry character both sympathetic and rather unpleasant at once.
And as much as we love the book and its interpretation of Eponine, the Les Miserables powers that be want her to be the sympathetic character. She is truly the Ensemble Darkhorse Woobie, to use a trope name on her. |
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| Javvyshomegirl73 |
Crap....I gotta lose weight |
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| SmallTownIngenue |
I would rather see Amanda Seyfried as Cosette rather than Eponine. I love her as an actress, but she is COMPLETELY wrong for Eponine, talk about being too soft and pretty! I thought she did a great job singing in Mamma Mia, and I've read that she has had some classical training, so perhaps she could sing Cosette. | ||||||||||
| hazellwood |
I.... I would hate a lower IML. I'm saying they should get an unknown. (Oh, and not the girl who was Johanna in the Sweeney Todd movie because FAIL) Have you seen Celia Keenan-Bolger? She was Johanna in a regional production of Sweeney Todd, with a lovely soprano and amazing acting. She was also the grittiest, most Brick-like Eponine I have ever seen. That sort of thing could happen with Lea. Not saying it will, just that it could. I never said Lea was my ideal- she's far from it. But they're going to need someone who will be a hit with the people who aren't into musical theatre. Yes, this will mean "EPONINE IS TOTALLY AMAZING AND SHOULD BE WITH MARIUS UGH I HATE COSETTE" but if Eponine is acted as sympathetic but a brat, this could work. And there needs to be a good Cosette for this to wrok, mind you. Oh, and, also re:Celia, she's pretty gorgeous, too. As Eponine? She wasn't. It's in the way you carry yourself. If Amanda, while pretty, could get the Eponine treatment (ratted hair, covered in dirt, ragged clothing, rickety movements), I'm sure she could do great. ...I admit to being a Celia fangirl and totally understand if this was all incoherent.
Right, my friend, get your hands on the 1957 or 1934 adaptions. Both include Eponine and Enjolras (w/ dark hair  ) and are pretty darn faithful to the book. Only they're French. But seriously, best movies out there.
But you know what would work? One Day More. With montages. And students+workers+everyone marching in the streets. And Valjean packing. And Marius standing at the gate by Cosette while they hold hands through the bars and then Eponine drags him off and they go march. And the Thenardiers planning their whole thing out. And MONTAGES. *g* (clearly I have thought about this way too much *is shameless*) tl;dr: Eponine could work if the actress puts effort into it, the 1957 and 1934 movies are awesome, and One Day More on screen could actually work. With montages. |
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| Roseinmisery |
Not at all, I am also a Celia fangirl and if anyone was going to play Eponine, she would be my first choice (although it is a shame both Frances and Lea are too old). I also agree IML should not be lowered. Given that Cosette is a typical ingenue soprano role, she shouldn't be hard to find although a good Cosette is a different matter.
I've seen some of the 1957 film and liked it the most out of all the adaptions I've seen. I have yet to see the 1934, but I've been told it's the best. I suppose my problem is that I love The Brick so much, I expect the films to be completely faithful which of course they can't be.
Now, THAT I can imagine. My only problem is the solos. What makes them great is when you have an actor standing there on stage belting them out without there being anything else. It would be impossible to have continuous shots of the main characters just singing. |
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| Ulkis |
Montages in theory should work, but I don't know. I keep playing it out in my head and anyway it goes, ODM comes out chaotic and confusing. But hey, that's why I'm not a director.
They should be dubbed if they can't sing. I don't know why movie musicals now insist on using actors' real voices when they can't sing. Not everyone can be Catherine Zeta-Jones. (Who I agree would probably do well.) No one should ever put Emmy Rossum in front of a movie camera again. Atrocious actress. Nick Jonas for Marius? Meh. I guess by the time this movie ever gets made he'll look old enough. Right now he looks 12. He could be Gavroche. |
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| hazellwood |
I might just be me, because I loved montages in film class this year. And they can be used VERY well. I can't come up with any examples, but montages and fading devices, when used well, can have a really cool effect. And, um, I use montages a lot in this post. On that other part I have quoted, AMEN and applause to you.
I think they could On My Own work. She'd have to be walking. And maybe, I don't know... staring wistfully at couples in the Luxembourg or something. Or they could take a different approach and make her stalking Marius during that song. Which would be totally awesome if done well. And would serve the 'Eponine is a psycho' purpose perfectly, but the powers that be don't like Eponine as a psycho. Maybe we could even get some water footage in there ("the river's just a river") and rain. On the pavement. But no special effects to make the pavement "shine like silver. Empty Charis at Empty Tables could also be done well, if they used MONTAGES. And, like, we start out with Marius lying/sitting all injured and emo, and then the camera pans around kind of and Marius is no longer the focal point, and we see empty chairs at empty tables in the Cafe. And then slowly the tables and chairs aren't empty, and there are faint figments of all of the students there, laughing, discussing, being students, and then maybe they slowly fade away. (Or more flag-waving awesomeness). And then we get more student interaction! ...would I be the only one who thinks that could be awesome? But you know what can't happen? The thing with the candles in the tour. I mean, really. I think maybe Stars could work. But they'd have to do a VERY good job. And the Javert they get had better be good. Same with Bring Him Home and Who Am I. Actually, Who Am I needs MONTAGES. So does the Prologue. Seriously, they better use MONTAGES (okay I'll stop) a lot in this movie. The ensemble numbers will be freaking awesome. One Day More as in my head is amazing. Master of the House and At the End of the Day will also be awesome, as long as we get adlibs. Oh, and I Dreamed a Dream could probably be done well. WITH MONTAGES. Like, with little!little Cosette and Felix* and then little!little Cosette and Felix* are gone and maybe they even show her giving Cosette to the Thenardiers in the first minute maybe? And then the last two are just Fantine. And then we show her walking, and it leads to Lovely Ladies. Which is the only thing I have a problem making work for screen. I guess they'd all be like in a harbor setting, with the sailors coming along. And then the Captain-who-can-wear-his-shoes is just walking down the street and Fantine stops him. But still, IDAD needs MONTAGES. (I swear I'm done this time.) OHOHOH. The students/barricade scenes had better be awesome. And I mean having the barricade right outside the location of choice (Which I guess would be the Cafe since this is musical based. Oh and Cafe Musain > ABC Cafe) and awesomeness, and the sniper Valjean shoots actually being visible, and EPIC FLAGWAVING.
tl:dr: Ensemble numbers will freaking rock, solos might need more work, such as showing action unrelated to the scene, action sort of related to the scene, or the use of MONTAGES. The barricade scenes could definitely be done closer to the original book ones. *Fantine's lover was Felix Tholomyes in the book. |
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| Quique |
I know what you mean when you worry whether or not it will work on film, but just wanted to point out that, in the end, it's really us trying to find a way to please the general public.
Think about it--if they film a very literal film version (ie: NOT be overly concerned with trying to hide the fact it's a musical or 'tone it down' for film), how would YOU, as a fan, feel? I'll tell you how I'd feel--I'd LOVE it! The director would focus on performance and effective delivery using striking images and making the most of an actor's abilities instead of trying to figure out how to ease into songs as opposed to bursting into them so as not to jar the sensibilities of your common musical theatre neophyte or "toning down" this and that, resulting in a film that is too self-conscious for its own good. Sure, we all want the film to be accepted and to be a huge success, and if a director can think of very clever ways to please both fans and non fans alike, I'm all for it. But for the time being, I just want to like it, doesn't matter if the general public turns their noses up at it or not. I prefer something safe than another Joel Schumacher treatment. I'm selfish! lol. |
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| MSam |
Just look at the West End footage on the Official Site. I'd envision it be pretty much exactly what they had for On My Own.
NO. Well first off, I don't think anyone LIKES that portrayal. She is moreso in the novel, but she definitely is not so in the musical. For a film adaption of the stage production, I wouldn't feel uncomfortable if the concept of her stalking Marius was used, and probably be pretty happy when she died. The concept of her being a psycho pretty much destroys everything she sings - On My Own would become pretty unnerving, a long painful ballad would be drenched with undertones of obsession and insanity, and A Little Fall of Rain would be totally twisted around. Marius would look cruel mean because he's essentially leading her on by saying he cares for her (which I assume wouldn't be the case in a stalker way), and I'd be freaking out if my stalker was dying in my arms. Maybe that's how some people view the character anyway, but gross. I'd like to think that Eponine's soliloquy is just a wishful moment of what she wanted life to be like, and the duet to be a song from friends, only at the end to have Marius realise that Eponine truly loved him.
So, no. In my opinion portraying Eponine as a nutcase is a TOTALLY bad idea.
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| Roseinmisery |
[quote="MSam"]
While I wouldn't like Eponine to be completely nuts, I think she should be portrayed as being just a little too obsessively in love with Marius. Given that my two favourite Eponines are Frances Ruffelle and the aforementioned Celia Keenan-Bolger, I think she should be played sympathetically but book accurately. Both actresses play her as heartbroken but delusional and a little desperate. OMO becomes not just a song about the pains of unrequited love but a cry for help. I find that Eponine's death is sadder when she is pitied rather than identified with. The musical is already sympathetic enough, but when she is made into a poor, beautiful tragic heroine who was heartlessly rejected by Marius, it just leads to Eppie-bopping and Cosette-bashing. I agree that Eponine should be a psycho but I hope that whoever plays her (hopefully Celia) wont make her too sane. |
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| Vanessa20 |
Not to hijack this thread, but did you actually see Frances Ruffelle as Eponine? If so, what was she like? Would you mind giving some details of her acting choices? I've always been so curious to know what she, and for that matter all the other original cast members, were actually like onstage.
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| Roseinmisery |
Unfortunately, as I am only fifteen, I was never able to see the original production. I do, however, own both the OLC and OBC recordings and have listened to almost every recording of OMO. From that, Frances was the one that really "sounded" like how I imagined Eponine. I have also seen many of her performances one youtube which gives me quite a bit of insight into how she played the role. I have also spoken to people who saw the original production, all of whom described Frances' performance as being pretty book accurate. |
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| hazellwood |
Frances fan! Yay!
...So. I think I need to explain myself before the whole thread tells me how dumb I am. As for Eponine: roseinmisery says everything I want to say, only better. Listen to her. I didn't mean full on psycho, I meant Frances psycho or Celia psycho or possibly even Sylvie Paladino psycho. Or Nancy overzealous. She still has to be sympathetic. Also, most of what I've been saying isn't very serious. I don't actually think they should use montages for the entire movie- only where it's needed. As in, the Prologue and maybe Empty Chairs. I was kidding for most of that. Um, I have problems expressing myself over the internet. Actually, I'm not too psyched about this movie- I'm only trying to make it work in my head. I think they should just film a stage production. Hey, you know what? That's what they should do. A Very Special Production filmed in Hi-Def. They could, like, restore all of the cuts since the original French production. Except for the ones that don't make sense. So, Cosette would have the first lines in One Day More, and ISHO, Eponine would have her solo and then maybe On My Own as a reprise to Fantine's song. Marius and Eponine reprise I Dreamed a Dream, Enjolras and the students have more stage time (DWM reprise, all that jazz...), Enjolras has DYHTPS all to himself except for the chorus. The Runaway Cart scene actually making sense. Cosette having all of Every Day. Valjean and Cosette have more interaction. Eight minutes of The Robbery and Look Down. Fantine gets two solos. Eventually, the show would be restored to it's original length. As for casting? They'd go around the world getting the best people for the roles, looking at all of the past productions. All of the cast members would sing in the language they did the show in. They would hire a full orchestra, and there would be absolutely no use of synths. Think about it. It would be... Five hours long and the greatest financial failure in musical theatre history. Um. Anyway: I really think the people behind this should work to make it the best it could possible. If that means cuts, then that means cuts. I don't want this toned down like they've done for other musicals. Les Mis is near and dear to my heart and I don't want a cast full of big names, or ridiculous sets, or unrealistic-ness. When you take a show off stage, you lose some of the integral parts of the show dynamic. This is why Phantom failed. West Side Story managed to do a really good job. The thing about Les Mis the show is that there are not very many sets. And a screen production would need sets. It hurts my brain thinking of how they're going to make the prologue work. |
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| Monsieur D'Arque |
The "musical made to embrace the staginess of musicals, and not soften or change the approach for film" technique has been tried. It resulted in the film version of The Producers, the Musical, trying to do everything almost exactly as it was done onstage, but with bigger budgets and soundstages. To most people, it was a failure. | ||||||||||
| Quique |
You're talking about extremes. The Producers was a bit too stagey for me too. Although after a few minutes, I learned to appreciate it.
Sweeney Todd worked very well in its subdued film version. The intensity was there and only the campiness was cut out. But Les Mis works best when it is performed with passion. You tone it down too much, it will be boring and depressing on the surface. You make it "stagey," and characters like the Thenardiers will seem clownish, lovable, adorable funny couple from next door. You play up the most basic emotions and fail to explore deeper and you have a repetitive, uninteresting, look-at-me-my-crinkled-foreheaqd-says-I'm sad/concerned/upset/surprised/constipated/etc..................... |
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| ILoveJavert |
I thought I was the only person who thought Ramin Karimloo would be a great Enjolras!! Well, I don't really know if he would be, but I want to hear him sing Enjolras' part. If he lacks the Enjolras quality I'd say an unknown would be best. I would also like to back up the Johnny Depp-HBC as the Thenardiers. I actually envisioned this before I read it. If there's a better Thenardier out there, let him do it, but Johnny Depp could probably pull it off... |
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| Fantine |
Ramin Karimloo played Enjolras in London in 2004-2005... |
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| Roseinmisery |
I know this only a small part and everything, but can anyone not TOTALLY imagine Noel Fielding as Montparnasse? There's just something about him that screams "Flower of the Underworld". And he can sing!
I really have been watching too much Mighty Boosh and IT Crowd lately, but still... |
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| ILoveJavert |
oh... sorry. hehe. ...was he good? |
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| Quique |
What are the chances they will decide to use the original orchestration for the film version? Hmm. I'm pretty much expecting them to go with the new ones, so I won't be surprised if they do. Disappointed, yes, but not shocked.
The more reviews of the new production I read, the more I realize how much it resembles a film. Just listening to it and matching that up with the descriptions found in reviews, I can begin to see what will ultimately be the film version of Les Miserables. It actually works too. Even the tour EPK looks like a film version, whereas the London EPK is very theatrical. I've mentioned before that musical theatre to me should ideally involve one's imagination and it should touch us in unexpected ways. This is why I am skeptical of the new production, which by all accounts, even attempts to light the stage using realistic hues. I don't know if I want to see the real world recreated upon a stage. The idea is almost perverse. But there are also reports that it uses a great deal of symbolic imagery in its projections which serve more to give a scene texture and character rather than directly support what's going on on stage at any given time. As descriptive as reviews are, I am still left with the impression its nothing short of a mish mash, but that's only because I haven't seen it. I hope it all makes more sense when I do. |
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| Monsieur D'Arque |
My guess is that they would use the largest orchestrations for the film, and then enlarge them more, like Sweeney Todd and The Producers did. More lushness, less reliance on synthesizers.
And Noel Fielding would be a great Montparnasse! Especially if the other guys in Montparnasses's gang were the other Booshers. Brick-accurate? Not so much. But it'd be cool. |
