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Les Misérables (2012) (1 Viewer)

Chris Will

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I've read a couple reviews, both on the negative side and I'm not reading anymore. Both reviews seemed to be taking points of because there is singing or to much singing. Why would a critic go into reviewing a musical and then get upset that there are songs in the movie? One review didn't like how there was wall to wall singing and wanted the songs to stop so the characters could just talk some. Hello, this is how the stage play is so again, why go into it and expect something different? Can't read anymore reviews if the critics are going to down right dumb and knock a musical for being a musical.
 

Mike Frezon

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Originally Posted by TonyD /t/321163/les-miserables-the-musical-hits-the-big-screen#post_4002557
Might be the firstt time I see a movie on Christmas day

My wife and I are planning on December 26th.

Tres excitement at our house. My french, eet ees not so good.

She also has tickets to go, with our daughter, to a touring production of Les Miz at our big, grand old local theater (http://www.proctors.org/places/mainstage-proctors
 

TonyD

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I posted that before I got my new job. I'll likely be working that day so depending on my hours i'm nit sure what day I will now see it.
Does this open Christmas day? if it does employees arent allowed free watches on opening day. So I'll wait for a day or two.
Will the Show at your theater be just a conceert or will it be a full stage production?
PBS had the 25th concert on the other night, I tried to watch but it doesn;'t work for me without the stage sets.
All the perfotmers standing in front of a mic throws me out of the mood or something.
 

Steve Tannehill

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The movie opens Christmas Day.
I wish they would record the stage show with the revolving stage and the barricade set. The first time I saw the full production (in 1988 at the Kennedy Center) I was blown away.
 

TonyD

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I saw it for the first time in '93, someone took my and I couldn't believe what I saw it was amazing.
A little later I saw Phantom and was just as amazed with that.
Took my wife to see it as a surprise.
We went downtown in Philly to walk around and we went past the Forrest Theater and said "hey let's go see Phantom." I already ordered the tickets so it was a nice birthday present for her.
 

Steve Tannehill

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I saw the tour of Phantom, too. Sat under the chandelier once. Even though you know it's a controlled descent, it is still startling to see that huge thing coming at you.
 

Mike Frezon

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Originally Posted by TonyD /t/321163/les-miserables-the-musical-hits-the-big-screen#post_4011796
Will the Show at your theater be just a conceert or will it be a full stage production?
PBS had the 25th concert on the other night, I tried to watch but it doesn;'t work for me without the stage sets.
All the perfotmers standing in front of a mic throws me out of the mood or something.

It'll be the full-blown production. I doubt they'll have the revolving stage though...but, who knows? The magic of the theater and all that.

My wife and I saw it on Broadway many years ago. I wasn't such a huge fan back then...but have warmed up to it over the years. The whole"singing all the dialogue" thing put me off for the longest time. I actually remember checking the progress of the Yankee/Red Sox game taking place a few miles away in the Bronx during the show on my Walkman's radio.

And I like the two concert versions. The 10th anniversary concert just got another DVD release (with 5.1 sound and 16:9). Why--oh why--did they not releases it on Blu?!?

The 25th on Blu looks and sounds great (except for the Jonas kid...who looks constipated the entire time). Samantha Barks really wowed me as Eponine in the 25th anniversary concert cast (I never thought I'd want to hear anyone else other than Lea Salonga sing On My Own). But Barks is also remarkable and is just one of the many reasons I am looking forward to this film.
 

TonyD

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WE had seets right in the second or third row and had the chandelier come right over us.
Was like audience participation.
 

Aaron Silverman

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I didn't realize that Eponine in the film is the girl from the recent concert staging. I am pleased. :)
I'm with Tony -- I'd much rather see a true filmed performance than a concert staging. I wasn't a huge fan of the Chicago revival, because it's quite minimalist and really just a step up from a concert staging. Especially for a truly spectacular production like Les Mis. (Of course, those of you who've been on HTF for longer than 6 months probably know this already. :) )
I want to take the family, but I hear that the rape scene may be too intense for my little one.
 

Aaron Silverman

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TonyD said:
WE had seets right in the second or third row and had the chandelier come right over us.
Was like audience participation.
I took my son to Spider-Man a few months ago, and we sat in the 5th row, dead center. I was a little worried ahead of time that it wouldn't be a good spot for all the wire work, but my worries proved unfounded. At one point, Spidey and the Goblin were hanging about 8 feet directly over our heads, pummeling each other. It was some of the most fun I've ever had at the theater.
 

TonyD

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If we had time to go up to NY we'd go see that.
I'm a Spider-man nut but we are just too busy.
I've seen Living Social offering discounted tickets for the show.
 

TonyD

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Today my wife said that she saw that Les Mis will be in Philly during Jan so she says lets go see it again.
I cant argue with that, although
Prices are a bit higher since I last saw the show.
 

Mike Frezon

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My wife and daughter's tix for the Les Miz in Schenectady in April are in the $75 to $80 range. They got 'em the day they went on sale.

That's nuts, Tony!
 

Aaron Silverman

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Holy crap!
Spider-Man tickets are crazy expensive, but that's actually on Broadway and there are frequent deals. I think I paid $160 apiece for 5th row dead center via an American Express deal. (By far the most I've ever spent on theater tickets.) I've seen tickets for well under $100 on occasion.
I recently got an email offer for an *annual pass* that lets you see Spider-Man once this month and then again ONCE A WEEK throughout 2013! The total per-ticket cost was pretty reasonable, but of course it was a big chunk of change. And, really, I can see going to a favorite show a few times, but FIFTY-THREE??? (I assume they aren't re-sellable.)
 

Chris Will

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The soundtrack was released today on iTunes and Amazon's mp3 store. It is only $5 on Amazon, at least when I bought it today that is.
I was surprised because none of the voices are bad, not all are great but none are down right bad. I was worried the most about Crowe but he does a serviceable job. It's not that he doesn't hit the right notes, he does, his voice just doesn't seem to fit broadway style music. I love Hathaway's I dreamed a Dream. Probably not one of the most beautifully song performances but, definitly one of the most moving.
I am a little disappointed in the quality of the album, not the singing voices but, the overall album quality. I'm sure it has to do with the live on set recording but, the album just has this DVD rip quality. The orchestra sounds great and I love some of the orchestrations and arrangements, very cinematic and makes it stand apart from the broadway version. The quality of the voices is we're the album has trouble, it just not as clean as a studio album or even a live concert performance, which is understandable because of how this was recorded. It just makes for not a very enjoyable listening experience. I'll definitely continue to choose one of the broadway albums over this one.
Was also disappointed that one of my favorite songs, A Little Fall of Rain, was left off of the album. Wonder if there is plans for a 2 disc album in the future.
Overall, not bad but, not great. I'm sure the performances fit the screen visuals better then they are represented on the album. If it is still on sale for only $5 at Amazon, I'd say pick it up. At full price, probably only for die hard Les Mis fans, and maybe even not all of them.
 

Mike Frezon

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I bit for $5. Thanks, Chris.

My wife will be thrilled to have this to further whet her whistle for our trip to see the film in the coming week (probably December 26th).
 

Steve Tannehill

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Terrible arrangements and singing. Russell Crowe is painful.
 

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