I don’t know whether I should be excited about Les Miserables, the movie, or not. I love the musical so, so much. I think I saw it at least three times in London – and I would have seen it more if I could have convinced the husband to go again. He likes it, too, but unlike me, he can’t listen to the same songs over and over and over again.
I can, and the Les Mis soundtrack is fabulous, and the story is so freaking moving. I mean, you have freedom fighters trying to overthrow the authorities. People die. People are afraid. And there’s so much anguish and heartbreak in the whole thing. God, it’s just great.
And the faith of Jean Valjean. Wow, the song, Bring Him Home, moves me to tears. And the finale… It gives me chills. So beautiful, happy and sad and hopeful and perfect. Just listen. Forward this clip to 5:18.
You think the movie can come close to matching that? I don’t. Why? Because Hollywood cast actors into the roles, not singers. And, yeah, I know Ann Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, and the others can sing, but I just can’t believe that they’ll sing like the stage casts.
Trey is excited about it because of Ann Hathaway, whom he has a mad crush on. I’m all like, “Really? Her?” She’s all right, but if my husband is going to have a mad crush on someone, it should be someone like… like I don’t know. A Victoria Secret model? *shrugs*
Anyway, I just love the musical so much. So full of tragedy. I listen to it a lot while writing. There’s one song that’s inspiring a scene in book three. It’s not the best song in the show, but I want to capture the same emotion.
That is all.
I adore the musical too. I have seen it three times and like you I listen to the music regularly. I saw the movie yesterday and I was SO impressed. Russell Crowe wasn’t as strong as the other characters but Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway…all of them. Just wow. I cried, as I was expecting to. Load up on the Kleenex before you go lol. And when Colm Wilkinson started singing as the Bishop…amazing. He has SUCH an intense voice!
I finally saw the movie! It was good. I wasn’t disappointed at all, but I think I prefer to see it on stage. And I kept comparing Hugh Jackman to Colm Wilkinson, which so wasn’t fair to Hugh Jackman.
I’m planning to buy the movie when it comes out, though, and since I almost never buy movies, that’s saying a lot!