801 replies to this topic

[Titan]

aaron twait shows why west end/broadway people arnt always the way to go. Completeky forgettable and underwhelming. Fra Fee however really stood out in such a small role.

loved the movie, sure i could pick holes here and there but the piece as a whole was stunning. the additions of bits from the book really helped the storytelling and gave it more depth. It works much better as seen as a whole than judging on little clips. The movie stands in its own right and thankfully is different enough from the stage show (unlike say The Producers movie)

[djp]

Titan, on 13 January 2013 - 09:46 AM, said:

the lyric in at the end of the day changing "the winter is coming on fast ready to kill" to "the plague is coming on fast" puzzled me, not a big change but couldnt work out why

Indeed the verse in the film script is all about the cold in a world where there were was no Winter Fuel Allowance -  until the point is confused  by plague turning up.....

At the end of the day you’re

another day colder

And the shirt on your back

doesn’t keep out the chill.

And the righteous hurry past

They don’t hear the little ones

crying

And the plague is coming on fast

Ready to kill -

One day nearer to dying

Historically,  if Paris had similar weather to London,  the period the musical covers was marked by very  bad winters with the Thames frozen over -  and Paris seems to have had no plague. The original lyric had it right.

Did the screenplay writer just  assume people didn't die of cold, did they not want to suggest it was winter for continuity reasons,  or is there some modern reason not to raise the point?

[djp]

duplicate post

[Doogie Hoser]

Maybe I missed it but I thought I read at some point Gavroche says, about the dead Eponine:  She was my sister.  I don't recall that from the film.  Was it there?

Also, I thought the concluding scene was supposed to be set at another rebellion, some years on.  Did I miss something?  Or was it just ghost people and a ghost barricade?

To djp's question, as I understood it, the narrative was heading into winter at that point in the film, which I base on the fact Fantine was street walking in winter and the Thenardier scenes, which follow immediately on Fantine's death, were set around the Christmas period.

[Titan]

no its not set at a future rebellion, its the spirits of all who died which is why all the baracade boys, eponine, fantine, valjean etc are there. i really liked that touch.

no i never heard him say that at all.

[poster J]

Doogie Hoser, on 13 January 2013 - 07:13 PM, said:

Maybe I missed it but I thought I read at some point Gavroche says, about the dead Eponine:  She was my sister.  I don't recall that from the film.  Was it there?

I'd read about that too and didn't notice it either.  There was just the shot of Gavroche crying.  I thought the aftermath of her death could have been done better, especially considering Sam & Eddie's A Little Fall of Rain was so good!

Quote

Also, I thought the concluding scene was supposed to be set at another rebellion, some years on.  Did I miss something?  Or was it just ghost people and a ghost barricade?

Ghost barricade, it was all the people who'd died, hence the focus on Eponine, Enjolras, the other barricade boys and Gavroche, and why Fantine and Valjean witness it.  All ties in with the lyrics:  "They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord....the chains will be broken and all men will have their reward".

[Titan]

the movie fleshes out the story and musical lyrics so well. everythings much clearer and what maybe missed on stage is clear on film.

[bickypeg]

I thought it was brilliant!and I really hadn't expected to from seeing the trailers.A great spectacle with some great acting.Flaws of course-and mostly the ones everyone has mentioned:Russell Crowe;panto Thenardiers;and irritating close-ups when they should have panned out more-especially with those wonderful sets.I found myself counting Marius' freckles and wondering if they were real tears rather than listening to the song...But I have to take exception re Aaron Tveit whom I loved as Enjolras.I was slightly annoyed that Marius seemed to be stealing his thunder rather-which may have made Enjolras seem less of a pivotal role.But minor points-I did enjoy it.

[paplazaroo]

mikeacthomas, on 13 January 2013 - 06:08 PM, said:

The most important thing for me was that this was an outstanding group of talented actors who can sing rather than a group of singers who can act.

This point always seems to come up when a good actor tries to get away with being miscast in a singing role. I may be cynical but I don't think it's too much to expect in this world which is full and arguably over saturated with strong triple threat performers for the part to be given to someone who can both sing and act extremely well. They only needed to find a double threat, not even a triple!

[djp]

paplazaroo, on 13 January 2013 - 08:30 PM, said:

This point always seems to come up when a good actor tries to get away with being miscast in a singing role. I may be cynical but I don't think it's too much to expect in this world which is full and arguably over saturated with strong triple threat performers for the part to be given to someone who can both sing and act extremely well. They only needed to find a double threat, not even a triple!

Indeed,  and the stage show in recent years has had the whole range - from  people who can sing but not act well , and vice versa ,  to people,  who can sing exceptionally  well and act as well, or better,  than their equivalents working in stage or film. The issue presumably is whether the PTB think they would sell as many tickets with one of them,  as they would with a well known film star.