Sunday, October 21, 2012

HOLLYWOOD SPY EXTENSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON TOM HOOPER'S MUSICAL FILM "LES MISERABLES" WITH HUGH JACKMAN, RUSSELL CROWE, ANNE HATHAWAY, AMANDA SEYFRIED, EDDIE REDMAYNE, HELENA BONHAM CARTER

You have probably noticed that cold winter months, especially December, are the ones when magical fairy tales and epic sagas premier in cinemas bringing delight to the festive atmosphere, but it is also the time when powerful dramas and sweeping movie adaptations of famous literary classics come out to try their chances in the film awards season. Thus, beside the much awaited THE HOBBIT, we shall also have the premier of the new version of LES MISERABLES hitting theatres in the last month of the year. The cast will most probably pick up numerous awards next year!

LES MISERABLES STORY
Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, LES MISERABLES tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption, a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. The musical movie focuses on ex-prisoner Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's (Anne Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), their lives change forever. In December
2012, the world's longest running musical brings its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper's sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo's epic tale.
LES MISERABLES CAST
As mentioned above, the new movie adaptation of Hugo's famous novel is being directed by Tom Hooper who won an Oscar for his work on THE KING'S SPEECH and has previously helmed television mini series ELIZABETH I with Helen Mirren.  Hugh Jackman plays Jean Valjean, a Frenchman released from Toulon prison after 19 years of imprisonment for stealing bread and failed attempts of escaping from the prison. Second Australian star in the cast, Russell Crowe appears as Inspector Javert, a police inspector who releases Valjean on parole, then later dedicates his life to imprisoning him again. Anne Hathaway portrays Fantine, a struggling factory worker and mother of an illegitimate child, Cosette. She is eventually forced to turn to prostitution. Amanda Seyfried will be seen as Cosette, the illegitimate daughter of Fantine who has grown into a beautiful teenager under Valjean's care and falls in love with Marius. Sacha Baron Cohen plays Thénardier, a common thief who is also an innkeeper. He is also the father of Éponine (played by Samantha Barks) and Gavroche (played by Daniel Huttlestone), while Helena Bonham Carter appears as Madame Thénardier, the unscrupulous innkeeper's wife who, along with her husband, houses and abuses Cosette until Valjean "buys" her from them after Fantine's death. Ultra talented Eddie Redmayne portrays Marius Pontmercy, a student revolutionary who is friends with the Thenardiers' daughter, Éponine, but falls in love with Cosette.
LES MISERABLES TIDBITS
The film hits USA cinemas December 25th and UK cinemas January 11th 2013. Ever since the casting process started in 2011, many names were in the run for the lead roles: country star Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Evan Rachel Wood, Emily Browning, Hayden Pannettiere and Lea Michele had been previously rumoured to be the candidates for the role of Eponine. Paul Bettany was originally supposed to play Javert. Amy Adams, Jessica Biel, Marion Cotillard, Kate Winslet were considered to play Fantine! The most shocking casting choice was choosing Sacha Baron Cohen over Geoffrey Rush for the role of Thenardier. According to rumours, Hathaway's audition brought tears to producers, while Seyfried said her audition lasted for six months!
This is Helena Bonham Carter's second time in a row to work with Tom Hooper after THE KING'S SPEECH. Believe it or not, but LES MISERABLES has been in development ever since 1988. when Alan Parker was considered for the director's seat. Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway have already sung together at the Oscars. Hugh has lost considerable weight, and Hathaway all her hair for their roles. A few days ago, on October 10th, recording sessions for the musical begun in London with a 70-piece orchestra, while the actors sang their songs at the set instead of using pre-recorded playbacks for the first time in movie history. The premier of the film was pushed forward to avoid the clash with THE HOBBIT.

42 comments:

  1. I have been looking forward to this since I first heard about it. This has been one of my favorite stories since I first was introduced to it when I was 11 or 12. I've seen the musical I don't know how many times (including on Broadway and on my first date with my husband). I am looking forward to seeing what the cast does (and I kind of think that Sacha Baron Cohen would have been good in that role!!) We will have to try to go see it at the same time!

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    1. you know...overseas coordination!

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    2. don't think it will hit cinemas in my town, since we have no cinemas :PP But maybe the situation will change till December...

      It really is a very complex and touching story. I'm only shocked that Anne got the role over Winslet :( But maybe Winslet had a busy schedule or something. I like Anne, but she is never really believable to me.
      When it comes to Baron Cohen, I don't think that deeply touching social dramas like this one, which deal with misery, poverty and injustice and human suffering should have someone as offensive, superficial, ignorant and politically utterly incorrect as he is :( It's just offensive to me. Kinda like they'd given the role of Fantine to Rihanna and Eponine to Britney.

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    3. Come on...you think Britney wouldn't make a good Eponine? I kid...I understand your point...I just have a feeling that underneath all that offensiveness might be a good actor, and I'd like to see THAT instead of Borat or The Dictator. Or I could be wrong and speaking through my absolute sleepiness.

      And...I could not agree with you more about Anne. I don't know what it is about her...and I LOVE Kate. Love..I think we have discussed before.

      And if you can't see it, I will wait until you can before I do.

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    4. Britney would've done wonders to the role :PP The awards would rain on her... the Golden Raspberries of course :)

      Kate should really get a big musical role, whenever I listen to her singing WHAT IF (you have the video at YouTube), my heart just melts and I listen to it every Christmas! And she would break hearts with her emotional expressions and her power of transformation. Anne is a girl next door who gets roles because she had powerful boyfriends (some of them of the suspicious professions if you remember the rumours...)

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    5. I kind of have a feeling everyone is going to be incredible in this movie, except for her...and with everyone being that awesome, she will look really bad. And with her hair all shaved off, her mouth is going to look huge! (Yep...I'm getting catty now!!).

      And I still love Kate.

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    6. I have the opposite feeling, Mel :) Although we're not the fans of hers, given the fact she has connections, that she already hosted the Oscars, that the Academy loves her, and that she has the most touching scenes in the film (which would steal away the show per se, no matter what talent portrays them)... she might even get one of the golden boys next year.

      But Kate would've done miracles and wonders here :) Can you believe she has only one Oscar??? And that Blanchett has only one for a supporting role? Craziness!

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    7. Yeah, yeah. I know you're right, but I can hope right?

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    8. hope Meryl, Dench, Mirren, Blanchett, release some films before the awards and steal the show :)

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  2. Well, that is a movie I am willing to go out and see on Christmas. I'm a sucker for Les Miserables. It was playing on tour at our theater last winter and I really regret not going to see it. I like the cast for this movie version, but I agree Anne Hathaway is an odd choice for Fantine. Had no idea she could sing!

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    1. most of actors can sing, since they teach them singing at school :) Oooh, you really shouldn't have missed it when it was in your city, Luanne!

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  3. I saw an exhausting preview of the movie when I took my son to see FrankenWeenie last week. In my humble opinion, the whole thing looks so overdone.

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    1. sorry to hear that, sister. Better luck next time :)

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  4. I can hardly wait to see this! Geoffrey Rush would have been ideal as Thenardier but I'm sure Sacha Baron Cohen will do a credible job as well. Perhaps he's a better singer than Geoffrey Rush? Who knows.

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    1. I'm rather shocked by their choice, but I'm guessing Rush had a busy schedule or something and couldn't make it in the end....

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  5. Wow, the music is haunting and I can imagine Anne's fantastic performance ~ What a sweeping tale of romance and action/adventure ~ Thanks Dez

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    1. hope you will get to enjoy it in a cinema this December, Heaven!

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  6. Dezzy - Wow, these pics are amazing. I loved the play.

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    1. They have lovely posters, don't they? Wish they made one for Eddie Redmayne too :(

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  7. I've seen the stage play for this in London. It was fantastic. So I'm looking forward to this in the cinema.

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    1. fingers crossed that it gets to Oz around New Year :) Did they have famous faces in London cast?

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  8. I first saw Les Mis way back in the early 90's with Lea Salonga as Eponine. I still have my program. The story captivated me and so I watched with a mixture of excitement and dread as they cast this film. I wanted Taylor Swift nowhere near this and I am still not happy Seyfried as Cosette, she has no depth and her voice is reedy and high, not strong. Still, she has some talent, unlike Swift, who needs major lessons.

    Sasha Baran Cohen is perfect for Thernardier. I adored him in Sweeney Todd as the rival barber. He has an outstanding singing voice and he brings a certain smarmy trashiness to the role that is at the heart of Thernardier.

    Superb spotlight, sweetie. I always love when you put these together. :)

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    1. Glad you like my spotlights, Melsy, tune in tomorrow if Internet lets you, since I'm bringing the crowd DA VINCI'S DEMONS spotlight :)

      I'm disgusted by the world in which a lowlife like Cohen is any kind of star. Disgusted.

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  9. Great spotlight Dez! I am looking forward to this one myself.

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  10. Good casting lineup. I hope it turns out better than Swinny Todd. I loved the music in Swinny Todd, but the story was awful.

    I'll just have to watch this and see . .

    ......dhole

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    1. Fingers crossed, Donnzie, we really don't have lots of musicals in cinemas, so hope this one will be good. More like MOULIN ROUGE good, and not CHICAGO horrid :(

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  11. this is bound to be a major hit in the theaters

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    1. for sure, especially in the festive atmosphere.

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  12. There are going to be lots of people who flock to the theaters for this one!

    I love your pumpkins & Dezzy up in the corner, I can't believe I didn't see it sooner! =)

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    1. It will be a hit in cinemas, if THE HOBBIT doesn't steal away all of the audience :)

      I've put up the pumpkins a few days ago :) It's time for the festive season :) Hope you will treat me when me and my penguins come trick and treating :)

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    2. I will not only treat you and your penguins, I will give you all hot chocolate and lots of hugs and smooches! =)

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    3. ah, I'm alergic to milk and cannot drink hot chocolate, but I do accept chocolate bars :)))

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  13. Wait...recording sessions just started? I'm so confused. Still, can't wait!!!

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    1. the orchestral part, Joshie :) The actors have shot their singing at the sets for the first time in history. It usually goes the opposite way, with music being recorded first and then the actors can use it while shooting the scenes, but here it is the opposite. They first recorded the voices straight on the set to capture the emotions, and now they are recording the music.

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    2. I heard that, while singing their lyrics at the set, the actors were accompanied only by a piano.

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  14. Can't wait for this one already! I think it's cool that they shot the actors singing live on set, that'll help make it sound authentic. Hmmm, where's the character poster for Eddie Redmayne?? I'm sure you'd love that too, right Dez?

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    1. I sure would, but they didn't make a poster with Eddie :((((

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