Les Miz on the Oscars. or Russell Crowe still can't sing- Page 2

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 8:36am

At least Catherine did a good job of lip-syncing, unlike Liza and many others in Oscar and Tony year's past. With that much dancing, lifting, and rolling around other bodies, I'm glad she did it. I thought she was terrific.

Hudson was great, too, sure, but I could swear her dancing was completely done off-stage. All she did was walk around and stand in place with a mic. I'd like to see her sing that song live, with Zeta-Jones's full-out choreography.

As for Les Miz, I thought it came off a lot better than I was expecting. Crowe was the Elaine Stritch of the group. Fine in the solo parts, but toward the end, his mic was too loud. I kept thinking of the OBCR of "Company" with Stritch too loud and cutting off notes. But I kinda love Crowe's insistence and persistence with the music. It's almost like, "Screw you. I'm here, and I'm not giving up, and I won't go away." Which is why, to a degree, he works for me a Javert in the film. Unfortunately, he is ultimately way too reserved in the part (and in the music).

It was nice to see them spend so much time on movie music and musical moments. I really loved that, and in year's past, they have paid tribute to other film genres ... so yeah, it was about damn time.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 9:03am

The only thing I hated was how on nearly every social media site, actors (from film and theatre) continued to post "I thought we were watching the Oscars not the Tonys"-esque posts. I found that so annoying!

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 9:33am

This blows my mind! This is supposed to be a theatre site, anyone who thinks with the exception of Barks, Tveit, and Jackman that the Les Miz performance could hold a candle to any Broadway cast is crazy! Thank God they included the Canadian and Touring casts or it would have been completely unlistenable! Anne should've lost after that! The mics and sound for all the musical performances were terrible for it being such a music heavy show it sounded rough even the balance for Adele was off! For what little bit Crow did in the performance it was tolerable compared to his movie performance, kudos to him for showing up in general. CZJ, is a Tony winner! To lip synch is intolerable, the casts of many singing and dancing shows on Broadway do it seamlessly, so no, it wasn't necessary for her to do it! That's BS! IMO, I thought she started the song and as soon as the dance break started it was recorded, I could be wrong, but that's when I really noticed it. The beginning of the vocals and dancing were shakey at best for her portion, Les Miz was a mess, and J-Hud was flawless! Seth Mcfarlane was my surprise of the night, he can more then carry a tune! Pretty abysmal tribute to the movie musical, it was the thought that counts!

[goodoneinlou2]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 9:35am

CZJ sang the first verse of "All That Jazz" live, but her tracks were pre-recorded beginning with the second verse.

"Slick your hair and wear your buckle shoes" is where the lip synching began.

[kadu335]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 9:35am

I love how dramatic people can be with stuff as unimportant as this LOL

I actually enjoyed de musical tribute they did. It wasn't perfect, but still a lot better than what I was anticipating. I was entertained!

I didn't have a problem with Catherine's lip-syncing. I'm actually glad she did it... there's no way she would pull that off vocally with the choreography and all.

The Les Mis number was fine. I was glad to see people like Barks and Tveit on that stage, not just the big names. I'm not a big fan of Crowe as Javert, but I loved how he got the biggest cheer from the audience when he entered the stage haha

Updated On: 2/25/13 at 09:35 AM

[newintown]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 10:31am

Vocal critiques aside - why was Bonham-Carter standing in the back with the chorus at the end of the number, while Baron Cohen was up front with the leads?

[sparrman]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 10:51am

As stated here earlier, the entire number was lowered a whole step for this performance. The question that I'm wondering is: "Why?"

And I suspect the answer is that it was done for Anne Hathaway. "One Day More" properly begins in A and ends in C. Last night it began in G and ended in Bb. In the movie Hathaway began "I Dreamed a Dream" in Eb and ended in F.

Since they wove IDAD into the beginning of ODM, this meant Hathaway had to sing it in G, already a whole step higher than she finished it in the movie. And I suspect it was decided that it just didn't sound good, or "right", or "like Fantine" in the key of A.

Pity though that they didn't work out some way to shift things back up the whole step after she had done her bit, since I feel it considerably lessened the number's impact.

[trentsketch]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 10:56am

newintown, HBC looked really confused at the end, like she missed a staging cue or something.

I think CZJ did a great job. I couldn't tell she was lip-syncing and she put on a really good show.

[Patronus]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 11:06am

I have no problem with Catherine Zeta-Jones lip syncing. She's not a strong singer and did what she needed to do to make it entertaining.

If only every single person on the stage from Les Mis with the exception of Banks and Tveit had given us the same degree of mercy it might not have been so painful.

I thought the Les Mis performance was absolutely atrocious.

I still haven't seen the film because the singing sounded so poor in clips I've seen. Last night's performance didn't do anything to change my mind.

[mmFan]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 11:27am

Loved that they had broadway numbers in the Oscars (from the movies, of course).

Didn't love CZJ's performance. She sang it so low that it came out really quiet and seemed a lack of energy (or maybe due to the coments about it being pre-recorded).

Thought Jennifer Hudson was outstanding...and also loved the Les Mis One Day More performance. The energy and emotion showed through (have yet to see the movie)

[darreyl102]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 12:05pm

Thought CZJ was great- didn't notice she was lipsyching but i can agree that the song was not as powerful as it could have been.
Jennifer Hudson was awsome, but kinda seemed to struggle with some of the notes and breathing.
The Les Miz song did nothing for me except for the wonderful Aaron Tveit

My favorite performance of the night goes to Shirley Bassey- 76 and still an incredible performer who both looked and sounded awsome! Goldfingaa!

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 12:15pm

CZJ had a wire running down the back of her neck that was very obvious when she turned around. Looked like a mic to me.

[Patronus]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 1:02pm

Nah, that wire was her permanent botox IV.

[goodoneinlou2]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 1:21pm

"CZJ had a wire running down the back of her neck that was very obvious when she turned around. Looked like a mic to me."

Again, she sang the first verse live, then began lip synching with the 2nd verse - when she left the piano and began dancing.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 1:33pm

I thought Crowe was really great last night. Did he get applause when he entered?

I didn't mind his singing when I got used to it.

The CZJ was just kind of a flimsy production number. What was with the horrible lighting?

Jennifer Hudson needs an Emmy for that performance. What a talent.

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 1:53pm

I really enjoyed the musical tribute overall. Whether CZJ lip-synched or not, it was still great to see the iconic number from the movie that really helped turn the fate of the movie musical around. Jennifer Hudson, stunning, as always, and looking very "Dreamgirls" in the glitzy dress.
I loved the Les Mis number; even Russell Crowe didn't bother me as much- but maybe I'm just used to it now. Loved that Samantha Barks and Aaron Tveit got a chance to shine, not just the big names, and the use of the stage casts was lovely.
The Les Mis cast was the only ones not officially in costume, but I did notice that Aaron Tveit had a red pocket square that was not present on the red carpet or any other time he was on camera- that little touch made me smile :)

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 3:09pm

"For reasons that escape me, CZJ has her champions here. But, again, I have it on excellent authority that they barely got useable tracks for the CHICAGO film out her and had to record her part, basically one line at a time.

She's a dancer who barely sings and occasionally acts."

She's an actor who moves well. She is by no means a dancer.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 3:40pm

I thought that CZJ was a trained dancer?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 3:50pm

But, again, I have it on excellent authority that they barely got useable tracks for the CHICAGO film out her and had to record her part, basically one line at a time.

I'm not doubting your source, but she sang live at the Oscars the year the movie was nominated and she'd sung on stage before. If you said Zellweger sang the score note by note I'd be more inclined to buy it, but perhaps that really was the case. I dunno. I like her, though I do think she was lip-synching last night.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 3:56pm

I like her, too. I even liked her (a lot) in NIGHT MUSIC. Of course, the performance I saw bore no resemblance to the strangeness of her Tony performance.

She sounded great on the Oscars when she sang 'But You Go On' with Latifah.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 4:28pm

Tha LM medley was the lamest dang thing. Glad I saw the movie and that was not a PR glimps of the premiere. Staging, blocking, sound mix all off,off off.

Disliked all the live perfomrmaces except for Shirly Bassey's Gold Finger tribute. Chicago was a joke. Wait, you've got all 3 stars and you don't create a classy medley using them? Barbara sounded "spent" "Looks 10- Sound 5". Hudson slammed that money song into a trilling screaming mess. Capt. Kirk was right too about "Seth Mac Farlane being a mediocre host". Sorry, this was not my idea of a well presented program in any way.

[Jamie Pierce]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 5:28pm

Wanna win an Oscar? Be a supporting actress in a musical! (no acting/singing skill necessary).

So we crucify Beyoncé but Catherine Zeta-Jones gets a free pass?

But the most thrilling thing: last night's Oscars was just a parade of fabulous women over 70 (Barbra, Shirley, Jane).

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 5:47pm

The only people on this board who crucified Beyonce were theatrenet (who has already posted a sniping Beyonce thread on the OT) and metropoliswhatevernumnbers who started this twatty thread.

[Jamie Pierce]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 5:58pm

I was referring to society at large not so much this board specifically.
But I kinda get it. There's something inherently different about an inauguration to a staged event for entertainment like the Oscars...it felt like it somehow cheapened the patriotic moment.

But if we don't criticize CZJ for lip-syncing, can we at least take her to task for that ill-fitting wig?

:)

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 6:09pm

I think the wire that was on her back that many are mentioning is an ear-piece, so she can hear her self lip-sync.

I thought the whole tele-cast was boring...sadly...and everyone looked like they did an impromptu presentation. Seth looked like he had to go to the bathroom every time the camera was on him...