The long awaited feature film version of Les Miserables opens Christmas Day, twenty five years after it first took the world by storm on a West End stage. Directed by Tom Hooper and starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried, the film made the daring choice of having its actors sing live instead of being recorded in a studio. Die-hard fans of the stage production will likely take issue with some of the directorial (and musical choices) but overall the movie is a solid adaptation of Victor Hugo's beloved tale.
Christmas Day 2012 marks the biggest and best day of the year for many Broadway babies around the world, but the anticipatory fervor has little to do with the man with the beard in red and white from the North Pole - you see, the guy in question in this equation is more apt to be seen in red and black and his origins are decidedly a bit more Gallic than Jolly Old St. Nick. The man whom I speak of is, of course, Jean Valjean, the protagonist of Victor Hugo's spellbinding 1862 historical epic LES MISERABLES, a novel which was subsequently adapted into a 1980 concert spectacular and ultimately a 1985 full-fledged stage musical, painstakingly developed through the shepherding of uber producer Cameron Mackintosh, alongside the talents responsible for breathing song into the story - original French composer/lyricist team Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil (along with Jean-Marc Natel), to whom Mackintosh added English lyricist Herbert Kretzmer (and also contributor James Fenton). Through a special partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company, LES MISERABLES: THE MUSICAL premiered at the Barbican Theatre in the West End soon thereafter under the direction of Trevor Nunn and John Caird and opened to largely negative reviews, albeit ecstatic, ebullient audiences. Broadway was next, where it went on to win Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Featured Actress & Actor and even more (eight total). LES MISERABLES onstage was a hit like few others from then on and the rest, ze say, is history - or, in this case, l'histoire.
Yet, on Christmas Day, the next step in the evolution of the worldwide phenomenon commonly and colloquially known as LES MIZ will occur - just days after the Mayan-predicted end of days, no less - and the movie musical adaptation of the stage show will finally become a reality, featuring an all-star cast comprised of Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter, among others. The time has come to hear the people sing onscreen at long, long last. But, first, how is the film?
While many MIZ-heads may have assumed the film adaptation of their beloved musical would never actually come to fruition, here it really is, all too soon available for all to see - lo, more than twenty years after it was first announced byway of an official promo ad in a tour souvenir going as far back as the late-1980s. I was lucky enough to catch an advance screening during the dawning days of December and many small moments, full musical sequences and my first impressions themselves have filled me with a certain kind of inexpressible enrapturing ecstasy heretofore inexperienced, coming as a direct result, no doubt, of the sheer force of power the film exacts in its relentless, barreling, blazingly bravado-bedecked style - a style, I can firmly say, is completely unique in movie history. LES MISERABLES is a lot of things, but, first and foremost, it is that which it is unlike that makes it most remarkable of all; that is: it is unlike any movie musical ever made. And, it is a masterpiece.
Insane Clown Posse's Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope comment on the trailer for the highly anticipated film adaptation of LES MISERABLES, which hits theaters Christmas Day. Click below to watch!
LES MISERABLES might not open in movie theatres for another week, but accoridng to Fandango, the movie is the company's #1 advance ticket-seller among all Christmas Day releases, surpassing its previous record-holder, 2009's "Sherlock Holmes,' and the #1 advance ticket-seller among movie musicals, surpassing the previous record-holder, 2006's "Dreamgirls."
LES MISERABLES might not open in movie theatres until Christmas day, but that doesn't mean you have to wait another week for another sneak peek. Check out a clip of original Valjean, Colm Wilkinson, as the Bishop in the clip below!
The highly anticipated film version of LES MISERABLES doesn't hit theaters for another week, but producer Cameron Mackintosh may already have his eye on another movie musical.
Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year.
Get a sneak peek at one of the defining numbers from the highly anticipated film with 'One Day More' below!
LES MISERABLES might not open in movie theatres until Christmas day, but that doesn't mean you have to wait another week for a sneak peek. Check out 'One Day More' from the movie below!
Anne Hathaway and Samuel L. Jackson pull out all the stops in a Funnyordie.com video as the two film stars battle over which upcoming movie is more depressing, Django Unchained or Les Misérables. This holiday battle of wits features everything from a gingerbread slave plantation to faux tuberculosis. Check out the video inside!
After what feels like decades of waiting, the HIGHLY- anticipated film version of LES MISERABLES opens in movie theatres today, December 25. What are you waiting for? Get to the movies now and experience the epic on musical event!
LES MISERABLES star Anne Hathaway visited last night's CHELSEA LATELY on E!, talking about the upcoming film, her marriage, and more! Check it out below!
The Weinstein Company, Quentin Tarantino and Loma Vista Recordings previously announced the release of Quentin Tarantino'S DJANGO UNCHAINED ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK. DJANGO UNCHAINED marks the first time that Academy Award-winning and Grammy Award nominated director Quentin Tarantino has collaborated with artists to create original music for use in the film and original motion picture soundtrack. The soundtrack will be in stores and at all digital retailers today, December 18th.
In Amanda Seyfried's latest visit to ELLEN, she talked about her special birthday gift from Les Miserables film co-star Hugh Jackman: a lap dance. Watch the interview clip below!
Star of stage and screen Hugh Jackman will visit 'Katie' tomorrow, December 18, where he will chat with Couric abou Les Miserables, fatherhood, and more. Check out highlights from the episode below, which also features Jackman singing some classic showtunes!
Under the direction of Tom Hooper, the Les Miserables film stars Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Anne Hathaway as Fantine, Eddie Redmayne as Marius and Amanda Seyfried as Cosette. The cast sat down and talked preperations, working as part of an ensemble and more after a pre-screening at LA's Writer's Guild Theater. Hear what they had to say below!
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