Comments on: Books on Screen (and Stage): Les Miserables

By: Classics Bookclub: Les Miserables

Classics Bookclub: Les Miserables — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:58:25 +0000

[...] Les Miserables Discussion Questions Les Miserables Podcast Les Miserables: Books on Screen (and Stage) [...]

By: Whatever DeeDee Wants

Whatever DeeDee Wants — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:37:32 +0000

I read the book and LOVED it! I just rented the movie but I haven’t watched it yet and I haven’t seen the musical but my husband (who hates musicals) says it is a must see.

By: edj

edj — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:25:55 +0000

I haven’t seen the movie or heard the soundtrack. I love the book so much that I always assumed I’d be disappointed. But right now it’s years since I read the book–sounds like now would be a good time to watch it.

I wonder if anyone around here has it?

By: Saya

Saya — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:46:41 +0000

not to go far far off topic, but if you like classic lit and like the style of the musical Les Miz, you really need to listen to the musical version of Jane Eyre – its just as amazing and emotional, and whatever indescribable feeling as Les Miz

By: Kipi

Kipi — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:19:07 +0000

This is the only film version that I have seen, and I have to admit that I was really disappointed. Liam Neesom is a very good Jean Valjean and Geoffrey Rush is excellent as Javert, but Claire Danes comes across as a very spoiled and somewhat manipulative Cosette…what?!? The reworking of the story is just too much for me. It’s been a while since I saw it, but doesn’t Valjean hit Cosette? No WAY should that happen…COMPLETELY out of character. The ending is not right…sorry…I know I’m being really critical, but there were just too many problems with this movie for me to like.

I do have the Original Broadway Cast Recording on my iPod. The music is unlike any other musical. It reaches out and draws you in and just doesn’t let you go.

By: Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts

Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:37:00 +0000

I don’t remember the specifics now, it’s been so long since I’ve seen it, but I do remember being disappointed in the film version (there is also one pretty bad scene where Fantine is offering herself to pay for her rent). I LOVED the musical, though. I’ve only seen the 10th anniversary rendition, which is sung and in costume but not acted out, and to me Colm Wilkinson is the quintessential ValJean.

I’ve got about 400 pages left of the unabridged version, so I am more than 2/3 of the way through. I can see why it is abridged. There are some tedious places, but overall I am enjoying getting more of the story. There is much more to Fantine’s story than I have seen or read in any other version.

I haven’t listened to the Podcast yet — hopefully will this weekend — or read any of the other write-ups about the challenge — hope to when I finish. I’ll definitely write a review when I am done.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:29:17 +0000

You’re killing me here! ‘Dawn the book-purist’ may be a good moniker for me here… I guess I don’t mind when an adaptation makes slight changes, but I really bristle when the characters get tweaked at all, which you know is how I really felt about this movie version. Speaking of Javert’s rigidity…

By: Saya

Saya — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:19:23 +0000

This is why I feel the musical sticks closest to the book than most versions – they neither cut Eponine nor Enjolras… (Eponine is fairly big in the unabridged, though they did give her more in the musical by having her take the letter instead of Gavroche, but then I think her character loses some by being shot getting back to the barricade instead of directly saving Marius’s life by taking the bullet for him) –

The movie is nice, but with completely cutting Eponine and Enjolras it just doesn’t seem right to me… (Despite my LOVE of Liam Neeson and his being perfect for Valjean)