So, I heard the people sing
I wanted to like it. I'm fond of the show for lots of reasons, my dad's been excited and reading the novel, we all really wanted to like it.
You know what it reminded me of? Remember the shopkeeper in the beginning of Aladdin? The one voiced by Robin Williams, who says, "Come closer," and then the camera smacks him in the face? "TOO CLOSE, A LITTLE TOO CLOSE."
Yeah, it was like that. TOO CLOSE. No one needs the camera two inches from their face while they're trying to sing, and no one wants to see someone from two inches away while they're trying to sing. I couldn't look at parts, no one needs to see Jean Valjean's scraggly beard from that close even when he's played by Hugh Jackman. Empty Chairs At Empty Tables is one of my favorite male solos, I shouldn't have to be distracted by the fact that you are literally close enough to count the hairs in Marius's stubble.
I wanted to like this movie so much more than I did. And some parts were great: I had a hard time not singing along with One Day More and Do You Hear The People Sing (my dad did hear the people sing...the guy sitting in front of him). Anything Gavroche did. Little Cosette, who looked so much like Amanda Seyfried that it was almost eerie. Helena Bonham Carter and Sasha Baron Cohen as Les Thenardiers was some of the most perfect casting ever. But the cameras were far too close to the actors, and because the cameras were so close the actors weren't singing in full voice which would have made everything sound better, and seriously could we not have done something else with the sewer scene? Anything? I kept thinking, "AND NOW THEIR WOUNDS ARE SEPTIC AND THEY DIE."
I did like how when Javert sang Stars he was walking along the top of a very high wall, sort of foreshadowing the incident with the bridge.
Grantaire was awfully young and pretty I thought. I seem to recall him being older and drunker (though I did identify him right away), and he actually looked younger than Enjolras. He also looked an awful lot like a younger David Krunholtz (Bernard the Elf from The Santa Clause, Mr. Universe from Serenity). To the point where I kept having to tell myself that it couldn't possibly be him because he was too young.
I wanted to like this movie more than I did. I was kind of sad, especially because it could have been better.
You know what it reminded me of? Remember the shopkeeper in the beginning of Aladdin? The one voiced by Robin Williams, who says, "Come closer," and then the camera smacks him in the face? "TOO CLOSE, A LITTLE TOO CLOSE."
Yeah, it was like that. TOO CLOSE. No one needs the camera two inches from their face while they're trying to sing, and no one wants to see someone from two inches away while they're trying to sing. I couldn't look at parts, no one needs to see Jean Valjean's scraggly beard from that close even when he's played by Hugh Jackman. Empty Chairs At Empty Tables is one of my favorite male solos, I shouldn't have to be distracted by the fact that you are literally close enough to count the hairs in Marius's stubble.
I wanted to like this movie so much more than I did. And some parts were great: I had a hard time not singing along with One Day More and Do You Hear The People Sing (my dad did hear the people sing...the guy sitting in front of him). Anything Gavroche did. Little Cosette, who looked so much like Amanda Seyfried that it was almost eerie. Helena Bonham Carter and Sasha Baron Cohen as Les Thenardiers was some of the most perfect casting ever. But the cameras were far too close to the actors, and because the cameras were so close the actors weren't singing in full voice which would have made everything sound better, and seriously could we not have done something else with the sewer scene? Anything? I kept thinking, "AND NOW THEIR WOUNDS ARE SEPTIC AND THEY DIE."
I did like how when Javert sang Stars he was walking along the top of a very high wall, sort of foreshadowing the incident with the bridge.
Grantaire was awfully young and pretty I thought. I seem to recall him being older and drunker (though I did identify him right away), and he actually looked younger than Enjolras. He also looked an awful lot like a younger David Krunholtz (Bernard the Elf from The Santa Clause, Mr. Universe from Serenity). To the point where I kept having to tell myself that it couldn't possibly be him because he was too young.
I wanted to like this movie more than I did. I was kind of sad, especially because it could have been better.