Saturday 12 January 2013

REVIEW - LES MISERABLES


Much ado about nothing. I saw a grand ensemble occupying vast recreations of 19th Century France. I heard music, almost non-stop, solos, duets, trios, choruses, recitatives, arias, interludes and instrumentals. And I felt... nothing much. Like watching a lot of people fuss over something which doesn't concern you, and which you couldn't convince yourself to be concerned about, no matter how many tears the actors shed (the one thing these characters do more than die is cry - not nearly as much as they sing, though). The cast exhibits such collective conviction that it's a shame that I was so unmoved, but I wouldn't attribute that to them. It is Tom Hooper who is to blame, baring his thought processes (or, more accurately, his raw, undeveloped, often unsuitable ideas) for all to see, love and applaud at every turn: staging single-take set pieces to Oscar's end - only one will reach it, alas - fickly following his actors around the set, as they stagger senselessly about (Jackman's What Have I Done? is abominably staged), ever aware of the unreality of these interiors designed to look like exteriors, with cinematography that only emphasises the gloomy artificiality. And watch for how Hooper strains to show the pavement as Eponine sings of the pavement, the lights as she sings of the lights, a stranger walking by as she sings of... strangers! Of all the songs, and there are many, only a select few have any significant impact, yet also seem strikingly detached from the rest of the film, despite being mere parts of an enormous soundtrack that encloses them. Master of the House is a lot of fun, but the most memorable is, of course, Anne Hathaway's I Dreamed a Dream, sure to become a definitive rendition. It's a monumentally calculated performance, certainly, but calculated most precisely and most felicitously. In a film brimful of bluster, false emotion rammed down your neck, Hathaway is solely responsible for the one sole moment of emotional connection.

4 comments:

  1. Tell me what you REALLY think Paddy? LOL!!!! Well, I can't fault you for being honest, and you are far from the only person who has come up with a near blanket dismissal. I would say most of those who have embraced the film most passionately are those who have had a long history with the show and teh score, and on both counts I am a member of that fraternity. The fact that you were neither moved nor ravished by the soaring lyricism of this music would make your summary judgement valid. At least you did have solid praise for Hathaway's big number, and probably can see now why she is teh heavy favorite to win an Oscar. In any case, I applaud you for being frank, and for penning an excellent capsule piece.

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    1. I was just bored. Found it all a bit of a slog. Not a near blanket dismissal in truth, although kind of, this being a capsule review (can't ever be bothered to write more, and also I'm shit at writing long reviews). I don't have a long history with either the show or the score; a short one, perhaps. Saw the show twice a few years back, and thought it was alright, rather like the film.

      Neither moved nor ravished by the soaring lyricism of the music because I wouldn't call it soaring lyricism! I wouldn't say it's a very good score overall - the recitatives are very repetitive, and many of the arias go absolutely nowhere. They're just extended expressions of banal emotion. The story stalls for several minutes as they yarn on and on about one thing or another. It's a weak story too, though - characters have questionable, unclear motivations and act on whims, they all gather together for brief moments after many years apart, and act like no time at all has passed, there are some developments which inspire only disbelief, the female characters get short shrift and the male characters are dreary! So the fault is not entirely Tom Hooper's. He had a tough job to begin with.

      Summary: it was alright. Not as bad as I've made it sound lol!

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  2. "Neither moved nor ravished by the soaring lyricism of the music because I wouldn't call it soaring lyricism!"

    LOL!!!!!!!! Well that's fair enough. In the end with this film it comes down to the source material and not Hooper, or even the singers. I have argued the score as one of the finest of the past 35 years or so, but I am a big opera fan who favors singing of nearly every line. I respect your position.

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    1. I'm a fan of all forms of music, including opera and musical theatre - just good opera and good musical theatre. Les Mis is fine, but little more, in my opinion. Singing of nearly every line works for me too, and that, in concept, didn't bother me.

      Had Hooper been more daring, I might have loved it.

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