(Now this is under Film and Television because there were several movies based off it, but this is really about the play.)
[img]http://www.geekinvaders.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/les-mis-logo.jpg[/img]
[b]The Story[/b]
Les Miserables (pronounced Lay Mizerab), or "The Miserable Ones" in french, takes place in France just before and culminating with the 1832 rebellion, and concentrates on the difference between grace and justice. Here is a synopsis from thebestnotes.com
[quote]The major plot involves Jean Valjean who is released from prison, and through the kindness of Father Myriel, becomes a new man. He gets a new name via association with Myriel and his obvious kindness and generosity to others and gradually builds a successful and prosperous life for himself with a renovation of the jet-work industry in Montreuil-surmer. One of his employees is-although unknown to him-fired by the head mistress because of an illegitimate baby. Fantine goes from one occupation to another, finally becoming a prostitute.
A minor incident takes place in the streets, and Fantine is arrested by Javert. Valjean, who has become known as Mayor Madeleine, forces Javert to release her and takes her into his own house when he hears her story. Fantine is in extremely poor health, however, and dies without ever seeing her child again, even though Valjean had promised to get the child.
Meanwhile, another man has been arrested and mistakenly identified as Valjean. Valjean appears in court, revealing the truth and losing both his business and his position in Montreuil-sur-mer. Although he is arrested, he breaks out long enough to hide his fortune. He spends additional time in prison, working aboard a ship. Eventually he escapes again and retrieves Cosette from the evil Thenardiers whom Fantine had trusted to take care of the child.
Then begins 10 years of hiding, moving from place to place, always staying just ahead of Javert. Seven or eight happy years are spend in a convent where Valjean works with the gardener and Cosette attends a girls’ school.
Feeling that Cosette must have opportunity to experience all of life, they leave the convent when she is about 15. Valjean is nearly betrayed and recaptured due to the insidious if somewhat unwitting deeds of the Thenardiers.
While Valjean is continuously on the lookout for people who might have guessed his identity and makes their home always in out of the way places, Cosette becomes aware of her own femininity and beauty. She and Marius spot each other and fall in love.
Marius is a college student who has been raised by his grandfather after the old man had disowned his son-in-law for supporting Napoleon. Marius discovers the truth about his father shortly after his death and enmity develops between himself and his grandfather. With little income, Marius in unable to marry Cosette and prevent Valjean from taking her away again, and his grandfather refuses to give consent for a marriage to someone he assumes is beneath him.
In Paris, politics, work issues, and various unsatisfactory conditions are gradually bringing a faction of workers and college students to the point of revolt. An insurrection takes place; Marius joins in hoping to die since he will not be able to have Cosette. Valjean joins the insurrection because he believes he is losing Cosette’s love and because, although he hates him bitterly, he intends to try to protect Marius for Cosette.
When the barricades are finally overtaken, Valjean rescues Marius and escapes through the city sewers. Marius is unconscious and does not know who rescued him. When his health returns, he insists once again on marrying Cosette, and this time the grandfather relents. Old wounds are at least partially healed. As Javert is also dead, it would seem that Cosette, Valjean, Marius and his grandfather could all form one happy family. Cosette and Marius marry, but Valjean reveals the truth of himself to Marius who gradually banishes him from even seeing Cosette.
The Thenardiers are a continuous nuisance and occasionally a real threat throughout the book, but in spite of Thenardier’s intention to bring harm to Valjean, he actually reveals the truth of Valjean’s history to Marius.
Valjean dies in the end, but it is with contentment after a joyful reunion with Cosette. He is content to know that Cosette and Marius have “forgiven” him, although it seems as though Valjean himself is the one who has the right to be on the forgiving end of things. [/quote]
[b]The Book[/b]
Les Miserables was originally a book written by Victor Hugo in 1862 in France. The story is [i]extremely[/i] complicated, much more so than the musical or movie. This is due to many sub plots and historical ties, though the overarching story is the same. Worth a read. Due to it's age, it is a bit difficult though.
[b]The Musical[/b]
Now we are getting to the best part. The play is best known as Les Mis, or Les Miz (pronounced Lay Miz). It opened in London, England on 8 October 1985. It is the longest-running musical in the world. It is also the third longest-running show in Broadway history. Yea. There have been many casts, and all are incredible. To act in Les Mis you simply have to be the best.
The whole thing: [url]http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=yzXuBimOnVA&ob=av1n&feature=mv_sr[/url]
Here are some highlights, in no specific order.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PXZ1nLiUZo[/media]
Veljean as he realizes he has no right to let the man accused of being him go to jail in his place, and tells Javert his true identity.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6-5g78Nr6Q[/media]
Sang several times, this is one of the songs of the revolution
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFPsEwV38Q0[/media]
The comedic relief, the Cosette's foster parents run an inn.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jo4FvpN3_g&feature=related[/media]
Fantine sings about how her life has more or less gone to the shitter. Just in a more beautiful way.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WdoAnlQ30U&feature=related[/media]
Javert confronts Veljean for the first time since his release
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8XQ913KMtA&feature=related[/media]
Veljean is the lead, but it's Javert is a flat out fantastic character. He is the upholder of the law, and he is just. But when Veljean spares Javert's life despite everything, he is faced with a choice. Do something unlawful (let Veljean escape) and something immoral (imprison Veljean). In the end, he can do neither, and commits suicide. Javert is tragically noble in a way, pitiless but just until the end.
And my personal favorite...
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIwgD4I5UtQ[/media]
Marius is dying, and Veljean is praying (yea, I know. Get over it) for him to survive, and this really steals the show. Only Colm Wilkinson can really, truly pull this off.
I [b]HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY[/b] recommend watching all the songs on youtube in order. There is no blocking, it's jsut the music, but it isn't hard to understand the plot with a little bit of background knowledge.
[b]The Movie[/b]
Twelve movies were made, but two really are remembered. An old one and a newer one with Liam Neeson. This is not a musical, so you lose that part of it, but the plot is the same, and done extremely well. Geoffery Rush does Javert, and it is fantastic. Anyway, this is mostly here to justify this thread's existence in this section, so here is the wikipedia link. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables_(1998_film)[/url] Go watch the play live if you are ever so lucky, and if not, watch it on Youtube. Right now. Go.
Going to have this play at my school. (It's an Arts School, so we will do it justice, it's not gonna be some shit version in a school cafeteria.)
I don't sing, otherwise I'd audition probably. Just acting for me. I'll go see it though.
Updated OP with with the Confrontation, how could I forget? Oh, and Javert's suicide. Fuck, I wish I could add them all. Hmm. I think I should just do that. Anyway. Yea, I'm an actor too (advanced drama troupe fuck yea) at my school, learning to sing mostly so that I can do songs from this.
fyi there's a new film adaptation of this coming out, with Hugh Jackman and [url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/will_anne_hathaway_lend_her_pipes_to_les_miserables_as_fantine/]supposedly[/url] Anne Hathaway, Geoffrey Rush (again, but playing a different role then last time) and other people i can't think of right now.
I've been to a performance of this musical in San Fran. I've seen a French film adaptation of it. And I recently actually read the book. Good story.
My favorite song from the musical would probably have to be Empty Chairs at Empty Tables.
We watched the 1998 movie adaptation in school like 2 weeks ago. It was good.
-snip-
I was watching PBS a while ago and they were broadcasting parts of the musical. It had Nick Jonas as Marius and he really wasn't right for the part at all. And whenever there was applause, you could tell that there were so many teenage girls who didn't come to see the musical at all and only wanted to see that douchebag. :rolleyes:
[QUOTE=postal;32176368]fyi there's a new film adaptation of this coming out, with Hugh Jackman and [url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/will_anne_hathaway_lend_her_pipes_to_les_miserables_as_fantine/]supposedly[/url] Anne Hathaway, Geoffrey Rush (again, but playing a different role then last time) and other people i can't think of right now.[/QUOTE]
it's supposed to be a musical film this time (thank god).
My parents absolutely loved this, they always used to blast the soundtrack out late at night and I loved it. Never seen the play or movie adaption though.
Saw this at West End a few years back. One of my favorite musicals. Can't wait for the film.
i went to england on a school trip in 2006 and stayed a few days in london, and we had a chance to see a few musicals on whatever london's equivalent of broadway is
one of them was les mis, one of them was stomp, and there was another i can't remember.
I remember when I asked what les mis was somebody told me something completely inaccurate (I can't remember what but it sounded very lame - a "chick flick play" it seems to me) so I wasn't interested and didn't go. my parents were like "you stupid fuck, go see it, you may never get another chance like this and it's super famous and shit" and I was like "nah son"
everyone who went of course loved it and it was one of the greatest experiences of their young lives and years later (I think when susan boyle did her rendition of I dreamed a dream, actually) when I learned what Les Mis actually is I unsuccessfully attempted to hang myself for not seeing it in london
sigh
There's sign for this show everywhere around this part of London. I'm going to go see it when I have time.
[QUOTE=Kalibos;32226956]i went to england on a school trip in 2006 and stayed a few days in london, and we had a chance to see a few musicals on whatever london's equivalent of broadway is
one of them was les mis, one of them was stomp, and there was another i can't remember.
I remember when I asked what les mis was somebody told me something completely inaccurate (I can't remember what but it sounded very lame - a "chick flick play" it seems to me) so I wasn't interested and didn't go. my parents were like "you stupid fuck, go see it, you may never get another chance like this and it's super famous and shit" and I was like "nah son"
everyone who went of course loved it and it was one of the greatest experiences of their young lives and years later (I think when susan boyle did her rendition of I dreamed a dream, actually) when I learned what Les Mis actually is I unsuccessfully attempted to hang myself for not seeing it in london
sigh[/QUOTE]
You tried to commit suicide because you never saw a play? what the fuck man
[QUOTE=Mort and Charon;32231414]You tried to commit suicide because you never saw a play? what the fuck man[/QUOTE]
totes bro
Being a bit of a Les Mis fanatic I can't wait to see the film... however I seriously doubt it will do justice to the stage show since for some reason Cameron Macintosh (the producer of the show and the guy running the film adaptation) seems determined to completely ignore the talented stars of the West End and Broadway and cast only big names to draw in crowds. Hopefully we won't have another Phantom on our hands, Gerard Butler: why, o why were you cast?
Anyway, Les Mis is epic, tvtropes has it down as some of the greatest crowning music of awesome of anything, and there really isn't a single bad song.
If you want true epicness though, look no further than One Day More. The finale of the first Act, it starts off quietly and swells to magnificence, each major character having their own solo before they all come together in counterpoint. It's one of my favourite songs, ever.
A recent performance from America's Got Talent, with the pretty good US Tour Cast. J Mark McVey is a pretty good Valjean, not too fond of this Enjolras though (the guy in the fancy gold waistcoat). Also the choreography is pretty funky.
[video=youtube;hqYq0P9Dnxw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqYq0P9Dnxw[/video]
And a classic performance from one of the best casts ever, London 2008. Look out for David Thaxton as Enjolras (shiny coat guy) about 1:10, the best Enjolras of recent times. Classic choreography used here, the best imo.
[video=youtube;_E84xLQN-Fc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E84xLQN-Fc[/video]
[B]Edit:[/B]
I guess my avatar fits, haha
Time to bring this thread back from the dead. Looks like I'll be auditioning for Thenadier this summer, should be fun if I can get over the grueling rehearsal schedule...
The trailer for the film came out a few days ago as well. Haven't seen a musical for a while, looking forward to it
[hd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmvHzCLP6ug[/hd]
A poster was released some days ago
[thumb]http://niggaupload.com/images/ks3Gx.jpg[/thumb]
And the cast/crew talk about how they performed the musical numbers live on set
[hd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwgQjfg0hZw[/hd]
I saw this on Broadway back in 06 before it went off, it was the first show I ever saw there.
God damn was that a good decision.
Basil Poledouris's Score for the 1998 film was really good.
[video=youtube;T-XeUzGfA0o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-XeUzGfA0o&feature=related[/video]
Haven't seen that film or the play, but I plan on doing that.
I'm so excited for the new film. The trailer gives me goosebumps.
Can't wait to see the film. I was in a production over the summer of Les Miserables, so I got all pumped for it.
looks great, but if I have to sit through that "making-of" one more time in theaters im gonna guillotine myself
So, its a movie about French people being miserable?
I am already interested.
Why is it not pronounced Less Misrables
[QUOTE=Rong;38335335][thumb]https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/381925_507837002568427_1289033233_n.jpg[/thumb]
[/QUOTE]
There's something about their faces that just look so odd to me. It may be the massive contrast of head size, but they both look really weird.
[QUOTE=shian;38356160]Why is it not pronounced Less Misrables[/QUOTE]
Because the french are too stupid to even speak their own language correctly.
new trailer, apparently keeps getting pulled off youtube
[url]http://cms.springboardplatform.com/previews/37/video/595527/[/url]
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