The new issue of The Hollywood Reporter features Les Miserables -- its film history, the journey of this particular iteration under the direction of Tom Hooper, the production, and the cast. The story that’s told, at least at the beginning of the article, Nate Silver reference notwithstanding, is that this was always a risk. Hollywood hasn’t taken well to musicals lately, and they’d tried already a few times with Les Miserables and were unsuccessful. So...the fact that this happened at all is an achievement. And the fact that the film was not only received so enthusiastically but is now involved in all kinds of award season talk is just a bonus.
After that it’s time for Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman to keep repeating how they didn’t eat while campaigning for their nominations. And then after that, Russell Crowe has to explain why he agreed to be in the movie and, instead of focusing on the singing, he’s all about character analysis and research which almost feels like an, um, explanation for his vocals which... ahem. We’ll talk more about this when the embargo is lifted.
So... Blake Lively was the reason why Eddie Redmayne ended up in the movie?!?
How did she DO that?
How does she keep DOING THIS?
As for that tight awards race we keep squealing over, the National Board of Review announced its list today and, as it was with the New York Film Critics Circle, Zero Dark Thirty was named best picture. We’ll talk more about the NBR tomorrow but so far, Les Miserables (which was acknowledged as Best Ensemble) hasn’t generated much momentum. With Les Miserables though, I feel like the box office will be the gamechanger. IF Les Miserables is big business, please, it becomes the people’s movie, and it’ll surge at just the right time. But that brings us back to THR and the beginning of their article and this post. Musicals have been largely underappreciated the last several years. Will it have an audience?
Attached - the cast of Les Miserables in London at the premiere tonight.
Do you hate Anne’s dress? Sasha isn’t down with shoulder cut-outs, at any time. I like shoulder cut-outs, almost all the time, but the front of this Givenchy isn’t... falling on her the way I wish it would. Instead it’s hugging her body like a yoga top, right?
As for Amanda Seyfried - on someone else, it could have been spectacular. On her I don’t know if she can carry it. Of the three of them I think I might like Samantha Barks’s the most. It’s a little Stacy Keibler, sure, but at least it’s SO flattering on her body.
The fact that Helena Bonham Carter actually matches makes me really sad.
Best Dressed Eddie Redmayne then?
Click here to read about Les Miserables in The Hollywood Reporter
