Staff Writer
The iconic novel Les Miserables has stimulated and inspired millions since Victor Hugo created the life of Jean Valjean in 1862. In 1985, when the story was accompanied by anthems and melodies, the dramatic musical captured the hearts of the public. The musical is still successful and adored by many, but all previous attempts to transform Les Miserables into a screenplay have fallen short of anything emotionally captivating. On December 25, 2012, Les Miserables debuted as a film once more. This time, however, not to disappoint.
Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried take the audience back to 19th century France through the perspectives of loving and hopeful rebels that want to find justice in the hectic world of the French Revolution. All of their performances were riveting and filled with passion; however, many argue that they did not have strong voices like those of the original London Broadway cast. Each scene of the movie was filmed from start to finish and was not enhanced by voice-overs. That considered, if an actor did not hit every note precisely, it never distracted from the overall performance and arguably even added to the realistic feel of the movie. While director Tom Hooper managed to incorporate all of the musical numbers from the stage production, the film moved at a pace that kept the audience enticed. The movie’s characterizations were understandable even to those who were unfamiliar with the story, and included details that a long-time fan would appreciate.As a predicted Oscar-winner, Les Miserables has finally been successfully converted into a film. The classic music brings the audience to laughter and tears, just as the on-stage performance has for decades. A story of one of the noblest men in literature has reached a new level of admiration.
