Cordelia ,'Potential'
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The only true weak link singing-wise was Amanda Seyfried
I have to disagree with this - I actually thought she was terrific, and that the major HUGE vocal misstep was Russell Crowe as Javert. He literally could not hit any of Javert's low notes and resorted to speaking most of those lines. So disappointing.
But other than that, I pretty much loved it.
Both of them worked physically for me, but each had singing issues. Seyfried's bothered me more for some reason. I think because somehow as the "pretty girl" she seemed more replaceable, whereas Crowe is sort of dogged-pursuit personified.
I now realize why Crowe's rock-talk version didn't bother me.
Here's the original Javert, which is the first version I knew: [link]
(Javert's singing role was much smaller and there was no equivalent to "Stars")
Aha, that makes sense. Whereas I wanted this:
I just kept wanting to run up to Russell Crowe and pat him on the diaphragm and tell him "No no, sing from HERE!"
Out of the whole cast, I felt only Anne Hathaway was willing to look ridiculous in order to produce a good belt. (Towards the end of "I Dream A Dream" when she's really giving it everything, you realize how silly a singer's tongue looks in closeup. Except you don't because you are too busy SOBBING.)
Does he hit the low notes (like you wear a different chaaaa-aiiin)?
Does he hit the low notes (like you wear a different chaaaa-aiiin)?
Not well, no.
:(
I will say, in general, that this film suffers from the usual modern movie musical problem of the ensemble and supporting characters (made up of Broadway and/or opera singers) being much MUCH better than the main cast (made up of movie stars). Colm Wilkinson and Hugh Jackman singing together doesn't do Hugh Jackman any favors.
But in spite of all of that, I was still more or less blown away. I cried many more times than I was expecting, and applauded at the end along with an entire roomful of jaded critics.
Does he hit the low notes (like you wear a different chaaaa-aiiin)?
Thank you for that earworm.
No, really. I love "Confrontation" beyond reason.
(It replaces "On the Street Where You Live" as my current earworm. It's all musicals in my head today. I'm assuming later today it will be "Schadenfreude.")
Tell Cosette I love her and I'll see her when I waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!
Good lord, the earworms this show breeds.