Discussion Thursday

Movie/Book/Musical: Les Misérables

Title: Les Misérables

Author: Victor Hugo

Synopsis: In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever.

There have been many many adaptations of this book.  There’s the Broadway Musical, the 1998 Movie, and now the movie based on the Musical.  The story evokes many emotions, and everyone has their favorite rendition of how the story is told.  My actual first introduction to the story was the 1998 Movie Version with Liam Neeson as Valjean.

Before I get the OMG how could you like that you Heathen! Despite the fact I’m sure true fans of the book and musical can give me a couple hundred reasons why this version sucked, I will argue – it introduced the story to a new audience.  Not everyone has sat down to read the 1488 pgs.  I love to read and even that number makes the book daunting.  And not everyone has seen the Musical.

The most famous and well known adaptation is the Musical.  The first English Performance was in England in 1985 and as they say the rest is history.  The Musical as become a huge success and a theatre classic.

I have never seen the Theatre Production.  Once again before I get the OMG Heathen how could not have seen this!!!! Well there are a few reasons: Anytime it arrived into LA it was sold out before you could blink, and I really didn’t have the few hundred dollars for the back row tickets.  Second reason – I’m not a musical fan.  There I admit it, not a fan of musicals.   Sitting through a musical throws me off… I like to listen to the music and songs and hear what they are saying not being shown what they are saying.

Now the latest version is a movie based on the Musical Theatre Production.  Yeah get your head around that one.  It caught my attention quickly because hello Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman.

Now I’ve heard the reviews and read the critics ranging from this was the best thing since slice bread to the bitch rants on the fact Jackman and Crowe don’t have good enough singing voices for the roles.  Now I’m not a musical fan but even I can tell you there is a difference between Broadway Actors and Hollywood Actors.  Getting someone who can belt out Stars and I Dream a Dream on Broadway is totally different then finding an actor/actress who can act on film and sing.

Now what makes something like Les Misérables interesting for Sylum is the fact there are multiple versions of the same storyline.  Finding and creating a backstory to make it fit the original storyline and Sylum can get creative.  The characters Valjean and Javert have been in Sylum for a while, but recently were changed to fit the new movie version.  Why you ask? Because it actually fit Sylum Storyline better than the original images/actors.  That and hello Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe :D.

So the questions I’m tossing out for the discussion are these.  Which is your favorite version? Book? Movie? Broadway Musical? Movie based on Broadway Musical? Another one I haven’t seen or heard of?  Do you like the variety of versions? Or hate it?  If your a fan of the Musical which song speaks to you the most?  Which character do you feel for?

As for Sylum – are you looking forward to seeing how these men will play in a modern world?  Curious on how they do get together?  Or you just looking at Bob going – dude wtf?
It’s Thursday – so lets discuss!!!

Every Thursday I’ll put up a post to discuss a latest TV Show, Movie, Book, Band, etc…

Discussion Thursday

TV Show: Arrow

Title: Arrow

Channel: CW

Time: Wednesday 8pm

Premise: After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he’s become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow – a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be – flanked by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle – while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under cover of darkness. However, Laurel’s father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the vigilante operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver’s own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on – and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine.

I admit I came into this a little later into the season – having recorded most for the season. The moment I started watching I went through like 4 episodes and was little upset I had to go to bed for work the next day!  The show grips you, and you want to know what will happen next.  I admit it needs some shoring up on character development – the sister and the ‘ex-girlfriend’ go from bitchy to caring back to bitchy in two seconds.  The supporting characters are well casted and you enjoy watching them as much as the main character.

Stephen Arnell is amazing in the role he really brings depth to the character and watching him transform from shallow useless playboy to vigilante is really good.  And the fact he does his own stunts – damn that’s all there is to say about some of those scenes.  PS if you would like you can follow him on Twitter – his comments while filming are worth the read.

Katie Cassidy she will always be my favorite Ruby.  And she does good in this role.  I think the character needs some focus she seems to be all over the map at times for no reason.

David Ramsey as the bodyguard turned sidekick.  I actually like him a lot.  The actor is one of those you’ve seen him but not sure where.  He holds his own, and his character is one of the few that as more focus on what he is supposed to be doing.

Paul Blackthorne  will always be Dresden I don’t care what he does.  It’s Dresden.  He brings experience to the cast and it shows.

Though I have to ask John Barrowman – Really? I have a hard time seeing him as a sinister mastermind that wants to rule the universe.  Just not working for me.

So the questions I’m tossing out to everyone reading the blog.  Do you watch the show? Love it? Like it? What the fuck were they thinking?  For those who know the comic series – does it follow true? Or typical hollywood rewrote everything?

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So come on – lets discuss!