Do You Hear the People Sing?

Today I saw the incredible film version of Les Misérables.  What words can I use with what is already being described as the best musical ever made?

My involvement with this musical started back in the mid 1980s when the Original London Cast album came out with Colm Wilkison (Valjean), Patti LuPone (Fantine), and Frances Ruffelle (Eponine).  In 1987 I was able to see Les Miz on Broadway with country singer Gary Morris as "Valjean."  The staging and lighting on stage were remarkable and innovative.  Of course, the orchestrations and lyrics were adapted from its British cousin.  Of course, over the years I've collected the various international versions...Hungarian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, German, Swedish, Japanese, Israeli, Paris cast and the original concept album.

When the opening notes of the score were heard in the film, I felt nostalgia...excitement...joy...and ready to compare former orchestrations.  The film, luckily, eschewed the rock opera element and the film flowed more as a traditional opera...orchestration wise.  The film's orchestrations are literally sweeping and epic in nature.  Tom Hooper, the director, filmed the actors singing live rather than lip syncing.  

Hugh Jackman is "Valjean"  He is such the versatile actor with a great voice.  And he demonstrated physical strength for the role, aside from the vocal strength, especially in the songs where the notes hit the high parts.  

Anne Hathaway's "Fantine" is full of a mother in anguish; a mother that will do anything to help her child survive.  She lost weight for the role and has her beautiful hair shaved on screen.  She turns to prostitution and the song "Lovely Ladies" becomes a dark, grisly and filthy depiction of the street walkers.  Her "I Dreamed A Dream" is a tear-provoking anthem to all those dreams that do not become a reality.  Again, she sang it live while filming.  I think if she had sung it in a recording studio, it would have been embellished and it would have sounded "nice."  Come to think of it, it was an angry and bittersweet interpretation.

Russell Crowe as Javert.  Hmmm, interesting casting.  he has a rough voice, just like what a police inspector with his past would sound like.  His interpretation- ruthless; a man with a purpose, as he lives for the law and he wants everyone to live by the law, no matter how cruel the outcomes.  I am not a big fan of his vocal capabilities, but he did become the villain of the piece.

Speaking of villains, the "Thenardiers" were brutally interpreted by Helena Bonham-Carter and Sascha Baron Cohen.  Intended as comic relief, the Thenardiers are the caretakers of Fantine's daughter, Cosette.  Valjean promises Fantine on her deathbed that he will rescue and take care of Cosette; raise her as both mother and father.  The Thenardiers are the ultimate con artists and thieves.  Literally can pickpocket you without you noticing.  Cosette is treated more as a Cinderella whilst their own daughter Eponine is a little princess.  "Master of the House" is a tad more graphic than the stage version; film lets you get away with many things visually.  It is still a funny scene but not an establishment I would frequent!

Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia) and Eddie Redmayne (My Week With Marilyn) were refreshing and quite innocent in the roles of "Cosette" and "Marius."  Love at first sight when they meet that Marius ignores the young woman who is in love with him, Eponine.  "Eponine" is portrayed by Samantha Barks.  She portrays Eponine with a sadness remembering that she and Cosette were young waifs.  How the tables have turned!  Her song "On My Own" is gut wrenching, perhaps the best interpretation to date.

Visually it is a beautiful film...this goes for the costumes, the art direction and the computer enhanced visuals.  As they say, acting can be difficult, but when an actor must also sing while creating a character!  Anne Hathaway, I believe, demonstrated this in her Fantine.  Tears were shed during her song.

Les Misérables is a film that is very contemporary.  As MSNBC host Chris Matthews stated, the film is about how current society views the poor/homeless.  The rich just bypass the poor, as was evident in the scene where we meet the urchin Gavroche.  Ironically, in the film, the people who got rid of the royal family in the late 1700s once more must deal with another king who does what the previous monarchs have done.  (Let them eat cake?!)  

It is a film you must see and I believe it is one of the best musicals ever made for the screen.  Some people cannot endure and enjoy a musical due to the constant singing.  But, to hear glorious music and song and in some cases, wonderful choreography, musicals are a wonderful form of entertainment.  And musicals do not have to be light and frothy.   Les Misérables is a dramatic musical and is worth viewing.  Don't wait for the DVD as it must be appreciated on the large screen.

May the Odds Be Forever in Your Favor

I had a wonderful weekend and splurged on three movies.  The first  was The Hunger Games which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I am getting into the awful habit of not reading a book upon which a movie is based on.  The trilogy is a hit with young readers.  The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is the first of the trilogy.

It is the story of a nation set in a post-apocalyptic era.  It was once known as the United States, but it has evolved into 12 districts and one Capitol.  Apparently each year for the entertainment of the spoiled citizenry of the Capitol, 24 youngsters (ages 12-18) must fight to the death to remind the nation of the war that led to the new society.  The children are picked at an event called "the Reaping."  Once chosen, the children are whisked off to the capital and trained for this ritual.  The premise seems barbaric...children killing children whilst a beyond spoiled population watches and bets as to who shall be victorious.

The film was directed by Gary Ross and his vision for the film was spectacular.  I'd classify the film as a social science fiction film...no aliens, ufos, monsters.  The film could have gone the uber violent way, but the violence directed towards the children was easy to watch and not gut wrenching.  There is a story to be told and the violent ritual of the Hunger Games comes second.  The idea of televising the games is not new.  We have reality TV today (even though that is scripted) and that no doubt was in the mind of the author of the novel.  The control room in the film could be the place of the future where the director can "script" as the game players try to survive.

The young actors portraying the characters are vibrant, energetic and have a promising career in the entertainment field, notably Jennifer Lawrence (our heroine) Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mullark.  The adults in the cast are seasoned veterans...Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harleson, Stanley Tucci and Lenny Kravitz.  

The novel, as I understand, is told in the 1st person so for a film adaptation there are going to be changes.  Apparently the changes were good ones and the fans approved.  The sequel comes out in November 2013.  I must read the trilogy before then.  

Eva Peron Had Every Disadvantage

Last June the new Broadway cast recording of EVITA became a reality.  After a massive letter writing campaign for a complete recording of the score, the powers that be said "yes" and a new recording came to be.  Along with Elaine Paige, Patti Lupone, Paloma San Basilo, Michelle Breeze, Claudia, and others a new Evita joins the list, Elena Roger, a native Argentinian.  She played the role in London back in 2006 and a highlights recording was released.  The orchestrations are a tad more Latin and an enhancement to the original orchestrations of the late 1970s.

Ricky Martin is "Che" the Argentine Everyman who narrates the proceedings.  No longer the "Che Guevara" of the original production.  Michael Cereveris is "Juan Peron."  Michael was the title role in The Who's Broadway version of TOMMY.  

The orchestra includes an accordion, and not the more tango sounding bandoneon that is wonderfully used in the Madrid recording.  But it does the trick.  The song "Buenos Aires" really got a makeover and gets you going.  The percussion is electrifying to say the least.  "Dangerous Jade" no longer has the drum riffs during the song, but it is saved for the last section.

The song "You Must Love Me" from the 1996 movie/Madonna version is included right after the "Waltz for Eva and Che."  The "Montage" is very dissonant and haunting, a major improvement from the original.

There have been criticisms about Elena's voice being shrill or not Broadway worthy.  I ask the listener to listen to the voice of the real Eva Peron...shrill and penetrating...a voice trying to make a point.  Elena even looks like her when she is in costume.  I think she is an amazing singer/actress.

So listen to the new recording and don't cry for Elena.  You will come to discover how surprisingly good it is!

Is This A Tsunami?

Tuesday the 28th of August was a normal day.  It was to be our first full day of school.  At 10:15 AM my 8th grade social studies class came in and were told to continue to work on their maps of California.  These maps are hand drawn, an art that is being lost, I think, in schools.  They complain but their maps turn out to be great works of art.  But, I digress.  Around 10:45 AM one of my students wanted to know if a pipe broke because water was coming in quickly in the patio.  Sure enough, it was gushing forth as a raging river would.  Mrs. Ellison walked in and said to make sure my sliding door was closed because the other classroom got lots of water.  One of my students asked, "Is this a tsunami?"  We made sure the door was closed, but some water did come in and ruined the corner where my desk is.

Well, the water kept gushing at an enormous pace that the 4 picnic tables were carried by the current.  The water level reached about a little over knee high and the pressure could probably break the class.  My principal told me to send the kids to the kindergarten room to be with their buddies.  Water did come into my room from the sliding door and from a window in the back where it was seeping slowly.

Told the kids to put boxes from the floor on top of desks.  I went to get my 6th graders and escorted them to get their backpacks.

Meanwhile, outside, apparently a pipe at the intersection exploded and caused the street to open up creating a giant sink hole.  This caused the gushing forth of water.  Words cannot explain nor describe the scene...it had to be seen to be believed.  We came to learn that the parish hall and the convent also got flooded...the convent big time, so the sisters that live there will be at other convents for at least three weeks.

A little after noon we were ordered to evacuate and under the guidance of the San Francisco Fire Department and Police Department, over 250 students, teachers and staff made a mass exodus to the nearby Visitacion Valley Park where parent would pick up their children.

It was there that Univision 14 was trying to find the Spanish speaking teacher for a first hand account.  Yours truly made his debut on TV.

As of today, school is still closed but we are reopening on Tuesday, the day after Labor Day.  Unexpected extra vacation, but I do miss my students!

Learn To Be Lonely

This film upon viewing was a pleasant discovery.  Had heard all the buzz and knew it would be up for several Academy Awards.  The other day I revisited the hilarious comedy from the late 90s, Dick, starring Kirstin Dunst and Michelle Williams.  I kept trying to remember where I had heard and seen Michelle Williams until...duh!...she was the star of My Week With Marilyn.

The story is about the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl in which she would be working with Laurence Olivier.  She arrives in London amidst the fanfare and flash photo ops with her husband of the time, Arthur Miller.  But the story revolves around a young man who wants to get into the motion picture industry, Colin Clark.  He wrote about this week with Marilyn whilst Arthur Miller left London for a week.  Colin is to get Marilyn a place to stay and just take orders from the higher-ups.

Colin meets Marilyn and eventually becomes her friend.  She sees a side of Marilyn that few have seen...a young woman who just wants to live a nice life away from the glamour and glitz.  The featurette on the DVD mentions that Marilyn Monroe was a character...and I believe that- how she would play with the camera and the adoring fans.  The real Marilyn wanted a family.  She is, I think, a sympathetic character.  Hollywood just dictated what she should do and be.  The week Colin and Marilyn spent they did things as friends would; I'm sure love was blooming as well.

Meanwhile, London is getting a taste of the actress as she arrives late on the set.  Vivian Leigh, Olivier's wife, is jealous; Judi Dench's character is that of an established British actress who sees in Marilyn a star wanting to become an actress.  Colin has a young girlfriend who works in wardrobe.  She feels that Colin is slowly headed towards Marilyn.

Needless to say, it is an engaging work of cinema.  It was nice to see it in the privacy of my home and "being" with the characters.  Marilyn Monroe is an icon; as Elton John sang in his song, "you seemed to live your life like a candle in the wind."  And the week demonstrated that.  It's a shame she died so young.  Composer Alexander Desplat wrote a beautiful theme for Marilyn- it tugs at your heart.  

See it and learn more about this wonderful week that I am sure Marilyn treasured till the day she died.

Shadows of the Night

On Sunday I attended a late afternoon showing of Tim Burton's film Dark Shadows.  Now, it is based on the campy soap opera of the mid 60s that kids rushed home to watch...4:00 PM on ABC.  The original soap featured ghosts, vampires, werewolves, disembodied hands and heads, the Leviathans...all sorts of supernatural mayhem.  And speaking of vampires, the show became the hit it was thanks to the misunderstood character, Barnabas Collins.  He was the ultimate vampire (of the day)...suave, sophisticated, a gentleman.  Portrayed by the late Jonathan Frid, Barnabas became a sympathetic character and his nemesis, Angelique was a superb afternoon villainess.

Jonathan Frid as "Barnabas"

Kathryn Leigh Scott as "Maggie Evans/Josette DuPres" and

Lara Parker as "Angelique"

OK...the series had two major film in the early 1970s which were faithful to the soap.  House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows.  Moderately successful and loved by the fans.  Skip a few decades and Tim Burton is doing the new film version starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Michelle Pfeiffer and others.  The picture of the new cast looked gothically glorious.  As the film was ready for release, the previews made me wonder, "What has Burton done?!"  It seemed that the film was a comedy.  How dare he turn an icon of my childhood into a laughing stock!  Wait...after all he did directed Sweeney Todd and Alice in Wonderland, films I enjoyed a lot.  

From the opening scenes, I was enthralled...hooked...fascinated by the new take.  It was wonderful to see how the Collins family got their start in the new world.  As in the original, Barnabas does not like the advances of Angelique- his one and only love is Josette.  Ergo, Angelique curses him into the eternal youth of vampirism.  He is buried alive in a Maine forest and 196 year later (1972) he is discovered by a construction crew.  After quenching his thirst, he treks towards the mansion his father built, Collinwood.  Part of the fun and humor in this sequence is his discovery of the world of the 70s.  BTW, the soundtrack had a wonderful inclusion of songs from the period...from The Carpenters to Curtis Mayfield.  

The character of Victoria Winters was a combination of two...Victoria and Maggie Evans.  In the soap, Alexandra Moltke portrayed Victoria Winters and was the governess of David Collins.  Kathryn Leigh Scott, "Maggie Evans" worked as a waitress at the Blue Whale.  It was sad to see how the new Maggie had a sad childhood.  Michelle Pfeiffer, IMHO, is just as classy as the late Joan Bennet as the matriarch of the Collins clan, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard.  Lastly, in a role created by Grayson Hall, Helena Bonham Carter is delightful (well, isn't she always) as Dr. Julia Hoffman.  Four members of the original TV cast made a cameo appearance at the "happening" at Collinwood.  Nostalgic to see them now and what wonderful memories!  Danny Elfman's music had some tinges of Robert Cobert's style of music, as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, as did my friend.  I was surprised to learn he was not too familiar with the original soap.  But it will be fun explaining (as briefly as possible) the things DS was famous for...from vampires to werewolves to parallel time to the Old House to - well, you get the idea!

Gone Too Soon

I was introduced to Whitney Houston by a third grader back in the 1980s.  She wanted me to play a song, but it was a time when lyrics were starting to be daring and bold and a bit racy.  So, I said no.  She pleaded that it was clean and her voice was great.  Still, I declined.

Eventually, I did listen to her first album and was enthralled and discovered a new favorite singer.  Her music was even a welcome addition in the aerobics classes I attended.  

As time progressed, this young singer also demonstrated the desire to act in motion pictures.  The Bodyguard, The Preacher's Wife and a remake of Rodgers and Hammersteins's Cinderella...films that the some critics did not favor.

Again, in time, she eventually married Bobby Brown.  And in my opinion, that marriage was the start of her downward spiral.  I firmly believe she did not imbibe in alcohol or drugs.  She became an addict.  She had her ups and downs; her comebacks.  She had a daughter.

Forward to 2012, February 12th.  I am cooking dinner and around 7:45 in the evening.  The radio is on and Carel, the talk show host, is talking about a celebrity who apparently has died.  I had no idea who it was until Carel mentioned her name.  For a few minutes I was flabbergasted.  Gone was that voice.  Gone was that actress.  48 years of age.  I could only imagine what the cause was.

She will be missed and remembered for her music...not her addictions.  Everyone has demons in their closets, but everyone is remembered for something nice.  She will be remember for her voice.  And for beautiful smile.  RIP Whitney.  You will always be loved!!

It's Been A While

It is now mid January 2012 and I am hoping to resume posting to my blog.  As of right now, I am watching the 49ers play against the New York Jets.  The winner of today's game goes to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis in 2 weeks.  The weather is cold and rainy.  The 49ers lead 7-0.  Watching the game is similar to the ultimate cliff hanger.  Until later...