Ten Little Chances to be Free (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tenlittlebullets) wrote2007-05-22 11:46 pm
tenlittlebullets) wrote2007-05-22 11:46 pm
Entry tags:
"Turn around."
So I had this total tl;dr review of the 1978 Les Mis movie partially written, then I realized the whole thing was just a blow-by-blow version of "Jesus Christ, they cut out a lot, but what they kept in was beautifully accurate." The second half especially felt very abridged, as the plot was pared down basically to Javert's pursuit of Valjean + some extra bits with Fantine, Marius and Cosette's romance, and a bit on the revolution. But a lot of loving detail went into the portrayal of Valjean's time in prison, his redemption--I almost cried at how perfectly the Bishop scene was executed--and the Valjean-Javert cat-and-mouse parts. Unlike all the other movie adaptations I've seen so far, it included Javert chasing Valjean with little Cosette through Paris and an accurate portrayal of how Valjean got into the convent. The entire subplot with Valjean having successfully escaped from prison instead of being released with a yellow passport was a little WTF-y, but holy crap, his escape was basically a transposition of the ship Orion part to the fortress at Toulon. Who am I to complain? Not to mention my endless, endless love for whoever decided to use Hugo's dialogue. In the Bishop scene! In the courtroom! In Fantine's death! ♥ It makes me a very happy geek.
Except for the escaped-from-prison bit, most of the little plot tweaks were fairly understandable--along the lines of Sister Simplice being transformed into Valjean's housekeeper to give her an excuse to be in his room when Javert comes back. And a couple of added things like Javert's priceless double-take when Valjean walks right past him in the Luxembourg. He realizes two minutes later who it was and gives chase, and Gavroche throws him off the track so he can stalk The Young Lady in peace on Marius' orders. Hah. The plot was extremely abridged, and I'm not too happy about that, but they only had two hours to work with and what remains is good stuff. Particularly Javert's final confrontation with Valjean in the sewers, which... yes. just yes.
Actor-wise, Richard Jordan is an okay Valjean. A bit of a pansy post-redemption, but he has his moments. I was expecting to not be able to look at Anthony Perkins without thinking oh my god it's Norman Bates, but I honestly forgot all about that when he was on screen--he is Javert to the tips of his fingers, and easily the best of the lead actors. Excellent body language; just the right amount of stiffness and dignity. I've heard complaints about his accent but didn't really notice it. And I must give them props for finding a Fantine--I forget her name right now--who did not look like the picture of health, a katana-wielding revenge-seeker, or the rejected back-up vocalist for the Spiders from Mars. In fact, she looked like the delirious shadow of a human being. Score! Marius was cute, Cosette looked a little too tan for a proper 19th century lady. Gavroche looked really weird but played his part all right. Thénardier seemed way too nice; it was as though he was a mostly-honest man who realized an opportunity to make lots of money had just landed in his lap. Pah. He and Madame both disappeared after Valjean took Cosette away, anyhow. Enjolras, apparently, made the exact same speech every time he harangued the assembled masses. o_O Eponine was cut from this one; her Cosette-finding and letter-delivering all got shunted onto Gavroche.
All in all--not the best adaptation, but it sure as hell didn't suck.
Except for the escaped-from-prison bit, most of the little plot tweaks were fairly understandable--along the lines of Sister Simplice being transformed into Valjean's housekeeper to give her an excuse to be in his room when Javert comes back. And a couple of added things like Javert's priceless double-take when Valjean walks right past him in the Luxembourg. He realizes two minutes later who it was and gives chase, and Gavroche throws him off the track so he can stalk The Young Lady in peace on Marius' orders. Hah. The plot was extremely abridged, and I'm not too happy about that, but they only had two hours to work with and what remains is good stuff. Particularly Javert's final confrontation with Valjean in the sewers, which... yes. just yes.
Actor-wise, Richard Jordan is an okay Valjean. A bit of a pansy post-redemption, but he has his moments. I was expecting to not be able to look at Anthony Perkins without thinking oh my god it's Norman Bates, but I honestly forgot all about that when he was on screen--he is Javert to the tips of his fingers, and easily the best of the lead actors. Excellent body language; just the right amount of stiffness and dignity. I've heard complaints about his accent but didn't really notice it. And I must give them props for finding a Fantine--I forget her name right now--who did not look like the picture of health, a katana-wielding revenge-seeker, or the rejected back-up vocalist for the Spiders from Mars. In fact, she looked like the delirious shadow of a human being. Score! Marius was cute, Cosette looked a little too tan for a proper 19th century lady. Gavroche looked really weird but played his part all right. Thénardier seemed way too nice; it was as though he was a mostly-honest man who realized an opportunity to make lots of money had just landed in his lap. Pah. He and Madame both disappeared after Valjean took Cosette away, anyhow. Enjolras, apparently, made the exact same speech every time he harangued the assembled masses. o_O Eponine was cut from this one; her Cosette-finding and letter-delivering all got shunted onto Gavroche.
All in all--not the best adaptation, but it sure as hell didn't suck.