Les Miserables accomplishes more then merely bringing one of the most beloved stage musicals to the big screen: It literally makes history.
As the first film musical in the medium’s history to actually allow the actors to perform live on set, it combined the immediacy of film with the theatricality of the stage. And star Hugh Jackman credits director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) with dexterously combining the virtues of each medium to create a unique and special whole.
“I think Tom Hooper being a slight outsider was a real benefit,” Jackman told Celebuzz. “Tom went in going, so with film, I can show scope, I can show passages of time, I can show transformation. Not only that, there are things that really work on stage, but with film I can enhance that.”
Jackman explained that Hooper’s photography not only makes the singing feel palpable and immediate, but gives the emotion behind it an appropriately sweeping context. He also said it provided co-star Anne Hathaway with one of the greatest moments he’d ever seen on film.
“When Anne sings ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ and Tom gives her the greatest filmmaking compliment I’ve ever seen, which is holding without cutting a close-up for three minutes of that performance, you know it’s live singing — you can feel it and you’re there.
“So it is in a way theater on steroids, because you are getting the best seat you’re ever going to get to one of the great performances ever.”
Les Miserables opens in theaters nationwide December 25. Watch Celebuzz’ interview with Hathaway, and then let us know what you think of the movie – and both actors’ great moments – in the comments section below!
