Touched

I don't think I've ever blog about movies or shows.  Cos I seldom watch movies, and they seldom come close to my heart.

I watched Les Miserables on Sat night finally.  It wasn't a easy decision, it wasn't easy in terms of logistics.  After watching the show, I'm very glad and thankful that I caught it.

I watched the musical many years ago, in Singapore.  I fell madly in love with the musical.  The storyline is great and it has so many fantastic songs.  I really do not know how to write about it to give it the justice it deserves.

When I came to know about the movie a few weeks back, I was not sure if I should watch it.  I wonder if I will be disappointed, and if it will dash the perfect image that I have of the musical.  So I did some "research".  Firstly I asked for my colleague's feedback, and was told that everyone, including Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, sang well, with the exception of Russell Crowe (she called him the weakest link).  I was discouraged by that, because Russell Crowe's character is my favourite in the musical.  Then I watched the trailers on you-tube that night, and I wasn't impressed by what I heard.

That weekend, I kept thinking about it, but I couldn't find time anyway.  Then last Friday, I was exchanging SMS with Wee San, we actually found a barely suitable slot (Sat night 840pm to 1120)  at GV Yishun, and we made the effort to go for it.

That night, when I'm suppose to leave the home, Lynn refused to let me go.  She wailed and clinged onto me.  I was delayed at least 5 mins, until WK came out to stop tear Lynn away from me.

On our way to the cinema, WS told me that her friend, who had watched the musical in London, was very upset with the movie because Hugh Jackman (he played the lead role) sang terribly.

So, I watched the movie with very low expectation, and a very open heart.  At the end of the day, I enjoyed the movie very much!!

The movie is very different from the musical.  Other than Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe the rest of the cast were extraordinary.  They either sang like a musical actor/actress, or even better!   For example, Anne Hathaway acted in the role of Fantine.  I never liked this role in the musical because the singing is way too technical and the voice too rich.  But Anne Hathaway sang with so much emotion, I was so impressed.  The rest of the young cast sang so so so so well too.

As for Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, I have only praises for them too!  I think they are very smart.  There is no way they can do well in singing because that's just not their forte.  So they put in a lot of effort in their acting.  I think they are both very convincing in their roles of the kind hearted Jean Valjean and the self-righteous Javert.

So some words for my young friends who watched this movie and not the musical before:  go watch the musical.  At the musical, listen to how the 2 male leads use their voices and songs to deliver the story.  I thought that the best duet in this show is not the ones between Ephony/Cosette and Marius, but is the one between Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert (at the hospital where Fantine died).   Read the lyrics of the songs if you have the chance, then you will be able to appreciate how each song links to another in the show (very poetic).  Listen to "Bring him home".  It is not my favourite song, but I'm recommending this because the "real" song is beautiful and Hugh Jackman's version is a joke...

To sum it all up, I'm still madly in love : ))