"Le Mis" Would Have Been Better As Best Picture Because -----

[TheMastersNemesis]

Last edited Mon Feb 25, 2013, 05:44 PM - Edit history (2)

It is the most realistic version of what conditions were like during Victor Hugo's time. If you really look at it, the economic conditions that existed at that time are the kind of economic conditions the GOP would love to see today. In fact we are already there in many ways. Persecution of the poor and felony charges for eating some cookies at Walmart are exactly the predicament the Jean Valjean faced. We punish the poor and reward the rich. While banksters go free normal citizens end up in jail for pilfering $1.

Javert is who the GOP really is. His world is who the GOP really is. And what was so interesting was the elephant statue in the movie and how it was used.

Women under the rule of religious righties and the GOP have no more choices than Fontine had in that era. There was no safety net then and little choice of your fate. The factories depicted were little better than the ones in the third world today.

"Argo" as best picture seems to be a political statement. "Le Mis" would have been a better pick and the righties heads would have really exploded with Michele announcing the award for that picture.

[pinboy3niner]

1. "Argon" was noble, but too elemental

Just a heads-up on a typo.

[dipsydoodle]

4. That's a gas.

[Bake]

15. But was it a Classical Gas?

Shameless threadjack attempt ...



Bake

[Sekhmets Daughter]

6. very clever pinboy3niner...

very clever, indeed!

[MineralMan]

25. "Argon" was inert, even at the Oscars.

No reactions at all to it, despite its wide use in the lighting outside.

[MoonRiver]

2. Only problem is that Argo and Lincoln were better pictures, imho. n/t

[Sekhmets Daughter]

9. Having seen Les Mis on Broadway,

I've had my doubts about the movie. I was surprised Hathaway walked off with the Oscar, how would you compare the performances?

[MoonRiver]

19. I never saw the play.

I thought Hathaway was wonderful in Les Mis, the movie. I don't think I've seen the movies actresses she was competing with were in.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

20. Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln?

[MoonRiver]

21. Oh yes! Field was awesome too.

If really pressed I think I would go with Hathaway. I had a discussion with my hubby about Lincoln versus Argo, and we decided that Argo was better by just a hair. That's what it's like to decide between Field and Hathaway.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

23. Thanks!

[winter is coming]

34. I haven't seen the play, but the film worked as a musical,

and a lot of musicals don't film well. The opening sequence was stunning and the singing was generally good. The only part I remember being kind of cringe-worthy was Jackman's singing of the first appearance of "Bring Him Home": the key was too high for him to sing softly. Maybe it was supposed to sound like emotional strain, but it came across as vocal strain. The reprise, however, is in a lower key and sounded fine.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

35. Thank you...

Then I shall have to relive the pleasure that is Les Mis!

[FSogol]

3. Le Mis "the most realistic version of what conditions were like during Victor Hugo's time"

Are you applying for the new opening at The Onion?

What I got from Le Mis: Haircare products existed during Victor Hugo's time and while times might be bad, you can still sing and dance.

PS. Check out spell check sometime.
PPS. Still time to self delete.

[exboyfil]

51. Of course someone belting out

I Dreamed a Dream while dying from consumption or singing for forgiveness and reconciliation while on his deathbed are not realistic - the point is that the internal emotions of the characters are caught in the songs.

The fact that horrible injustice existed and was recognized and individuals tried to stand up to correct it and were crushed is the realistic part. It happened and it is happening today as well. The music expresses that struggle (while entertaining as well).

I have heard Les Mis characterized as manipulative and heavy handed, but I think nobility does exist and it is easily my favorite musical. Maybe that makes me too much of an optimist when you compare it to Ms. Saigon which I have a difficult time listening to or watching. I feel good coming out of Les Mis. I just feel depressed coming out of Ms. Saigon.

A musical is just a different format for expressing the story.

[FSogol]

53. Sorry, I disagree. The cheesy, "Let's-Put-on-a-Show"-ness of the production

cheapens Hugo's great work. It lowers the injustice that Hugo wanted to exhibit into little more than "Chess - The Broadway Musical" and other similar Broadway schlock. Wanna do a uplifting musical about the French Revolution, fine, by Les Miserables by Victor Hugo was not an appropriate subject matter for a musical. What's next? "Lord Jim" by Andrew Lloyd Weber?

[Zen Democrat]

5. Argo a political statement? No, Argo was a GREAT movie.

I saw it with my 18 year old granddaughter and she was on the edge of her seat the entire movie and said it was one of the best movies she had seen in her life. And I feel the same.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Argo was a wonderful movie,

and I'm glad it won. I also liked Lincoln, but for sheer entertainment value, Argo was the one.

[FSogol]

10. If Argo was intended to be a political statement, it was the right one.

We can solve problems peaceably in adverse conditions by working together with friendly nations.

[Cha]

28. Great analysis, FSogol n/t

[AnnieBW]

39. Argo was a Well-Crafted Movie

It was a stylistic throwback to the late '70's. Plus, it helped that it was partially about Hollywood saving the day. The Academy looooves to reward movies about the business. Not taking anything away from Argo. I loved the movie.

[fujiyama]

40. I saw a few Best Picture nominees - Lincoln, Life of Pi, and Argo

I really found Argo the most entertaining of those three. It was a well made movie and kept the audience at the edge of their seats. It had overall better pacing than the other two as well in my opinion. I think the award for Ang Lee was well deserved as was Daniel Day Lewis, who never fails to impress. He's a consistently awesome actor (he's great in both There will be Blood and Gangs of New York) .

I have yet to see Le Mis or the other films. I'll catch them at some point.

[longship]

8. Problem is that it's a musical.

One would have to be a Broadway fan. However, I know people who saw it multiple times.

Frankly, not my cup of tea. I suspect that is why it didn't take Best Pic.

[FSogol]

13. You only have to see Russell Crow warbling to imagine Victor Hugo rolling over in his grave. n/t

[exboyfil]

52. Definitely the weak link in the movie

Of course I am not entirely sure what Victor Hugo would have made of his work being turned into a musical. What was his opinion of opera in his day. French operas like Faust and Carmen? If he was a fan then he would have been very horrified by Crowe's untrained voice.

[avebury]

48. I love the theatrical version of Les Mis and

cannot bring myself to watch the movie. I have seen clips of some of some of the various actors in the movie and just cringe overall.

[Dpm12]

11. Les Miz

sucked

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. I'm wating for the glitter musical version of "The Grapes of Wrath" or "On the Waterfront".

[FSogol]

14. Why not a musical version of "The Killing Fields"?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Dancing in the rice paddies might prove problematic..and messy.

[FSogol]

17. We could animate it, so all the skulls could sing too!

[dipsydoodle]

18. With a Delta Rhythm Boys backing track

[JustAnotherGen]

22. Oh my lord!

:rotfl:

Best sub thread eveeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!

[HangOnKids]

26. On A Sad Note Haing S. Ngor Was Murdered On This Day 1996

[FSogol]

29. That was sad. 1st Asian man to win an Oscar for Best Actor. n/t

[HangOnKids]

30. I always remember his death as my Mom died the day before he was killed

God damn where does the time go?

[Tom Ripley]

36. A musical based on the Zapruder film, but it would be over by the first chorus

[WCGreen]

38. And yet there was a Musical of Grapes of Wrath....

And I do believe hugh Jackman was on Broadway with the Musical.

With respect to Michael Smith's musical score for the play THE GRAPES OF WRATH by John Steinbeck, we have a complete package available that includes lead sheets and a recording of the Broadway cast performing it. You would, of course have to contact the Dramatists’ Play Service directly for permission to use the play itself. The musical aspects are essentially the same as depicted in the Steppenwolf version produced by (and which has appeared on) PBS, which featured Gary Sinise.

http://www.michaelpetersmith.com/licensing.shtml


But perhaps it was Oklahoma for Jackman.

In any rate, there was a musical and it was up for a Tony...

[frazzled]

24. It would be better because then we'd have even more reason to grouse about the Oscars

Jeezus folks. The Oscars is supposed to be about the best film, not about what fits your political agenda. I wasn't happy about what they picked, but I really don't give a hoot. It's just entertainment ... and always has been, since the Academy Awards started up in 1929. And the best picture doesn't always win (in fact, more often than not).

"Argon": I got a laugh out of that. A truly "gassy" picture, eh?

[Avalux]

27. My daughter is glad it didn't win, since it's not an original story.

She loves the movie, but just a copy of the play, essentially. Not an original idea.

[valerief]

33. Ha! Yeah, but Argo is a copy of a real-life event, also not an original idea. nt

[Avalux]

37. Ha! Can't wait to go home and tell her that!

[graham4anything]

31. Les mis has ZERO to do with current times. But I do love Russell Crowe

Argo winning was not a political statement but a personal vendetta
But ever since Shakespeare in love & Gwneth won par for the course of modern Oscars.

Argo was a personal grudge and the aim was to knock down Spielberg

Had Affleck been nominated, Argo would not have won. Once he wasn't it was assured.
(Almost as if Ben and Co. had behind the scenes lobbied not to want it).

Lincoln should have won. Lincoln and President Obama are very simliar.
And of course, the same haters hate both of them.

And they should have Hugh Jackman host. The host last night was the 2nd worse of all time.
William Shatner was great, but WTF does he have to do with the movies?

And Shirley Bassey sure sounds good.

Emmanuelle Riva should have won best actress.
You can bet she would not have tripped on the steps and made a fool of herself.

As for Les Mis' music- 2 decent songs in a musical seem to be the standard for musicals
the last couple of decades.
But I remember when musicals had 15 great songs in them from start to finish.

But I do love Russell Crowe, he is the Richard Harris of the time.

[REP]

41. Shatner was in Judgement at Nuremberg and The Brothers Karamazov

to name just two movies. There were some other movies ... something to do with space travel ...

So yeah. That's "WTF" Shatner has to with movies: actor and director. If you had access to the Internet, you could've looked that up.

[graham4anything]

44. I love Bill! however, Star Trek will always be a TV show to me. First and always

And of course when the world thinks of Judgement at Nuremberg, one thinks of William
Shatner (was he 30th billed?)

But I do love his singing!

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[REP]

45. 5th

[graham4anything]

46. He was a Rocket Man

Now if only Seth had 1/100th the charisma of Bill Shatner,
here Shatner (how cool he was here)
This was a performance worthy of Clint Eastwood

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?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

quality gets better after first few seconds here

I love how finally he accepted himself, and got a sense of humor.
Shatner indeed was the best part of last nights Oscars, with the exception of Daniel Day Lewis' winning speech.
Lewis does not make enough films. He showed last night he could even make a funny one if he wished to.

(Daniel Day Lewis for the new Star Wars...he could be the Liam Neeson or Alec Guiness of the new ones)

[valerief]

32. I'd see Les Miz if it didn't have all that horrid music in it. nt

[msanthrope]

42. Right--because that's what Paris was like....the poor and disease-ridden breaking into song....nt

[Iggo]

43. ...and all those beautiful teeth!

[AngryOldDem]

47. Les Miz:

Saw it twice on stage, when once was MORE than enough. Sorry, I can't get on the love train.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

50. ...of Russell Crowe's angelic singing voice?