Les Misérables was certainly one of the most anticipated
releases of the holiday season, and one of the most successful box office hits
as well. Anne Hathaway has been praised for her breathtaking rendition of
Fantine, but not all the film’s actors are so lucky.
Director Tom Hooper wanted the film to be “raw and real,”
according to Russell Crowe, who played Javert. “…sure it could have been
sweetened, [but] Hooper wanted it raw and real, [and] that’s how it is.”
Speaking of moviegoers, Crowe adds, “They’re going to expect
the type of thing they’re used to, but I don’t think it’s anything like what
they’re used to. Even from the get-go, if you’re familiar with “Les Mis,” the
first line Javert sings is completely different—you’ve never heard it before.”
To get to the core emotions, Hooper had the actors sing live
instead of lip syncing and then recording and doctoring the vocals later. This,
he said, would allow the actors to connect better with their characters and
truly experience the emotions they were supposed to be portraying. He hoped
that this would be transferred to the audience as well.
But some have found the “raw” vocals more distracting than
enveloping. Had the actors lip synced and the vocals been performed in a studio
setting, they could have been “sweetened” and less distracting. Or, if Hooper
was set on live performance, he could have cast professional singers instead—as
many Broadway shows do.
Would the movie have been better with stronger vocals either
studio recorded or by professional singers? Or is the movie more emotionally
riveting and stronger with more realistic sounding performances?
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