By the end of Les Misérables‘ first Broadway run — and even into its American touring and revival on the Great White Way — the show was running through motions. It happens to all time-honored shows; the music, the beats, the characters become so well known, their emotional value slowly begins to dissipate.
So as a Les Mis fan, I couldn’t be more stoked for director Tom Hooper’s approach to the big screen adaptation. Reality is a priority in the Hollywood interpretation, Hooper allowing his stars Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, and Russell Crowe to sing on set and in the moment. He shoots the film with the stark atmosphere that helped The King’s Speech rise above its Oscar-baiting, period piece predecessors. The latest poster for the film evokes the same feeling — the larger than life musical is injected with a dose of humanity by avoiding the theatrics or simply recreating the stage version.
But the poster pays respect too. See the new one sheet for Les Misérables below, then scroll a bit further to see the original stage poster. The balance between paying homage and unique freshness is excitingly clear — nothing quite says “despair” like the forlorn face of young Cosette.
Follow Matt Patches on Twitter @misterpatches
[Photo Credit: Universal Pictures; Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.]
More:
Hathaway and Jackman Redefine ‘Les Misérables’ with On-Set Singing — VIDEO
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