Les Miserables Review- Jacob Lebowitz
Jacob Lebowitz
Ms. Guarino
October 13, 2017
Title of Play: Les Miserables
Author: Victor Hugo
Date Viewed: 10/12/17
Location: Online from home
Director: Tom Hooper
Major Actors: Hugh Jackmen, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sasha Baron-cohen, Helena Bonham Carter
Our class watched the musical, Les Miserables, written by the French poet and novelist, Victor Hugo. Although I was not able to go watch the musical in person at the Bushnell theater, I was able to watch it online from home yesterday (October 12, 2017). The play was directed by Tom Hooper and starred by Hugh Jackmen, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sasha Baron-cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter. Although I watched a more recent version of this production, it was first premiered back in the 1980's. This story took place in the early nineteenth century and was later performed at theaters. To this day, theaters are still performing the musical.
The main character in the musical is named Jean Valjean (24601). Jean Valjean is a French peasant in the story who is coming out of a 19 year prison sentence for stealing a loaf of bread. Jean is preparing on living a new life now that he is out of jail, but no one wanted to house him. Another character in the play was Fantine. She's in love with this wealthy man and gets pregnant. This wealthy man abandons Fantine, and Cosette was born. She has another family take care of Cosette while she works. The boss finds out about her daughter, so she is fired and still owes money to the family taking care of Cosette. Cosette is adopted by con artists after Fantine dies. This new family did not care about Cosette. Jean eventually found Cosette getting water and bought her for $1500 from these con artists. Javert, a police inspector/antagonist, is trying to look for Jean to come back and be a slave for him. Javert and Jean later meet and Javert gets in a lot of trouble by lying to the people about the attack. Jean lets Javert go since Javert let Jean go and be free in the beginning.
The statement, "The colors has really changed" explains how everyone is getting older and things are changing. Both sides battled in the revolution and killed many innocent people. You could tell in the movie who was rich and who was poor by there clothing. The rich people are wearing vests and jackets that look very cozy and warm since the setting is in the winter. The poor people do not have as many layers and look like there clothes have been ripped and not washed in a few weeks. Some major themes in the musical were love and war. Love was a major theme because Jean cared a lot about Fantine and her baby Cosette. Cosette also showed love to Marius. Marius was part of the con artists family and was embarrassed by them. Jean seeing Cosette and Marius fall in love was one goal he wished Fantine could see. Love is a very beautiful sight. Another big theme was war. The French Revolution showed poorness and inequality. Marius who is in love with Cosette turns into a Revolutionary and starts fighting. Marius is fighting for his and his people's rights as they battle the bad guys. In all, these are two major themes that were presented during the movie.
My favorite character in the musical was Jean. He started off as a slave after stealing bread. He was very poor and did not know what to do after he escaped. Jean was trying to look for a job but no one wanted him because he used to be a slave for his actions. Jean was then approached by a very nice and sweet priest named Myriel. Myriel provided him a nice, warm dinner. Unfortunately early in the morning he went into the cabinets and stole the precious silver the priest had. Jean was then caught later and was brought back to the priest's home. The priest protected Jean by saying that he gave him the silver and even gave him the candles he had. He knew that if Jean had been caught one more time that he would go back to being a slave. Jean was very thankful and finally realized what was happening to him. He continued his life helping others and being on the good side. One scene in particular that I really liked was when Jean gave his medal to the little kid who risked his life. This scene showed how compassionate and thoughtful Jean is.
One aspect that I did not really like was that the whole story was a musical specifically. Not only that it was fairly long. At times, I found that this made it harder to understand the words that the actors were singing. I got the main parts just the accent they had back then through me off. Besides that, the way the actors expressed their actions and emotions was incredible. I enjoyed the story of the musical.
Jean showed that he did not deserve to be locked up for 19 years. He spent 19 years just for stealing a piece of bread. Once he escaped from slavery he showed not only Javert but the people that he really is a good guy and wants to be a good guy for the rest of his life. All in all, Jean Valjean just wanted the best for Cosette and other people. He did everything to make himself be a good person. In the end, Fantine and Jean are now angels together which is special. "To love another person is to see the face of God." Jean Valjean said this at the end of the movie. This is before he died and moved on with his after life with Fantine. Fantine was very happy to see Jean because he fulfilled his promise to take care of Cosette.
Ms. Guarino
October 13, 2017
Title of Play: Les Miserables
Author: Victor Hugo
Date Viewed: 10/12/17
Location: Online from home
Director: Tom Hooper
Major Actors: Hugh Jackmen, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sasha Baron-cohen, Helena Bonham Carter
24601 Finds Hope
Our class watched the musical, Les Miserables, written by the French poet and novelist, Victor Hugo. Although I was not able to go watch the musical in person at the Bushnell theater, I was able to watch it online from home yesterday (October 12, 2017). The play was directed by Tom Hooper and starred by Hugh Jackmen, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sasha Baron-cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter. Although I watched a more recent version of this production, it was first premiered back in the 1980's. This story took place in the early nineteenth century and was later performed at theaters. To this day, theaters are still performing the musical.
The main character in the musical is named Jean Valjean (24601). Jean Valjean is a French peasant in the story who is coming out of a 19 year prison sentence for stealing a loaf of bread. Jean is preparing on living a new life now that he is out of jail, but no one wanted to house him. Another character in the play was Fantine. She's in love with this wealthy man and gets pregnant. This wealthy man abandons Fantine, and Cosette was born. She has another family take care of Cosette while she works. The boss finds out about her daughter, so she is fired and still owes money to the family taking care of Cosette. Cosette is adopted by con artists after Fantine dies. This new family did not care about Cosette. Jean eventually found Cosette getting water and bought her for $1500 from these con artists. Javert, a police inspector/antagonist, is trying to look for Jean to come back and be a slave for him. Javert and Jean later meet and Javert gets in a lot of trouble by lying to the people about the attack. Jean lets Javert go since Javert let Jean go and be free in the beginning.
The statement, "The colors has really changed" explains how everyone is getting older and things are changing. Both sides battled in the revolution and killed many innocent people. You could tell in the movie who was rich and who was poor by there clothing. The rich people are wearing vests and jackets that look very cozy and warm since the setting is in the winter. The poor people do not have as many layers and look like there clothes have been ripped and not washed in a few weeks. Some major themes in the musical were love and war. Love was a major theme because Jean cared a lot about Fantine and her baby Cosette. Cosette also showed love to Marius. Marius was part of the con artists family and was embarrassed by them. Jean seeing Cosette and Marius fall in love was one goal he wished Fantine could see. Love is a very beautiful sight. Another big theme was war. The French Revolution showed poorness and inequality. Marius who is in love with Cosette turns into a Revolutionary and starts fighting. Marius is fighting for his and his people's rights as they battle the bad guys. In all, these are two major themes that were presented during the movie.
My favorite character in the musical was Jean. He started off as a slave after stealing bread. He was very poor and did not know what to do after he escaped. Jean was trying to look for a job but no one wanted him because he used to be a slave for his actions. Jean was then approached by a very nice and sweet priest named Myriel. Myriel provided him a nice, warm dinner. Unfortunately early in the morning he went into the cabinets and stole the precious silver the priest had. Jean was then caught later and was brought back to the priest's home. The priest protected Jean by saying that he gave him the silver and even gave him the candles he had. He knew that if Jean had been caught one more time that he would go back to being a slave. Jean was very thankful and finally realized what was happening to him. He continued his life helping others and being on the good side. One scene in particular that I really liked was when Jean gave his medal to the little kid who risked his life. This scene showed how compassionate and thoughtful Jean is.
One aspect that I did not really like was that the whole story was a musical specifically. Not only that it was fairly long. At times, I found that this made it harder to understand the words that the actors were singing. I got the main parts just the accent they had back then through me off. Besides that, the way the actors expressed their actions and emotions was incredible. I enjoyed the story of the musical.
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