I’m struggling to find the balance between what is appropriate to wear in this heat, and what is considered socially acceptable in public places.
Anticipation is high for the Dec. 14 release of the big-screen version of one of the most popular stage musicals ever. Though cinematic interpretations of Broadway shows have become more commonplace since Chicago took the 2002 best-picture Oscar, Les Mis represents a new phase in the evolution of the movie musical.
The tale of love, redemption and social unrest that unfolds in 19th-century France — whose dialogue, along with such showstopping numbers as On My Own, is completely sung — will feature live performances instead of following the tradition of actors lip-syncing to a pre-recorded track.
Tom Hooper, Oscar-winning director of The King’s Speech, wouldn’t have it any other way.
“If you are miming to a playback, even if the synchronization is done very well, there is a part of you that knows something is off, something is false,” he says. “When it’s live, you believe it so much more. The actors have complete freedom rather than following a recording done three months before.”
Hooper says the results deliver those “spine-tingling moments” he appreciated when he saw the stage show. Fans will get to hear a sampling when a Les Mis teaser premieres on MSN.com Wednesday before it hits theaters Friday.
