First Look at Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean

Filming has begun for Les Miserables, the movie musical, and we have a picture of Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean.


They must be filming Jean Valjean, the convict, not Jean Valjean, the Major.

I have to say that this makes me more excited to see the movie in December. It also makes me excited to see what he looks like after he shaves and cleans up. Well, I know what he looks like, but what he'll look like as Jean Valjean, the changed man.

Pic of the Week: Flowers of Remembrance

Stage Review: Beauty and the Beast

I have seen many productions of Beauty and the Beast, the first being a touring production of it many years ago. I've seen so many, that I have become a little disenchanted (no pun intended) with it. So, when the touring production came through Salt Lake City again, I wasn't expecting anything new.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

Changes have been made to the touring show, and I liked many of the changes. Here are a few:

1. Maurice's song, "No Matter What," has been cut, and I have to say that I didn't miss it. It has never been my favorite song. Instead of the song, Maurice talks to Belle about her mother, and how she changed him. That dialogue connects with the song that Belle sings in Act II, "Change in Me."
2. Monsieur D'Arque's song was also cut. Didn't miss it either.
3. The sets and costumes are new. They are not an exact imitation of the movie anymore, which I liked. They aren't quite as grand as they were before, but I like the simplicity.

There have always been moments in many productions in B&B that have bugged me, and this production fixed a couple of those moments. It's like the director somehow heard my complaints (I've never posted the complaints on the web).

1. At the beginning, when Belle discovers her father is lost in the woods, she runs right into the woods without stopping anywhere, and the next time we see her in the woods, she is wearing a cloak. When did she put it on? In this production, right before she has the scene with Lefou, she goes into the house and comes out wearing her cloak. Problem solved.
2. When we see Belle in the woods after she has run away from the Beast, again she has a cloak on. Did she take time to run to her room to get it? In this production, we see her run past the Beast as he sings "If I Can't Love Her." Now at least we know that somehow she got the cloak, so it's not bizarre when we see her the next time with a cloak.

There were many moments I liked in this production.

1. At the beginning of "Be Our Guest" someone put a lobster bib on Belle. Hi. Larry. Us.
2. Madame de la Grande Bouche's costume is a shaped like a Marie Antoinette dress. She takes the clothes out of the sides of the the dress, instead of out of a drawer in the front of her costume.
3. The song, "Gaston," starts outside of the tavern, and moves into the tavern toward the end of the song. The choreography in that song was the best I've seen for that number.
4. The Silly girls were a stand-out.
4. When Belle and the Beast are eating together, and they're both nervous, Belle twists her hair, and then the Beast twists his hair the same way. Great moment.

Didn't Like:

1. When the old woman in the prologue turns into the beautiful woman, it's a large puppet. That didn't work for me. I like her being a real woman.
2. Gaston pronounces the French words incorrectly, and though it's a little funny, it's really silly because he is French.
3. Although I liked the Beast, he didn't sing the right notes in the verse of "If I Can't Love Her," and it was really hard to listen to. And I love that song.

Smash: How I Would Fix It

As I said in a previous post, despite disliking many episodes of Smash, I'm excited that it was renewed for a second season. Not because of what it is right now, but what it could be.

If I were one of the writers, this is how I would fix it:

1. Less soap opera, more character development
2. Less soap opera, more real story
3. Less soap opera, more musical theatre
4. Fewer pop song covers, more musical theatre songs (classics and originals)
5. Less bedroom, more backstage
6. Less Ellis lurking behind doors, more kicking him out the door
7. Fewer characters we hate, more characters we want to root for
8. More cameos from musical theatre legends
9. More Brian D'Arcy James singing - musical theatre classics

This could be a great show, let's hope it will live up to its potential.

Doctor Who: Series 7 Trailer

All I can say is, aren't you just totally excited for Autumn?

My Favorite Movies: The Spanish Prisoner

I decided to revisit a great movie that I haven't seen for years. The Spanish Prisoner is a 1997 suspense film by David Mamet. 

Because there are so many great surprises in The Spanish Prisoner, I won't recount the plot. You have to see this movie for yourself and enjoy not knowing what is going to happen.

Campbell Scott is perfectly cast as Joe Ross, an engineer who invents a process that can make millions for his company. While on a company retreat in the Caribbean, Joe meets Jimmy Dell (Steve Martin), and they become fast friends. Steve Martin does a great job in a non-comedic role. Rebecca Pidgeon (Mamet's wife in real life) plays a secretary who is stuck on Joe, and she has some of the best lines in my movie. Felicity Huffman plays an FBI agent in one of her pre-Desperate Housewives roles.

The script is wonderful and smart. So many filmmakers today think that a suspense movie has to be action-packed and fast-paced, and don't really seem to care if the dialogue is good. I think that because Mamet comes from writing for the theatre, he knows the importance of good dialogue as well as a good story.

This is one of the most low-keyed suspense films I have ever seen. But it doesn't make it any less compelling. The film doesn't use the score to heighten the scenes, but it just accompanies the action to let you feel what you would naturally feel about the situations.

Check out The Spanish Prisoner, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Smash: Marilyn The Musical Gets Another Chance

Smash has been renewed for a second season.

I'm happy about that, because even though I have been disappointed in the show lately, I still think it can be good, especially if the producers take viewers critiques to heart and concentrate more on the creation of the musical, and not try to cram every character into every episode.

I actually liked the last episode, The Workshop, and I will have a post about it eventually (when I catch up on posts on this show and Once Upon a Time, and Grimm).