Sponsored Video: First look at Tom Hooper's Les Misérables » Top 10 Films

Sponsored Video: First look at Tom Hooper’s Les Misérables

28 September 2012 No Comment

Top 10 Films takes a sneak peek at Tom Hooper’s upcoming adaptation of Les Misérables starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe.

Tom Hooper is on a winning streak. With his last two movies happening to be The Damned United and The King’s Speech it is safe to say the London-born filmmaker is in the zone. Next up is his adaptation of the musical Les Misérables which is set for release in the UK January 11th 2013.

Les Misérables on the big screen will star a wonderfully assembled ensemble cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter with Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe taking the roles of Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert respectively.

For those that don’t know, the story follows the exploits of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who becomes the mayor of a town in France. He must avoid capture after breaking his parole conditions to create a new life for himself. Set in early revolutionary France, Valjean must avoid the attentions of Inspector Javert after agreeing to take care of Cosette (Amanda Seyfriend), the illegitimate daughter of Fantine (Anne Hathaway).

The early buzz is on the performance of Anne Hathaway. The actress who surprised us with her tenacious turn opposite Batman in The Dark Knight Rises seems to have come of age recently with Hooper telling MTV News she’s “breathtaking” in Les Misérables.

He said, “Half a dozen of the biggest female movie stars on the planet all wanted to play the role. The competition was insane, and they were all willing to go through the auditioning process. It was rather wonderful and some poetic justice that Anne Hathaway ends up getting the role given that her mother was the understudy for Fantine on the American tour when she was growing up. The first day of filming, she actually wore her mother’s Les Mis cast jacket from all those years ago.”

Hooper says he was “staggered” by her performance. “She went to this incredibly raw and intense place to play this role. She offered to cut her hair because that’s what happens to the character, and she was truly committed to going on this journey and did the most immaculate amount of research. I don’t think I’ve worked with a better-prepared actor in terms of the amount of the months and months of work that she put in to build up to this moment.”

It remains to be seen whether the director’s sentiments towards Hathaway will be echoed by critics and audiences. But, as Guardian writer Stuart Heritage says, this version of Les Mis is “the most highly anticipated yet.” Those sentiments aren’t surprising given Hooper’s film will be the first ever musical adaptation where the singing is performed live by the actors without any post-dubbing. Featuring beloved songs including I Dreamed a Dream, Bring Him Home, One Day More and On My Own, Les Misérables will thrill lovers of the stage show and “wow” newcomers to the story. In the video below, we take a look behind the scenes as the actors prepare to sing their hearts out, while we speak to Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and others about this pioneering adaptation.

Les Misérables is released in UK cinemas January 11th 2013. See a sneak peek in the video below…

Courtesy of Universal Pictures
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