Calling all Les Mis fans who can’t bear to wait the four long months until the release of Tom Hooper’s film adaptation: this new four-and-a-half-minute, behind-the-scenes featurette might go some way to alleviating your blues.

Ad

The extended trailer, featuring interviews with principal cast members, producer Cameron Mackintosh and director Tom Hooper, largely focuses on the decision to record all the musical numbers live – a move that required actors to sing the musical’s iconic songs to camera over and over again, with live piano music playing through an earpiece. Once filming completed, the piano was then replaced with a 70-piece orchestra to recreate the musical’s powerful scores.

Hooper, who won a best director Oscar for 2010’s The King’s Speech, explains: “I thought there was an amazing opportunity to do something genuinely groundbreaking. Singing live has such a profound effect on the power and realism of this story.”

Leading man Russell Crowe adds: “There’s an emotion level to singing live that just can’t be recreated in the studio.”

In addition to interviews with all the cast members, viewers are also treated to a spot of Hugh Jackman’s Tony Award-winning singing, as well as the explanation behind Anne Hathaway’s fragile and raw rendition of I Dreamed a Dream: “There seemed something selfish about trying to go for the ‘pretty’ version.”

Ad

Les Misérables' star-studded cast includes Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. The film is set for UK release on 11 January 2013.

Authors

Susanna LazarusAssociate Editor, RadioTimes.com

Comments, questions and tips

Rate this recipe

What is your star rating out of 5?

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Overall rating

Ad
Ad
Ad
Create an image depicting a festive scene with elements from the top Christmas songs, such as a snowy New York for 'Fairytale of New York', a cozy home setting for 'Last Christmas', and a glamorous Christmas party for 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'. Include musical notes and festive decorations to represent the spirit of these iconic Christmas songs.

RT offer

Immediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live events

hello
An image depicting a festive scene with iconic Christmas elements such as a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with twinkling lights, snow gently falling, and perhaps a cozy fireplace in the background. The image should capture the essence of popular Christmas songs, with musical notes and lyrics subtly included in the design, representing a playlist of classic Christmas tunes.

summer

Immediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live eventsImmediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live eventsImmediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live events

More