About two years ago, completely out of the blue, my sister Val posed the following question to Blendy and me: If you had to marry an old guy, who would you choose?
Dennis Quaid is here! OK, now that we have that out of the way, which old guy would I marry? Hands down, no question about it: I'd pick Colm Wilkinson. Have you heard the man sing? He was the original Jean Valjean in Les Miserables (the musical). I have the CD
and DVD
10th Anniversary Concert sets, and I can't get enough of them. And then there's this video from the 25th Anniversary Concert. Or this one. Love!
I fell in love with Les Mis (and Wilkinson) in 1999 when I saw the 10th Anniversary Concert on PBS. Since then, I've seen the Broadway touring company twice, and I watched the 25th Anniversary Concert on PBS three or four times (in my opinion, neither lived up to the amazingness that was the 10th Anniversary Concert). So when I heard that the stage musical was being made into a movie musical, I eagerly devoured each piece of news I could find. And the best news? That Wilkinson would play the Bishop of Digne. It's a very small role, yet I was thrilled that he would at least get to sing in the film.
As the movie's release approached, I got more excited by the day. I even spent nearly as much time listening to my Les Mis 10th Anniversary Concert CDs as I spent listening to Christmas music in the last couple weeks.
And then Friday happened.
That's the day the movie soundtrack released. Well, actually it's a "highlights" album, though I have no clue how they decided what to call a highlight. "Do You Hear the People Sing?" didn't make the cut! That quibble aside, I still wasn't thrilled with the album. There's a lot more acting than singing going on—something that I expect to work marvelously in the film, but it doesn't make for a good listening (or sing-along) experience. I was so disturbed that I even reviewed the album, even though I didn't have to (something that very rarely happens anymore).
Now, Les Miserables is in theaters. My mom, sisters, and I will see it at 12:30 this afternoon. And now I find that, while this has indeed been the most anticipated movie of my life, my expectations are no longer in the stratosphere, just in the clouds. And I'll probably enjoy the film much more with my lowered expectations!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Blendy chose Liam Neeson. Val chose Jeff Bridges. I chose Dennis Quaid. They said my choice didn't count because Dennis Quaid isn't old enough. In actuality, Quaid is only two years younger than Neeson and three years younger than our parents ... so I think that qualifies him as an old guy in this scenario. However, I'd still like to change my pick. But before I tell you who I'd change my pick to, watch this video. THIS is why I love Dennis Quaid!
Dennis Quaid is here! OK, now that we have that out of the way, which old guy would I marry? Hands down, no question about it: I'd pick Colm Wilkinson. Have you heard the man sing? He was the original Jean Valjean in Les Miserables (the musical). I have the CD
and DVD 10th Anniversary Concert sets, and I can't get enough of them. And then there's this video from the 25th Anniversary Concert. Or this one. Love!I fell in love with Les Mis (and Wilkinson) in 1999 when I saw the 10th Anniversary Concert on PBS. Since then, I've seen the Broadway touring company twice, and I watched the 25th Anniversary Concert on PBS three or four times (in my opinion, neither lived up to the amazingness that was the 10th Anniversary Concert). So when I heard that the stage musical was being made into a movie musical, I eagerly devoured each piece of news I could find. And the best news? That Wilkinson would play the Bishop of Digne. It's a very small role, yet I was thrilled that he would at least get to sing in the film.
As the movie's release approached, I got more excited by the day. I even spent nearly as much time listening to my Les Mis 10th Anniversary Concert CDs as I spent listening to Christmas music in the last couple weeks.
And then Friday happened.
That's the day the movie soundtrack released. Well, actually it's a "highlights" album, though I have no clue how they decided what to call a highlight. "Do You Hear the People Sing?" didn't make the cut! That quibble aside, I still wasn't thrilled with the album. There's a lot more acting than singing going on—something that I expect to work marvelously in the film, but it doesn't make for a good listening (or sing-along) experience. I was so disturbed that I even reviewed the album, even though I didn't have to (something that very rarely happens anymore).
Now, Les Miserables is in theaters. My mom, sisters, and I will see it at 12:30 this afternoon. And now I find that, while this has indeed been the most anticipated movie of my life, my expectations are no longer in the stratosphere, just in the clouds. And I'll probably enjoy the film much more with my lowered expectations!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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hilarious!!
ReplyDeleteand to think i've met him! and to think we've been at that warner bros lot!! :)