My Obsession with Les Miz, Part II

Universal Pictures has released an extended first look segment about the making of the new Les Miserables movie, which has only deepend my obsession to see this movie even more.  Every year I'm excited for Christmas... this year, I have even more reason to be.

Can You Hear the Big Star, Celebrity Actors Sing?

Why, yes you can whilst I continue my Broadway-ish obsession -

Last night, Universal Studios released their first official trailer for the upcoming theatrical version of the Broadway smash "Les Miserables" online. 

Logline:  "Les Miserables" is a musical adaptation based on Victor Hugo's classic novel set in 19th-century France, in which a paroled prisoner named Jean Valjean seeks redemption.

"Les Miz" carries a special place in my heart as it is not only my 3rd favorite musical of all-time ("Assassins" & "Ragtime" trump it) but it is the first musical I ever saw live on Broadway in New York back in August 1992, which is why this movie is my most anticipated film of 2012 (20 years later).  I consider the music and lyrics by the team Schonberg & Kretzmer flawless and I'm sure any non-musical theatre lover would still recognize the plays standout hit, "On My Own" sung by relative unknown Samantha Barks as Eponine in the film, but I think this is a solid choice as Samantha played the same part in "Les Miserables in Concert: 25th Anniversary"

But the other stars of the film will not be so unfamiliar.  Playing the lead of Jean Val Jean is none other than Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman, who has not only been on Broadway multiple times and even starred in a musical on Broadway ("The Boy From Oz") but showed his singing chops to the world when hosting the Academy Awards, which, ironically, is also where Anne Hathaway showed her outer voice talents, who will be playing the intrical part of Fantine and who is the star of the new trailer.  I have to say that with roles like Catwoman and Fantine, I have a feeling 2012 will be the year of the Hathaway.

The cast of the film version of "Les Miz" also has "Mama Mia" triple-threat Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, Russell Crowe as Javert (this one scares me a little as I don't think I've ever heard him sing and he can't fake his way through "Stars") and then Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the Thenardier's, who are two of my favorite characters and the perfect choices for these roles, and just so happen to have been in a musical together in the recent past:  "Sweeney Todd".  Cohen showed he could hold a note, while Carter's singing was less than desirable but the great thing about the Thenardier's is that you don't have to be great singers.  It does help, but the flamboyancy of the parts would allow any actors to get away with "character singing".  And I must also add that I harbor a little jealousy towards Cohen because he will be playing the role I've dreamed in days gone by.  Although I've squashed my acting bug long ago, my desire to play Master Thernardier on stage is a lot like the cockroach from "Wall-E".  But that is one for the bucket list.

So here it is in all its amazing glory:



I do have to also add that Colm Wilkinson, Broadway's original Jean Val Jean, has a small role as the Bishop of Digne (near the beginning of the film and ironically only interacts with Jean Val Jean).  Some fanatics may complain about Hugh being cast over Colm, but I just want to say this - it's been over 25 years since he originated the role.  Colm's a bit too old to be playing the part.  Remember "Rent - The Movie"?  'Nough said.

I'm baaaaaaaaaack! So this is why I disappeared...

You could call it an obsession, or you could call it work.  When you love your job, it can go either way.

Immediately after my last post back in October (2010), I published a children's book called "The Night After Christmas" that pretty much took up all my time in marketing, publicity, guest readings, etc.  Most authors hate, hate, hate this part of the process because whether you're a self-publisher or one of the lucky few who are published through a publishing house, you still have to do your own marketing.  Considering I have a background in publicity, I don't hate this part at all.  In fact, I kind of enjoy it.  For me, it stirs up the pot and satisfies both sides of my brain, of which I've always believed I've been evenly split down the middle.

So once Christmas and the holiday hoopla was over, I thought about picking up this blog where I left off... until I needed to help my mother move the rest of her belongings to Alabama (by the way, moving is definitely NOT, NOT, NOT an obsession of mine).  This pretty much took the whole month of January, plus a few extra days.

So, February roles around and my sweet little sister, Melissa, a stage diva, asks me if I will perform in a show with her because one of the actor's was having health issues.  Now, being an ex-theatre geek, turning down roles that are offered on a golden platter is difficult, but I DID turn her down... initially, which is why they found another actor, who ended up having heart issues and thereby making the role available again.  So, I took the role in "Man of La Mancha".  Not one of my favorite plays, but I had a lot of fun in the show that swallowed my blogging time.  By the way, that actor is doing fine.

However, (in my very bad Shakespearean accent:) amidst the glory the being on the stage again (end accent), I decided that I had so much fun writing "The Night After Christmas" that I was going to write an anthology based on the legendary creature, el chupacabra!  You would think I would start lite with just a novel, but no.  When I become obsess about something, I go the whole hog.

Hence my time from March to July was pretty much engulfed by writing, rewriting, writer's block, more rewriting, more writer's block, prelim marketing, and more writing.

And now, currently writing my second novel while my first novel is in the process of being edited, and after completing a short story that leads to the events of Book I, "Night of the Chupacabra", I decide to add more food to my writing plate and rekindle this blog that I had once been so obsessed about.

So, I'm back, and I'm not planning on going anywhere.  I'll continue juggling my chupacabra anthology while posting messages here because that's what obsessed writer's do.

So, like any good publicist, I would be remiss to not plug my books right about now:

"The Night After Christmas" - www.thenightafterchristmas.net
The Chupacabra Series - www.wix.com/michaelhebler/chupacabraseries

By the way, my short story "Hunt for the Chupacabra" is actually a free download that works on iPhones, iPads, Kindle, PDF, etc. Just follow the links on the website.

You can also view the book trailer for the first novel here:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - TV Spot #8