This featurette is all about how the actors in the Le Mis movie are all singing live in the takes and how in this approach they can add so much to their performance.  I think this approach is  a good one.  Les Miserables is a very gritty story so the vocal performance really should have a rawness to them.  I hope more movie musicals will take this approach in the future.

 

Korean Boy Band, SHINee, released a song off their 2010 Album, Lucifer, called Quasimodo. The plot of the song mirrors Quasimodo’s relationship with Esmeralda in that it‘s about guy that is in love a girl he thinks he has no chance with. It’s a lovely song.

English Translations
Your traces that my heart is filled with
Makes me able to breathe
When the long night is colored by the moonlight
Will the inescapable wait all end?
I wish for a miracle and ask and answer myself

Oh, I can’t tell you about me
Who wants to reach your heart
Like the starlight hidden behind the cold clouds
I love you, in the end, this painful confession
That lingers at the edge of my lips slide down in tears

This arrow that’s reached my heart
Feels like a part of my body now
Even though it hurts to death
I can’t remove you, who’s stuck in my heart
Because it’s love
Because for me, it’s love

*Even if I can’t have you
In the end, even when my heart is blocked
By the wall of sad connection
I love you, if it’s a place
where I can just watch you
Because you’re my everything

I stay up for so many nights
When the starlight becomes rain
That doesn’t stop like my tears
Remember that I loved you

*Repeat x2

It’s not tough, oh no
Because you have to be mine
In order for you to be you
Even if it hurts
Even if you make me cry
I love you

 

Tormented Frollo Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Tormented Frollo Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame

With exception of the happy ending where Esmeralda and Quasimodo runoff together the plot of the Jetlag version  adheres fairly close to the book. It has all the core components of the book, Gringoire, Frollo as a tormented priest, Phoebus is a cad with a fiancée, and Djali does her tricks.  Of course they are missing elements that make the story take a more an adult tone like anything dealing with architecture vs the written words, Jehan’s debauchery, Gudule and Ananke to name  a few.

 

Esmeralda's (not) trial Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda’s (not) trial Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame

All the major  parts are streamlined. The movie doesn’t spend much time developing anything and with a narrator major parts are  just example and not shown. Esmeralda’s trial and torture for example are just mentioned and not shown.  The characters are flat representations of the book.  The Jetlag version has the bones of the story but it lacks finer details and the execution doesn’t help it much however with all the other different version messing the story up it’s refreshing to see an adaptation that follow the book.

 

Quasimodo gives the bell a hug Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo gives the bell a hug Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame

Next Jetlag Article  – The Characters

Esmeralda and Phoebus Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Phoebus Jetlag Hunchback of Notre Dame

In addition to a novelist, poet, dramatist and writer Hugo was a a wonderful artist. Many of his works have survived. I really like his artwork. It has a whimsical fantasy aspect to it, at least from my point of view. I love have he used colors, his quality of lines and his use of positive and negative space.

Here are a view examples of his work but you can see more HERE

Victor Hugo The Snake c1866 picture image

Victor Hugo The Snake c1866

Victor Hugo Octopus with the initials V.H picture image

Victor Hugo Octopus with the initials V.H

 

Victor Hugo Mushroom picture image

Victor Hugo Mushroom

 

 

Romeo et Juliette 2012 Japan Tour promotion image picture

Romeo et Juliette 2012 Japan Tour promotion

The very Popular French Musical Romeo et Juliette is touring is Japan. And guess which two Notre Dame de Paris alumni are in it? The answer is Cyril Niccolai and Candice Parise.

 

Cyril Niccolai as Romeo picture image

Cyril Niccolai as Romeo

Niccolai who is playing Romeo played Gringoire in the 2001 Morgdor cast. He has also been Benvolio in a previous Romeo et Juliette cast.

 

Candice Parise image picture

Candice Parise

Parise  who played Esmeralda in the 2011-2012 Asian Tour cast is the understudy for Juliette. Juliette is played by Joy Esther who was married to Damien Sargue who played Romeo in the original cast and also was the understudy for Gringoire and Phoebus in the original cast of Notre Dame de Paris.

Takarazuka version Romeo et Juliette picture image

Takarazuka version Romeo et Juliette

 

Also this isn’t the first the version of Romeo et Juliette has been performed in Japan. The did a 2010 version  and  The world famous Takarazuka troupe did a version of it. The Takarazua is an all female  musical troupe. It probadly won’t happen but I can’t help but to hope that they will perform a version of Notre Dame de Paris.

Today’s Fan-art is a bit different, I used the Tudor Scene marker from Azalea Dolls and made a Esmeralda and a Fleur de Lys. I have a bunch of these Hunchback related Paper images so this won’t be the last.

 Esmeralda and  Fleur de Lys The Tudors Scene picture image

Esmeralda and Fleur de Lys done with The Tudors Scene Maker