Not even, Lloyd Webber made it about effects, I got goose bumps during Dreamgirls from the sheer talent performing on stage, never from a chandelier or helicopter, he is to musicals as Julian Fellowes is to the written word, derivative & fatal.
I think she was criticizing how the musical was shot, probably not how the actors played their role. I do agree with her opinion though. I hope the film adaptation of Wicked will not be all close ups of faces..
@@Strode78 Why should she be jealous? She is already an icon in Musical Theatre and she can happily retire if she wanted too but she doesn't because she loves it. And I agree with her.
I got into acting because of seeing Les Mis on tour at the Majestic in San Antonio and she is right. Les Mis the movie was hard to get through. It was not good, especially Javert
She sounds so excited about every topic to the point she stutters with how fast she wants to say all that information, I find that so relatable and endearing
Hahahaha, ironies here are how she's saying over and over that ONLY Rachel Bloom knows how to do musicals on screen and she also had a cameo on Glee and worked the Ryan Murphy's crew again after this on Hollywood. Oh, the implied shade.... haha. She's the kind of diva I could watch all day talk crap about everything.
Tell it Patti! that film is a disaster, looks like an acting reel for the oscars. you can see the thirst and desire for awards in hugh jackman and anne hathaway's eyes every time there's a close up on them.
You can’t really argue with *the* Patti LuPone and her decades worth of live theater experience. I agree with what she said with regards to the weird close ups and how bad of a translation from the stage that is. But I personally enjoyed the Les Mis film, and in my inexperience, for me Boublil & Schönberg musicals are cinematic by nature so translating them for the widescreen makes sense artistically. In contrast for example Sondheim musicals are very intricately theatrical and doesn’t translate as well to film; I watched the movie first before the filmed stage musical and was thoroughly unimpressed - it was my first exposure to Sondheim. Right after, I watched the filmed stage musical and it blew me away I watched it several times and was hooked on the original cast recording - it just made so much more sense artistically to do it within that “theatrical” corridor.
I was lucky enough to have seen Patti LuPone as Fantine in RSC’s “Les Miserables” in 1985. It was a religious experience. The next night I saw “Cats” and couldn’t believe how horrible it was, especially after seeing the classic-to-be just before. Tom Hopper raped his “Les Mis” film version, having no understanding of the book’s themes. I certainly knew his “Cats” would be the double disaster it was. Bad director with a bad musical. I agree with Patti’s opinions on all of the above.
I would have killed to have seen Patti and the OLC in Les Mis! I’ve seen the show 30+ times over the past 30+ years! It my absolute favorite musical of all time! I have been excited to see it on the big screen ever since it was first advertised, in the souvenir brochure, that it was coming to the cinema in 1991, then 1992, then 1993, then the ad stopping showing up and we heard nothing movie until it came out in 2012. Ugh! The look was flawless! But, the singing... if I have to hear Hugh Jackman shout at me with Bring Him Home, I’m going to rip my ears off! Most of the rest of the sing was pretty meh. The close up shots were way too close! You could barely hear the orchestra playing that great score through most of the numbers and they did such a hatchet job on the songs!! Starting at the Rue Plumet until the end, songs cut, cut and cut. Why put a new song in if you are going to cut all your main plot driven songs?!The film should have played out like the grand musical it is and trust in the libretto! Unfortunately I’ll be dead before they ever do a remake ☹️
Even though I’m not a fan of the singing of the cast in the Les Mis movie, I still watch it every once in a while cause the story alone is so beautiful. I don’t want to watch a bad quality bootleg of a Broadway show cause I find it a little difficult to give it my full appreciation.
The movie was alright, but personally I felt there was a disconnect between the focus and the environment, especially when the camera just gets a little too close for comfort. That isn't specific to a musical-to-movie thing, that's just something I noticed for the visuals/angle/distance choices. Just gets a little annoying to see every detail of the face when I'm trying to embrace the character's environment and situation as a whole. 🙄 Just opinion.
I came here ready to disagree with Patti because she has a history of being overly critical of musicals, but I actually agree. The film succeeded at showing non-musical fans that musicals can be moving, gritty, and exciting just like typical films. The biggest flaw was the "live singing". The songs in this musical are HUGE, and there were only a few real singers in the cast. Anne Hathaway snotting and crying was beautiful to see, but it didn't sound good. The songs were composed to fill a theatre, not for intimate barely sung personal moments. So, I get what Patti meant about musicals being created by people who don't create musicals. It happens over and over.
Totally agree with this legend! Every day now that I watch the movie, I don’t get the same love for it as I do the musical and as someone who has played Javert, it’s honestly so hard to try and sing along with all the changes they made. I love seeing musicals being made into movies but sometimes, they do flop if not done properly, hence why I believe people like Lin Manuel Miranda or Jon M Chu should make every musical movie from now on.
I think a lot of it was on the production of the film and the way the scenes were film I agree with her on the point that it was awkward when dialogues turned into songs that has to be smooth and the shots needed to be wider however she did not give a critique on the actors performances and everybody is making it about the actors when she said nothing them
I love the musical on stage. Saw it twice once in London and once in SF. The movie was okay. It looked beautiful but it just does not grab you as an audience like the stage does. Some of the individual songs in the movie were good like Empty Chairs but over all it really was slow. The stage ending of the 1st act is brilliant. The movie never captured that emotional first act ending.
To be fair, nothing can replace what you can get in the theatre. The atmosphere, the smell. Ok, I am a total theatre nerd, who is missing their fix as I have been stuck in bed since covid. Films are ok but I do agree with Patti, and NPH when he joked at the Tony’s about not needing close ups to prove they sing live because they do it 8 shows a week! Nothing beats theatre, it is just a shame about the cost but one good thing to come out of covid that I have loved, there is more ‘live’ content to view of theatre productions online now for people who physically can’t get to see them because of disabilities, distance or cost. That is amazing. Also I have only just discovers crazy ex girlfriend and now I am obsessed!
Neil Patrick Harris's slight to Tom Hooper on the Tonys and now this. I get it in a way. I watched the making of though and the work they did on those sets and the shooting of them was incredible. It wasn't all CGI and close ups. The scenery was authentic. I think Helena and Sacha were grossly miscast. Russell too perhaps. It did get other oscar nominations along with Anne's nom and win.
A lot of people can say she’s mean but the fact of the matter is she’s a master of her craft and can critique other musicals simple if she strives for the best she’s going to expect the same from the people who take on the same project
I’m impressed by the mature comment section. I was expecting to see people bash Patti just because of a difference in opinion, and I’m glad that that’s not the case.
@@richardmayora1289 she guested on one episode there's no way Patti LuPone needs to plug a show she guested on one episode if she really didn't respect and love the vision of Rachel Bloom. Also, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend IS a masterpiece. So, you're wrong, on all counts.
Think Rob Marshall did an excellent job with Chicago a best picture winner, he found a way to make it believable with the club numbers in reality and everything else in Roxie’s mind, also Bob Fosse in Cabaret
Les Mis as a film was bad, and I agree with her notes. I also like Rachel Bloom, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend -- but she is definitely NOT the only person who knows how to translate a stage musical to the screen. Chicago, Little Shop, Evita, Dreamgirls, and many many more which started out as incredible stage productions, yet had amazing screen adaptations.
So refreshing to see her say that. So many movie musicals just don't translate well because it so hard to depict the symbolism that a good musical can project on stage.
Sondheim is the best and not performed nearly as often as his works should be. Still hard to believe he passed away. He was such an amazing person and left a fantastic body of work, some which hasn’t been performed as often as it should have been.
Honestly I've never seen a professional stage production of Les mis because well can't afford it, but I have seen clips of West end and Broadway versions. However I've seen the full movie and I have to agree. Like the cameras were too close to the faces of the actors, like fantine's I dreamed a dream, you could see Anne Hathaway's facial marks and like yeah it would've been better if we seen the full set in the moments and music.
Hollywood doesn’t have musical talent anymore. When musicals were a big part of the industry, they developed stars who were real singers. If Les Miz was made in the 50’s you might have had a Mario Lanza as Valjean and Howard Keel as Javert. Great voices that could own songs like “Stars” and “Bring Him Home”. Crowe, a fine actor has no voice and Jackman’s can’t sing these dramatic arias.The studios used to sign young talent from Broadway and Opera and make stars of them. Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra MacDonald, Kristen Chenoweth, Kelli O’Hara are all great singers but can’t “open a picture” so instead we get auto tuned non singers who are out of there depth. Anne Hathaway was the exception, the rest of the cast couldn’t sing their roles.
Hey Andy, I agree with the legendary Ms. Lupone on almost everything, although I wasn't a big fan of her diss of Madonna in the role of Evita in the movie. Madge's Evita was everything it should have been and more. That said, I very much agree with her praise of Rachel Bloom and My Crazy Ex Girlfriend. But if remember next time have a chance to catch up her - SOON PLEASE! - would you ask her if she gives her stamp of approval to Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist?
That is so well said, about why make a musical movie if you’ve never been in the process of actually making a musical. It makes no sense ,as they don’t understand it and never really works well.
Here is exactly why Andy Cohen is a shady so and so.. Literally asked and answered, and in awesome fashion. But when it wasnt shady enough he felt the need to tell her and his audience she didn't like it. I didn't see Lez Miz but understood her completely. Not everyone can shoot a musical, a dance sequence, etc. I'm sure Rachel Bloom isn't the only one but it was an excellent point.
One of the best filmed musicals is "Barnum!" With Michael Crawford. Why? Because the filmed the live onstage production. Great camera work and editing, it was almost like beinb in the audience.
Now now Patti, you’re an expert on stage. There’s a big difference with movie making; hence CATs was a movie flop, because the musical is much better served live on a stage.
The Les Mis movie is weird in that the barricade boys part works really well and the rest not so much. Maybe it’s because there are less of the extreme zoom shots or the chemistry of the actors they cast for those roles but it’s like watching two different movies.
I feel you, first time I watched it I was young and not really into musicals at the time, now looking back the singers were hard to understand, too many close ups on sad moments, I wouldn’t zoom in when someone cries, especially when its an ugly cry. Im not bashing on the singers but I feel like some of the singers belting sound a bit nasally. I just rewatched it yesterday and had to mute it because I was cringing and didn’t want to hear the singing
Though I agree with her assessments of Crazy Ex-girlfriend and NBC presents your small town community theatres production of(insert musical here), I far enjoyed the cinematics of the movie les mis over the epic stage versions. But I think Patty also knows Anne out performed her version of I Dreamed a Dream, so she's on the defense.
Les Miz, the movie was horrible. I'm not such a fan of the show either. Years ago, I spent an entire summer reading Les Miserables, the book by Victor Hugo. The entire breadth of human experience is summed up in this one book. There are places where I was just in tears. Skip the play and the movie read the book.
Who else is tired of seeing Patti Lupone Dis anything that she was not invited to participate in? Her Madonna/Evita comments were also pretty cruel. Although have to say she is pretty Fab in “Hollywood”. It’s May 2020! Happy quarantine
One more thing I hate about most musicals on film is the fact that they take out some of the songs of the B’way musical and put some others instead. I don’t know about Les Misérables but some old musicals such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes have been so modified for the screen you can barely recognise them.
I'm gonna play devil's advocate and say I thought Les Mis the movie version was great, because of the close ups and so forth. I think perhaps the reason it did so well and got alot of people who wouldn't usually watch musicals to see it, is because it doesn't look like a stage show shot with a camera. It uses the medium it's in to tell as opposed to trying to use the 'stage rules' on film.
I'm a HUGE Les Mis fan. Probably one of the biggest one in existence and I've only seen the film version once. I literally saw it with no emotion as I made it a point to keep myself emotionally distanced. I figured if it manages to draw me in, then I shouldn't fight it but it kept me distanced. I didn't even think about it afterwards. Years later, I realized the reason I didn't care for it was because it was the most pretentious, clueless thing I had ever seen. They were aiming to take this emotionally stirring MUSICAL and make it LESS musical as much as humanly possible. They took the show's beautifully haunting original orchestration and rewrote it a second time (first time was for the Broadway revival in 2006 which was a trainwreck as well) in order for it to better fit the speak-singing tactic they used on the film. The film as a musical was a disaster and they were so proud of themselves for taking the musical out of this gorgeous musical. Unforgivable.
Rent worked as a film, because they used some of the original theatre cast and people involved with the original production. Larson family were also kept involved so people couldn’t go crazy and venture too far from the source material either. Again the best actors in it though were the stagey ones. The ones you didn’t feel were constantly looking for or at the camera but at each other. They still bring you into their story , the same way they do on stage.
Patti! Don't slam NBC Sound of Music Live! Your friend Laura Benanti was terrific in it! And so was Christian Borle. These two supporting characters were perfect.
I respect her incredible talent and her amazing experience on stage. But I don’t think you can just do a musical the same way on film. It’s not the same medium. I personally loved that in the movie you get the close ups you cannot get on stage. One does not take away from the other, they are just two different art forms, and transposing a work from one realm to the other demands adaptations, just like when you transpose a novel to movie.
That's mostly true when it comes to directing and shooting a musical on film. The musical elements should remain intact. It's a friggen musical for crying out loud! You adapt the style of performance and the mode of directing to better fit the big screen. You do NOT go ahead and make it as least musical as possible to the point of speak singing and changing the original orchestration (something that doesn't ever happen to most musicals when they transfer to the screen) to better fit the speak singing gimmick that is supposed to make it more effective. HELLO? The reason musicals are uniquely affecting on an emotional level is because you get so much more from emotion expressed through song than the spoken word but no, they spit on the song element and tried ever so hard to make it as stoic and speak singy because apparently that's more believable and more respectable and supposedly highly artistic. It's pretentious and clueless.
That’s not what she was saying. She was just saying that the way it was shot felt very disjointed and distracting. And that people who have no experience with musicals shouldn’t just assume they can shoot a musical the same way they’d shoot a drama. I would be curious to know how she felt about Spielberg’s West Side Story.
Rachel Bloom has not directed a single episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriends so idk why she's shouting her out for that lol (agreed it's well done, but that's thanks to the directors, including movie musical mainstays like Kenny Ortega!)
I fundamentally disagree with Patti LuPone here. Movies are different from stage productions. They are supposed to look different. Films do not require the audience to use it's imagination the way that theater does. What Patti is describing is a a filmed play and that doesn't make sense for a film. The singing by many was not great, but I appreciated that it was film appropriate. It would have been so awkward if Anne Hathaway sang I Dreamed A Dream like she was on Broadway.
rksu747 Well, she's not saying otherwise. She knows they're different, but she's saying that Rachel is the only one who knows how to make "musicals" work on camera because she understands that inherent difference between them and how to translate "musicals" to the screen. The problem is, in general, is that the directors hired to do screen adaptations of anything that's a musicals, have next to none, if not none at all, experience in the world of musical theatre. Rachel not only has that background, but that entire show is Rachel's baby and holds the reins for it, she's allowed to run full force with it and it works. She GETS the difference and how translate them to different medium. It's why (to me) that the only cast members in B and the B that makes sense in their characters are Josh, Luke, and Audra. They all have an MT background, they understand the art form. When you have people who don't understand the art form of musical theatre at the helm, no matter what you try, it isn't going to work. I want a movie musical to be directed a stage musical director, to show that they can work, but it needs people who understand the art form. And Patti even says it here "I don't understand how people can assume they can do musicals without ever having been in the process is making a musical" to begin with. It takes people who understand the art form.
You should watch Lindsay Ellis's Phantom video essay. It goes through movie musicals after the fall of its golden era and then 9/11 and goes over why Les Miserables didn't work. Patti was right: The people who made the movie didn't fully understand the material, so they turned a world where people burst into song and dance, with numbers such as Red/Black and Do You Hear The People Sing, nitty gritty and full of washed up colors. It's not that it wasn't epic, like on stage, it's that it was underwhelming and confusing.
I love Patti, but I _mostly_ disagree with her, and here's why: A movie musical will always be different than a stage musical, because you have more options available to you in a movie than you do on stage. Now, that being said, I have seen plenty of very poorly done movie musicals that were simply bad adaptations of good musicals. In my opinion, "Les Miserables" (2012) was not one of those poorly done movie musicals. I had seen the stage musical five times before seeing the movie, and the movie actually _improved_ on the stage version in some areas. The visuals, the settings, and yes, even the closeups gave the viewer context that you don't get in the stage version, no matter where you are sitting. I did say, "mostly disagree," though. Where I absolutely agree with Patti is regarding the one huge mistake this movie made and the _two_ huge mistakes every stage production I've seen has made since the movie came out. *The huge mistake the movie made:* Casting Russell Crowe as Javert. Russell Crowe could not sing his way out of a paper bag holding a pair of scissors with a box of matches in his pocket. Listening to him butcher "Stars" literally made me cringe. If I had not seen the preview of Samantha Barks singing "On My Own" before the film's release, I would have walked out at that moment. *The two huge mistakes most post-movie stage productions I've seen since have made:* First, reincarnating Russell Crowe's lack of singing ability when they cast the role of Javert. These directors need to stop using the movie as source material. There are countless recordings and videos from all over the world available with a Javert that can sing his a$$ off, because he's supposed to. Stop being so damn lazy. Second, bring back the original barricade from the stage musical. The original barricade was made of two sections, each independent of each other. Each section could be rotated 180 degrees to provide a view from _both sides_ of the barricade. To only have one view of the barricade makes for some very awkward staging, especially when Gavroche is shot. That scene in the latest production I saw was borderline comedic, because the situation made no sense. Despite all this, I did enjoy the movie overall and the adaptation (except for the casting of Crowe) was true to the spirit of the musical.
This is a weird commentary, especially considering that Patti knows the show, but she talks about being able to transition from dialogue into a musical number. "Les Miz" doesn't really have much dialogue. There's no transitioning needed. Her not liking the closeups is a fair comment, but what does that have to do with transitioning? I also completely disagree that Rachel Bloom is the "only" person who can do movie musicals. Rob Marshall and his Oscar would like to have a word with you. (I guess he didn't produce the film so he didn't get an Oscar, which seems unfair, but it won Best Picture, so you get what I mean.)
Les Mis the movie was good. I wish they had gotten to shelf singers instead of star power, but other than that I thought it was very good. As for the close ups, It's a movie. Of course you're going to have close ups on the actors.
There've been plenty of talented people who turned out on-camera musicals and did the job well, Tom "Oscar-bait" Hooper just isn't one of them. Anne Hathaway was fabulous in the Les Mis movie and it had other good things, to be fair.
Patty I don’t want to see it from a distance as if someone is just filming the stage version. If you are going to do a movie version, then you have to treat the cinematography as such.
The Les Mis movie is spoilt by the relatively weak singers and the misdirection of Hugh (who can sing) but who sings in a key too high for him and therefore screeches throughout. I heard the director say this was his (the f Directors) choice, as it made the desperation more real! FFS
Everytime I see an interview with she is criticising something.She is a great performer I saw her in Gypsy in 2008 and she was awesome.However she comes across as somewhat opinionated.But that's only my opinion!!
She probably means the movie adaptation. Besides, it would be very hard for her not to have seen Les Miz on Broadway given that she originated the role of Fantine in the original London casting.
Please someone ask Patti her opinion about the new Cats movie...I'll get my popcorn.😂
In a later WWHL vid, she does answer that very question
That's just catty lol 😆 😂
Done already. Go look for it. It isn’t as searing as this but it’s, as expected, just as blunt.
It is excruciating
Too funny.
She has a good point!! The "musicals" these days are made around the stars instead of around the meaning of the story.
What rubbish.
Not even, Lloyd Webber made it about effects, I got goose bumps during Dreamgirls from the sheer talent performing on stage, never from a chandelier or helicopter, he is to musicals as Julian Fellowes is to the written word, derivative & fatal.
Rachel Bloom is a GENIUS. And Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a masterpiece.
Agreed! West Coviinaaaa! That crazy wonderful song is stuck in my head now! Damn it!
Rachel Bloom is an attention seeking no talent and that show STUNK.
Don't even know her
that part
Crazy Ex Girlfriend is a masterpiece yes.
I love her shout out to Rachel Bloom!
MST3Khaleesi YASSSSS
Love how Patti just supports Rachel Bloom. She deserves all the recognition!
I think she was criticizing how the musical was shot, probably not how the actors played their role. I do agree with her opinion though. I hope the film adaptation of Wicked will not be all close ups of faces..
She's jealous.
The Innocent Nomad WICKED?? Why? What have you heard about a film? When?
@@Strode78 Why should she be jealous? She is already an icon in Musical Theatre and she can happily retire if she wanted too but she doesn't because she loves it. And I agree with her.
@@mezza001 December 2021
"Here we are in the future, here we are in the future and it's wrong."
I got into acting because of seeing Les Mis on tour at the Majestic in San Antonio and she is right. Les Mis the movie was hard to get through. It was not good, especially Javert
Jaqen H'Ghar The only good thing about it is Aaron Tveit because... well, Aaron..
This short clip is the reason why I started watching Crazy ExGirlfriend, so THANK YOU FOREVER PATTI!!!
Need to watch it as I have never seen it it!
What a compliment to Rachel! That's my girl!
After watching this, i binge watched Rachel Bloom on Season 1 Crazy ex girlfriend. Now I know what Patti was talking about.
It's really good.
She sounds so excited about every topic to the point she stutters with how fast she wants to say all that information, I find that so relatable and endearing
Hahahaha, ironies here are how she's saying over and over that ONLY Rachel Bloom knows how to do musicals on screen and she also had a cameo on Glee and worked the Ryan Murphy's crew again after this on Hollywood. Oh, the implied shade.... haha. She's the kind of diva I could watch all day talk crap about everything.
Rachel Bloom shoutout! Yes!
Tell it Patti! that film is a disaster, looks like an acting reel for the oscars. you can see the thirst and desire for awards in hugh jackman and anne hathaway's eyes every time there's a close up on them.
Ann did take the Oscar.. but she majorly bugs!!!
Her shout out to rachel bloom melted my heart
My late brother Rex Hays was on Broadway in Evita with her!
You can’t really argue with *the* Patti LuPone and her decades worth of live theater experience. I agree with what she said with regards to the weird close ups and how bad of a translation from the stage that is. But I personally enjoyed the Les Mis film, and in my inexperience, for me Boublil & Schönberg musicals are cinematic by nature so translating them for the widescreen makes sense artistically.
In contrast for example Sondheim musicals are very intricately theatrical and doesn’t translate as well to film; I watched the movie first before the filmed stage musical and was thoroughly unimpressed - it was my first exposure to Sondheim. Right after, I watched the filmed stage musical and it blew me away I watched it several times and was hooked on the original cast recording - it just made so much more sense artistically to do it within that “theatrical” corridor.
I DIED at 'you can see the snot' lol
I was lucky enough to have seen Patti LuPone as Fantine in RSC’s “Les Miserables” in 1985. It was a religious experience. The next night I saw “Cats” and couldn’t believe how horrible it was, especially after seeing the classic-to-be just before. Tom Hopper raped his “Les Mis” film version, having no understanding of the book’s themes. I certainly knew his “Cats” would be the double disaster it was. Bad director with a bad musical. I agree with Patti’s opinions on all of the above.
I would have killed to have seen Patti and the OLC in Les Mis! I’ve seen the show 30+ times over the past 30+ years! It my absolute favorite musical of all time! I have been excited to see it on the big screen ever since it was first advertised, in the souvenir brochure, that it was coming to the cinema in 1991, then 1992, then 1993, then the ad stopping showing up and we heard nothing movie until it came out in 2012. Ugh! The look was flawless! But, the singing... if I have to hear Hugh Jackman shout at me with Bring Him Home, I’m going to rip my ears off! Most of the rest of the sing was pretty meh. The close up shots were way too close! You could barely hear the orchestra playing that great score through most of the numbers and they did such a hatchet job on the songs!! Starting at the Rue Plumet until the end, songs cut, cut and cut. Why put a new song in if you are going to cut all your main plot driven songs?!The film should have played out like the grand musical it is and trust in the libretto! Unfortunately I’ll be dead before they ever do a remake ☹️
Patti thinks Cats is the most overrated musical too 😩😩😩😩😩😩
Even though I’m not a fan of the singing of the cast in the Les Mis movie, I still watch it every once in a while cause the story alone is so beautiful. I don’t want to watch a bad quality bootleg of a Broadway show cause I find it a little difficult to give it my full appreciation.
May I suggest the 10th anniversary concert version at the Royal Albert Hall?
Ugh she is just so erudite and eloquent, it’s beautiful.
Me: So wait, you didn't love Le Miz?
Patti: I don't know her.
The movie was alright, but personally I felt there was a disconnect between the focus and the environment, especially when the camera just gets a little too close for comfort. That isn't specific to a musical-to-movie thing, that's just something I noticed for the visuals/angle/distance choices.
Just gets a little annoying to see every detail of the face when I'm trying to embrace the character's environment and situation as a whole. 🙄 Just opinion.
I came here ready to disagree with Patti because she has a history of being overly critical of musicals, but I actually agree. The film succeeded at showing non-musical fans that musicals can be moving, gritty, and exciting just like typical films. The biggest flaw was the "live singing". The songs in this musical are HUGE, and there were only a few real singers in the cast. Anne Hathaway snotting and crying was beautiful to see, but it didn't sound good. The songs were composed to fill a theatre, not for intimate barely sung personal moments. So, I get what Patti meant about musicals being created by people who don't create musicals. It happens over and over.
Totally agree with this legend! Every day now that I watch the movie, I don’t get the same love for it as I do the musical and as someone who has played Javert, it’s honestly so hard to try and sing along with all the changes they made. I love seeing musicals being made into movies but sometimes, they do flop if not done properly, hence why I believe people like Lin Manuel Miranda or Jon M Chu should make every musical movie from now on.
I think a lot of it was on the production of the film and the way the scenes were film I agree with her on the point that it was awkward when dialogues turned into songs that has to be smooth and the shots needed to be wider however she did not give a critique on the actors performances and everybody is making it about the actors when she said nothing them
I love the musical on stage. Saw it twice once in London and once in SF. The movie was okay. It looked beautiful but it just does not grab you as an audience like the stage does. Some of the individual songs in the movie were good like Empty Chairs but over all it really was slow. The stage ending of the 1st act is brilliant. The movie never captured that emotional first act ending.
To be fair, nothing can replace what you can get in the theatre. The atmosphere, the smell. Ok, I am a total theatre nerd, who is missing their fix as I have been stuck in bed since covid. Films are ok but I do agree with Patti, and NPH when he joked at the Tony’s about not needing close ups to prove they sing live because they do it 8 shows a week! Nothing beats theatre, it is just a shame about the cost but one good thing to come out of covid that I have loved, there is more ‘live’ content to view of theatre productions online now for people who physically can’t get to see them because of disabilities, distance or cost. That is amazing.
Also I have only just discovers crazy ex girlfriend and now I am obsessed!
Patti Fucking Lupone giving a shout out to Rachel is giving me life! I'm a theatre nerd myself.
Neil Patrick Harris's slight to Tom Hooper on the Tonys and now this. I get it in a way. I watched the making of though and the work they did on those sets and the shooting of them was incredible. It wasn't all CGI and close ups. The scenery was authentic. I think Helena and Sacha were grossly miscast. Russell too perhaps. It did get other oscar nominations along with Anne's nom and win.
A lot of people can say she’s mean but the fact of the matter is she’s a master of her craft and can critique other musicals simple if she strives for the best she’s going to expect the same from the people who take on the same project
I’m impressed by the mature comment section. I was expecting to see people bash Patti just because of a difference in opinion, and I’m glad that that’s not the case.
Only the Madonna fans get triggered by her
I appreciate that she gave her honest opinion.
Just watching this to hear Yellow Diamond's voice.
I know right? I cannot unhear Yellow Diamond.
I LOVE this woman!
love the shout-out to Rachel Bloom
She is friendly with Rachel.
@@films5555 She was on the show so it was a shameless plug for that piece of crap.
@@richardmayora1289 she guested on one episode there's no way Patti LuPone needs to plug a show she guested on one episode if she really didn't respect and love the vision of Rachel Bloom. Also, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend IS a masterpiece. So, you're wrong, on all counts.
Think Rob Marshall did an excellent job with Chicago a best picture winner, he found a way to make it believable with the club numbers in reality and everything else in Roxie’s mind, also Bob Fosse in Cabaret
Les Mis as a film was bad, and I agree with her notes. I also like Rachel Bloom, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend -- but she is definitely NOT the only person who knows how to translate a stage musical to the screen. Chicago, Little Shop, Evita, Dreamgirls, and many many more which started out as incredible stage productions, yet had amazing screen adaptations.
So refreshing to see her say that. So many movie musicals just don't translate well because it so hard to depict the symbolism that a good musical can project on stage.
I would kill to see Rachel Bloom adapt and direct all the Sondheim musicals on film
Sondheim is the best and not performed nearly as often as his works should be. Still hard to believe he passed away. He was such an amazing person and left a fantastic body of work, some which hasn’t been performed as often as it should have been.
Honestly I've never seen a professional stage production of Les mis because well can't afford it, but I have seen clips of West end and Broadway versions. However I've seen the full movie and I have to agree. Like the cameras were too close to the faces of the actors, like fantine's I dreamed a dream, you could see Anne Hathaway's facial marks and like yeah it would've been better if we seen the full set in the moments and music.
The autogenerated CC has translated Les Mis as Lame Is :D (No comment on the movie, I just thought that was funny)
LOVE HER!!!!
huh. I guess I just take for granted how good cxg is. I never noticed how modern movie musicals struggle with translating musicals to film
Hollywood doesn’t have musical talent anymore. When musicals were a big part of the industry, they developed stars who were real singers. If Les Miz was made in the 50’s you might have had a Mario Lanza as Valjean and Howard Keel as Javert. Great voices that could own songs like “Stars” and “Bring Him Home”. Crowe, a fine actor has no voice and Jackman’s can’t sing these dramatic arias.The studios used to sign young talent from Broadway and Opera and make stars of them. Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra MacDonald, Kristen Chenoweth, Kelli O’Hara are all great singers but can’t “open a picture” so instead we get auto tuned non singers who are out of there depth. Anne Hathaway was the exception, the rest of the cast couldn’t sing their roles.
Steven Universe! C:
Couldn't agree more Patti
The least expected answer ever but so accurate??? Patti knows what she’s talking about.
Love the Rachel bloom shout out!!!
Hey Andy, I agree with the legendary Ms. Lupone on almost everything, although I wasn't a big fan of her diss of Madonna in the role of Evita in the movie. Madge's Evita was everything it should have been and more. That said, I very much agree with her praise of Rachel Bloom and My Crazy Ex Girlfriend. But if remember next time have a chance to catch up her - SOON PLEASE! - would you ask her if she gives her stamp of approval to Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist?
Tell it like it is! Love her!!
That is so well said, about why make a musical movie if you’ve never been in the process of actually making a musical. It makes no sense ,as they don’t understand it and never really works well.
Here is exactly why Andy Cohen is a shady so and so.. Literally asked and answered, and in awesome fashion. But when it wasnt shady enough he felt the need to tell her and his audience she didn't like it. I didn't see Lez Miz but understood her completely. Not everyone can shoot a musical, a dance sequence, etc. I'm sure Rachel Bloom isn't the only one but it was an excellent point.
I really respect Patti for having these frank takes.
One of the best filmed musicals is "Barnum!" With Michael Crawford. Why? Because the filmed the live onstage production. Great camera work and editing, it was almost like beinb in the audience.
Thank you so much Patti LuPone, thanks to you I've watched this masterpiece Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is!!! so good!!!
There is no dialogue in Les Miserables.
She starred in Les Miserables, I think she already knows that.
@@sunny70299 I'm sure that you're right.
Now now Patti, you’re an expert on stage. There’s a big difference with movie making; hence CATs was a movie flop, because the musical is much better served live on a stage.
The Les Mis movie is weird in that the barricade boys part works really well and the rest not so much. Maybe it’s because there are less of the extreme zoom shots or the chemistry of the actors they cast for those roles but it’s like watching two different movies.
The show POSE brought me here.
Look at Christopher Meloni looking Daddy AF!
And I thought I was the only person who thought it was boring...I can't even remember one scene from the movie!
"Les Miserables", the film, is unwatchable.
I feel you, first time I watched it I was young and not really into musicals at the time, now looking back the singers were hard to understand, too many close ups on sad moments, I wouldn’t zoom in when someone cries, especially when its an ugly cry. Im not bashing on the singers but I feel like some of the singers belting sound a bit nasally. I just rewatched it yesterday and had to mute it because I was cringing and didn’t want to hear the singing
Who came here for yellow diamonds voice
Meee
Though I agree with her assessments of Crazy Ex-girlfriend and NBC presents your small town community theatres production of(insert musical here), I far enjoyed the cinematics of the movie les mis over the epic stage versions. But I think Patty also knows Anne out performed her version of I Dreamed a Dream, so she's on the defense.
I was with you till you got to the last part of your comment and realized you were drunk and, or high
Patti is not jealous of anything and you cant compare Hathaway's film performance and minimal singing with lupone's stage singing.
Again: She is sooooo right…!
Les Miz, the movie was horrible. I'm not such a fan of the show either. Years ago, I spent an entire summer reading Les Miserables, the book by Victor Hugo. The entire breadth of human experience is summed up in this one book. There are places where I was just in tears. Skip the play and the movie read the book.
Do you know what translation you read?
Who else is tired of seeing Patti Lupone Dis anything that she was not invited to participate in? Her Madonna/Evita comments were also pretty cruel. Although have to say she is pretty Fab in “Hollywood”. It’s May 2020! Happy quarantine
Patti praised Rachel Bloom cuz MCEG was the only musical on film that she ever got to do.
Mark Venditti It's freaking good regardless. Also, it's just Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Not "My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend".
One more thing I hate about most musicals on film is the fact that they take out some of the songs of the B’way musical and put some others instead. I don’t know about Les Misérables but some old musicals such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes have been so modified for the screen you can barely recognise them.
I'm gonna play devil's advocate and say I thought Les Mis the movie version was great, because of the close ups and so forth. I think perhaps the reason it did so well and got alot of people who wouldn't usually watch musicals to see it, is because it doesn't look like a stage show shot with a camera. It uses the medium it's in to tell as opposed to trying to use the 'stage rules' on film.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I'm a HUGE Les Mis fan. Probably one of the biggest one in existence and I've only seen the film version once. I literally saw it with no emotion as I made it a point to keep myself emotionally distanced. I figured if it manages to draw me in, then I shouldn't fight it but it kept me distanced. I didn't even think about it afterwards. Years later, I realized the reason I didn't care for it was because it was the most pretentious, clueless thing I had ever seen. They were aiming to take this emotionally stirring MUSICAL and make it LESS musical as much as humanly possible. They took the show's beautifully haunting original orchestration and rewrote it a second time (first time was for the Broadway revival in 2006 which was a trainwreck as well) in order for it to better fit the speak-singing tactic they used on the film. The film as a musical was a disaster and they were so proud of themselves for taking the musical out of this gorgeous musical. Unforgivable.
Rent worked as a film, because they used some of the original theatre cast and people involved with the original production. Larson family were also kept involved so people couldn’t go crazy and venture too far from the source material either. Again the best actors in it though were the stagey ones. The ones you didn’t feel were constantly looking for or at the camera but at each other. They still bring you into their story , the same way they do on stage.
Patti! Don't slam NBC Sound of Music Live! Your friend Laura Benanti was terrific in it! And so was Christian Borle. These two supporting characters were perfect.
I didn't hear her slam it.
JamesJ Fisk She said something like "and those NBC things"& put her hands over her face. I never saw Sound of Music, don’t know if it was on NBC.
One thing is certain. SHE IS NOT WRONG!
Yellow Diamond 💛👉⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
My Diamond 💎💛
I respect her incredible talent and her amazing experience on stage. But I don’t think you can just do a musical the same way on film. It’s not the same medium. I personally loved that in the movie you get the close ups you cannot get on stage. One does not take away from the other, they are just two different art forms, and transposing a work from one realm to the other demands adaptations, just like when you transpose a novel to movie.
That's mostly true when it comes to directing and shooting a musical on film. The musical elements should remain intact. It's a friggen musical for crying out loud! You adapt the style of performance and the mode of directing to better fit the big screen. You do NOT go ahead and make it as least musical as possible to the point of speak singing and changing the original orchestration (something that doesn't ever happen to most musicals when they transfer to the screen) to better fit the speak singing gimmick that is supposed to make it more effective. HELLO? The reason musicals are uniquely affecting on an emotional level is because you get so much more from emotion expressed through song than the spoken word but no, they spit on the song element and tried ever so hard to make it as stoic and speak singy because apparently that's more believable and more respectable and supposedly highly artistic. It's pretentious and clueless.
That’s not what she was saying. She was just saying that the way it was shot felt very disjointed and distracting. And that people who have no experience with musicals shouldn’t just assume they can shoot a musical the same way they’d shoot a drama. I would be curious to know how she felt about Spielberg’s West Side Story.
Shout out to the genius of Rachel Bloom from the genius that is Patti LuPone.
so says a broadway actress. there is a big difference in stage and film.
Rachel Bloom has not directed a single episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriends so idk why she's shouting her out for that lol (agreed it's well done, but that's thanks to the directors, including movie musical mainstays like Kenny Ortega!)
Les Miserables, the movie: Best. Hip. Crack. Ever. I laughed my @ss off.
PS Patti, you can say it: Tom Hooper killed Les Miserables.
she just sounded like she is scared of being forgotten.
What about Rob Marshall? Amazing director. Hairspray, Chicago....
The OG Fantine, right here folks
I totally get her...
I fundamentally disagree with Patti LuPone here. Movies are different from stage productions. They are supposed to look different. Films do not require the audience to use it's imagination the way that theater does. What Patti is describing is a a filmed play and that doesn't make sense for a film. The singing by many was not great, but I appreciated that it was film appropriate. It would have been so awkward if Anne Hathaway sang I Dreamed A Dream like she was on Broadway.
rksu747 Well, she's not saying otherwise. She knows they're different, but she's saying that Rachel is the only one who knows how to make "musicals" work on camera because she understands that inherent difference between them and how to translate "musicals" to the screen. The problem is, in general, is that the directors hired to do screen adaptations of anything that's a musicals, have next to none, if not none at all, experience in the world of musical theatre. Rachel not only has that background, but that entire show is Rachel's baby and holds the reins for it, she's allowed to run full force with it and it works. She GETS the difference and how translate them to different medium. It's why (to me) that the only cast members in B and the B that makes sense in their characters are Josh, Luke, and Audra. They all have an MT background, they understand the art form. When you have people who don't understand the art form of musical theatre at the helm, no matter what you try, it isn't going to work. I want a movie musical to be directed a stage musical director, to show that they can work, but it needs people who understand the art form.
And Patti even says it here "I don't understand how people can assume they can do musicals without ever having been in the process is making a musical" to begin with. It takes people who understand the art form.
Jennifer Hiemstra _
You should watch Lindsay Ellis's Phantom video essay. It goes through movie musicals after the fall of its golden era and then 9/11 and goes over why Les Miserables didn't work. Patti was right: The people who made the movie didn't fully understand the material, so they turned a world where people burst into song and dance, with numbers such as Red/Black and Do You Hear The People Sing, nitty gritty and full of washed up colors. It's not that it wasn't epic, like on stage, it's that it was underwhelming and confusing.
Listen to the clip again
I love Patti, but I _mostly_ disagree with her, and here's why: A movie musical will always be different than a stage musical, because you have more options available to you in a movie than you do on stage. Now, that being said, I have seen plenty of very poorly done movie musicals that were simply bad adaptations of good musicals. In my opinion, "Les Miserables" (2012) was not one of those poorly done movie musicals. I had seen the stage musical five times before seeing the movie, and the movie actually _improved_ on the stage version in some areas. The visuals, the settings, and yes, even the closeups gave the viewer context that you don't get in the stage version, no matter where you are sitting. I did say, "mostly disagree," though. Where I absolutely agree with Patti is regarding the one huge mistake this movie made and the _two_ huge mistakes every stage production I've seen has made since the movie came out.
*The huge mistake the movie made:* Casting Russell Crowe as Javert. Russell Crowe could not sing his way out of a paper bag holding a pair of scissors with a box of matches in his pocket. Listening to him butcher "Stars" literally made me cringe. If I had not seen the preview of Samantha Barks singing "On My Own" before the film's release, I would have walked out at that moment.
*The two huge mistakes most post-movie stage productions I've seen since have made:* First, reincarnating Russell Crowe's lack of singing ability when they cast the role of Javert. These directors need to stop using the movie as source material. There are countless recordings and videos from all over the world available with a Javert that can sing his a$$ off, because he's supposed to. Stop being so damn lazy. Second, bring back the original barricade from the stage musical. The original barricade was made of two sections, each independent of each other. Each section could be rotated 180 degrees to provide a view from _both sides_ of the barricade. To only have one view of the barricade makes for some very awkward staging, especially when Gavroche is shot. That scene in the latest production I saw was borderline comedic, because the situation made no sense.
Despite all this, I did enjoy the movie overall and the adaptation (except for the casting of Crowe) was true to the spirit of the musical.
This is a weird commentary, especially considering that Patti knows the show, but she talks about being able to transition from dialogue into a musical number. "Les Miz" doesn't really have much dialogue. There's no transitioning needed. Her not liking the closeups is a fair comment, but what does that have to do with transitioning?
I also completely disagree that Rachel Bloom is the "only" person who can do movie musicals. Rob Marshall and his Oscar would like to have a word with you. (I guess he didn't produce the film so he didn't get an Oscar, which seems unfair, but it won Best Picture, so you get what I mean.)
Les Mis the movie was good. I wish they had gotten to shelf singers instead of star power, but other than that I thought it was very good. As for the close ups, It's a movie. Of course you're going to have close ups on the actors.
There've been plenty of talented people who turned out on-camera musicals and did the job well, Tom "Oscar-bait" Hooper just isn't one of them. Anne Hathaway was fabulous in the Les Mis movie and it had other good things, to be fair.
Frank Oz did great in Little Shop Of Horrors. And surely she must think the Rodgers and Hammerstein movie musicals were good right?
Patti will give her opinion without fear. Shes not a Bullshitter
Brava!!!!
Patty I don’t want to see it from a distance as if someone is just filming the stage version. If you are going to do a movie version, then you have to treat the cinematography as such.
How many movies have you seen with the camera staring up one character's nose for an entire scene?
@@MuzzyBarker And it seems you have also missed them.
Did she have open heart surgery? It's courageous for her to be showing her scar at her age.
The Les Mis movie is spoilt by the relatively weak singers and the misdirection of Hugh (who can sing) but who sings in a key too high for him and therefore screeches throughout. I heard the director say this was his (the f
Directors) choice, as it made the desperation more real! FFS
Andy looks so confused.
Everytime I see an interview with she is criticising something.She is a great performer I saw her in Gypsy in 2008 and she was awesome.However she comes across as somewhat opinionated.But that's only my opinion!!
You took words out of my mouth... Every time I see her she is always criticizing and bitchy. It seems she is a very bitter person.
@@rerrpr she just speaks her mind, but also remember Andy is the one asking those questions. Patti Lupone is just giving her opinions. That's it.
@@JPLEYONKO4 well/there u have my opinion on her.
@@rerrpr it’s called honest critique and not being a people pleasing fake
The irony in your comment 💀
She thinks everything was better when she did it. Also, Joanna Gleason EARNED her Tony the year she got it over Patti for Into The Woods.
now, wait patti…on your ernie manouse interview you said you did go back and see les miz on broadway.
She probably means the movie adaptation. Besides, it would be very hard for her not to have seen Les Miz on Broadway given that she originated the role of Fantine in the original London casting.
Hillary Woo was it not Ruthie Henshall in the original cast as Fantine?
Les miserable is an opera more than a musical there’s no dialogue.
She’s not wrong Les Miz the movie isn’t the greatest. Everyone seemed to be miscast even Hathaway. What they did to Eponine in that film was criminal.
I love when she opens her mouth 😩😩😩😩😩😩