DVD : Les Miserables - The 10th Anniversary Dream Cast in Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall
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Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: Warner Brothers
EAN: 0883929005949
Format: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Label: BBC Warner
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
Number Of Items: 2
Publisher: BBC Warner
Region Code: 1
Release Date: February 19, 2008
Running Time: 148 minutes
Sales Rank: 1456
Studio: BBC Warner
Theatrical Release Date: 1995
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Editorial Review:
Description:
A performance of Les Miserables by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, for a 10th Anniversary Concert celebration.
Amazon.com:
The 10th anniversary concert video of the international musical sensation Les Misérables might be the best thing to appease fans until a full-fledged movie comes along. Or it might be even better, as feature films are often subject to extramusical casting considerations and this 1995 dream cast is superb. Reprising their roles from the original London company are Colm Wilkinson (Valjean), Michael Ball (Marius), and Alun Armstrong (Thenardier). From Broadway come Judy Kuhn (Cosette), Lea Salonga (Eponine), and Michael Maguire (Enjolras); from a later London production comes Ruthie Henshall (Fantine); and from Australia comes Philip Quast (Javert).
Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's score vividly captures the passion of Victor Hugo's epic tale of post-Revolutionary France, combining tear-jerking ballads ("I Dreamed a Dream," "Bring Him Home") and rousing anthems ("Do You Hear the People Sing"). The format of this concert is closer to that of a dramatic cantata rather than a fully staged production; the singers stand at their microphone stands with an orchestra and chorus behind them, but they do wear costumes and participate in some movement. At certain points such as the climax of the barricade scene, the video switches to action from a stage production. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra sounds great, and it can be thrilling when 200 choristers (dressed in logo T-shirts) rise to their feet for a full-company number such as "One Day More." Also, subtitles provide date and scene information and help move the story along.
The 147-minute video contains footage not seen when Les Mis was a PBS pledge-drive staple, most notably the encore in which a progression of 17 actors who have played Valjean around the world share "Do You Hear the People Sing?" Each sings a line in his native language, a testament to the enduring power of this show to audiences everywhere. --David Horiuchi
DVD features
The 2008 two-disc edition presents the concert on a single-sided disc (the original DVD split the concert over two sides) with optional English subtitles. It's also in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1 aspect ratio) comparied to the original's 1.33 full-screen. The second disc has Stage by Stage: Les Miserables, the hourlong documentary from 1988. Unfortunately the sound is only Dolby Digital 2.0, and there's an odd omission (compared to the earlier Sony DVD): the first 10 seconds of Gavroche's "Little People" are missing ("Good evening, dear inspector, lovely evening, my dear..."). --David Horiuchi
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
I've always loved Les Miserables as the music has been so invigorating and the storyline so challenging! If you loved the original musical when it came out in 1985 then you've got buy this as it has many of the original actors singing those roles again such as Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Alun Armstrong as Thenadier and my favorite, the gorgeous Michael Ball once again as Marius!
Not meaning to leave out any of the women being Ruthie Henshall, Jenny Galloway, Judy Kuhn, Hannah Chick and the beautiful Lea Salonga all sung their roles with great power and beauty.
The prised part would have to be when Cameron Macintosh and Co got together 17 men who sang Jean Valjean around the world and it's great fun listening to 'Do you hear the people sing' being sung in their native voices.
Rating: -
It's a wonderful performance with a superb cast. All of the "extras" like the interviews and the international finale make it even more interesting and entertaining. I highly recommend it.
Sal
Rating:  -
I didn't want to reiterate what are basically accurate reviews already here, but I just got off the phone with Warner Home video.
I'm on my second DVD after having contacted Warner (referred to them by BBC America) about the missing bits on the DVD as mentioned by others. Let's be clear: the omission is obvious. We're not talking a decision to take a distinct section out, it's a segment from the middle of a song that's missing. I had contacted them earlier this year and, after months of back and forth, received a replacement that I was assured fixed the problem.
It did not.
After finally being able to watch the DVD, I saw that the exact same errors were present (Gavroche and "Little People," etc.). In addition. I found another problem I didn't see in my quick glance through the reviews here.
The original release of the concert was on a double-sided, double layer DVD, with Act 1 on one side, Act 2 on the second. This DVD is on a single-sided DVD. How did they do this? By atrociously high video compression. There are a lot of blacks in the concert as a result of it being performed on a stage with a darkened background. The posterization effect that results from the high compression (where the shading changes are abrupt rather than gradual) are quite glaring and distracting.
Anyway, I've contacted Warner again; their initial response was "that's how it is," which is just silly.
It's a shame; I love Les Miserables, and this ... Read More
Rating: -
This is an inpiring and wonderful dream cast edition of the musical play. The finale is phenomional with stars from many different nations singing in their native language! Don't miss it!
Rating:  -
There is a few glitches in the DVD but I am not going to pay to send it back when it should have come to me in perfect, new condition. I was not very happy about it.
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starring: Colm Wilkinson, Michael Ball, Lea Salonga, Judy Kuhn, Michael Maguire
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Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: Warner Brothers
EAN: 0883929005949
Format: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Label: BBC Warner
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
Number Of Items: 2
Publisher: BBC Warner
Region Code: 1
Release Date: February 19, 2008
Running Time: 148 minutes
Sales Rank: 1456
Studio: BBC Warner
Theatrical Release Date: 1995
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