Les Miserables 2012 References to the Book

Upon viewing the Les Miserables film after reading the book(which took a whole month!), I noticed a whole lot of details and plot points that were influenced by the book. Which I thought was really cool. Here's a list of the ones I noticed. Why? Because I'm a geek and I totally get exited about this kind of thing. XD
Huzzah!

• In the scenes that take place at the Bishop's house, they kept in his sister and housekeeper, Madamoiselle Baptistine and Madame Magloire. Huzzah for keeping in totally minor characters!
• Jean Valjean's factory makes black glass. More specifically, black glass beads that are strung onto Rosaries.
• After Javert thinks he made a mistake in suspecting Valjean of being a convict, he requests to be fired from his position. I'm glad they kept in this detail from the book, because it shows how devoted to the law Javert was, and how he wouldn't ever make exceptions- even for himself.
• Okay, this is a super minor one, but it's Christmas Eve when Valjean arrives at the Thenardier's Inn to rescue Cosette. I don't know if that's how it's staged in the musical or not. Oh, and he gets Cosette her doll, too! Oh for cute.
• Jean Valjean and Cosette actually get pursued through Paris by Javert, and escape by hiding in a Convent. They actually show him using a rope from a streetlamp to haul Cosette over the wall. And then Fauchelevent is working in the garden, and they ask him to let them stay there. The only way this could have been more awesome is if they had a song where the Cemetery incident happened. :D
• Gavroche lives in the old Elephant statue! I know there is no way you can do that on stage, but I liked how they kept that in here.
• After A Heart Full of Love, Valjean comes outside and looks around the fence, with Marius hiding just out of sight. After Valjean goes inside, Marius picks up a handkerchief, and is later seen cuddling it during Drink With Me. I am of the mindset that Valjean left the handkerchief there, to see if anyone was serenading Cosette by the gate. Because if they were adding in that bit from the book on purpose, I'm one happy fangirl! :)
• Probably the most important and obvious change was that Eponine stole Cosette's letter and kept it until she was shot, then gave it to Marius. I really loved this change back to the book, because it gives Eponine more depth and inner-conflict than in the musical. This of course, leads to a myriad of other changes, like Marius joining the revolution because he wants to die (since he thinks he won't be able to see Cosette again), and Gavroche delivering the letter Marius wrote at the barricade.
• The Army Captain yells "Who's there?!?"
  and Enjolras replies... "FRENCH REVOLUTION!"
  When I was done laughing, I remembered that that was in the book. XD
• Marius threatens to blow up the barricade with a powder-keg of gunpowder, in order to make the Army retreat. This gets mixed reactions from the various students. XD
  "What were you thinking Marius, you could have gotten us all killed!!"
  "Marius, you saved us all!"
• Eponine dies taking a bullet for Marius.
• Enjolras and Grantaire are killed by a firing squad while cornered on the top floor of the Wine Shop.
• While going through the sewers with Marius, there's a brief moment when Valjean almost sinks into a cesspool. I remember that part really freaked me out when I read the book!
• Marius' Grandpa is in this! And they sort of worked him into Every Day. XD

All the book goodies almost make up for the way they made Master of the House even more crude and disgusting.
If they had kept in Grantaire's verse in Drink With Me, that would have made the whole "I'll die with you, Enjorlas!" thing a tad more significant, and that would have made up for Master of the House. XD Oh picky, picky, picky.

-Xochitl (Who is too tired to put up any Walk for Life pictures at the moment, so enjoy this random post which was written in advance.)

Lost (Season One) Original Television Soundtrack [2004]

It's not secret that I really like Lost. It's not a flawless show, and there are quite a few things I would change about it, but one of the things I would keep exactly the same is the music. Michael Giacchino's score for the show is one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard (in my relatively short time on yon earth), better than some movie scores I've heard. The music really is the soul of the show.
Because the soundtracks are quite long, I thought I'd just pick my favorites to ramble drunkely about.
Just kidding. Don't drink, kids. ;)

Track 4: Credit Where Credit is Due
This is the music that plays over the opening credits in the pilot episode, while Jack is walking through the wreckage. It's a very mellow, sort of wistful melody that pops in lots of different tracks, kind of serving as the main theme.That's something I love about Mr. Giacchino- his use of leitmotif. It feels like the music develops with the characters. I know a few people who say that repeating a theme is just lazy musicianship, but I think it's beautiful.

Track 9: Crocodile Locke
Rather ominous and dark sounding, this track uses some interesting percussion(sounds kind of like water droplets) and sounds like the persona that John Locke is trying to project- the Mr. Confident Super Survivor type. Hence the title. XD

Track 10: Win One For the Reaper
This is sort of a lighter, more upbeat sounding version of the Life and Death theme, heard later on the soundtrack. I love this one because there's some very nice guitar work in the background. Mr. Giacchino mostly uses piano, strings, harp, and percussion in his music for Lost, so it feels kind of special when there's a track with guitar or ukulele.

Track 12: Charlie Hangs Around
This track has some classic 'Lost' sounding action music. That is, pounding drums, shrieking violins(I mean that in the best possible way), and booming brass. Later in the track is another version of Life and Death, with a harp playing part of the melody.

Track 16: We're Friends
Otherwise known as 'The Claire Theme'. This song is very gentle and bright sounding, and the melody is carried mostly in the strings.

Track 18: Thinking Clairely
I think this plays after Claire escapes from the others, but has lost a lot of her memory. Then Charlie and her take a walk and my sister goes "Awww, they're together!!". It's got the same kind of feel as We're Friends, but with a slightly more up-tempo melody.

Track 19: Locke'd Out Again.
Remember Crocodile Locke? Well this song sort of represents what a sad, hurt man there is underneath Mr. Confident Tough Guy. Even though he becomes more ruthless and even kind of evil as the series goes on, Locke just strikes me as a very sad character. he desperately need something to trust in, something to hold onto and grasp, and at this point he's just lost. In every sense of the word. I think that his later lapse into evil is largely influenced by that. This song really gives us a look into the sad, confused mind of the character. Aside from being intense and powerful, this is a very gorgeous song.

Track 20: Life and Death
This song plays over the first major character death, but also right after Claire gave birth to her baby. Hence the title. Ahem. The Life and Death leitmotif plays over nearly every character death in the series, and appears in every season. It's beautiful and bittersweet, and perhaps best of all- easy to play on the piano! :D

Track 22: Shannonigans
This one is basically a reprise of Locke'd Out Again, but softer and less intense sounding.

Track 23: Kate's Motel
After listening to various tracks and seeing where they play, I have deduced that this is the Kate theme. The title might also have something to do with it. ;) [Hooray for Psycho puns!]
This track is kind of suspenseful, and I thought it sounded kind of like the Latin funeral hymn Dies Irae. Not the version by Mozart, but the plainchant version.

Track 24: I've Got a Plane to Catch!
Whoa, this one is a really abrupt change from the past few tracks. I've Got a Plane to Catch plays in a flashback sequence that shows Hurley rushing through the airport to- you guess it. Catch his plane. There's guitar in this one, and it's just a very playful sounding song.

Track 27: Oceanic 815
Here's the song that finishes out the season, so it's a combination of suspense and emotion. There's a very beautiful reprise of the Life and Death theme (how many times am I going to be saying that in these reviews? XD), and a little bit of Credit Where Credit is Due.

The Verdict: A+
Top Three Favorite Tracks: Locke'd Out Again, Life and Death, and Kate's Motel.







...It's fun to embed videos.
Adios Amigos!
-Xochitl

The Music of Lord of the Rings

I was sort of at a loss as to what to write for the LOTR party, but as you can see, I finally thought of something. :)
Even in the books, music is a large part of Lord of the Rings. The books are filled with beautiful, powerful poems and songs, and one can only wonder what the tunes would be.
The question is partly answered by the music for the movies. Mr. Howard Shore did a wonderful job with the music for the film trilogy(and is continuing to do a great job with the music for The Hobbit), and I'd like to think that Tolkien would approve of it. The soundtrack is perfectly fitting with the melancholy atmosphere of the series.
I'll highlight some of my favorite tracks from each movie, starting with Fellowship of the Ring.



One of my favorite tracks from the first movie is the Shire Theme, 'Concerning Hobbits'. It's very rustic and gentle sounding, beautifully illustrating the simple nature of the Shire-Folk. I love the instruments they use, like a wood flute, and some sort of mandolin-ish sort of thing (It's really visible at about 01:20, I'm not sure what kind of instrument it is). It makes it feel like something Hobbits would actually listen to. :D Basically, this song just makes me very, very, happy.


And now the other end of the mood spectrum. In my family, we affectionately call this the MEN theme, because it plays when our heroes are doing something manly and heroic. This track is many layers of awesome, with powerful brass, high-tension violins, and here's something cool. The ominous male chorus in this song is actually singing in the style of native New Zealand warriors. I thought that was a neat touch. I love how the song goes absolutely nuts at the bit where the Balrog comes in. Totally gives me shivers.
Then of course, there's an abrupt mood change when Gandalf is apparently 'killed', and the song becomes very mournful.


Now for the awesomeness that is this. I know in the book that the Ents sang a cool song as they marched on Sauruman, but I think that this breathtaking music makes up for not having singing trees.


As I recall, this played as Aragorn and Theoden King decide to ride out and take out as many orks as possible, even if they don't win the battle. Then after they ride out, Gandalf is there with the Rohirrum, and there's a cool, heroic reprise of the usually melancholy Rohan theme(Which I also love <3).


I feel like this post is long and ranty enough, so I'll finish out with what's probably my favorite, albeit, really depressing, LOTR song- The Sacrifice of Faramir. Yeah, the title is so dramatic that I had to put it into italics.
But seriously, this song is so terribly sad, heroic, tense- all sorts of moods mashed up together. And then Pippin starts singing. That's the metaphorical cherry on our metaphorical sundae.
This was a really good scene in the movie, too (well, except for Denethor's table manners... eugh...), always makes me sad for poor Faramir. And Denethor, too. Since he does love Faramir deep down, but he just doesn't realize it.

Well, there it is. *some* songs from the mind-numbingly awesome LOTR soundtrack. Because I couldn't think of anything intelligent to say about anything else. And even this post was basically just me going: "[drool] Duh, this song iz puritty..." XD Well, minus the drooling.
Later, amis!

Celebrate LOTR Tag

Over at her blog Classical Ramblings, Miss Jane Bennet is having a Celebrate LOTR blog party!
As a fan of LOTR, I thought it'd be fun to participate, and maybe get to know the series a little better in the process. Let's get started, shall we?

What was your first introduction to Lord of the Rings?

When I was little, my mom read me the books as bedtime stories. And then a short time after that, the movies started coming out, and I got to see those, too.

   

Have you ever read the book?

I've read the Hobbit all the way through(does that count?), and I've read all my favorite parts in the books, too. Sad to say, I've never been able to have a copy of the books handy for long enough to actually read them. They all get caught up in the quagmire of books that my bed consists of. I'd really like to read them all through someday though. :D

   

Which version of the movies do you prefer – the extended version or the theatrical release?

I don't know, the extended ones are a lot of fun to watch with the new scenes and such, and they kind of fill in stuff that they didn't have time for in the theatrical releases. I think that I like to actually watch the theatrical versions better though, since they're shorter, hence, we have time for them more often.

   

Who is your favorite character and why?

My favorite character, hmmm... For a while it was Legolas(For... obvious reasons), then it was Faramir(again... for obvious reasons), but right now I'd have to say that my favorite characters are Gandalf and Sam. Sam, because he's such a loyal friend, and pretty much everything you could want in a best friend. Gandalf, because he's a rockin' awesome wizard who gets some really good moments and lines. I can't forget Sméagol though, he's a sad character, and so important to the storyline. I like how things work out with him.

   

Which of the other books concerning Middle-Earth have you read?

I've flipped through the Silmarillion, and as I mentioned before, I've read the Hobbit. I also have an elvish dictionary, does that count?

   

If there was one thing about the movies you would change, what would it be?

I think I'd make more of an effort to show how Sauron had been breaking Denethor's mind with the Palantir. I also think that I would cut out all the Faramir being tempted by the ring stuff. But that's two and I have to pick one, so I think I'll go with the Faramir thing.

   

What is your favorite scene in either the books or the movies?

My favorite scene in the books, well, I've got a few. I like the scene where Faramir kisses Eowyn while they're recovering in Minas Tirith. That scene just struck me as being very sweet, and it shows how much of a romantic Mr. Tolkien was.
I also like the Barrow Downs from the Fellowship of the Ring. Really chilling, and so cool. I'm a little sad it didn't make it into the movie.

Speaking of the movie, my favorites scene in the whole series was the march of the Ents to Isengard. The music, the shot of all the Ents marching, everything was just awesome!

   

How would you rate your addiction to Lord of the Rings – Aragorn being the lowest and Gollum/Smeagol being the highest?

Erm... I'm going to say... Frodo. When he was at Mount Doom and said 'The Ring is mine!"

   

If you could be any Lord of the Rings character, who would it be?

Um... Gandalf? Or Legolas, and shoot a wicked awesome bow and arrow.

 

Well that was fun! :)

I'll see if I can think of anything to do for the LOTR week, but if not, I'll see you later!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (by Kate DiCamillo) [2006]

Like The Tale of Despereaux, another book by Kate DiCamillo, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a fairy tale written for children. However, the story isn't just for children.
It's a beautiful story about a toy china rabbit who becomes separated from his little girl, and is unable to find his way back to her. But there isn't just that. Edward Tulane, the titular china rabbit, is quite vain, being very proud of his fine looks and vast wardrobe of clothes. He takes his luxurious life for granted, so when he's separated from his owner, Edward's world is shattered.
It's not a long book, but I don't remember any other book that made me so depressed, or brought me to tears. Edward passes through many lives over the years, and some of the situations are absolutely heart-wrenching. As he progresses along his journey, Edward grows a heart and learns to love. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a rather intense book, but the dark facets of the story are presented gently. Gently, without being watered down. The writing style is easy to read, but the imagery is beautiful, and it's quite accessible to all ages. There are also illustrations in the book, you can see a little on the cover up there. They're quite well-drawn, with gorgeous attention to detail. So... you can probably tell that I love this book. XD

The Verdict: A+
Notes: Like I said above, there's some really sad stuff in there. But it's perfectly fine for kids. I totally recommend this book.

Spirited Away Soundtrack(2001) [Composed by Joe Hisaishi]

Okay, I'm kind of a Music Freak. One of the things I judge a movie by is it's music, and it's just one of those things that never fails to inspire- especially when I'm writing(which is all the time).
So today, I'm reviewing the Spirited Away soundtrack. Eventually I'll get to the actual movie, but I'm not as good at reviewing actual plots and such. On with the melodramatic ranting! :D And yes. I am going through this track by track. [headdesk]

Track 01: One Summer's Day
Obviously, this is the song that opens the movie. It starts out as a rather quiet song, but escalates to be larger at the end. It’s very beautiful, and you can hear it reprised several times throughout the movie. This song has that sort of bittersweet air, and kind of gives you the sense that something mysterious is about to happen.

Track 02: A Road to Somewhere
True to the mood that the last track set, this song is a little quiet, and builds to the feeling of mystery.

Track 03: The Empty Restaurant
I love the drums that start off this song. And there’s an interesting percussion effect that I can’t quite figure out what it is, but sounds kind of like a drop of water hitting a pond. There’s also more flute in this track. And of course, it’s very eerie. There’s a more dramatic reprise of One Summer’s Day in the second half, too.

Track 04: Nighttime Coming
This song has a lovely oboe and harp part. It starts rather quietly, but turns exciting really fast. In the film, I think this plays after Dragon Boy, but for some reason they put it before on the OST.

Track 05: Dragon Boy
This track is pure awesome. It’s an exciting song that plays twice in the movie, in scenes involving Haku. It begins with a harp repeating the same pattern, joined by a piano and rising in crescendo until BAM! You get hit over the head by a blast of brass. All through the song, the simple theme from the beginning is repeated in the background. One part of the song features tense violins, kind of Howard Shore style, and in another bit, some slightly off-beat Timpani gives the song a perilous feel. In case you haven’t noticed, I really love this song. Haha. Only two minutes, but a very exiting two minutes.

Track 06: Sootballs
Perky flutes start off this track. This song is kind of fun, it’s quirky and has an air of eccentricity. I have to say, great use of woodwinds in this song. I love the sootball sprites in the movie, they’re so adorable!

Track 07: The Procession of the Spirits
Not like it’s much of a surprise, but another amazing track. This song plays when the spirits get off their boat and come to the bathhouse (Yes, I realize what I just said.). It’s whimsical, awe-inspiring, eerie, and even has use of traditional Japanese instruments. Not to mention some haunting vocals. Like Dragon Boy, this song sends shivers up my spine.

Track 08: Yubaba
Where the last track was eerie in a wondrous way, this song is eerie in a downright creepy way. It uses the very highest keys on a piano, and the very lowest. There’s some absolutely freaky vocal work, and an incredibly creepy music box section. At some point, there’s this instrument, I don’t know what it’s called, but it sounds like a wail. Really interesting song, Haha!

Track 09: Bathhouse Morning
Much quieter and more laid back than the haunting Track 8, this song evokes the mental image of a dawn. There’s a quick reprise of the Sootball theme, played by flutes and bassoon. And we get the first hint of the No-Face theme, which is some kind of percussion and triangle riff.

Track 10: Day of the River
Aside from slightly different orchestration, this song is a direct reprise of One Summer’s Day, and a beautiful one at that. I have to say, when Oboe is played right it is so lovely to listen to. The same goes for French Horn.

Track 11: It's Hard Work!
More Japanese instruments, perky flutes, and awesome percussion. And again, we hear the No-Face riff. While it’s not as action packed as some other tracks, this is still really memorable for me.

Track 12: The Stink Spirit
Wow, Hisaishi-San! You’re my hero! I could just die from awesome percussion overdose. I love the violins sliding around, and that Japanese instrument that comes about a minute is so perfect. The song crescendos to sound so awesome and heroic, I feel like getting up, pumping my fists, and cheering. Haha! There’s a little bit of It’s Hard Work! in this track, too. And if you listen closely, a bit of One Summer’s Day.

Track 13: Sen's Courage
Right off the bat, the No-Face riff attacks us. Once again, the music is tense and eventually get action-packed. And there’s a little flute riff that I think I’ve heard in Ponyo, another Studio Ghibli movie.

Track 14: The Bottomless Pit
This song starts off loudly, it made me jump! Then suddenly, it swaps back to that creepy music box theme from Yubaba, and things get a little quieter. This track is probably one of the most action-packed of the OST.

Track 15: Kaonashi(Faceless)
The No-Face theme, previously only heard through short riffs, takes precedence in this track. It’s so haunting and perfect for the character. This song starts relatively calm, but escalates to something stirring and heart-pounding! Sort of Like No-Face himself, now I think of it… Yeah, a really awesome track. I could have sworn that I heard a bit of It’s Hard Work! in this one, too.

Track 16: The Sixth Stop
This track is mostly piano and strings, and gives such a wistful, haunting feel. It plays when Chihiro is riding the train to Swamp Bottom to apologize for Haku. It’s a mesmerizing song, very beautiful. Quite different from the sudden, pulse-pounding songs that have frequented the soundtrack.

Track 17: Yubaba's Panic
Whoa, we’re excited again! Though very short, this song manages to be pretty awesome. There’s a bit of Yubaba(the song) in this one, including some of that weird high-low key piano action, those eerie vocals, and the creepy music box theme.

Track 18: The House at Swamp Bottom
Now we’re calm again. This song utilizes harp and flute, and it sounds mellow and somehow cozy. Very beautiful music, even if the track is short when compared to the others.

Track 19: Reprise
This song is so beautiful, I almost have no words on it. It sounds so joyful and full of wonder. I love the use of woodwinds in this track, and the sense of soaring that you get when the music crescendos!

Track 20: The Return
This song starts out with such triumph, it makes we want to get up and dance! I think this part of the song was a reprisal of Procession of the Gods. Then, it quiets into a final reprise of One Summer’s Day, though with a climatic ending, whereas the song at the beginning ends leaving you wondering what happens next. It’s a beautiful song that sums up everything that the ending was supposed to make you feel. Happiness, a strange melancholy, and perhaps most importantly, a sense of wonder.(I'm going to hit myself for being so fruity. XD)

Track 21: Itsumo Nando Demo(Always With Me)
And now for one of the sweetest songs ever composed. This song plays over the credits, and sounds kind of like a lullaby. The only instrument used is a harp, and singing the melody is a lady who sounds like she could be the sweet dance instructor from ‘Shall We Dance?’. It’s a beautiful song, and even if I didn’t quite understand all the lyrics meant, it was deeply touching. The perfect way to end a spectacular film.

The Verdict: A+
Top Three Favorite Tracks: Dragon Boy, The Sixth Stop, and The Stink Spirit. (Though seriously, I would just put the whole soundtrack as my favorite. XD)

Later, amigos!
-Xochitl