8 Mind-Blowing Tricks Famous Movies Subtly Played On You
7. Its Shot Close And Wide So You Dont Feel Youre Watching A Musical - Les Miserables
You certainly could hear the people singing the songs of angry men back in this one. Les Miserables proved to be a bigger hit than anyone expected, becoming a must see here in the UK and sitting comfortably in the view of the awards givers a few years back. But in all the hubbub, most people kept the focus squarely on the actors and their singing (insert Russell Crowe joke here), neglecting what director Tom Hooper had done creatively.
Ignoring the subpar CGI, Hooper clearly had a strong vision. His biggest decision was to record the music live on set (it remains the convention to dub over the actors with pre-recorded music) which led to another creative tic some critics picked up on. The film was predominantly shot in close ups and wide shots, varying from simple facial action to flat out epic, which helped separate it from the constant medium distance you'd get when watching the musical on stage; Les Mis felt like a cinematic musical.
The problem with this is that this decision could easily have been made out of convenience; with microphones placed in the mid-range its easier to shoot around them. Whether it was creative or convenient (I think the latter), it still helped make the musical appear grand.