7. Live Singing
Hooper's real coup, though, was deciding that the actors would not be miming over a pre-recorded track as is the usual practise for these sorts of films. Rather, the actors would actually sing live on the set to backing by session pianists fed to them via ear-pieces, an interesting experiment that adds a whole lot of pressure to the on-set production process, but also one that has produced a far more interesting and exemplary result. It's clear from the very first song how much this changes the musical experience, as Hugh Jackman's Jean Valjean is singing while immersed in a giant tank of water, and we can see him physically reacting to his difficult environment. Also, when he stands atop a hill, clearly struggling to catch his breath, this is conveyed in the performance. Though this might mean the vocals don't entirely reflect that of the musical, it helps give the film a more authentic, gritty feel, giving the songs a more compelling parallel with the character's circumstances and environments. Given how visceral so many of these songs are, it only adds to the emotion, and for a text as focused on emotion as this, that cannot be a bad thing.