| 'Les Miserables' celebrates 150 years of barricades and
belting
By Frank Paiva
Special to MSN Movies
150 years ago a French novelist named Victor Hugo wrote an epic book called
"Les Miserables" about life in early 19th century Paris. Perhaps epic is an
understatement. The paperback version currently available on Amazon.com is a
whopping 1,488 pages. That's longer than "War and Peace." Once you pass 1,000
pages you're really looking at a substitute doorstop that happens to be filled
with brilliant writing. When you're done reading, it's also a great way to hold
up the short leg of the couch.
In 1980, two brave souls named Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg
adapted "Les Miserables" into a musical. The show became a massive worldwide
hit, inspiring countless young women to enter the acting profession so that they
too could belt like crazy before glamorously dying. The production in London's
West End has been running for 27 years and counting, a world record.
Bing: More about 'Les Miserables' | More on Anne Hathaway
Are you a fan of "Les Miserables"? Tell us if you're looking
forward to the new movie on Facebook.
"Les Miserables" is out in theaters Dec. 25.
(Universal Pictures) |
