I Dreamed a Dream

Josh took me to see the new Les Miserables movie that came out on Christmas Day. I was pretty pumped because I am a tiny bit obsessed with this musical. I have seen it live and have the 25th Anniversary live concert version on DVD. I listen to the music constantly on my iPod. Suffice it to say I am a fan.

I was a little concerned about it because sometimes when things I love become movies, they don't come out the way I picture it in my head. I was pretty pleased. Anne Hathaway far exceeded my expectations. That is probably horrible to say, but I wasn't expecting her voice to have near the quality and depth that it had. Hugh Jackman was good but seemed a hint nasal at moments. Amanda Seyfried makes me smile in any movie she is.  Russell Crowe was one of the best Javert's I've seen. He was really selling it.

I posted on Facebook that I cried about eight times in the movie. Shew, as Josh says "it me right in the feels".  So one of the times I cried was when Anne Hathaway belted out I Dreamed a Dream. This is one of may fav songs of all time. I've seen it sung on stage in front of standing mic and where the sets required standing/sitting still. Because Hathaway didn't have those constraints she was able to bring a lot of emotion. Her facial expressions just broke my heart. I read that they did it in one take. If you do it right the first time don't mess with success!  Because the movie Just came out I can't find an amazing clip, but this shows some of it.

Lea Solonga will always be the person I associate with singing this song and through the prodigious amount of tears I was comparing and contrasting. Solonga definitely has a stage voice and a stage presence.  A certain amount of Hathaway's success comes from the makeup and shorn hair showcasing her completely downtrodden life. They are both amazing, but different.  I'm not sure I can accurately describe it.  They both had emotion, so much emotion, but it was of different types.  Hathaway's was wilder, completely overwhelmed by her life and so scared and unsure where to turn.  Solonga's version is more internal.  It's like her spirit has been broken and the hurt is just welling up and up and up.  In some ways it is almost more raw than Hathaway's.

Listen to both. Get the tissues ready. Then go watch the new movie so you can see all of the wonderfulness for yourself!