Les Miserables (1995) (BBC)

Honestly words cant even describe how AMAZING this concert it! I have seen the Broadway musical twice (and am going to see it again in January)...and although this is only a concert of the songs its still incredible (especially if you have surround sound!!). All the "favorites" return to the stage for an incredible performance and WORDS just dont do it justice!! I have been a HUGE Les Mis fan since I was about 8 yrs old (25 years ago!!) and honestly I dont know why it took me so long to purchase this DVD!! It's the best thing we will have until they release the ACTUAL musical (start to finish).Although it was made in 1995 (as you can tell when they pan to the audience...what WERE we thinking in the 90's? Our fashion sense was SERIOUSLY lacking back then! LOL) its a MUST HAVE for any true Les Mis fan! Colm Wilkinson reprises his role as the most LOVED Valjean that we've had. The Master of the House (Thenardier - played by Alun Armstrong) and his wife were comical as always and never ceases to crack me up!! I'm not the biggest fan of Judy Kuhn (Cosette) but I guess you cant always please everyone! Lea Salonga (Eponine) was awesome...she has always been my favorite character and I SWORE I was going to play the part of Eponine on Broadway when I grew up! LOL :) Fantine (Ruthie Henshall) was great but the wig they had on her was hard to ignore (it was NOT very attractive at ALL!). Australia's Philip Quast reprised his role as Javert and blew me away with his voice and talent!!Even though they did not perform the musical (and only sang, dressed in costume, standing at microphones) the cast still stayed in character and conveyed the FEELING in each song wonderfully! It doesn't matter how many times I see the production, I still ALWAYS cry during Fantine's death....Eponine's death...and of course Valjean's death. Colm Wilkinson sang "Bring Him Home" more beautiful than I could ever put into words.One of my favorite moments in this DVD was at the very end when SEVENTEEN of the "Valjeans" from world-wide performances all came up on stage and sang "One Day More." It was really awesome as each Valjean took a turn at the microphone, singing in many different languages! It was a very moving performance and such a treat for fans!The orchestra and chorus of what I would say was over a HUNDRED singers was phenomenal! After watching this DVD I am SUPER excited to see the full-fledged performance again in January!! It's also given me the opportunity to watch it with my oldest daughter (age 18) and husband so that I could explain the story and help them understand what was going on. Now when they go to see the Broadway musical they will be able to follow the storyline and understand it much better...which will help them to ENJOY it more as well!The ONLY negatives that I have are:~During (young) Cosette's song, "Castle On A Cloud" someone dropped a book or something and it was LOUD making Cosette jump a bit b/c it startled her.~They have YET to release a DVD of the ACTUAL musical....and I am still wondering WHY!?~If I wasn't there to explain what was going on to my husband and daughter, it would have been a little hard for them to follow. It would have been nice to get a booklet that EXPLAINED the story a bit (like they have in the CD's)...instead of a booklet with nothing but pics of the musical.If you are a Les Mis fan then you shouldn't wait....just BUY this DVD. You will NOT be disappointed!! :)

When Victor Hugo wrote Les Miserables [The Wretched, The Poor ones, The Victims] little did he realize he was writing a timeless work, translated into every language, made into movies and a theatre production that has played with a consistently sold out audience.Victor Hugo, born on February 26th, 1802, died on May 22nd, 1885, lived for 83 years; for the most part, dedicated to writing poetry, novels and essays. Among many of his works, Les contemplations [contemplations] and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are well known and have also been made into movies. Victor Hugo's childhood was lived through tumultuous events; the overthrow of the Bourbon Dynasty in the French Revolution, the rise and fall of the First Republic and the rise of the First French Empire and dictatorship under Napoleon Bonaparte.Victor Hugo conceived the idea of writing a novel about social injustice but it took him over 17 years to complete Les Miserables; a 1200 page book about the struggle of an ex-convict Jean Valjean as he attempts to redeem the sins of the past. The book is magnificent for it transcends time, making generations of readers identify with the characters and their plea. The play brings to life the social injustice lived by many in France and the songs are written with such depth of understanding of human behavior that as we sit to listen and watch this musical, we can not help it but be captivated by the performance.At first, we thought we were getting the whole play, only to realize that we had all the songs in the sequence of the play and a finale that is breathtaking, for they bring those that interpret Jean Valjean's from all over the world and they unite to sing, each in their native language the famous closing song that calls for a crying rally as it asks "do you hear the people sing lost in the valley of the night? It is the music of the people who are climbing to the light. For the wretched of the earth, there is a fame that never dies even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise. They will live again freedom in the garden of the Lord, they will walk behind the ploughshare; they will put away the sword, the chain will be broken and all men will have their reward. Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade, is there a world you long to see? Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums? Is it the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!"The cast is the original London Company: Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Michael Ball as Marius, Philip Quast as Javert, Judy Kuhn as Cosette and Ruthie Henshall as Fantine.Depending on the mood of the day, these songs can make you cry, like "I dreamed a dream" and "Empty Chairs at empty tables." We recently had a death in the family and these words simply overwhelmed us when we heard: "there is a grief that can't be spoken, there is a pain goes on and on, empty chairs at empty tables, now my friends are dead and gone."Therefore, if you enjoy this timeless classic, this DVD is for you. Our favorite feature is the lyrics can be played as subtitles that allowed us to sing along. Superb, don't miss it!

I am so glad I bought this DVD before buying the 25th anniversary concert - it is fantastic and the cast is infinitely better! I've read other reviews about the quality of the 10th Anniversary DVD but I think the picture and sound are fine. I bought this about two months ago when I saw that the 25th anniversary concert had been released. I purchased this concert because I saw that Colm Wilkinson was Jean Valjean and I had seen him in the live musical in London in 1991 and he will forever be the definitive Jean Valjean to me. Also, the end of the performance with many different actors who portrayed Jean Valjean in different countries around the world joining Colm Wilkinson on stage to sing "Do you hear the people sing" together with lines from all their native languages is stunningly beautiful and moving. The entire ensemble of actors really is a dream cast (with the possible exception of Ruthie Henshall as Fantine - she was very good but I did miss Patti Lupone who I think was an amazing Fantine in London and on Broadway). However, that small nitpick aside, the cast is just stand-out after stand-out. Particularly spectacular performances are given by Phillip Quast as Javert and the absolute delight of Alun Armstrong as Thenardier - his rendition of "Master of the House" is a truly joyful experience that should not be missed by anyone who is a true fan of the musical - the entire stage of actors who are behind Alun as he sings that song are visibly delighted and enjoying his rendition of that song as much as the audience. Conversely, the 25th Anniversary edition concert is a true disappointment - the cast is just not as strong all the way across the board. I am a person who LOVES the live musical - I've seen it twice in London and twice on Broadway and if you're like me and are just a true fan of the musical, the 10th Anniversary dream cast concert is a must. It is a joy to watch and makes me happy and inspired every time I watch it and I really believe others will feel the same way!

Les Miserables is one of my favorite musicals and when this first came out on VHS, I purchased it immediately. Loved it. When it came out on DVD (it was one DVD at the time with two sides), I bought that as well. I loved that, mainly because the sounds was a lot better than the VHS. The only thing I didn't really like was the fact that there were no extras on it. I then found this version and was ecstatic because I found out that it had the "Stage by Stage: The Making of Les Miserables." I had never seen this before but had heard about it. It's great and really makes this DVD worth buying. This 2 disc DVD comes with a booklet as well (mainly containing pictures of the 10th Anniversary Concert & the summary of the show).I also love the fact that the entire show is on one DVD; you don't have to get up and turn the DVD over after act I is finished. Definitely a plus for me. And of course there's the cast. They really chose the best people who had been in the show before to play all the roles. Colm Wilkinson is the *best* Jean Valjean I have ever seen (and heard). Phillip Quast is magnificent as Javert. I remember having heard him on the complete symphonic recording. Lea Solonga and Ruthie Henshall only made this concert even better. Their voices are beautiful. And of course having Michael Ball reprise his role as Marius was perfect. I kind of wish Patti LuPone had been chosen to play Fantine, but Ruthie is excellent.All in all, this is a fantastic DVD of the 10th anniversary concert. I only wish they had done another concert for the 20th anniversary!

Talk about excellence in it's prime, this is it! The best musical prodution I've seen in a long time. Let me tell you from the theme song to the end, this is trulyan incredible story that came alive thanks to the extraordinary talent of Cameron Mackintosh and other extremely wise gentlemen who created a masterpiece. Their choosing of characters/singers/actors (all in one) made the book turned to musicalan experience of a lifetime. I want to personally thank you and the whole cast for a first class presentation. Now, Mr.Wilkinson, Quast. Lea Salonga and Mr/Mrs. Thénardier, Marius, Cossette, well the whole cast should all be highly commended for making each character as real as life! I simply loved this 10th Anniversary ofLes Miserables. and unfortunately when you compare the two of them (the 25thversion), the results are way below your espectations. But what's above all expectations is AMAZON!! What a great company you are, offering the public the bestthat's out there at the most incredible prices! People, once you try Amazon, you'll never go back to wherever you came from.

As an avid and loyal fan to Les Miserables (book and musical), especially the 10th Anniversary musical, I was extremely worried after reading all the negative reviews.However, I received my copy today, and watched it with my family (who are also huge fans), and I can say that the quality was great and the left out scene of Gavroche's "Little People" has been put back in.However, my only problem with it was the audio. I was pleased with most of the songs, however, the audio leaves much to be desired for some certain songs. Most of the solos are perfectly fine. It is mostly during the trios, quartets, etc. that you can hear the difference. Since one of my favorite songs is "One Day More", I was upset when I couldn't hear some parts, including Marius', very well. And since I know it could be better (listened to it over a thousand times on Youtube), I was quite disappointed with the audio.Nevertheless, the overall quality was fabulous, and I cannot wait to watch the 2nd disc "The Making of Les Miserables"!

I have put off ordering this because I read several reviews that said the quality wasn't very good and that parts were left out. I've had the video for years but have been waiting for the perfect DVD to come out. However, after watching the 25th anniversary concert, I knew I could put it off no longer. This is the one to own, and I have been very happy with the quality. It also has everything in it that my video does, except for the very long speeches at the end. It does have the international Valjeans, however. This IS the Dream Cast. For me you just can't beat Michael Ball, Lea Salonga (as Eponine, NOT as Fantine!), Phillip Quast, Alun Armstrong and Colm Wilkinson. There can be no comparison to the 25th anniversary concert, although there are pros and cons to both. It was interesting to see the different portions that were added or left out in the new concert, and I LOVED Hadley Fraser as Grantaire in the 25th - why oh why didn't they use him as Marius (or anybody but Nick Jonas?!)? But after watching the 25th anniversary concert, I HAVE to pull out the 10th just to remember how it's supposed to be done. Get both if you can, but if you can only choose one, go for the Dream Cast.

It is hard to overstate just how great was the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast in Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall. The incredible cast, backed by a truly wonderful symphony orchestra, gave this inspired musical its full scope. I got my first recording of this a few years ago, buying it from the PBS fundraising special. That was a videotape recording. I almost wore it out, playing it over and again. It is one of my two favorite music recordings of all time. So I was happy to be able to update recently to the DVD. The performance remains great, of course, but I have one disappointing caveat to the DVD. On the videotape, after the end of the performance, we were able to see the extended standing ovation from the audience, feeling just as we feel having watched and listened to these amazing singers putting their souls into these inspired songs. Cameron Mackintosh then came onstage and spoke for a time of the travails of originally bringing Les Mis to the stage. He then introduced the incoming parade of Jean Valjeans from many nations, each singing in his own language. The DVD cut directly from the end of the performance to the parade of Jean Valjeans, leaving out the extended applause and all of Cameron Mackintosh. I found that very disappointing. I miss what is missing.

今更語るまでもなく、内容はやっぱり最高です。画質の悪さは当時の録画や編集技術じゃしょうがないかと納得。ネット上にアップられているMP4よりはかなりましですが、VTRレベル。アスペクト比は16:9のワイド画面、リージョン2で普通に見られますのでご安心を。価格も下がり、レミゼファンの方に是非はお勧めします。

Très belles chansons et musiques. Voix magnifiques ( Colm Wilkinson, Michael Ball, Léa Salonga ... ). Ca fait plusieurs fois que je regarde cette comédie musicale et ne me lasse pas de l'interprétation prenante et précise des actrices et acteursDVD conforme à la description : disque en très bon état et boite en bon étatCela fait plusieurs achats que je fais chez Momox et je suis satisfait.

A very good show.

Per chi ama questo musical è un must da avere. Il cast è il migliore di sempre e questo DVD cantato del decimo anniversario esalta le capacità degli interpreti. Colm è inarrivabile. Ovviamente si parla di una sessione del 1995 con tutti i limiti del caso, ma il contenuto artistico è veramente emozionante.

Ich liebe dieses Musical und leider hat man nie eine Perfekte Aufnahme/Gesangsqualität dabei (jedenfalls hab ich noch keine gehört). Aber es gibt dafür sehr gute Besetzungen und diese Crew gehört für mich definitiv dazu! Die Hauptcharaktere sind stimmlich sehr gut besetzt und man merkt einen krassen Unterschied, wenn man das z.B. mit dem Russel Crowe / Hugh Jackman - Film vergleicht (Schauspieler sind nunmal keine Sänger, ist mir auch klar....).Es ist allerdings KEINE MUSICAL - DVD (manche lesen Produktbeschreibungen zu ungenau...). Es ist eine Aufnahme der Musicalstücke bzw. einer Veranstaltung, auf der diese vorgesungen wurden. Schauspiel findet nicht statt. Ich denke gerade deswegen ist die Qualität der einzelnen Gesangsstücke aber auch besser.Imposant mit dem Orchester bzw. dem riesigen Backgroundchor. Die Aufnahmequalität ist normal gut.Um es kurz zu halten:- gute Ton-Aufnahme- gute Besetzung der Gesangs-Crew- kein Schauspiel (nur eingeblendete Bilder einer älteren Aufzeichnung)Wer dieses Musical (als Gesangsstücke/Vertonung) oder einfach Musik liebt, dem kann ich die CD sehr wohl empfehlen!Wer aber ein ganzes Musical sucht, muss weitergucken (da würde ich einen live Besuch empfehlen).