Search - Les Miserables on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Adult Situations Movie Release: 1998 DVD Release: 11/03/1998 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 13 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 47 Genres: Drama, Period Film, Melodrama

Bille August directed this Rafael Yglesias adaptation of the 1862 classic by Victor Hugo (1802-1885) about the quest of Inspector Javert to capture escaped convict Jean Valjean, originally an honest man who was jailed for stealing a single loaf of bread to feed the family of his starving sister. This new interpretation of Hugo's epic begins with Valjean (Liam Neeson), released after 20 years of cruelties and hard labor, reporting for parole in Dijon. Stopping at a bishop's house, he's treated with respect, but even so, he steals silverware, flees, and is captured. However, the bishop says the silverware was a gift, proving Valjean's innocence by giving him two silver candlesticks. Valjean is free, but the bishop asks him to treat others with equal kindness. By 1822, Valjean has risen to mayor of the village of Vigau, where he also maintains a successful factory. Joining the local police, Inspector Javert (Geoffrey Rush) is suspicious of Valjean's identity and eventually recognizes him as a former convict, but Javert has no proof when he carries his accusations to Paris. Valjean develops a relationship with Fantine (Uma Thurman), who lost her factory job because of local attitudes about her illegitimate daughter. The starving Fantine turns to prostitution, is arrested and tortured by Javert, and becomes ill. As she dies, Valjean promises to raise her daughter Cosette. Focusing on Valjean's life with Cosette (Claire Danes), the story is set amid the action of the July 1832 Revolution, a time when Cosette falls in love with a militant student, Marius (Hans Matheson). On the banks of the Seine, Valjean and Javert have their final confrontation. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Liam Neeson - Jean Valjean
Geoffrey Rush - Javert
Uma Thurman - Fantine
Claire Danes - Cosette
Hans Matheson - Marius

The DVD release of Les Misérables hopefully won't confuse too many fans of the beloved musical. The film is a non-musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's original novel. The disc is worth checking out for fans of the story, nonetheless, as the 2.35:1 widescreen transfer retains director of photography Jorgen Persson's lush but moody cinematography and gives the film an appropriately epic look. The Dolby Digital Sound is effective with both a delicate score and the sounds of the French Revolution. One fun and appropriate feature is a French language track. Paired with English subtitles, this gives the film more of an authentic feel since very few of the actors bother to use French accents in a story set entirely in France. Boasting no extras (a comparison between the novel and the better-known stage musical would have been interesting), chances are that =Les Miserables won't amount to more than a rental disc. ~ Oliver Thornton, All Movie Guide