Those who still want to catch Les Miserables on the big screen might still be able to find it playing at a theater near you. However, if you're ready to watch the film within the comfort of your living room, the release date for the DVD/Blu-ray/On Demand has been set for March 22. And as you might expect, the DVD and Blu-ray come packed with bonus features, including a feature commentary with the film's director Tom Hooper.
After a successful box office run, with the film grossing over $143 million domestically so far, added to the awards buzz (and wins), Les Miserables certainly proved to be a successful endeavor. The feature adaptation of the popular stage musical based on Victor Hugo's classic book was an emotional roller coaster ride full of excellent musical performances and some powerful visual moments. Fans of the film are likely eager to learn the details of the home video release, which EW has generously provided, including a glimpse at the box art for the DVD/Blu-ray.
At the risk of being overly critical, I'm going to come out and say that I don't love the box art. Not only does it seem overly cluttered, but they left out Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks among the faces at the top, though they managed to make room for awards mentions. Also absent, Sacha Baron Coehn and Helena Bonham Carter. Not a fan of the exclusions here, though space was likely an issue. With that in mind, I would have preferred something simpler over something halfway in terms of featured talent. The iconic image of young Cosette's face on the cover would have done the trick. Perhaps they're aiming for maximum recognition with the faces and names of Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried and Russell Crowe at the top, but leaving off key members of the ensemble doesn't seem right.
Let's not judge the set by its cover though. EW lists off the bonus features, which - for the Blu-ray - include a featurette that focuses on the cast singing live, and another that focuses on the building of the barricade. That's one of my favorite scenes in the film, so it'll be interesting to get to learn more about how that came together. The other two Blu-ray-exclusive bonus features are a featurette that focuses on West End producer Cameron Mackintosh, and one that looks at filming on location for the movie.
Included on both the DVD and Blu-ray is the director's commentary, a featurette about the casting, one that looks at the production design and recreating Paris, and finally, a mini-documentary that looks at the historical backdrop and themes of Hugo's story.
It sounds like this set will be a must-own for fans of the film and the original musical, with plenty of added content to give us more insight into the making of the movie. There's also the promised digital copy, which I think is preferable to the ultraviolet copy, personally. I certainly appreciate the option for both. Amazon already has it available for pre-order.
