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Two Hilarious New Posters for 'Les Mis' Put a Damper on its Marketing

by Alex Billington
November 2, 2012
Source: HuffPo

Master of the House. Up until today, I didn't have many complaints about the marketing for Tom Hooper's Les Miserable musical. They've been building up the hype and anticipation incredibly well for the last few months, to a point where even I am very excited to catch Les Mis on Christmas when it opens. But they've hit a big bump in the road today. Two new posters debuted on Huffington Post (following the individual character posters for the main cast) highlighting four of the supporting characters. And they're laughably bad. They make it look like Tim Burton made this Les Mis movie, not Tom Hooper. What happened? I know these are their real characters in the story, but still, these posters are totally goofy. Take a closer look below!

The first poster has Sacha Baron Cohen as Thénardier, with Helena Bonham Carter. The second one has Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, with her lover Eddie Redmayne as Marius. Do you prefer either one?

Click on either above for fullsize from HuffPo. The film arrives in under two months, so expect to see more.

Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) is directing Les Miserables, an adaptation of the successful stage musical based on Victor Hugo's classic novel set in 19th-century France, in which a paroled prisoner named Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) seeks his redemption. Alain Boublil adapted his own work with Claude-Michel Schonberg, who also wrote the stage musical, Herbert Kretzmer and William Nicholson. The film also stars Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen and Eddie Redmayne and will hit theaters everywhere on December 25th, Christmas Day. Watch the new TV trailer.

Filed under Hype, Posters

From around the web:

http://twitter.com/EdwardMCurtis Edward Curtis

Agree with you about the top poster, but I fail to see what's "goofy" about the other one.
- moutchy
  
  I agree; the first one looks ridiculous, but the second one is ok.
- http://www.firstshowing.net/ Alex Billington
  
  It's mostly the top one... but the second one, just the way they're both looking down at the ground, and the way the faces are Photoshopped on top of each other, it looks a bit goofy.
  - http://twitter.com/evossmeyer49 Eric Vossmeyer
    
    Yeah, second one is very Twilight-y.
    - stillmore
      
      Yeah, that's probably intentional.
    - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7YGEVuJ4mM Carpola
      
      Twiglights is Legends. heheheh
  - gpak
    
    Cosette and Marius are experiencing love for the first time. The song "A Heart Full of Love," does indeed emphasize this point of bashfulness and discomfort with newfound intimacy and emotions (as you'll see this December). The lack of eye contact and the nearly awkward contact is supposed to emphasize the humbling power of love. As for how they're photoshopped upon each other, you can see there's a gate between them (another plot point). I won't deny that it looks overly photoshopped (Eddie Redmayne sans feckles is not an Eddie Redmayne at all), but I don't think it's goofy in the slightest.
Jericho

that's disgustingly bad....
http://www.facebook.com/Cliffsofinsanity Kyle Brubaker

Musical = campy
http://mithunonthe.net/ Mithun Divakaran

The one on top makes it look like a Disney comedy!
Maxx

They are just marketing it to multiple audiences. The Valjean and Javert posters advertise to the fans looking for the epic feel. The Thenardier's poster is for the ones that love traditional musical theatre. Then the lovebirds (Marius and Cosette) poster is for the people who are looking for the romance angle. I have no problem with these posters.
- Luke
  
  Agreed. The first poster showcases the Thenardier's comic role in the musical. The notion that parts will be fun and comic might intrigue people who aren't familiar with the musical. The second poster has Twilight written all over it... and if Twilight fans see this movie and love it, more power to them. If you picture all the posters side by side, they really show off what a dynamic musical Les Mis is.
truong18

I liked it, good to know there is some fun in this movie beside sadness and depressing feeling.
Ben

I have no problem with these. The Thenardiers, although villains, are the comic relief of the musical - and act goofy in a few scenes. So I wouldn't expect them to look any differently in the poster.
SuicidalOptimist

The top poster might as well promote a new Tim Burton movie. It already features Helena Bonham Carter, and Cohen looks like fucking Willy Wonka. Ew.
DT4Storms

"Master of the house"... Supposed to be cheesy, it is frickin Cohen for goodness sake... Thought the posters were exactly the characterizations I would expect for this picture... Maxx covered their intent well above I believe
http://jdurward.blogspot.com jessied44

The Thenardiers even though evil are the comedy relief in the first half that would be totally horrific otherwise and in the second half they are example of the undeserving sometimes coming out on top when even the heroic die. Hugo wrote them as venal, criminal, and greedy but humorous and it looks as if that is the way Hooper has captured them.
http://jdurward.blogspot.com jessied44

Oh and for Marius and Cosette, that gate separating them and the garden of her home play an essential part in the story. If you haven't read the book, I'm sure it will become clear in the film. The poster is their innocence and how their love leads to the ultimate nobility of Val Jean.
Sam

They are not that bad. Again the Thenardier's are the comic relief of the play. Again what the hell did you expect when you cast Sacha Baron Cohen and HBC... they are crazy people, but that is why so many love them too. I am a huge HBC fan and am very excited to see her play this character and excited for the movie in general. Also regardless of the posters, numbers won't lie and this movie is going to have huge oscar buzz!!!
ms

you have not qualified your criticism. The top one is the comdedians in the show. What makes either poster 'goofy'?
Jordan

I thought they were just fine. I loved the goofy one. It will appease to a certain branch of viewers. I adore the second one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7YGEVuJ4mM Carpola

It's hard to see Helena Bonham Carter and not think of a Tim Burton quirky comedy, she's just another part of the brand.
Craig

Tim Burton's Les Miserables
VAharleywitch

I don't mind the lower Cossette/Marius one. But agreed - the HBC & SBC poster is very WTF. If I hadn't known it was Sascha, I'd never have guessed. I think they're doing a horrible job w/ overall marketing. I've seen very few TV spots, nothing yet beyond the teaser-trailer a few times in the theater (Maybe once for the 'full' trailer). I've seen more "Django Unchained" stuff than Les Mis - and given the star power potential in Les Mis, that's a d*** shame.
castingcouch

"Pipe down, choirboy."
ocho

All the commenters who slam the top poster, and Alex, need to do some research about who the Thenardiers and how they fit into the story - or better yet, go see the musical. They're supposed to be ridiculous and campy.
B

ummmm i don't see whats wrong with them? i really like these posters so i agree with Maxx. i hate how everyone assumes a movie becomes something directed by tim burton just because Helena is in it. it's ridiculous.