In SM Cinema's IMAX, I viewed J.R.R. Tolkien's
"The Hobbit" in 3D. When it was the time to put on the glasses and
Bilbo Baggins started to take shape in front of me, I remembered Yoyoy
Villame's novelty song titled "Unamg Pagtan-aw Ko'g Sine". There was
a scene when something exploded and shrapnels seemed to lead to my direction I
almost cowered. I've seen a lot of 3D stuff in my friend's flat via his home
theater system but the IMAX experience is different. There was also a wasp
which seemed to fly towards me that I thought it landed on my shoulder.
I shelled out some dough for the flick not just
for the experience but "The Hobbit" was a favorite book of mine way
back in high school. My sister who adores cats had a pet named Bilbo. When
Peter Jackson decided to translate Tokien's tales through The Lord of the Ring
trilogy, I remembered getting distracted with my norms to be able to see the
films. I think this is the only trilogy which made me feel that way (and so with
George Lucas' Star Wars). I left Harry Potter to my students and gave Johnny
Depp's antics through Pirates of the Caribbean to my friend Karen.
My cousin Mario loves the theater. His love is
infectious that he literally told me the experience he had when he saw Andrew
Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera". He also exposed me to
Webber's other plays like "Cats," "Evita," etc.. When
"Miss Saigon" produced by Cameron Mckintosh became a national pride due to Lea Salonga's Tony and
Lawrence Olivier awards, I also started to listen to Claude-Michel Schoenberg
and Alain Boublil who immortalized the potent music and words of Saigon...
That was when I realized that the duo made the musical "Les
Miserables" breathe into life.
Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" haunted
me way back in college. The book was like an affair which leaves a bitter taste
in your mouth. I was into Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice and Stephen King. But Hugo's
characters have these realistic pains which cut across culture, race, religion and
generation. Paris during the 1800's could still be found everywhere. The
barricades seem to be the epitome of every person's struggle to topple down
oppression, injustice and even personal battles.
When the book was presented onstage through the thespian of the actors and musicians, the world seemed to be centered on the truth of the characters. Boulbil and Schoenberg made a miracle out of these lines:
When the book was presented onstage through the thespian of the actors and musicians, the world seemed to be centered on the truth of the characters. Boulbil and Schoenberg made a miracle out of these lines:
Do you hear the people sing, singing songs of
angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slave again! When the
beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to
start when tomorrow comes!
And what about the thief who turned to become a
good mayor? Jean Valjean could be a wise study of sociologists here since in
our country, the opposite often happens: A good mayor will turn out to
become a thief! And there's Javert whose sole purpose of existence is to
capture Prisoner 24601... He could be the personification of the few whose sole
purpose on this Earth is to feed on the misfortunes of others. And who could
not be entertained with the irony of The Thernadiers? Their gluttony and
unquenchable thirst for money are reflections of poverty...
Ah, the danger of art becoming reality!
I'm going to view the latest film version of the
musical "Les Miserables" by Tom Hooper. Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman already
received citations during the Golden Globe Awards as Best Supporting Actress
and Best Actor respectively. It could be in 3D or 2D. It would not matter as
long as the experience would push me towards the better understanding of
humanity. This could lead me to acquire more of what we call as LIFE skills.
There is a castle in the clouds
I like to go there in my sleep...
There is a lady all in white
Holds me and sings me a lullaby
(photo:imbd.com)
