Universal Studios Home Entertainment: Les Miserables

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The sweeping and spectacular musical extravaganza Les Miserables has been seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries around the globe.  Now the motion picture adaptation that grossed more than $340 million worldwide arrives on Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on March 22, 2013, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  Critically acclaimed and star-studded, Les Miserables is a stunningly realized interpretation of Victor Hugo's epic tale of broken dreams, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the endurance of the human spirit.  This Golden Globe^®-winning cinematic event can now be experienced over and over again on Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack and DVD with more than an hour of bonus features including cast interviews.  Additionally, the Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack is loaded with an extra 45 minutes of exclusive content taking viewers behind the scenes of the groundbreaking production for an unmatched entertainment experience.

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Directed by Academy Award^® winner Tom Hooper (The King's Speech), Les Miserables features an all-star cast including Golden Globe^® winner Hugh Jackman (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Prestige), Oscar^® winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind), Golden Globe^® winner Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises, The Devil Wears Prada), Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!, Dear John), Eddie Redmayne (My Week With Marilyn, The Other Boleyn Girl), Helena Bonham Carter (Harry Potter series, Sweeney Todd), Golden Globe^® winner Sacha Baron Cohen (Hugo, Borat) and newcomer Samantha Barks.

Compelling and poignant, Les Miserables has earned kudos from critics around the world, including Vogue's Adam Green, who describes it as "a spectacular achievement" and Deadline.com's Pete Hammond, who calls it "remarkably entertaining and powerful" and praises its "stunning imagery and performance."  Les Miserables dominated the 2013 awards season, garnering eight Academy Award^® nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, and sweeping the Golden Globes with awards for Jackman, and Hathaway, as well as the prize for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.    

The Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack allows consumers to view Les Miserables anytime, anywhere on the platform of their choice.  It includes a Blu-ray^™ disc, a DVD, a Digital Copy and UltraViolet™ for the ultimate, complete viewing experience.

• Blu-ray^™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring perfect hi-def picture and hi-def sound.
• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
• Digital Copy provides consumers with a choice of formats from a variety of partners, including options to watch on iPhone^®, Android^™, computers and more.
• UltraViolet^™ is a revolutionary new way for consumers to collect their movies and TV shows in the cloud. UltraViolet^™ lets consumers instantly stream and download to tablets, smartphones, computers and TVs. Now available in both the United States and Canada.

Bonus Features Exclusive to the Blu-ray^TM

• Les Miserables Singing Live:  The star-studded cast and production team discuss how the daunting challenge of singing live rather than lip-syncing to pre-recorded tracks ultimately gave them the creative freedom to deliver nuanced, emotionally powerful performances.
• Battle at the Barricade:  Director Tom Hooper wanted the dramatic building of the barricade to be as visceral and intense as possible, so he had his actors build it in real time, literally hurling furniture out of windows to construct an actual barricade. This featurette takes an in-depth look at the creation and filming of all the action on this remarkable set.
• The West End Connection:  Meet the "godfather" of the original stage production of Les Miserables, renowned West End producer Cameron Mackintosh, who was deeply involved in the filming, as well as former Les Miserables, theatrical stars who were thrilled to appear in supporting roles in the current film.
• Les Miserables on Location:  Filming rather than staging Les Miserables presents the opportunity to shoot in real world locations: a massive dry dock on the coast of England, a beautiful underground chapel in the heart of London and the ancient city of Winchester.  Members of the cast and crew talk about what it was like to find and work in these incredible locations.

Bonus Features on Both the Blu-ray^TM and DVD

• The Stars of Les Miserables:  Director Tom Hooper talks about casting the iconic characters, and the actors discuss why it was important to them to be a part of this groundbreaking version of Les Miserables.
• Creating the Perfect Paris:  Production designer Eve Stewart created a massive Paris set featuring real cobblestones and running water. Take an intricate look into the detailed recreation of these Paris streets that no longer exist in today's world. 
• The Original Masterwork: Victor Hugo's Les Miserables:  This mini-documentary takes a look at the historical backdrop and universal themes of Hugo's classic, and how the filmmakers mined the novel to enrich the look and feel of the film.
• Feature Commentary with Director Tom Hooper

SYNOPSIS
Hugh Jackman, Academy Award^® winner Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway star in this critically acclaimed adaptation of the epic musical phenomenon.  Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Miserables tells the story of ex-prisoner Jean Valjean (Jackman), hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe), after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. This enthralling story is a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit and "an unforgettable experience" (Richard Roeper, RichardRoeper.com).

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FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen
Directed By: Tom Hooper
Produced By: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh
Screenplay By: William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer
Music By: Claude-Michel Schonberg
Lyrics By: Herbert Kretzmer
Based on the Original Stage Musical By: Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg
From The Novel By: Victor Hugo
Executive Producers: Liza Chasin, Angela Morrison, Nicholas Allott, F. Richard Pappas
Director of Photography: Danny Cohen BSC
Production Designer: Eve Stewart
Costume Designer: Paco Delgado
Edited By: Chris Dickens, Melanie Ann Oliver

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – BLU-RAY^™:  
Street Date: 3/22/13
Copyright: 2013 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Selection Numbers: 61125042 / 61125654 (CDN)
Running Time: 2 hours, 38 minutes
Layers: BD-50
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG-13 for suggestive and sexual material, violence and thematic elements 
Technical Info: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English DTS Surround 5.1 
Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:
Street Date: 3/22/13
Copyright: 2013 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Selection Numbers: 61123149 / 61125663 (CDN)
Running Time: 2 hours, 38 minutes
Layers: Dual Layer
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: PG-13 for suggestive and sexual material, violence and thematic elements 
Technical Info: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish

About Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

CONTACT:

Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Jennifer Black
Vice President, Publicity 
[email protected] 
(818) 777-0546

SOURCE Universal Studios Home Entertainment