"Les Miserables" is the story of Jean Valjean, a starving, poor man who is jailed for stealing a loaf of bread. After spending 20 years in jail he is paroled, but he runs away to a town where he not only becomes mayor, but raises a child named Cosette as well. Of course, not everything is rosy for Jean when the mean Inspector Javert comes after him. Also included are subplots about a revolution, Cosette's love interest, etc.

Those looking for a recording of the stage musical need look elsewhere. This is a 1995 reading/singing of the "Les Miserables" musical accompanied with a choir and orchestra. While fans of the ultra popular Broadway musical will no doubt eat this up, others may find this production to be an overlong, overwritten, overproduced bore. Most musicals tend to have a subtle story with songs that don't spell EVERYTHING out, but "Les Miserables" is the complete opposite. The show's creators cram too much into this musical and I hate to say that the show becomes overloaded with songs and characters. The production is not without merit, however. The cast (especially Colm Wilkinson as Jean and Jenny Galloway as Madame) are perfect in their roles and their singing is equally impressive. I can honestly say that no character was miscast in the slightest. I also dug a few of the songs as well, most notably any number with Madame Thenardier and "One Day More." Note: Fans will get a kick out of the ending in which 17 actors (who played Valjean) from 17 different countries sing a number together. Extras: * BBC trailers for "Miss Marple," "Campion," etc. * A booklet. * "Stage By Stage"- A 57 minute making of documentary that contains interviews, a behind-the-scenes look at the song recordings, and discussions about the show's opening in 1985. "Les Miserables" is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen with a Dolby Digital Stereo track. Note: The songs sound a bit echoey and tend to be drowned out by the symphony. Conclusion: Curious musical lovers who can't make it out to a live show may want to give this a rent. As the show is deeply flawed, however, I would recommend watching other musicals such as "West Side Story."