Phantom of Opera Options

[angel-roh]

I don't know if there was a topic about this, but have you guys seen this movie yet? I don't remember whose in it, but yeah. By the way, I'm not talking about the older version. I'm talking about the newest version of Phantom of Opera!

I really want to watch it so bad!!! Because I love opera music a lot --- really do. So yeah I'm planning to watch it soon, maybe with my mom? Since she loves opera music too? hehe

If you did watch it, how was it?

[Ballpointpencil]

I am Phantom obsessed, and have been since I first picked up the book. I read it through fifteen times (yes, you read right- 15) before I ever downloaded ALW's music, which I immediately got hooked on as well. I'm leaving for NY on Thursday, mostly so I can see the musical on Broadway (though the book completely pwns any spin-off). Also have the old movie. Anyway, I'll c&p my "official review" of the movie. I saw it six times in theatre and bought the dvd the day it came out, so I did enjoy it quite a bit, lol.

"Just got back from “Phantom of the Opera”, so I thought I’d write while it was still fresh in my mind.

I don’t know what to think.

There was so much about this movie that pulls me in opposite directions. I love it, but I hate it. The plot was distorted horribly, but then, it was based off a musical that was based off a book, and I was comparing it to the book (which isn’t really fair to it). Though I truly dislike that they made Madame Giry such an important character and removed the Persian completely.

Raoul was an excellent actor and singer (his voice was better than the Phantom’s) though he was a completely different character than in the book. He should have been a spoiled, rich brat, but he instead he was a noble hero, who you actually wanted Christine to love. In the book, I rooted for the Phantom. In the musical, my mother (who has seen it) rooted for the Phantom. In the movie, I actually wanted Raoul to get the girl. Extreme change there, considering I had hoped that he would just get killed so Christine would end up with Erik.

That’s another thing, they never ever mentioned Phantom’s name! I mean, Erik wasn’t even his name, just a name he took on, but still, it was ‘his’ name. In the movie he was simply “the Phantom” or “the Angel (of music)”. Never the “poor Erik” that Christine mourned for.

Christine was also exquisite, especially in her singing, and to a lesser extent, her acting. She sort of had the same basic expression throughout the whole movie, but her voice was beautiful. I love the way she did “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”. ^_^ It made me very happy, as it is second only to “Music of the Night” in my opinion. Truthfully, I prefer her to Sarah Brightman, but don’t tell. =P

The Phantom himself. Don’t get me started. He did have a nice voice. I’ll give him that. But he had no range. To play in the place of Michael Crawford you need an impressive range, which he only had in a thin imitation. He completely butchered “Music of the Night” -_- as well as pretty much every other song he had. Especially “I Remember”. He didn’t hit ANY of the notes in the entire song (he hit them in the song immediately following that- “Stranger Than You Dreamt It”- but just barely), and he was taking them down a fifth anyway! Gah. Okay. Maybe it isn’t fair to compare the poor guy (who was not even a singer prior to the movie, by the way) to the great Michael Crawford. But really, he sang so badly that you wondered how he was supposed to have taught Christine when she sang worlds better than him.
However, he was an awesome actor. After the “All I Ask of You” duet (my favorite part of the whole movie, by the way, the actors did breathtakingly well in singing & acting during and right after it), when he was crushed and heartbroken, he almost made me want to cry in pity (then he opened his mouth and messed up his few lyrics in the reprise XD). His expressions looked so real, so heartfelt, that your heart went out to him. Maybe it was just because I had already read the book and knew the character well, but I really felt his agony during that one scene especially. The man was a remarkable actor.

The Masquerade scene was splendidly choreographed, though I can’t help but wonder why neither Raoul or Christine were wearing masks, when a big part of the story was that they were able to meet secretly at the Ball without Erik knowing because nobody knew who anybody else was. Heh. Oh well.

By the way, it looks like Mr. Shumacher spent half of the budget on candles. :P They are everywhere!

In conclusion, I did enjoy the movie. I really did. It is one that I will go see again, probably several times, before it is even released on video. It had it’s downfalls, and (to indirectly quote a critic) the Phantom should never be simply adequate, but it was a wonderful movie in it’s own right. I’m going back to see it, if for no other reason than the “All I Ask of You” scene.

Though I have to admit, when it comes out on video I’m going to match up my cd with it and turn off the sound. It would be awesome to have Crawford’s voice and Butler’s acting.

Hope you enjoy the movie."