The Phantom of the Opera

Forums: Movies
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Chai got me thinking about this movie when she asked what made me cry. I love the Phantom. I love the music. I love the characters. I love Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford (the first Christine and Phantom) I thought that a movie about it would bomb just like all the ones before it did. But I have to say, I am impressed.

Andrew LLoyd Webber worked directly with Joel Schumacher on this movie and together they brought the stage production into my living room. The cast is fabulous. Just as you'd expect Christine to sound or the Phantom to sound.

I am re-in love with the Phantom again after seeing this movie.

Gerard Butler is gorgeous and has a killer voice. He is absoultly perfect.

Emmy Rossum is innocent, a bit timid but has a voice that raises a roof. She is a phenom.

Together they make the perfect Christine and Phantom, even to rival Sarah and Michael. Shocked

Have you seen it? What did you think?

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 2,399 • Replies: 46

No top replies

Isn't that a remake of a TV show called Beauty and the Beast?

0 Replies

Ya know, it is sort of your Beauty and the Beast story. In fact, at one point he refers to himself as a beast who secretly longs for beauty.

Double meaning?

0 Replies

I got nearly 3" done .... click

0 Replies

but maybe ... click

but then ... the first response ... click

0 Replies

ehBeth wrote:

Saw Phantom of the Opera last night. The thing that most sticks in my head is an odd rendering of something like "nighttime's splendour" which sounded more like "nighttime's blender".

Ok, this was funny...

My best friend isn't real fond of the Phantom, even on stage. Im asked her if she wanted to go see it with me again and she said she wasn't paying to see it a second time.

0 Replies

I've heard of chick flicks, but never a knit flick.

0 Replies

Bella,what's your take on the 1925 version with Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin (SILENT) and the 1943 re-make with Claude Rains,Susanna Foster and Nelson Eddy Smile

0 Replies

I saw Phantom on stage when I was 16 and loved it!

I couldnt wait to see the film, loved it visually, thought Mini Driver was fab but I hated the main people, their voices were horrific.
I was a tad disapointed.

0 Replies

material girl wrote:

I saw Phantom on stage when I was 16 and loved it!

I couldnt wait to see the film, loved it visually, thought Mini Driver was fab but I hated the main people, their voices were horrific.
I was a tad disapointed.

You really didn't like Gerard and Emmy?

Hm. I thought they were perfect for the parts!

0 Replies

barrythemod wrote:

Bella,what's your take on the 1925 version with Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin (SILENT) and the 1943 re-make with Claude Rains,Susanna Foster and Nelson Eddy

Honestly, I've never seen them. After seeing it on stage done by A L Webber, I didn't want to know the Phantom any other way. :wink:

0 Replies

I saw antonio Bandaras as the Phantom on ALW 50th birthday doo which was televised, he was perfect.

I thought she couldnt sing and his voice was too weak and not deep enough.

The outfits were fab!

I started researching the film about a year before release, I found out the company who were doing the curtains, lovely plush red velvet, I emailed the company saying Im looking forward to the film and the curtains look great.

A guy replied and we sent each other a few emails over the year.
It ended in him emailing to say he had to stop as his wife thought he was having an affair with me!!!

0 Replies

I love the film -- as a movie it had a different impact than on stage. I even allowed the heavy borrowing from Cocteau (well, and "Angels In America" which managed its own borrowing). If you're going to borrow, borrow from Cocteau!
The ball scene was straight out of Roger Corman ("The Mask of the Red Death"), again, I can dismiss the borrowing. "Masquerade" was far more effective in the screen choreography than what I had seen on stage. The vocals were all top notch -- I'm not a big Brightman fan to begin with. She has a shrillness on the upper register that, for me, is irritating.

All in all, it deserved more praise than it got from some critics (who obviously don't care for musicals and perhaps Andrew Lloyd Webber even less).

0 Replies

Lest we forget, "Phantom" just surpassed "Cats" for a length of run on Broadway.

0 Replies

I really had trouble with this movie. Everyone I know loves it. I think it just frustrated me. When I saw the stage musical, the scope of everything that as going on onstage is what made me fall in love. There are just so many things going on onstage. It felt so vast. With the movie, I really felt trapped by the claustrophobic close-ups.

However, I do think it was well acted. The music was still very entertaining.

0 Replies

Did you see it in Panavision in the theaters or on a small TV screen? Quite a difference. On the Panavision screen (I saw it at a THX certified theater in full aspect, not cropped even as a DVD) it was almost too vast.

0 Replies

I saw it in a large movie theater. I also felt like I was missing out on all the goodies of the phantom appearing all over the stage, or how he rides around on moving parts of the stage. This is probably what I get for comparing it to the stage musical. However, it's very difficult not to.

Phantom is the first stage musical I ever saw, and it was mind-blowing for me. There's no time like the first time.

0 Replies

Cinematically, the director was obviously injected with a bit of Baz Luhrman but I agree it can't compare to the first stage experience. And people obviously keep returning to see the stage version or it wouldn't be one of the most produced stage musicals worldwide or broke the record on Broadway.

The Phantom appearing around the stage, of course, was lifted from productions of "The Tales of Hoffman."

0 Replies

material girl wrote:

I saw antonio Bandaras as the Phantom on ALW 50th birthday doo which was televised, he was perfect.

I thought she couldnt sing and his voice was too weak and not deep enough.

I could see Antonio being good....but what about Gerard didn't you like? He is a tenor, like Michael Crawford. I didn't think he was weak at all! I think he was very emotional in his singing, which made the Phantom haunting and sad.

And Emmy can't sing??!! I think that she is wonderful! She effortlessly hit the notes Sarah Brightman had a hard time reaching.

I can't believe you think the two of them can't sing!

0 Replies

Simplicity wrote:

. With the movie, I really felt trapped by the claustrophobic close-ups.

That was actually one of the objectives of the film. I watched the Making of...and that was one of the things they said they wanted to bring to lovers of the Phantom. Close ups of his face, his expressions, his pain, his love, his grief.

0 Replies

The Phantom of the Opera

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know