The Phantom of the Opera

Not to mention, for LightWiz to love the film...there must be something good about it!!

I saw the silent film years ago. It blew my mind!

I can say the same for "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". When Quasimodo is suffering in the stocks and Esmeralda brings him water, I wept...

I appreciate that -- but musicals are my weakness to begin with. I even enjoyed "The Fantastics" while realizing it missed the target by a mile.

To expect a stage experience from a film is futile but "Chicago" came so close it was almost uncanny.

I did like the close-ups as the effect was as intended. Unless you carry binoculars to a stage version!

Sorry for calling you Light Wiz, by the way. No relation to Cheez Whiz. :wink:

That is an unobjectable handle as I'm often addressed as "Lightwiz." Now there have been times when it was Light Gizzard from someone objecting to my commentary.

Oh ok, I guess I never noticed. Hm.

It's just that every time I hear the word "Wiz" I think of Cheez or pee.

That's WHIZ, not WIZ!

But it certainly is a homonym.

(That's not cowboy nymphet).

Well, Bella. I saw the original with Lon Chaney on TV, but the movie that I adored was the latest one. The music was fantastic, and the approach to why the phantom WAS the phantom quite different.

The man of a thousand faces was a genius.

It is a more romanticized version of the original story but what would one expect. It is a musical. Of course, Sondheim made a musical about a barber who slits people's throats and they are made into pies!

Hmmm, Mr. Wizard. Squinny Todd? Love the Music of the Night:



I have brought you
to the seat of sweet
music's throne . . .
to this kingdom
where all must pay
homage to music . . .
music . . .
You have come here,
for one purpose,
and one alone . . .
Since the moment
I first heard you sing,
I have needed
you with me,
to serve me, to sing,
for my music . . .
my music . . .
(changing mood)
Night-time sharpens,
heightens each sensation . . .
Darkness stirs and
wakes imagination . . .
Silently the senses
abandon their defences . . .
Slowly, gently
night unfurls its splendour . . .
Grasp it, sense it -
tremulous and tender . . .
Turn your face away
from the garish light of day,
turn your thoughts away
from cold, unfeeling light -
and listen to
the music of the night . . .
Close your eyes
and surrender to your
darkest dreams!
Purge your thoughts
of the life
you knew before!
Close your eyes,
let your spirit
start to soar!
And you'll live
as you've never
lived before . . .
Softly, deftly,
music shall surround you . . .
Feel it, hear it,
closing in around you . . .
Open up your mind,
let your fantasies unwind,
in this darkness which
you know you cannot fight -
the darkness of
the music of the night . . .
Let your mind
start a journey through a
strange new world!
Leave all thoughts
of the world
you knew before!
Let your soul
Take you where you
long to be !
Only then
can you belong
to me . . .
Floating, falling,
sweet intoxication!
Touch me, trust me
savour each sensation!
Let the dream begin,
let your darker side give in
to the power of the music that I write -
the power of the music of the night . . .
(During all this, the PHANTOM has conditioned
CHRISTINE to the coldness of his touch and her fingers
are brave enough to stray to his mask and caress it, with
no hint of removing it. The PHANTOM leads her to a
large mirror from which he removes a dust cover and in
which we see the image of CHRISTINE, a perfect wax-
face impression, wearing a wedding gown. CHRISTINE
moves slowly towards it when suddenly the image thrusts
its hands through the mirror towards her She faints. The
PHANTOM catches her and carries her to the bed, where
he lays her down.)
PHANTOM
You alone can make my song take flight -
help me make the music of the night . .

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" which was a play originally, playing in London theaters many years ago.

The phantom in this version couldn't have been the monster of the old silent film or more modern remakes. The final sequences have more emotional depth when his deformaty is revealed. Who on Earth would believe that Webber could or would stick to the original concept?

I don't know, Mr. Wizard. I sorta liked the down play of the deformity.Actually, it was the music that captivated me.

I saw the movie of Sweeney Todd with Ben Kingsley. Don't remember much of it, however.

The deformity was the crux of the whole relationship and why he lost the girl in the end.

George Hearn played Sweeney Todd in the taped version of the stage musical:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084747/

I couldn't find the play version as a film with Kingsley -- was this a TV production?

Okay, here it is:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147582/

That's the one, Mr. Wizard.

Sorry, Bella. Don't mean to sidetrack your thread.

I think we didn't sidetrack it by citing "Sweeney Todd" as it's relationship to "Phantom" is undeniable. Both are horror stories made into musicals. The musical version of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is another one, although can anyone whistle one tune from that effort? Don't think so.

Of course, you have to be a really good whistler to do any Sondheim!

My favorite from "Sweeney Todd" is "Pretty Woman" but Angelina Landsbury's "pie" ditty is precious.

Have some priest?

TODD: (spoken) These are desperate times,
Mrs. Lovett, and desperate measures are called for!
LOVETT: Here we are, now! Hot out of the oven!
TODD: What is that?

LOVETT:
It's priest. Have a little priest.
TODD:
Is it really good?
LOVETT:
Sir, it's too good, at least!
Then again, they don't commit sins of the flesh,
So it's pretty fresh.
TODD:
Awful lot of fat.
LOVETT:
Only where it sat.
TODD:
Haven't you got poet, or something like that?
LOVETT:
No, y'see, the trouble with poet is
'Ow do you know it's deceased?
Try the priest!

TODD: (spoken) Heavenly!
Not as hearty as bishop, perhaps,
but then again, not as bland as curate, either!

LOVETT:
And good for business, too -- always leaves you wantin' more!
Trouble is, we only get it on Sundays!

Lawyer's rather nice.
TODD:
If it's for a price.
LOVETT:
Order something else, though, to follow,
Since no one should swallow it twice!
TODD:
Have you any dean?
LOVETT:
No, but if you're British and loyal,
You might enjoy Royal Marine!
Anyway, it's clean.
Though of course, it tastes of wherever it's been!
TODD:
Is that squire,
On the fire?
LOVETT:
Mercy no, sir, look closer,
You'll notice it's grocer!
TODD:
Looks thicker,
More like vicar!
LOVETT:
No, it has to be grocer --
It's green!

TODD:
The history of the world, my love --
LOVETT:
Save a lot of graves,
Do a lot of relatives favors!
TODD:
Is those below serving those up above!
LOVETT:
Ev'rybody shaves,
So there should be plenty of flavors!
TODD:
How gratifying for once to know
BOTH:
That those above will serve those down below!

LOVETT: (spoken) Now let's see, here... We've got tinker.
TODD: Something... pinker.
LOVETT: Tailor?
TODD: Paler.
LOVETT: Butler?
TODD: Subtler.
LOVETT: Potter?
TODD: Hotter.
LOVETT: Locksmith?

Lovely bit of clerk.
TODD:
Maybe for a lark.
LOVETT:
Then again there's sweep
If you want it cheap
And you like it dark!
Try the financier,
Peak of his career!
TODD:
That looks pretty rank.
LOVETT:
Well, he drank,
It's a bank
Cashier.
Never really sold.
Maybe it was old.
TODD:
Have you any Beadle?
LOVETT:
Next week, so I'm told!
Beadle isn't bad till you smell it and
Notice 'ow well it's been greased...
Stick to priest!

(spoken) Now then, this might be a little bit stringy,
but then of course it's... fiddle player!
TODD: No, this isn't fiddle player -- it's piccolo player!
LOVETT: 'Ow can you tell?
TODD: It's piping hot!
LOVETT: Then blow on it first!

TODD:
The history of the world, my sweet --
LOVETT:
Oh, Mr. Todd,
Ooh, Mr. Todd,
What does it tell?
TODD:
Is who gets eaten, and who gets to eat!
LOVETT:
And, Mr. Todd,
Too, Mr. Todd,
Who gets to sell!
TODD:
But fortunately, it's also clear
BOTH:
That [L: But] ev'rybody goes down well with beer!

LOVETT: (spoken)
Since marine doesn't appeal to you, 'ow about... rear admiral?
TODD: Too salty. I prefer general.
LOVETT: With, or without his privates? "With" is extra.

TODD: What is that?
LOVETT:
It's fop.
Finest in the shop.
And we have some shepherd's pie peppered
With actual shepherd on top!
And I've just begun --
Here's the politician, so oily
It's served with a doily,
Have one!
TODD:
Put it on a bun.
Well, you never know if it's going to run!
LOVETT:
Try the friar,
Fried, it's drier!
TODD:
No, the clergy is really
Too coarse and too mealy!
LOVETT:
Then actor,
That's compacter!
TODD:
Yes, and always arrives overdone!
I'll come again when you have JUDGE on the menu!

LOVETT: (spoken) Wait! True, we don't have judge yet,
but we've got something you might fancy even better.
TODD: What's that?
LOVETT: Executioner!

TODD:
Have charity towards the world, my pet!
LOVETT:
Yes, yes, I know, my love!
TODD:
We'll take the customers that we can get!
LOVETT:
High-born and low, my love!
TODD:
We'll not discriminate great from small!
No, we'll serve anyone,
Meaning anyone,
BOTH:
And to anyone
At all!

My word, Mr. Wizard. Should I laugh at that? Well, I did.

Thanks for posting A Little Priest LW. I just sang it thru! It's my favorite from that show by far. Nobody writes a lyric like Sondheim.