The Phantom of the Opera: Movie
 

So I just saw the movie version today and I LOVED it.

Now I have seen the stage play like six times, so I knew that it would be different. What I loved though is that it kept to the stage play. Same sets (just grander for a movie), same feel and everything. It was amazing.

The actor who played the Phantom was awesome!!!

I bawled my eyes out (and I do cry during the stage play).

So to those out there who have seen it, what did you think? To those who want to see it GO NOW AND SEE IT. :) :)

From TheOnion.com:



Psychiatrists Treating Phantom Of The Opera Viewers For Post-Melodramatic Stress Disorder

http://www.theonion.com/news/index.php?issue=4051&n=1

OMG that is too much! LOL.

I may have cried but I'm definately not feeling PMSD. LOL.

I just saw it and I LOVED it. Of course, I bawled like a baby. Coming from me, that says a lot because I tend to be a cynic at romantic movies and don't cry at anything. I've seen the Broadway version twice and own the soundtrack and will probably see it again over break. I loved this movie so much! May need to go see it again...

I'm so glad to hear that real people are loving this movie. My daughter has been wanting to see the theater production and I simply cannot afford it, so I will take her to see the movie. I have the soundtrack as well as a Michael Crawford CD with many of the songs and she loves the music.

My co-worker today was forwarded several bad reviews by the "critics".

Add that to my list of things to do next week with the kids!

Dee

AGDee: The next time Phantom is in town check to see if they do discount tickets the day of the performance. I know here in AZ at Gammage the theatre (for certain productions and Phantom is one of them) will sell the tickets super cheap because they want a full house. For example, the tickets I bought for my mom for Christmas cost me 70 bucks per ticket. If the theatre does the discount day of sell I might get them for 30-35. I know at Gammage they did specials for students (now I'm not sure if it was for all students since Gammage was on a college campus) but you could ask.

Also, if you know how far in advance Phantom is coming to your theatre you might be able to save the money up. Theatres will usually announce their "upcoming" season in around June. For me, Phantom isn't on their "season" schedule, it is a "bonus" show and I got a postcard in the mail letting me know about it a year in advance.


Ignore the critics. There is a critic here in AZ who I don't think has ever seen the stage version so because he hasn't seen the stage version he really "didn't understand" the movie and why the characters were doing what they were doing. Dummy. (Can you tell I don't like critics. :) )

Phantom played in Toronto for 10 years, and I've seen the show twice myself (once with my mom and another time with my entire grade.), so I'd like to see how the film turned out. It's in advanced screening here right now, and from what some of the audience members have said, it isn't as "magical" as the stage production. I'm going to see for myself next week (or whenever I get the chance to go)

I saw the movie last night and LOVED IT!! I saw the show 6 times over the last 11 years! I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was so true to the musical!!!

Minnie Driver (Carlotta) was hysterical and we stuck around for the credits and saw that she was the only one who didn't really sing....that means you have a VERY talented cast!!!

It'll definitely be a DVD purchase when it comes out!!

i got to see it on broadway in new york now i gotta go see it in the theater. i love phantom so i am sure i will like this.

I should clarify...she sang the song during the credits, but did not sing the operettic part of Carlotta...another woman (whose name is mentioned in the credits, but I cannot recall at this time) sang the actual part of Carlotta.

The song Minne Driver does sing during the credits is beautiful and up for a Golden Globe as well!

The singing voice of Carlotta is Margaret Preece (I cheated and looked at the movie soundtrack, which I own).

Minnie said in an interview that she didn't feel comfortable doing operatic, especially since she couldn't reach the notes (I believe she would be considered an alto, at most second-soprano. So in no way could she reach the first soprano notes required for Carlotta's singing roles).

FYI: The soundtrack mentions taht Margaret Preece plays the "confidante". Now I've seen the movie twice now so I'm not quite sure what that role is, but she's in it.

Oh another tidbit of information Gerard Butler was in the movie Timeline. Totally didn't know that until I went to imdb.com. I just knew he looked familiar. LOL.

I saw one of those HBO preview thingies about this flick and it looks really good!

Will I see it in the theater? Probably not! But I look forward to the DVD/cable showing.

Speaking of the DVD, I read on videoeta.com that estimated release month is April 05.

I have a feeling it might be a bit later than that though due to the fact that the movie won't be released nationwide until 1/21/05. (Boy am I glad that Phoenix was one of those pre-release cities).

I haven't seen the movie, but thought I would bring a minority report to the table.

Our son, the aspiring Broadway Actor, absolutely hated it -- particularly the voices of some of the leads.

I guess after hearing the Broadway and tour voices, the ones (especially the Phantom) in the movie just didn't stand up for him.

Granted, he's a Musical Theatre snob. On the other hand, if I had produced the movie, I might have been tempted to go for Michael Crawford and Sara Brightman (the former Mrs. Andrew Lloyd-Webber). That is provinding they aren't too old to walk and sing at the same time.

Well I know Micheal Crawford is in his 50's. I love MC but I think he would have been a bit "too old" for the role. And as for Sarah Brightman, I personally cannot stand her voice, but I just recently bought the tribute to Andrew Lloydd Webber and SB did the Phantom songs and she in NO WAY can do the role. She was screeching to reach the high notes. On the DVD you can tell that she is pushing herself to reach the "C" and that she was struggling. Her voice changed to a Mezzo-Soprano/Alto, so she really just couldn't do the role. Also, I just learned Christine is supposed to be 16 (didn't know that) she could have never passed herself off as a 16 year old.

I think it's interesting that your son hated it, but I can see why.

I've seen the play 6 times now and I loved the movie. Maybe it's because I didn't walk into the movie expecting them (the actors) to sound like MC and SB. Because every play I've seen of Phantom, each actor has been completely different. Some Phantoms were Basses other were Baritones. Each Christine was different. They all just added their own personality to the role and made it their own. Which is what I know that the actors would have had to do for the movie.

My brother and I were actually debating about why they didn't just cast the stage actors and what needs to be reminded is that just because a person can do stage doesn't mean they can do film. I took an acting and tv class in college and it was the hardest class I took. Acting for an inanimate object that gives you no information or critique is hard. Stage is instantanous gratification. Plus, I learned that the camera doesn't "love everyone" (didn't love me). With that said they had to find people that could sing, act and do film.

I own the soundtrack and they started casting the principals in February of 2003 (filming did not begin until November 2003).

I'm just a plethora of information ;) (LOL) j/k.

Delt...

Let me add some perspective on this...my DH is a drama teacher and has lived his life on the stage (just as your son). He hates the stage show too...I even had to drag him to see it for my birthday last year and went as a personal favor to me! (Now that's love!!! LOL)...

He agreed to go to the movie with me and actually liked it!!! Shocker of shockers! He liked the cinematography, the acting, the sets and the way the music was portrayed...they make a major change in the movie (the chandelier) and he liked what changes they made...

I saw it Sunday with the fam and thought it was ...in a word...spectacular!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Emmy Rossum's voice is pure gold. Wow. We thought they did a phenomenal job with this.

I do not plan on seeing the movie. I do not care for ALW. I find his works to be 'flash and trash'. Its theatre that has been dumbed down for the masses and there is nothing intellectually interesting about it at all. The plots are weak and formulaic and the stories are bland.

I'll save my $7.50 thanks.

Loved it!
 

I just got back from the cinema and thought it was great! A lot of other versions, stage productions included, lack a phantom with any humanity. Gerard Butler did a wonderful job on making the Phantom a real man, instead of just some ethereal ghost flouncing around the Paris sewers.

I also liked the variety in singing voices: some edgier (the Phantom), some less trained (Meg), some over the top (Carlotta), it added a realism.

This is definitely going to be a DVD and soundtrack purchase for me, if I can get my hands on them. :)

~ShyViolet

ps - Gerard Butler is sooo sexy, but then again I have a thing for Scottish men. ;)

I thought it was good.
 

I have total ADD and couldn't sit through the whole movie (a couple trips just to get out of my seat). Like at times I felt it dragged, but it was pretty entertaining at the end. I think they all did pretty superb jobs- esp. with the singing, and I thought the Phantom was pretty hot too (just leave the mask on). Probably one of the biggest reasons that I appreciated it is because they did a good job at humanizing the Phantom. I kind of felt bad for him.


BTW, ASUADPi, it is funny that you say in no way can Sarah Brightman do the role. Andrew Lloyd Weber definitely created the music specifically with her in mind. I think she is good but you are right; she's too old.

polarpink you misunderstood what I said. I was saying that SB could no longer do the role NOW. One, she is too old and two, her voice has COMPLETELY changed.

Yes, I understand that he wrote the role for her but it doesn't mean that she owns the role.

I have seen Phantom on stage several times, 2 of those times being on Broadway. Due to this, I wasn't really expecting anything from the movie. I figured it couldn't be anywhere near as wonderful as the play is. But I LOVED it. I cried just as much as I always do, and I liked how the movie filled in some gaps in the story that I had never gotten before. Definitely will be buying this the minute it comes out on DVD and I've already bought the soundtrack. ;)

I plan on going to see this movie this afternoon after I saw the HBO thing on it. I saw the stage play in London(1998) and after years of hearing how great it was, I was SO disappointed after I left. I mean it was good, it just wasn't great and definitely wasn't up to all the talk I'd heard about it. Maybe I saw a mediocre cast or something, but to me the movie looks really good.

POTO was ALW's last great work. I don't think anything he wrote after that was any good at all and the last few productions have flopped miserably!

I saw the movie today, and I'm not even going to try to compare it to the stage production. You can't, really, as there are things that can be done on screen that is impossible to do realistically on stage (e.g. horse back scenes). There are also things that seem "magical" on stage that isn't really on screen (e.g. chandelier falling...it's "scarier" live).

I personally liked the black and white footage and epilogue, which I don't believe was in the stage production (the cemetary scene at the very end).

While I agree POTO is more popular...Sunset Bouvelard was considered a success on Broadway (won MANY Tony's!!), Los Angeles and London...

After that, I do agree everything else has been a flop..

For those of us who have seen the movie (For those who haven't seen it: Don't worry, it doesn't ruin the plot or anything):

Who do you think the older woman is? Some say that it is Meg Giry, others have said that it is Mme Giry, who just happened to have kept herself very healthy (after all, she was a dancer). There's a debate about this in IMDB.

That's definitely Miranda Richardson....so I'm guessing Mme Giry....

But it could have been Ms. Richardson playing Meg at 60-something. Is the cemetary scene in the novel? Anyone read it who can confirm?

When my mom and I saw it, we both thought that the older woman was Madame Giry, although I do think it's kind of weird how Mme. Giry is older than Raoul, yet 49 years later, he looks A LOT older than her.

Okay I have the liberetto and Raoul is supposed to be 70 at the time of the auction. Now the years in the play are different than the movie. The auction takes place in 1905 (in the movie it is 1919). The movie takes place in 1870 (the play in 1881). Either way Christine is supposed to be 16 at the time (1870 or 1881).

The liberetto doesn't say anything about Mme. Giry being there. So, I put on the soundtrack and even in the soundtrack the auctioneer states "thank you madame".

Okay, just using logic here. The phantom can't be more than 35. Mme. Giry is, at most, five years older. So she would be around 40. Meg is probably the same age as Christine, so 16. The phantom is obviously still alive at the end of the movie, so it is only feasible that Mme. Giry would still be alive.

In the movie it is definately Miranda Richardson at the auction. Everytime I've seen it on stage it has been Mme. Giry, so I have to assume Miranda was playing Mme. Giry and not an older Meg.

Hope I made some sort of sense in my craziness.

Maybe Raoul's been ill...or depressed since Christine died....maybe they had a son and he died in the war?

If Raoul is supposed to be 70 years old in both the stage production and the movie, then Raoul is much younger in the movie version (21) than on stage (46?!!!!!)...the play makes it sound like Christine is Raoul's trophy wife whereas in the movie she is his first

Okay looking at the liberetto again and listening to the movie soundtrack here's what I came up with.

Okay in Think of Me, Rauol's lines were changed. In the play he sings:

what a change you're really not a bit the gawkish girl that you once were...

In the movie he sings:

long ago it seemed so long ago how young and innocent we were

So just because of that it seems "feasible" that he is 46. But geez why is a 46 year old going after a 16 year old. I understand that during the 1800's it wasn't uncommon for an older man to marry a way younger woman, but talk about cradle robbin'.

I don't think they would have been able to "get away" with that in the movie and that's why his age and the lyrics were changed.

(okay I seriously have no life and no wwwaaaaayyyyy too much about this play) :)


Oh wait, looking further at the liberetto and at the dialogue. Raoul states that he met her (Christine) when he was 14. So now I'm utterly and completely confused. There is no way he could meet her at 14 and him be 46 when she is supposed to be 16. Does anyone know how old she is actually supposed to be? I'm reading The Phantom of the Opera right now and I think Gaston Leroux made her 16 (now this is according to my friend who has read the book, I'm only on chapter two).

I'm just now utterly confused. LOL.

I checked my POTO CD (original London recording) and it takes place in 1905 (auction) and 1861, making Raoul 26, not 46.

See that makes sense. The liberetto I was looking at is in this POTO book that I bought years ago (it talks about the book, first movie and then ALW musical). Weird.


Makes more sense if he were 26 not 46. I think the editor of my POTO book missed that little mistake. (Albeit a 20 year mistake).

Boy do I feel stupid. I completely forgot that the liberetto was with my London cast recording. Blonde moment.

In the final analysis (which this certainly won't be), Sir Lloyd-Webber has never been one to worry too much about plot and/or historical accuracy.

In fact, it seems to me that he is really about remarkable music, and everything else takes second seat.

That's OK, isn't it?

This ain't history -- it's theatre.

DA, I respect ya, but gotta disagree with ya. I think his music is the most unremarkable part of any ALW show.

No prob. Absolutely fair. I disagree, but will admit that it is tainted by a fair amount of commercialism -- if that taints things.

He has had some good and some not so good. By and large, I like his music -- and I do like Phantom a lot.

Then again, I may be the only GCer who ever saw Whistle Down the Wind. I think it was on Broadway for about a week.

You haven't seen anything, though, until you've seen British actors doing Oklahoma accents in a theatre in London. Scary.

Sounds really :rolleyes: !

I've seen pictures from Miss Saigon programs from non-North American productions, and I've found that the actors playing American characters didn't give off an "American vibe" to me......I don't know...they just didn't "look right".....I don't know how that works...anyway......

Growing up, I had a bit of classical vocal and piano training... and became obsessed with Phantom... and for as long as I can remember I have wanted to see a real performance! I knew the soundtrack so well, and when I'd listen to it I would imagine what it must look like on stage.

My mom and I went to see it a few days ago... and it was, in a word, FABULOUS. I loved it, and cried so much throughout the whole thing. It was better than I dreamed it would be. Beautiful and lush costumes, music, and sets. Talented singers, and *wow* effects.

As a side note to someone who posted earlier, I wanted to say that even from the beginning of the movie I thought that the older woman in the auction with Raoul must've been Meg Giry... I figured that Mme was probably long dead by then since Meg and Christine were around the same age. (And I didn't know that Raoul was supposed to be 46, I figured he was only a few years older than Christine). I've never read the book or seen the musical in person though.

Since all the flashbacks in the movie come from Raoul, do yall feel like this is actually his memories and his story?

Any Webber/POTO fans will love it! Go see it now :)