The Phantom Sequel Returns!

[Walcer]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:03pm

Speaking as a person, who as a young boy had Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera dramatically effect his life, I'd love to hear what the millions of other 'Phans' out there think of this (and what appears to be a) new train wreck of an idea to revive the Frederick Forsythe story as a musical sequel.

I read "The Phantom of Manhattan," and was vommiting along with thousands of other fans. Wasn't the poor reception to the book the reason ALW originally decided not to do the sequel? Why then is he reviving it? Maybe he's ran out of ideas, poor guy. And weren't most of his original melodies for Phantom 2 rehashed to form "The Beautiful Game"? "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" became "Our Kind of Love."

After the travesty of the Joel Schumacher movie (I'm sure some will disagree with me) I really lost all faith in ALW's judgement. I was SO dissappointed with what I saw. I was a huge Batman fan if any of you were you knew what Schumacher did to that franchise you were probably biting your teeth along with me as we were going into the Phantom movie. And low and behold my worst fears were realized. If ALW's judgement on that movie is any indication of what the sequel is to become, hold onto your hats people!

I agree with most broadway buffs that sequels to musicals are a bad idea. BUT if he is to insist on making a musical, DROP THE PHANTOM OF MANHATTAN... it is a lousy story. To ADD anything to what happens after the current show takes away from the mystery and romance that story provided. In my opinion, as a writer, the only way a Phantom sequel MAY work is if it were based on the novel Susan Kay wrote 17 years ago. I think a fascinating story to tell about the phantom is what made the phantom what he was... in depth... (besides the few lines told in the musical and disregarding completly the explination in ALW's movie.) Explore his childhood, his relation with his mother, his journeys with the circus, his background in archetecture and his experiences with the Shah of Persia, and end it where "The Phantom of the Opera" begins. (I don't mean to plug my own ideas, but perhaps a good title would be "The Phantom's Opera.")

Anyway... if anyone who is a fan of "The Phantom of the Opera" out there who hasn't read "Phantom: A Novel of his life" by Susan Kay, I strongly urge you to do so. (Although it is hard to find) It's not a perfect story by any means, but it is VASTLY superior to Forsythe's novel. I only wish I could tell this to ALW face to face.

But overall... I would have to agree with most fans that the Phantom was a beautiful story as it was... LEAVE IT ALONE ALW!!

[Walcer]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:08pm

PS - sorry for such a long ranting post, but I'm very passionate about this topic!!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:08pm

This is a horrible idea. Does he really think that Phantom can play in NYC with the sequel right down the street? I don't think it would work at all. I think the idea of a "Prequel" is interesting, but that might not work as well. If it's going to be a sequel to this show it's going to have to rely on spectacle as all his other shows do.

[Jeannie2]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:16pm

You're probably going to want to kill me Walcer, but Phantom is grossly overrated. When I was 14, I was obsessed, but it just lost its spark. Now I look back and question my sanity in those days. It's not that great.

[Walcer]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:21pm

No no... definatly don't want to kill you Jeannie2. Phantom was what got me interested in musical theatre when I was 12... It was then I decided that what I wanted to do was write musicals, because a story I loved was presented in such an emotional and visceral way for the first time in my life. I totally agree with you that it's not the greatest show out there... I think it's the place it holds in my memory that's important to me... but to tell the truth, I can't listen to the CD anymore! BUT I am a huge fan of the original Gaston Leroux novel and the story itself. I think it's the unjustice that's being paid to the story that's the most upsetting to me right now. I think of all the adaptations of the original story, ALW's musical was the best.
Updated On: 3/2/07 at 06:21 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:28pm

"Maybe he's ran out of ideas, poor guy."

Now, now, when did he have ideas?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:33pm

Perhaps they'd close PHANTOM to bring in its sequel?

(Pwahahahahaha)

[Jeannie2]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:34pm

Hear Hear! Although I'm still not a big fan of it, ALW's version of it is probably the best.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:51pm

The best what?

[Walcer]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 6:59pm

adaptation of the original story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_%28adaptations%29