Official "Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera" Reviews Thread- Page 5

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 12:28am

Great movie. Saw it twice in a row today with two different people. The title song rocks. I thought it was funny they way she rode the horse when it would have been faster to walk but what movie out there doesn't have a moment where they go for image over realism. I was iffy about Gerard's voice listening to the cd but now I love it. His voice is perfect for this. Nice chnage from just being sung operatic. I think his growly voice adds to the character. The other funny part was when the guy gives the flower to Carlotta and says, "can you give this to miss daae?!" and she made that face that was priceless! For the person who asked why she "stops singing" in the title song, that was just editing and was sort of a "music video" thing which they did several other times throughout the movie too. Overall, I didn't like it as much as EVITA but then again I'm the only one in the world who thinks EVITA is the best movie musical ever made and loved they way it was done as a music video and think it's fine that they did not do that with Phantom.

Question: If the official title of the movie is, "Andrew lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera," why did it not say that in the credits? The left his name out of the title which shocked me when actual title includes his name. hmmm I guess I didn't love that Schindler's List opening part with the candle and font for the title.

[dotmarie]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 12:32am

Wait so, people were actually impressed by Emmy Rossum's singing? I thought her upper range was quite weak... yes, she LOOKS the part, so she gets away with it, but I wasn't impressed the least by her singing. She sounded best during the title song when her notes were lower. It's not that she doesn't have a nice voice, because she does, but I had a very hard time believing that the audience actually preferred Christine to Carlotta (I liked Minnie Driver's voice dub).

I agree that the movie is gorgeous to look at, but after awhile you get bored with that and need other things like, say, emotion. More emotion. It didn't hold my attention plus the movie was sooooooo loooong, or maybe it just felt that way.

It wasn't terrible. I thought it LOOKED great. But it just seemed to drag on.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 12:36am

I think the point is that Christine's voice is suppossed to contrast Carolotta's. Carlotta is the overblown, exaggerated, annoying, overvibratto opera diva and Christine is suppossed to just be a more ordinary, sweet, tender, soft, and, if you will, weaker sound which I think most poeple would prefer. I think it's right that Emmy was on the weak side rather than just forecing out a powerful sound like Sarah Brightman did. Does anyone else see what I mean?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 12:37am

Oh I left this out of my "review" before but I remember now:

It actually took me a bit to get into the movie. From the auction until "Angel of Music" I was completely mesmorized by the movie and thought it was all amazing and perfect so far. Then as soon as "Angel of Music" started, especially through the title song and through "The Music of the Night" I got very very very very bored and actually started hating the movie. I even started thinking that this show does not work well on screen, then right after that it picked up and I was mesmorized again. "The Music of the Night" could have had a verse cut out - it was way too boring, and "The Phantom of the Opera" was way too theatrical and I found it annoying.

Someone said something about "Masquerade" being too theatrical or soemthing like that, I do'nt remember exactly and I can't find it now, but I thought that number was absolutely stunning in the movie. I LOVED the "choreography" and I thought the whole scene was breathtaking. I didn't want the number to end. On Broadway, I can't stand that scene.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 12:49am

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. "Music of the Night" was actually the slowest part of the movie. Even though it's the signature song, I agree a verse could have been cut esspecially with it end with a fade out which brings the audience's mind down even more.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 12:51am

Does anyone else think a verse of Music of the Night could be cut (since it repeated throughout anyway) and instead added back in the verse of the title song that they cut? The it would be more even musically and there would be more of the upbeat music for keep people awake longer.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:04am

I think cutting a verse would be just fine...no need to take the extra minute that was cut and tack it on somewhere else - the movie is almost too long as it is.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:10am

Thanks for explaining that CATSNYrevival--i guess that was sorta obvious...:)

Oh yeah...I was very much attracted to Gerald, w/ the mask i'm like "Oh he's pretty" w/o the mask I'm like "Still pretty"--and what was with the sudden loss of hair after his mask was off near the end...?? that was kinda weird..but hey it was awesome anyway

And I was much more impressed w/ Emmy and Gerald's voices when I saw it-I expected worse after hearing the clips from the site.

[elvenprincess971]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:13am

seeing it now on Dec. 25th. I bought the soundtrack (finally) today, and am loving what i hear (for the most part), so now i can't wait! Shame on me for judging based on sound clips

Updated On: 12/23/04 at 01:13 AM

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:17am

I did not understand Rhoul's side burns with the little backward "L" shape. Did anyone see that?

Also, what was the flashforward (B&W) with Rhoul looking at the deer? I did not get that.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:19am

I didn't get that either, but I don't get a lot of things so...

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:21am

i just saw it! all i have to say is...yay

[dotmarie]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:26am

Yeah, the deer... I thought something was going to happen, like the deer was going to get shot.

The horse during the title song that so many people have mentioned...that was funny too. Where would the Phantom get a horse?

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:28am

Does anyone have any opinions about the movie from non-theatre poeple who do not know the show and are just typical theatregoers? I know what we all think of it so now i am going to take non theatre people to see it so I can get a better idea of how the movie's being recieved.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:28am

The horse cracked me up too! Emmy looked very awkward and uncomfortable on the horse too...she kinda was leaning to one side like she was afraid she'd fall off. Then after the 10ft she started walking again. LMAO

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:29am

Great reviews from Dreamer, Munk, and theatertrash! I was getting scared after the critics reviews, but you guys made me excited again!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:33am

Honestly, the only bad thing about the movie is the lipsinking. I really really really LOVE this movie.

[mirandajrs]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:34am

Loved it. Wonderful escapist fantasy. Prima Donna rocked and I loved the voging in masquerade. Oh, and the midget kicked all sorts of a**.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:37am

Who's lip sunk? heh

I agree with the general consensus here. The thing I liked the most was the visuals (I would pull an Ebert and give it a thumbs up just based on that!). I'm still not a fan of Gerard's singing at all, although his acting wasn't bad. Emmy must've been Botoxed, because that's the only thing that could explain the completely blank look and lack of mouth movement when she was "singing". Masquerade was good although I was underwhelmed considering what I was expecting. (I think the stage version is better.) What was WITH that one raving guy? I'm not kidding, I really DID turn to my friend and go, "Is buddy vogue-ing?"

[kec]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 3:18am

Mother's Younger brother:

The Times review also said this:

"Nonetheless, the music is technically demanding - just try to hum a few bars - and calls forth some impressive singing, especially from Mr. Butler and from the lovely Emmy Rossum, who plays his protégée, Christine Daae."

The word "impressive" was what I noticed first... to me that sounded positive, especially in light of some of the other reviews I read.

[kec]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 3:29am

"Oh yeah...I was very much attracted to Gerald, w/ the mask i'm like "Oh he's pretty" w/o the mask I'm like "Still pretty"--and what was with the sudden loss of hair after his mask was off near the end...?? that was kinda weird..but hey it was awesome anyway"

The black, slicked back hair is a wig. It was pulled off at the same time the black mask was pulled off.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 3:33am

thoroughly enjoyed this movie... love the CD but watching it on the screen... made me really appreciate Emmy and Gerard so much more... like some people said, hated the "drowning" sequence... completely unecessary... and the lip syching was so bad... the editing from singing to talking... eek... was painful to my ear...

and the best part of my movie going experience had nothing to do with the movie... but i saw it at the Arclight here in Los Angeles and a fight broke out in front of me right when the movie started and they had to escort the guy (about 50 years old nonetheless) out of the theater!!! haha

Posted: 12/23/04 at 4:47am

Alright..... So I just saw this movie with my best friend. We are both musical theatre lovers. She saw the play on broadway when she was 6, her first show ever and is in love with it. So when we watched it tonite we were pissed off. The movie itself was beautiful but the casting was bad. Emmy and the phantom's voices were sooo weak....Emmy's voice was really airy and totally pissed me and my best friend off cuz we've been in musical theatre for a long time and are like the same age as her and ugh she was up there and sucked. Her acting was really bland and weak too. The lipsyncing was omg freaking terrible!!! At times I couldnt bare to watch it anymore and had to look away. We also didn't like how they changed the story a lil with the phantom's backstory.
Overall it was an extremely beautiful movie and really well shot. I extremely loved the masquerade part!!!!!

One question though..... who was the guy in the wheel chair? Thats the phantom right?? And what happened to his face in the end, did it get fixed??? Someone please PM me the answer..... its bugging us and we really wanna kno!!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!

[kec]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 6:10am

"One question though..... who was the guy in the wheel chair? Thats the phantom right?? And what happened to his face in the end, did it get fixed???"

That isn't the Phantom, it's a much older Raoul. The auctioneer addresses him after he gets the music box as the Vicomte de Chagny. This same opening scene is in the play as well.

[MsNina]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 7:17am

ok, i don;t know if this was brought up before (i didn't read pages 3-5 of this thread) but what the hell was up with emmy rossum's hair in this movie? it seemed like the longer she was in the phantom's lair the bigger her hair got. people who haven't seen the movie yet: watch out for this because it was quite amusing. while the movie went on and her hair got bigger, meanwhile poor old gerard started losing his. well, it wasn't a gradual fall out, one minute he was looking pretty hot and next half his scalp was gone. but that hair issue makes far more sense that the first.

was it the humidity? her hair was HUGE.

another thing, did the phantom really make her ride that horse all of 10 feet to get to the gondola? and was anybody else disturbed by gerard's body movements in the movie? i found them kinda annoying. but he was hot, so i overlooked it.

take a friend to go see this and don't be so critical on it, you'll have more fun laughing at all the silly crap.