PHANTOM Q

I was a huge fan of the movie and have loved the CD for the past year... and I just bought tickets to the show in March.

However, I am wondering if I (having seen the movie and memorized the amazing soundtrack) will be a bit dissapointed with the live production.

I mean, I am only assuming the 100 piece orchestra, hugely gigantic chorus, and perfect studio voices won't be there on stage for the real thing.

Anyone seen the movie first then the show? How do they compare? And will I still love it just the same? (or *cross my fingers* more???)

any comments greatly appreciated!

I saw the movie about three days before seeing the show and the show was so much better. You will definately enjoy it more, especially because you love it so much.

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Updated On: 1/28/06 at 09:49 PM

I saw the movie about three months before I saw the show. The movie was better for me, and I enjoy the movie a lot more. I do like some voices better in on the cast recording, but for me the movie was a grade A when the stage musical was a grade C.

But it all depends on how you like it.

...lol... I think we would all agree that'd be a HORRIBLE mix! :S

...how are most Christine's compared to Emmy Rossum's voice? I get the feeling that the brdwyers are a bit more operatic... true? (i could be way off here)

thanx 4 the posts!

If you see it with Susan Owen or Rebecca Pitcher you will like them better then Emmy probably. I personally hate the movie, but am obsessed with the stage production.

I feel the stage show is waaay better than the movie. Especially if you are lucky enough to see it with Howard McGillan as the Phantom! I find Gerard Butler's voice to be...well...quite terrible. Maybe because I have seen the stage show and am in love with Howard and Hugh. Though, I've liked the Christines I've seen much better than Emmy Rossum as well. I guess you'll just have to decide for yourself when you see it. But Howard Mcgillan is amazing, so you should by far enjoy it!

The show is breathtaking and blows the movie away.

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He asked what people thought of it. And so I told him. So. No.

I saw the stage show first then the movie...I didn't really like the movie very much. Butler's voice was quite horrible. The stage actors have more of a smoother voice. I've never seen Howard McGillin but from what i hear-he's a great Phantom. Sandra Joseph as Christine...well, she was ok. i preffered Susan Owen though. Tim Martin Gleason...i don't like him. he's got no emotion at all at times.

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You will love the stage version. I find the movie to be awful in comparision to the stage version. I thought Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum's voices were abysmal. They needed to have professional and trained vocalist sing these parts. The Phantom's voice is supposed to be hypnotizing, but Gerard Butler's is more like a rock voice. And Emmy, being an alto, should not have been cast in a soprano part. Her voice was a bit screechy at times and they had to lower some notes for her.

Not to mention they cut out some great moments in the movie and twisted the story line around more than they should have.

The 100-piece orchestra was great, but other aspects of the stage version more than compensate for it.

I just saw Phantom in NY a 2 weeks ago and I was hugely disappointed. I did not care for the cast at all. Not Christine, not Raul, not Phantom. It was sad. Also the abundance of picture flashes going off in the theater throughout the entire show was very distracting and very annoying. I am also a huge fan of the movie and unlike many people I really enjoyed Gerard Butler's performance as Phantom. Everyone in the movie was good. I hope you enjoy this but don't expect the amazing voices you're used to.

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My two cents...

If you love the score to the show, you'll absolutely love the stage version. If your interest is purely based on the film, then you might not. Simply because the movie is fairly different than the show.

I believe I'm one of the few who love both the stage and film versions. Just don't go in expecting to see the movie put on stage, because it has a much different look and feel.

I think certain parts of the film actually surpass the stage, but all in all, the stage show beats it out. There's a true excitement to seeing The Phantom on stage. The show has a lot of just beautiful "classic" moments that make it truly magical.

So wipe your mind clear of the film before heading into the show and you'll really enjoy it. Remember, Schumacher (who I thought did a great job with the film) took a lot of liberty with the look and tone of the show when putting it on film, especially concerning the Phantom himself.

Hope you enjoy it, as I'm sure you will. Keep an open mind and have a great time.

I think I'll just say it.

Gerard Butler sucks, he can't sing. I wish I could get away with yelling and scooping all my lines.

I think you'll appreciate the show seeing someone who sings the role 8 times a week awesomely as opposed to someone who sang it once, lip synched it for the filming and was bad at both.




And I don't even like Phantom.