POTO Soundtrack out - anyone have it? — Page 3

None of this is really new information, but here's what I liked and didn't like...


What I like:

I love that most of the dialogue seems to be included. Nice touch.

For the most part all of disc one is fine. The only REAL change made vs. the stage show is "Magical Lasso" being before the unmasking scene instead of after. A lot of the lyrical changes everyone is talking about are changes that were made to the stage show already and just not so on the London cast recording.

Patrick Wilson. Hello gorgeous.

The big breath everyone takes right before the final "once more!!!" at the end of "Prima Donna". Love it.

Disc two is okay. The entire sequence with Raoul and Mdm. Giry, the fairground, the "Learn to be Lonely" underscore, and the journey to the graveyard and then "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" is awesome.

I love that they included the "Seal my fate tonight..." sequence. It's one of my favorite lines on stage. It's nice to have it finally recorded.

"Learn to be Lonely" is great as the end credits. It's a touching song. I hope it wins cuz' that's the only reason it was written...


what I don't like:

Gerry sounds like sh*t on a stick, but whatever. It's a choice. At least he went with something.

The parts that are spoken instead of sung. They sound better sung. Now they're just talking in rhyme. What the hell??? Like "Little Lotte" for example or "Raul it scares me, don't make me do this..." talking it was a bad idea. Especially the later because "Raul it scares me" is a great composition.

"Notes/Prima Donna" is RUSHED like mad. I don't know why.

The second notes scene has been butchered and then placed after the sword fight. I don't understand why that scene is now taking place so late in the film. makes no sense to me. The second phantom note is tied in with "Why So Silent" and "Bravo Monsieur" is replaced with the sword fight no big whop. but, I suppose it aint that big of a deal.

The chandelier falls right before "Down Once More" and not after "All I Ask of You (reprise). I HATE that idea. but whatever.

Over all I like it. It's more frikin' complete than the London cast recording, but it's not going to be in my CD player as much as the London cast...

Updated On: 11/24/04 at 05:02 PM

the phantom has never been the lead. he's on stage for a combined 35 minutes out of a 2 hour and 40 minute show. and that's being nice becasue technically he's not actually on stage for some of that. Christine is the lead... always has been. And Gerry isn't that bad. He just sounds like a rock star... granted, a bad one, although at times it's kinda like Adam Pascal. I mean, in a good way. Like when he says "to the seat of sweet music's throne"... sounds Adam like.... suddenly I was picturing Adam as the Phantom and it made me all tingly...

Updated On: 11/24/04 at 05:12 PM

I like Gerry's rasp I just prefur someone with a voice that would make me swoon, instead of cough. Especially for the Phantom. Like I said it was a choice. They went there. I'm happy they went somewhere, at least. And now I can't get Adam as the Phantom out of my mind. That would make me swoon and turn my head and cough...

The other thing about GB is that he has an EXTREMELY thick accent which is hard to get rid of and that's part of why his vocals aren't...perfect.
Oh, and Emmy sounds AMAZING in Point of No Return now that I'm revisiting it.

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one thing I've decided I don't like: Gerard singing "Go now, go now and leave me"....ick his voice sounds nice, but not for that line. shouting would have been so much better. Why couldn't he have shouted that line and sang some of the others with that voice.

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I really am enjoying the soundtrack.

A question: To anyone who has heard the Beautiful Game cast recording, some music in Journey to the Cemetery sounds exactly like the music in Beautiful Game, also composed by Lloyd Webber. Can anyone take a listen and let me know what you think? The music I am speaking of starts 1 min 35 sec into the track on the POTO soundtrack. It sounds just like the music in track one on the BG cd.It sounds as if ALW is recycling again.

Ok, I listened to both like 3 times each and I don't see any similarity.

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hahahaha. The thing I didn't like about the Chandelier falling in the middle of the show, is.....if they chandelier fell and possibly killed someone, why would they be throwing a party soon after? I think by putting the "falling" at the end, it adds to the "gasp" factor and makes more sense. Oh, and I love that part in the book too.

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Oh, yes. I know the book does, but I am talking about the musical itself. It doesn't really give notice that it is months later. Infact, it makes it sound like the next day of something. In th book it makes sense, in the musical it doesn't.

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In my personal opinion, the musical either fabricated segments, left too vague, or just completely cut out parts of the book. Some things that were important. Making the show (in my opinion, NOT fact)rather, well, an embarassment of an adaptation. If it were a completely original idea I would have loved the show more. But the book was just so brilliant and the show destroyed it and made it this love triangle and never got any deeper than that. Anyways, the movie has kept true to the musical where needed, added parts fro mthe book where it is DESPERATELY needed, and has made it veyr movie-esque where it is needed. The Chandlier crashing at the end is an example of that, and in my opinion, was a good decision.

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I love Gerard as the Phantom. He gives it a different turn which I love. He doesn't have a classic voice, which is controversial for him to have but if he is supposedly a genius who can do just about everything (except seduce women) i think he can train someone without having the greatets voice, but it has this raspy quality which is just...SEXY and makes him much more appealing. And he puts so much energy into his voice so he doesn't sound just like he's singing into a microphone which I love. But anyways, he definately has a voice that causes controversy over whether its good or bad or exceptional for a role this demanding.

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<< okay, the phantom is not the lead in a musical called "phantom of the opera"? the character may be on the "stage" a total of 35 minutes (according to you) but he's still the MALE lead of the show and as such he should kick ass vocally.>>

About 35 minutes is correct, but as you say, the Phantom is the lead. The number of minutes is not as important as what happens during the time the character is on stage----and as you say, Butler will no doubt be on screen for longer.

I've seen the stage musical several times, and the quality of the Phantom's acting and singing can make or break the show.

I think the best things about this CD are the orchestra and patrick wilson. I'm slightly disappointed with Gerard and Emmy, but it't not by any means BAD, I think. The only thing about the CD I truly dislike is "Learn to be Lonely." I don't think there's any way in hell that this song would win the Oscar for best song. It sounds like the new track added to the london revival of TELL ME ON A SUNDAY with Denise Van Outen (does anyone know what I'm talking about?) I really dislike it, and can't see it getting much praise. I'm so excited for this movie - I just hope usual movie goers don't dismiss it as being "boring opera" or "another stupid musical." But after CHICAGO, I think people have a restored interest in movie musicals (meaning those who weren't fans before.) I hope PHANTOM continues the trend.

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