Phantom soundtrack - single edition vs. double

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 11/24/04 at 6:49pm

**This is one of my serious posts.**

Okay, I have both here and I think the single edition version us much better. I like hearing the songs as singles that can stand alone without all that talking on the double. There is a ton of talking on the double and I'm wondering if it's unnecessary. I do like the way the a lot of the part of the score between the main songs that are ususally sung are spoken. That something that they should have done with EVITA. It makes it seem less like an opera to the normal audience and those usually aren't pretty notes anyway. Does anyone else have any comparison between these two? Oh, and the cover art for the double sucks ass.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/24/04 at 8:01pm

The cover for the double cd does suck, but what can you do? Um....I am actually glad that I bought the 2 cd set. I mean, you get all of the music, along with parts in songs that you do not get with the highlights. I didn't like all the dialogue during my first listen but after that it didn't bother me at all...infact, I liked it. Again, you miss SO MUCH with the highlights cd that, to me, kinds ruins it. If you can, get the 2-cd set and enjoy for it is GLORIOUS.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/24/04 at 8:10pm

The cover art for the double sucks, yes. But other than that I love having all the dialogue. That's one of my main complaints usually is that there is never enough dialogue for me to follow. This time around I'm completely satisfyed. I mean, not with everything, but in terms of dialodue, yeah, I like that they included a lot. And "Seal my fate tonight"!!! Finally recorded!!! Thank you!!!!!

[Marquise]

Posted: 11/24/04 at 11:08pm

"Oh, and the cover art for the double sucks ass."

:: one of the more classier posts on BWW ::

[Loge]

Posted: 11/24/04 at 11:41pm

I much prefer the double! I like to think of these things as works, not a serious of individual songs! When I listen to musicals/opera, I like to listen to the work, or part of it, in sequence. I never understood how anyone could choose a highlights set over a more complete set, but to each his own.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 2:19am

I guess I wouldn't mind it because I like haveing all the music. But does the original stage soundtrack have all that talking?

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 2:21am

It has very minimum dialogue, but it has "some." Nothing to the extent of the movie soundtrack.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 2:25am

I'm listening to it now. Did they move "Twisted Every Way" later in the score to after the graveyard? It sounds like it. Okay. She sounds nice on that part.

Also, how do you feel about they way many of the "sung-dialoge" parts are now just spoken?

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 2:29am

I actually like it. It makes it more personal.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 12:54pm

Here's a direct quote from the sountrack booklet for the full edition:

"Gerry was not a stage-trained singer, but sang in a band."

This makes so much sense. He does sound like a rock star sometimes and I think it's a greta way to do the part. The normal people are going to get tired of hearing an operatic sound with Carlotta and Christine sometimes and I think this is good that the Phantom is more of a raw untrained voice.

[Marquise]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 2:26pm

Phantom of the Opera Single Edition Vs. "Special" Edition:

Only difference is that when you get the "Special" Edition you get twice as much of Gerard Butler's warbling.

IMO if they wanted the "Phantom" to sound like a "rock star" the producers should have re-made "Phantom of the Paradise".

This is just a feeble attempt to appeal to the teeny-bopper crowd.

The orchestrations are out of this world. Emmy Rossum is o.k., Patrick Wilson and the woman who dubbed Minnie Driver impressed me the most vocally. Christine and "Phantom" did nothing for me vocally and IMO in my eyes the producers really screwed this up by getting two singers to play the leads who really fail to impress.

Updated On: 11/25/04 at 02:26 PM

[wickedfan]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 2:40pm

I totally forgot to mention this, the best part of the whole speaking instead of singing of some lines were in "Down once more" when Emmy is singing "Angel of Music you deceived me (then spoken/whispered) I gave you my mind blindly"

Updated On: 11/25/04 at 02:40 PM

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 2:48pm

Marquis, you do have to do a compromize though. Without the teeny boppers there would be no movie. There aren't enough theatre poeple out there. I think they kept most of what the show is on stage.

[Marquise]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 2:54pm

don't get me wrong, i'm going to see the movie when it comes out. i'm just so disappointed. i had high hopes for this movie. but what i'm listening to is not impressing me at all. it's a let down.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 3:25pm

i'm still waiting for mine to get here......

2nd day shipping my ass

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 11/25/04 at 3:29pm

Yeah, I owuld make a fuss to amazon about that because I ordered regular shipping and mine came on Tuesday, the day it was released which means they shipped it early.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/26/04 at 2:05am

Hey, sorry if this has been asked already (I'm trying to avoid reading everyone's opinions until I've had a chance to hear the ST myself) but I'm looking on chapters.ca and it says the 2CD version comes with a "Collector's Edition hardcover book". What's up with that? You get a BOOK with the CD?? Lemme know if it's worth it and I'll order asap.


Thank ya much!

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 11/26/04 at 2:15am

Instead of a traditional jewel case, the cd case IS the little booklet and its a few pages of photos and writing with the discs in sleeves. Not a whole lot more than the single disc editon you just get the full score.

[broadway geek]

Posted: 11/26/04 at 11:43am

I'm sure someone mentioned this already, but has anyone noticed that on movie poster and cd cover, etc. The Phantom's mask is on the wrong side? I know it makes a heck of a better picture, but that sort of annoys me.

I got the Special Edition, just because then you have a more complete recording but I think the regular is a better deal, only like 14 bucks while it's 21 at amazon for the longer one.

[zepka102]

Posted: 11/26/04 at 11:52am

yeah... its the mirror image... i remember taking a medi analysis class in hs that talked about stuff like that. its more pleasing to the eye if it goes in that direction (them facing the right side)... if they did it the other way, you wouldn't really see the mask... but yeah, it bothers me too!