The Phantom of the Movie Musical - A Paradoxical Review

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:01am

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

I went into the theatre tonight not knowing what to expect.

As many people know, I AM NOT a fan of The Phantom of the Opera. Not in the least. I think it is an overblown, long-winded piece of spectacle, with a nice score by ALW and abysmal lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. The book was long, poorly-written and difficult to stage (ALW and Richard Stilgoe can be blamed for that).

I went into the theatre expecting to be bored, that if I was going to enjoy anything I would enjoy the cinematography, the sets and the costumes.

Boy was I wrong!

From the beginning I was entranced. That opening sequence with the candle had me enthralled. Then into the much talked about Auction scene. I liked the way they padded this scene out. It intrigued me. I found the opening much better than the stage show. This really hooked me in...The Auction scene in the stage show is so quick, whereas this was more drawn out, and piqued my interest much more.

The overture was spine-tingling. Then coming into rehearsals, where Minnie Driver as Carlotta was phenomenal. So funny. Every time she opened her mouth I found myself laughing.

Emmy Rossum as Christine was much better than I expected. First off, the girl is gorgeous (albeit a little lacking in the bosum). Secondly, her voice, while weak, is beautiful and pure. I think her Christine was lovely, and she certainly holds the film together.

Patrick Wilson as Raoul...well the man melts my heart. How can you not love him. His singing voice to the ears is like Monet to the eyes. His face...*sigh*. I loved him. I certainly didn't understand why he didn't have an accent, but he was wonderful.

Miranda Richardson made a wonderful Madame Giry. Her characterisation was perfect, but her French accent left me confused...Why was she the only one exhibiting a true French accent? Who knows?!?! Jennifer Ellison was a sweet and very beautiful Meg. Monsieurs Firmin and Andre were very good.

I wasn't fussed on Piangi.

Which brings me to Gerald Butler. He was confusing. Let me call him "Thoroughly Inconsistant Phantom" and that's an understatement.

In "Angel of Music" he didn't sound terrible, and I was wondering why such a fuss was made about him. Then he sang the title song, and I thought it was great. Music of the Night was passable, but I didn't think it was very good at all. All I Ask Of You (reprise) was atrocious. Point of No Return was great.

And that's just his singing. His acting was equally as inconsistant. Sometimes his performance was so unconvincing, uncharasmatic and wooden that I wondered why he was cast (and who doesn't?). Other times, like in the PONR scene, he was so charasmatic and gorgeous you had to scrape me off the floor.

I wish he could have delivered a consistant performance, because I found I could neither like nor hate is portrayal. All I could do was wish that Anthony Warlow was there on screen...


The cinematography, sets and costumes are what made this film. Phantom has always been about Speactacle, and in this regard, it did not disappoint. It was a joy for the eyes (although at times I found myself getting a wee bit dizzy). The costumes were the real highlight for me. They were dazzling.

I definately had two favourite scenes in this film. Masquerade and Point of No Return.

I had heard bad things about Masquerade, how it should have been done like a normal ball. I disagree. The staging for this was prefect. The costumes (all black and white) really accented the ethereal and unnatural nature of the scene. I think that is what many reviewers did not like about that scene; that it was so unnatural. That is why I loved it. It was just so far from reality, and highlight the strange world of the Opera House. I loved the fans. I thought that was a wonderful touch.

Point Of No Return was so damn hot I had completely melted. One good thing you can say about Gerald Butler is that he is one attractive man, and with that mask, ouch! I have always had a thing for male dancers, and with male dancers in the background, Gerald in the foreground in his most inspired and best-sung scene, I was in heaven. In that scene the chemistry between Emmy and Gerald was incredible. I wish Gerald had played the whole film with the same amount of inspiration that he did in that scene, because...hot.


I think the thing the film did was highlight the joys of Andrew Lloyd Webber's score. And I never thought I would say that. I am a Sondheim fan, through and through, and I have not lost a wink of sleep that POTO lost best score to Into The Woods. But this certainly is a fine score. The lyrics remain woeful, but they are tolerable considering the virtues of the film.

THE BAD STUFF!

-The Phantom's entrance at the end of Masquerade. Where is the Red Death Costume?!?!? This was one of the few things that was not as effective as the stage show.

-All I Ask of You (reprise) and anything low and tender that Gerald Butler sang.

-That Meg was the first to enter the Phantom's Lair. I was like "What?" There is a killer on the loose, and a sweet and beautiful young woman runs unarmed into the lair, followed by men with guns. Why didn't the men enter first?

-I think Gerald Butler was too attractive for the role. I kept thinking, "Gee the man is gorgeous." I should have been repulsed. But no, instead I kept thinking how hot he looked, and how that mask served as a great fashion accessory. It just doesn't fit. Sure, the Phantom doesn't have to be ugly, but he is considered a monster for a reason...Why didn't he just go out in public? He could have picked up anyone!



Overall I think it is one of the best Movie Musicals I have seen. I wasn't a fan of the Stage Show, but the Film reinvented it for me, which is what it is supposed to do. I was a fan of the Chicago movie, but I really feel this was a better transfer.

PMSD be damned... Updated On: 1/2/05 at 08:01 AM

[kec]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 9:29am

I very much enjoyed your review, especially since you went into it with such low expectations. However, there is one thing...

"Undoubtedly it is Meg Giry who is bidding against Raoul for the music box."

Why do you say "undoubtedly"? It's NOT Meg, but MADAME Giry who is bidding against Raoul for the music box. The auctioneer addressed her as Madame Giry. Were you thinking that Madame Giry would be too old? She would have been in her late 80's, early 90's at most, by 1919.

Meg had no real connection with the Phantom, but her mother did. It made sense for Madame Giry to want that music box, as a reminder of the child she once saved from the Gypsies.

As for the PHantom's costume in the Masquerade sequence... true it's not as spectacular as the stage version, but I thought it was fine. I read somewhere that the cape following him down those stairs looked a bit like a pool of blood, and I thought that was a good analogy.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 9:46am

It's been discussed a lot lately as to whether it is Meg or Madame Giry that is there bidding against Raoul.

Now Raoul is 70 in this scene, and I would assume that Madame Giry is at leasy 20 years older than him.

That woman is not 90. Nor is she 70. She looks to be younger than Raoul, maybe 5-10 years younger.

Which fits for Meg, who is roughly Christine's age. Christine was born in 1854, died in 1917. It is now 1919 which would make Christine 65 were she alive.

Undoubtedly is a poor choice of words, as either way it makes little sense.
Meg is right in age, but Madame Giry would have the sentimental attachment to the music box. But perhaps she would not give up the bidding, so great is her attachment.

They address her as Madame Giry, but it is possible that Meg has become Madame Giry. After all, they do have the same last name.

I still don't think that the woman was 90.

While I prefer the opening sequence of this to the stage show, in the stage show this is not an issue, as neither Giry is in attendance.

I wonder what made them include her?

[kec]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 10:56am

Ah, but Madame is only used when the woman is married. If Meg were married she would not be Madame Giry, but her last name would be whatever her husband's name was.

The other thing to keep in mind is that some women age much better than men do. As Raoul is in a wheelchair, it's possible that whatever put him there also aged him well beyond his years -- or simply a poor make-up job.

As to why she was included in the film... I'm not quite sure. It certainly made it a bit more interesting to see two people from the events of 1870 bidding on a piece of the Phantom's property.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 10:59am

This probably will make no sense at all, but people who worked in the opera usually did not get married because they devoted their entire existance to the opera. Just because the Opera House burned down, doesn't mean that Meg did not go somewhere else to be a ballerina. I think I might be analyzing this too much and so are we all with asking who this person is. I didn't even think about it until I read it on this message board. But, it is clearly miranda richardson as that woman but older meg? Hmmm....don't know.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:11pm

I totally agree that we are over-analyzing too much. I'm going to strike out that part of the review.

I'd love some feedback on the review (apart from that it's long).

This is the first review I've posted here, so I'd like to know what people think...

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:19pm

I thoroughly enjoyed your review! As I have not yet seen Phantom, you review has left me wanting to make an effort to get to the theater. Sorry about my short response, I just don't feel like analyzing anything, currently. :)

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:22pm

that's cool...
I just want to know what people think...

I think it's definately worth the cost of the ticket!

[LaeloftheLakes]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:25pm

Well, all right.

I completely agree with your assessment of Gerard Butler. Half the time, I was cringing from his singing, and the other half, Chelsea and I were swooning and calling Christine an idiot. Lord, that is one attractive man...

"-That Meg was the first to enter the Phantom's Lair. I was like "What?" There is a killer on the loose, and a sweet and beautiful young woman runs unarmed into the lair, followed by men with guns. Why didn't the men enter first?"

Sadly, that didn't occur to me, but she did look very underprepared. Now that you mention it, though...damn. People are dumb.

I was personally stunned by the amout they stayed faithful to from the play. Nearly everything they changed (besides some things involving the Girys) was to change a couple of lines from sung dialogue to spoken...without changing them. So they were speaking rhymed lines, like in the "Think of it, a secret engagement..." through "What have we to hide?" The people I saw it with didn't care, but it bothered me. Well, it actually made me crack up. It was just...corny.

I TOTALLY agree about PONR!!! Wow...what an amazing scene! The effect it had was completely different from anything that it was in the stage version, which was kind of dark and somewhat boring (at least to me). They sure changed that!

One more thing along the Meg-entering-first line of things that look good but don't make sense; Leaving the ring on the gravesite. Bury it with her, or something! Don't just set it there! "You know, that's gonna get stolen, and then they're going to assume she was rich, and dig her up and steal her clothes!" --Chelsea


My two cents.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:33pm

I LOVE YOU LAEL!!!


The "think of it, a secret engagement" annoyed me too...

mainly because it meant Patrick Wilson wasn't singing and his voice melts like butter in your mouth.

And Chelsea is totally right!!!

And, I feel that while they were faithful, they totally improved on the stage show. I really am not a fan...

[LaeloftheLakes]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:43pm

I LOVE YOU TOO! And...I love Patrick Wilson! *swoon*

Although I must ask...

"his voice melts like butter in your mouth."

Does that mean it melts like the butter in your mouth, or that his voice, in your mouth, melts like butter? Either is a little odd...




And just the opportunities they had to visually improve it, they took every single one! That was what made it so amazing for me, I think. The visual spectacle, as it were, was entrancing, truly. I told my mother that it was a "beautiful" film, literally. That's why she's seeing it.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:55pm

wow...i can't make that make sense. I tried, and I failed.

I'm on a roll with confusing people at the moment.

It seriously is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.

But it could have been better...


























I for one yelled out "damn!" when Patrick Wilson stopped taking his clothes off as he ran down the stairs... Updated On: 1/2/05 at 07:55 PM

[Marquise]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:59pm

i really enjoyed reading your review paradox. you really did go in there with an open mind, which is cool. so did i, but came out very disappointed. i have to disagree with you about that Masquerade sequence, what threw me off about this was the "vogueing" choreography not the costumes, i think the costumes were the best part of that sequence and of course the song itself.

[LaeloftheLakes]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:00pm

Patrick Wilson should NEVER stop taking off his clothes!

Although, I feel I'm obliged to call you on one more error (because I'm being a bitch for no reason today). You're on a "role"?

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:03pm

See, I was expecting that (because most people hated the scene and posted that over and over) and was expecting to hate it.

I thought the Masquerade scene was one of the best. I can't really explain why. I loved how forced and unnatural it was. I guess I am one of the few that enjoys forced and unnatural...

The show is very far-fetched. I enjoyed the fact that it didn't pretend to be realistic.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:47pm

I didn't like the speaking parts, when it was originally sung at first, but on the way home from seeing my fiancee today I popped in my OLC recording and I REALLY missed the speaking parts. I now think that it added a lot more to the scene when they spoke it. I also missed the speed of certain songs like "Masquerade" and "Down Once More" from the movie and also the "Point of No Return" on the OLCR does not have the "sex appeal" of the movie soundtrack. Even though I still love my OLCR for certain reasons (The owners, Raoul, etc.) I love the movie soundtrack even more. After listening to Crawford and Brightman again today, I can honestly say that Butler and Rossum now own those roles for me.

Also, Paradox...I loved Masquerade. And I agree to when you said "The show is very far-fetched. I enjoyed the fact that it didn't pretend to be realistic." I didn't take any of what I saw "realistically." I just sat back and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

[Marquise]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:51pm

well, since we're suspending "realism" would you have accepted "break dancing" over the "vouging" if they would have approached the number that way and still thoroughly enjoyed yourselves.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:52pm

I would have chuckled but then I would have said "That's funny" and got entranced when the Phantom walks in, like I did when I first saw the movie.

[Marquise]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:26pm

then i guess you would have settled for just about anything...
don't get me wrong i'm not trying to get you to agree with me nor do i expect you to change my opinion, i was just curious what you would have thought if that were the case.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 10:03pm

Spidey! I love it when your avatar is CZJ!

She is one of the most beautiful people alive...

Breakdancing is going a bit too far for me...

But I really wish the Phantom was wearing the Red Death Costume.

I didn't like his costume for that scene. One of the few costuming errors in the movie...

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 11:52pm

any other opinions?

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 1:54am

I just want a little feedback...

I don't care if you completely disagree...

Hell, yesterday I would have thoroughly doubted my abiblity to enjoy it...

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 4:45am

Even with the facial upset, I'd still let him rape me. So yeah, he's sexy as all hell. and I go to hell to get with that. but, obviously that's what they were going for. otherwise they would have cast Crawford. Now, I find his voice sexy too. I remember at first I hated it, but now after seeing the movie, his voice is orgasmic. Even just listening to it without the visuals, it's too late. the man is hot.

I loved how for the "All I Ask of You" reprise that they still managed to position him on the angel with his arms out. it was a nice wink to the stage version.

and I would agree with Red Death. However, did you take a look at his crotch in that costume? Already, for me, it did more than what was on stage.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 5:02am

When I see it again I'll look at his crutch more!

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 2:45am

bump!

surely someone else has an opinion...