phantom of the opera how is it romantic?- Page 3

[me2]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 8:36pm

I think it's a love story but not romantic. Obession is never rmoantic, and the audience doesn't experience any emotions as a result of Raoul and Christine.

To me, the Phantom/Christine relationship is like Mr.s Lovett/Sweeny Todd. Unhealthy.

There's a lot of beauty in the story but that's not romance.
Broadway Blog: Wanted: Published Libretti

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 8:54pm

TheatreDiva...I am on the floor!!!!

Updated On: 10/15/07 at 08:54 PM

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 9:45pm

Get over yourself Theatre Diva. I know the story well, so well in fact that I don't want to see something I know exactly what is going to happen. How many times do people have to tell you how ignorant you are?

Sorry but I prefer things that I find more interesting. There is more out there than just this. I'm afraid though, Phantom of the Opera on Stage just isn't really on my list. I wouldn't go see Les Miz either. I just don't follow the crowd. Too depressing to me. Kind of like some of you.

And the Movie was produced by ALW, he did have something to do with the Production right? I just love how you can't stay on topic. At least Lizzie you got that ADD right.

[EdmundOG]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 9:46pm

Some while back, a person posted a picture of the Phantom and Christine on Broadway Secrets saying "I dream of someone loving me like he loved her."

My response was "What, you mean stalking and kidnapping you, attacking your friends, freaking out violently at you when things aren't perfect, and forcing you to live in fear? Good luck. Your odds are pretty good. I see relationships like that all the time... ON MAURY."

And that's my opinion.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 10:04pm

Honestly, the movie was inaccurate even to the stage show.

[ABoyLikeThat]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 10:12pm

I haven't read the novel but having seen the stage adaptation, I always found it odd myself that this show was considered romantic. Erik is a psychopath and exhibits stalker-ish tendencies the whole show. The mutual love is between Christine and Raoul, not Christine and Erik. I do, however, find the music compelling and romantic. The story though? Not so much.

As far as the lake under the theatre goes, I recall reading somewhere (and my memory is a little foggy here) that there really is one and that people used to be tortured and killed there when the theatre building project was put on hold. Gaston Leroux was a journalist that came to check out the scene when they discovered the bodies later.

[misschung]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 10:13pm

"(ye ban ge sheng)"Is that the follow up to "She Bangs"?

I just laughed so hard that I snorted. Thanks, I needed that

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 11:00pm

I just love how you can't stay on topic.

I love how you can't be concise.

At least Lizzie you got that ADD right.

And you still never answered my question: Is your first language German? What's with your weird capitalization?!

Updated On: 10/15/07 at 11:00 PM

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 11:31pm

SporkGoddess- I know the stage version is different, my friend saw it. I read the book a long time ago. I've seen Lon Chaney in the Television version of it. The Cemetery Scene isn't in it right? It's been awhile since it was out here in SF.

I actually considered the Musical, for purely Theatrical reasons but my Family kept me really busy. I've read quite a bit about the production from reviews. I wanted to see it in New York. So much though has come out since then. I have nothing against the Production but the story? I'm on the side that thinks Erik is nuts. I've known guys like this.

I think that people who like it should go and see it on stage. The singing in the Movie version isn't the greatest but it isn't bad either. I love the Costumes, the sets and how they presented it overall. I just can't see myself sitting through it in a Theatre when there are other shows I know I will enjoy better. It's not suffering because I missed it.

[DaintyJack]

Posted: 10/16/07 at 7:23am

The show is ridiculously romantic. Technically, the music is written very romantically. But the story alone. Yeah, we get it, the Phantom is disfigured and a wierd genuis, but he falls in love with a voice, and is willing to kill to see that his protege succeeds. And that girl is in love with him no matter what she says. She takes Raoul because he's hot, but the Phantom is the one who cares for her (Can I betray the man who once inspired my voice?) Personally, I'd take the musical genius who wears a sexy tux and can write me a song.

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 10/16/07 at 9:23am

...and kills everyone around you and watches you through a mirror and takes you forcibly to his damp basement lair?

To each their own, I suppose. Silly me, wanting a boyfriend who is mentally sound.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 10/16/07 at 2:19pm

"How many times do people have to tell you how ignorant you are?"

I'm not sure, but the last time I checked, ignorant was defined as "lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned".

I've seen Phantom. I have extensive training and years of experience in Theatre Arts.


~

You don't.




"I know the stage version is different, my friend saw it."

That means you have an opinion on it, or was it just your friends opinion?

Updated On: 10/16/07 at 02:19 PM

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 10/16/07 at 2:32pm

Is treining anything like training?



"Some while back, a person posted a picture of the Phantom and Christine on Broadway Secrets saying "I dream of someone loving me like he loved her."

My response was "What, you mean stalking and kidnapping you, attacking your friends, freaking out violently at you when things aren't perfect, and forcing you to live in fear? Good luck. Your odds are pretty good. I see relationships like that all the time... ON MAURY."

And that's my opinion."

LOL! Now I can picture Christine and the Phantom on Maury.

Maury: How long has this been going on?
Christine: Too long! I can't take it, Maury! He makes me wear hideous wedding dresses! But... but ... *sobs* worst of all... he sings Andrew Lloyd Webber over-synthesized pop ballads to me all time!
Maury: Let's bring him out!
Audience: BOO! *lots of bleeped out phrases, etc*
Phantom: (to audience) Shut the f--k up! You don't know me! You don't know me!

Updated On: 10/16/07 at 02:32 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/16/07 at 2:51pm

The worst part, though? He sings Andrew Lloyd Webber pop ballads to her!

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 10/16/07 at 2:58pm

Aye, this is true. (I editted my message accordingly).

By the way, I love your signature.

"Bunnies?! I don't know what you're talking about but I like the sound of it!"

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 10/16/07 at 3:11pm

Why thank you. That's probably my favorite song from the movie.

[GHOSTLIGHT2]

Posted: 10/19/07 at 9:58am

I admit that it is the craziest romance story You can concieve of.
Firstly You have a introverted little dweeb who lives in the catacombs and writes music for Himself who wants and feels entitled to the affections of the woman He feels strongly for.
Then You have the woman,who is so weak willed she doesn't know WHAT she realy wants .
Then We have the other man,upstanding and guaranted to look out for her best interests caught in the middle.
If this was set in the modern era thiese characters would be guests(freaks) on The Jerry Springer Show.
The Andrew Lloyd-Webber show presents an un-romantic story AS romance,I love the compositions but I cannot see anything romantic in that story.
I have watched the films, they never presented the villain as a sympathetic light because the villain is supposed to be the bad-guy,like Dracula The Phantom contributes nothing but feels entited to take any and every thing He wants.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 10/19/07 at 12:49pm

Oh come on, the story is utterly formulaic. The Phantom is the sexy bad boy, Raul is the safe good boy. Christine is attracted to both (which is bizarre, but more on this in a moment) and the romance is that she COULD have the bad boy who would do anything for her but she picks the good boy.

It's just another one of those silly stories about one boring person who seems to be surrounded by people who are literally madly in love with her. Do you think people are paying that much attention? There are strings in the pit and the characters keep telling each other how much they love one another. This is our modern day version of romance. They should've gotten John Cusack to play the Phantom.

That Christine should have any attraction to the Phantom is completely bizarre because she thinks he's her father for most of the time they come into contact with one another.

The original novel is hardly a romance and you'd be hard pressed to find any literary scholar (aside from a specialist) who calls Erik one of the hallmark characters of literature. More likely you'd get a "Erik who? He has a name?"

[GHOSTLIGHT2]

Posted: 10/19/07 at 6:08pm

Well, Roninjoey's comments hit all the right notes.
In a dysfunctional world people seem to want dysfunctional romances.

I would advocate that every one read His previouse comment closely because it is accurate on every level.

It is old fashioned over the top melodrama, The Phantom is indeed a bad boy, He goes for what He wants and She submits because the path of wrong can be more satisfying than the path of virtue.

In several interpretations She did not choose to be with Raul as much as She would have died with the Phantom.

Roninjoey is also correct in observing that most everyone has NO idea that the Phantoms name was Erik,I was amazed when I saw that He made the comment.

Is Phantom Of The Opera a great show? no not realy,people enjoy it and that justifies it's existance, it was the basis of some beautiful compositions but making The Phantom a romantic figure is like making Dracula a romantic figure, it confuses sex(the Bad Boy typified by thiese charismatic theatrical villains) with romance represented by the virtuouse men who must oppose them-the Rauls and Jonathan Harkers.

In real life it is hard to feel sympathy for women who deliberately gravitates to the abusive creep but in theater We feel for Her-atleast We are supposed to.

The relationship Between The Phantom and Christine is indeed Freudian, when She does not think He is Her father She thinks that He is an Angel,does this make sense unless We observe Her as living in a fantasy world?
It would be easy for a villain to single out such a person but You could never call the results romance.

[Sally]

Posted: 10/19/07 at 7:56pm

Many of you see this show as a sick and disfunctional non-romance. Amazing that so many people have left the theater over the years with tears in their eyes, wishing that Christine could have stayed with the Phantom even though they know she couldn't.

I suppose that fact just reinforces the opinion of some of you that ordinary theater audiences lack taste and common sense.

The Phantom's love for Christine has been through the show completely selfish. With Christine's two kisses in the final Lair scene, this man no one has ever cared for or willingly touched from his infancy on, finds that this woman can. Her action makes him realize (albieit suddenly) that love is generous, not grasping and selfish. He releases Raoul and lets, urges, Christine to leave with him.

He is left alone, heart broken. The pain is exacerbated when she returns---to stay? No, to return his ring and to leave again.

Hot damn! A lot of us sickies find this romantic.

[StageFan2]

Posted: 10/19/07 at 8:05pm

"Oh yeah, the part where he strung up the girl's childhood love and threatened to kill him if she didn't marry the disfigured psychopath just warmed my heart."

Okay.Okay. A minor laspe in judgement. It happens. It doesn't mean he doesn't care.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 10/19/07 at 8:07pm

"if this is what is considered a classic what is this world coming to?"

don't read much, do you?

[The White Half-Mask]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 2:59am

Good points, Sally!

I will admit that The Phantom is a rather terrifying character for most of the show and is not very romantic, but one must keep in mind that he is a very troubled man who has never known any love or kindness throughout his entire life. However, he is able to redeem himself (at least partially) in the end. Through her kiss, Christine makes him realize that love involves sacrifice and being able to let go. And so Erik forgets his own selfish desires and willingly lets Christine go with Raoul, even though it breaks his heart and completely crushes him. I personally find it very touching, and it moves me to tears every time I see it.
Updated On: 10/21/07 at 02:59 AM

[GHOSTLIGHT2]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 10:52am

Hmmm,I would dare say that I am a troubled man, I would also dare to say some would claim I am a tortured soul but that does NOT give Me a free hand to do whatever I want-I chose not to be the Monster The Phantom was willing to be.

Why is it such a hard notion for so many people to understand that our pain is the defining traits of our souls?

It does not matter that Erik did not get enugh Love or kindness, there are uncountable people who have to live without those things He was small minded to think that the world revolved around what HE wanted that His needs outweighed Christines and Rauls.

I want what I want But NEVER at the the sake of others.

Clearly Sally and The Half White Mask has never suffered from that kind of isolation ,I have and learned a long time ago it can belittle You or You can rise above it and become the better person for it.

Would I ever do what He did ? NO! somethings not even happiness are ours to take from others.

Again it goes back to what I said a while back that it is not a romantic story but the loyal fans see it as romantic because the dirty, seedy, Phantom (read the book He was a creepy dirty seedy guy as He was originaly concieved)was replaced by Michael Crawford in a tail coat.

SO, You think think that some of Us look down on You and Your interpretation of it?

Let Me tell You what You seem to lack Sally, that is perspective.
Not one of us attacked You and while quite a few posters clearly are not enamoured with the Show I read little hard criticism of it,You should not take the low road and assumed We were all a bunch of Rubbes because We did not see the show with the same viewpoint that You possess.

Just remember something that Bob Evans once said that there is three sides to any story--Yours , Mine and what realy happened- all of wich are True.

Updated On: 10/20/07 at 10:52 AM

[Chason]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:34pm

"Can anyone please answer for me why it seemed like christine was really into the phantom during and at the end of 'Point of no return' ? "

Because she WAS. LOVE has no boundaries.