I had a very difficult time making the decision to go and see this movie. My first and foremost reason was that I am an AVID Michael Crawford fan and have been since I was about 6 years old and saw him in Condorman.
I was concerned from the outset when Joel Schumacher said he wanted a "Young and Sexy Phantom" Considering that is is supposed to be wildly disfigured, that sentence worried me.
My fears were even more compounded when I saw the shorts and it seemed that somewhere in the mix the had managed to get a horse chase and a sword fight...... my PhOTO loving stomach was churning.
Finally I went to see it for my 30th birthday and then I was really anguished.
From a MOVIE LOVERS point of view and from the more logical/sane/non-fanatic side of my brain, I actually found I loved the movie more than I was expecting. The horse race and sword fight have been added in a way that does keep with the "Younger" protagonists. All in all it was a good adaption..... for the most part.......
However (as my own Erik like tendencies emerge) I had some MAJOR issues with the movie.
1) For a man who has lived under the surface of the opera house for the better part of his life... Gerrad Butlers Erik was remarkably tanned. And lets not start on the make up indecision between the masks.
2) In order to make is more "palletable" to the general audience, a lot of the intimate moments of small musical numbers have been transformed into spoken word over the original score. I found that annoying as these moments have some of the most powerful feelings ingrained in them which were lost in them being spoken.
3) The loss of scene 3 in the second act, leading up to the song "Wishing you were somehow here again", when they are plotting to use the Phantoms opera against him was just plain annoying.
4) In "Masquarade" they are all singing about the riot of colour... but they are all dressed in black and white! 5) The loss of the fourth verse of the song "Phantom of the Opera" was plain unfortunate. That key change leading up to it is very powerful.
And the Finally BIGGEST Blunder (From the Musical loving side of my brain) 6) What the hell did the think they were doing moving the whole Chandelier scene from the end of Act 1 to Act 2! I realise that cinematic ally it makes better sense to have it at the climax of the show, but not having it at the end of when Erik is at his greatest moment of anguish considering everything that has lead up to it is a travesty! Oh loyalist Phantom Rant over.. Back to my normal insanity! For people who have never seen or heard the show - this movie is a lavish sumptuous feast that will leave your senses reeling.
And if you are like me and are a rabid phantophile... put your grumbles aside and kick back and enjoy!
I was concerned from the outset when Joel Schumacher said he wanted a "Young and Sexy Phantom" Considering that is is supposed to be wildly disfigured, that sentence worried me.
My fears were even more compounded when I saw the shorts and it seemed that somewhere in the mix the had managed to get a horse chase and a sword fight...... my PhOTO loving stomach was churning.
Finally I went to see it for my 30th birthday and then I was really anguished.
From a MOVIE LOVERS point of view and from the more logical/sane/non-fanatic side of my brain, I actually found I loved the movie more than I was expecting. The horse race and sword fight have been added in a way that does keep with the "Younger" protagonists. All in all it was a good adaption..... for the most part.......
However (as my own Erik like tendencies emerge) I had some MAJOR issues with the movie.
1) For a man who has lived under the surface of the opera house for the better part of his life... Gerrad Butlers Erik was remarkably tanned. And lets not start on the make up indecision between the masks.
2) In order to make is more "palletable" to the general audience, a lot of the intimate moments of small musical numbers have been transformed into spoken word over the original score. I found that annoying as these moments have some of the most powerful feelings ingrained in them which were lost in them being spoken.
3) The loss of scene 3 in the second act, leading up to the song "Wishing you were somehow here again", when they are plotting to use the Phantoms opera against him was just plain annoying.
4) In "Masquarade" they are all singing about the riot of colour... but they are all dressed in black and white! 5) The loss of the fourth verse of the song "Phantom of the Opera" was plain unfortunate. That key change leading up to it is very powerful.
And the Finally BIGGEST Blunder (From the Musical loving side of my brain) 6) What the hell did the think they were doing moving the whole Chandelier scene from the end of Act 1 to Act 2! I realise that cinematic ally it makes better sense to have it at the climax of the show, but not having it at the end of when Erik is at his greatest moment of anguish considering everything that has lead up to it is a travesty! Oh loyalist Phantom Rant over.. Back to my normal insanity! For people who have never seen or heard the show - this movie is a lavish sumptuous feast that will leave your senses reeling.
And if you are like me and are a rabid phantophile... put your grumbles aside and kick back and enjoy!
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