So, it was difficult for me to view this movie as a stand alone project without judging it against the superior live stage show. I liked the movie, all-in-all, but here are my likes and dislikes. **SPOILER WARNING!!!***
DISLIKE: Phantom looked 10 years younger than I thought he should. He was Madame Giry's age, and looked more like Christine's age.
LIKE: He was dead sexy. The role of the Phantom is a mysterious character (which is sexy) all on its own, but this dude who played him really worked the sexy card.
DISLIKE: Changes to the score. This soundtrack is one of my ultimate favorites, and I lip synched to the whole thing in my little corner seat. But when little words are changed around, it annoys me. Problem being, the chandelier was supposed to fall BEFORE the masquerade ball, leading to the line, "To a prosperous year, to our new chandelier". Call me a purist...
LIKE: Additional scenes added. Phantom fights with Raoul in the cemetery. Old Raoul remembering the past with Christine. I don't recall a scene in the stage version of HOW the Phantom got to the opera house to begin with, but it is there in the film version, and very disturbing.
DISLIKE: Lipsynching. I know that when film is done, songs are usually done on a track. Difference is, you can't tell. Christine is supposed to have a very powerful and passionate voice, but to see the girl portray it on screen is like she's singing mary had a little lamb. I don't want her to contort her face or anything, but ... i don't know... i could TELL she lipsynched. I know she recorded the track, and has a nice voice...but oh well. Phantom however, I didn't like his voice at all. Was very weak and empty.
LIKE: As previously mentioned, the score!!!
DISLIKE: Minnie Driver as Carlotta. She brought some humor into the script, but was annoying as hell. Her accent sounded like she was a reject from West Side Story.
LIKE: The song Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote for her to sing in the movie, but was cut and put in the closing credits. She has a beautiful singing voice. I almost would have liked her to play Christine.
DISLIKE: Raoul didn't have an accent. Now that I think of it, neither did Christine or Meg or Phantom. Everyone else in the story had an accent. I think this is the same for the stage version, but it was something that urked me.
LIKE: I really liked the actress who played Madame Giry. She was very motherly, and cared for Phantom.
LIKE: Cinematography... brilliant. The scene of Christine in her dressing room after her solo debut was gorgeous. I want to get a still of that scene and have it framed. There is so much more you can do on film in terms of scenery. The cemetery scene was lovely... I actually took a drive in the old section of woodlawn cemetery yesterday because it's just so beautiful...
LIKE: Being able to see the faces of the actors. This is probably the biggest plus. Depending on where you sit in a theater, you can't see the expressions of the actors. Seeing this on film brought more humanity to the story. Seeing the chemistry (albeit spellbound) between Christine and Phantom was awesome (dead sexy!).
So there you have it. Now I'm dying to see it live again. I hear it's coming in March.... any takers?
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