Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net |
| enkeli-kitten |
Keep your hand at the level of your eyes...why?Does anyone know what that means?? I've watched the movie so many times trying to figure out what they're on about...and nothing really makes sense!! O_o |
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| Quique |
Doesn't Bouquet (sp?) do his little demonstration in the film, as he does onstage?
I've seen the movie but can't remember if he does or not, since I spent half the time watching the film through between my fingers, against my reddened visage. 
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| Fantine |
I've wondered this myself some time ago but then I figured that this is to prevent the Phantom from putting a rope around your neck to prevent him from strangling you.
(since all his victims were hanged and he sings: "Raise up the hand to the level of your eyes, nothing can save you now" to Raoul as he ties him up. |
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| Clairvectra |
I always assumed it had something to do with a sword so he doesnt... erm .. poke you in the eye....  Oh dear Thick alert for me!!
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| Quique |
Fantine is right.
It's to avoid getting punjabbed. |
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| Theatrelife101 |
yes, Fantine is right.
Just do the motion. Put your hands to the level of your eyes and inagine if someone was trying to put a punjab lasso around your head. Your arms would be able to pull it loose and take it off. 
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| enkeli-kitten |
Oh! Thanks, everyone! It still seems a wierd thing to say, but oh well!! They could have actually told him what it meant...no wonder he got tied up!  
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| *asterix* |
for the record, enkeli-kitten, in the stage version Raoul does seem to be more mindful of the rule and (amazingly!) does not end up all tied up. Just... dangling precariously, gripping at the noose but not letting it close.
... making the whole lamentful/angry singing during "Down Once More" a lot more feasible. That's always a point in the movie where I end up alternating between falling over cackling and jeering the Phantom, "C'mon, you're obviously not pulling hard enough, he's STILL SINGING! You can do it, just yank one more time and keep it taught!" cuz, y'know, Raouls all porticulus-bound and couldn't do anything if the Phantom really did just give a good hard yank on that rope.  
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| dramatic_mizfit |
Yes, they really don't do a fantastic job of explaining that one in the movie, do they. It's much more obvious in the stage show.
I remember I used to walk around like that when I was a kid. 
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| enkeli-kitten |
That sounds better. It's kind of wierd with him all tied up there. He kind of let it happen, really. (("swim away, SWIM AWAY!!!"))
 With the hand at the level of your eyes, or like you were tied to a portcullis?
Thanks for the clarification everyone!! I am going to see Phantom on stage one day. It's my (late) new years resolution.
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| *asterix* |
Actually, I think the movie could have been just as clear about it at the stage show if it weren't for them handing a good part of the explanation to Giry in what is traditionally Bouquet's gag... Because, as much as I love Miranda Richardson for being as scary as she is, she's very distracting in that scene and with "accent" and how fast she hisses it all out, it's difficul to make out what she's saying, n/m that it has any relevance to the references of "hand at the level of your eyes" ... I mean, there's some of it in her gesture of throwing the noose over Bouquet's head but... I repeat, distractingly scary woman 
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| Clairvectra |
(very OT: buuut ....)I found it hard to take Miranda Richardson seriously in Phantom the Movie because I've been watching her in Blackadder (a BBC Comedy) for many years of my life as Queen Elizabeth I ...
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| kiya18 |
The not getting hanged explanation makes sense. All this time I thought it was because the phantom hated being looked at because he's ugly or something...
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| enkeli-kitten |
Lol, I wondered if it might be because he looked so horrible that Raoul would get distracted...*giggles* but I decided it couldn't be, since Phantom usually wears the mask. |
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| EponineGiry |
Psssh, a bit of bad acne does not constitute "so horrible."
Another thing about the movie that sucked. |
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| Baker |
That's what I used to think too... "Keep your hand at the level of your eyes so you don't see how ugly he really is." |
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| pinktink257 |
if anyone has seen the original silent movie it is very odvious what it means and yes it does have dialect because they typed it kinda like subtitles.... anyone else seen this? jw | ||||||
| Fantine |
She played the Queen? Oh my... I didn't know that... That is quite a different part... |
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| Aimee |
She's brilliant in everything she does. She great in the new Harry Potter film too. | ||||||
| Drumdraper |
Before I learned about the Punjab lasso I thought "Keep your hand at the level of your eye" was to prevent the Phantom from hypontizing you. | ||||||
| dramatic_mizfit |
While I've never heard that theory before, it could actually work....though that did crack me up. And yes, I used to walk around with my hand at the level of my eyes, not tied to a portcullis. I also remember how I would be in my room listening to a tape of Phantom and would pretend to be everyone...and during the Overture, I stood in an awkward position for the whole thing with a washcloth over my face. I was an odd child. |
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| Fantine |
Is she playing Rita Skeeter....? At first I thought that you should keep the hand at the level of your eyes because the Phantom was so ugly
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| Aimee |
But I agree why say that and not, 'Be careful he doesn't try to hang you.'?
Yep Rita, she is. |
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| Fantine |
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| Aimee |
Ah, got you. ta.
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| kitkatchicka101 |
I thought the "hands at the level of your eyes" thing was so the Phantom would feel less threatened by you and therefore less likely to kill you.
Now reading what I wrote, I see how dense I am.. 
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| dramatic_mizfit |
This is interesting to see people's different interpretations, if you will, on the subject. | ||||||
| SimplyElymas |
I'm with you guys. Gotta love Rita. Also, I want her hair in PotO. Buuuut, actually on the subject. . .
I think the whole business is clearer in the stage show. Movie muddled it a bit. It's very clear in Leroux. |
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| Aimee |
How do you make that so? I a have only seen it twice.. what do they do make it clear [er]? | ||||||
| badbananahabit |
Well Mme Giry explains it in the show. And it is explained it the book.
Why on earth isn't it explained in the film?? That was pure stupidity. I do have a few qualms about the film, but I still love it. |
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| Bill_Calhoun |
It is explained in the film, just not to any great/noticable axtent! Mme Giry indicates, after Buquet scares the dancing girls with his Phantom stories. that he should not spread rumours about what he doesn't know, and that he should "keep his hand at the level of his eyes" whilst tightening to noose round his neck (jokingly); Foreshadowing or what?! |
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| badbananahabit |
That insinuation was too subtle for a newbie to the show such as myself.
But I suppose it is better than doing nowt. I must go watch the film again. Just for that sole purpose...of...course. |
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| Bill_Calhoun |
Haha, you don't need any reason to watch it
But I know what you mean about the subtlety, it was quite vague
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| ConverseSneaker |
I was just as odd. I did the same thing for all of my cds and still do. Keep your hand to the level of your eyes. I never really figured out what it could possibly mean until I read this thread. Thank you guys! |
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| ChristineDaaeLittleLotte |
Ths is one of the topics that the movie doesn't touch much on., sadly. But since the Phantom's choice of weapon was the punjab lasso, it was best that if you were "fortunate" enough to cross paths with the Phantom, it was bet that you keep your "hand at the level of your eyes" Joseph Buquet obviously didn't listen very well to Mme Giry's advise did he? I guess that was his own fault that he came to a violent end at the hands of Erik. Not that i minded much hehehe.
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| carcus |
i went to her majesty's today to see it... and yeah i worked out the lasso thing.
having a conversation on the way home in the car with my girlfriend's mum though and she decided it was because anyone that see's his face he wants to kill: "afterall, he does throw a wobbly when christina takes off his mask" i thought the film was pretty bad at explaining it.. i only worked it out when i saw it on stage today. that mr. webber is good.. |
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| rock_musicals |
I believe its so if the phantom drops a noose it goes around your hand and not your neck. | ||||||
| wtwt5237 |
Can anyone who has read the novel come up with anything that's hinted in the novel about raise your hand to the level of your eyes? | ||||||
| Paula74 |
The Persian tells Raoul "We are dead men if we do not keep our hands as though about to fire, at the level of our eyes, in front!" He earlier mentions the position of the hand and arm are crucial, not being ready to actually shoot.
The entire novel is easily available on-line to check: http://www.online-literature.com/leroux/phantom_opera/ |
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| sopranodespair |
In the original novel by Gaston leroux, you kept your hand at the level of your eye so you wouldnt get lost I think. It's been awhile since Ive read it though so I could be wrong | ||||||
| Fantine |
Right. I keep my hand at the level of my eyes each time I visit a large city to prevent myself from getting lost. | ||||||
| Quique |
Rofl!!! XD |
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| Master Thespian |
Incidentally, anyone see the Simpsons Movie? When Homer has the noose around his neck, he has his hand in it as well. Reference, or just coincidence? | ||||||
| Sweeney Hyde |
This concept is not just from Phantom...it's an old old old self defense mechanism...if some sort of chord is going around your neck put something in its way! |
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| Nedame |
...it was always obvious to me that it was so he wouldn't be strangled...hmm I could see where it might be confusing though
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| lckysvn777 |
Hahahahahahahaha. The only time I keep my hand at the level of my eyes is to keep the sun outta them. LoL |