[Pianoforte]

i dont know whose fault it was (if Andrew's or Joel's or whoever) BUT when making a musical film, you have to consider the possibility of ordinary people who dont like showtunes to LOVE the film...

of course for me, it was a very good film despite the negative critics because i know this musical and the story etc etc etc but it should have been adapted much better.
many of the people in the audience stood up and left the cinema. and i UNDERSTAND them because they werent captivated enough due to
1) cast: horrible. why wasnt it formed by good actors-singers such as Antonio Banderas as the Phantom, Uma Thurman as Christine, Robbie Williams (why not?) as Raoul. "BIG STARS HELP MOVIES TO SUCCEED"
2) the way in which some songs were put into the story, e.g why not make phantom sing "music of the.." such as a demonstration of the music he writes while he is playing the organ and the scene is filled with different
scene-flashes of things phantom and Christine do together during that time in the underground cave INSTEAD OF only listening to the poor man singing the best he can filling the big screen with his untidy voice....
i mean, I love the musical but i have to admit that it was SO boring for most of the people who didnt know anything about the story...!!!!!!
(there are a lot of instances like this one -all i ask of you- but i would have to write a book of 20 chapters to talk about each one!

the rest (COSTUMES, LIGHTS, IMAGE, ORCHESTRATIONS, etc....) was perfect. nothing to say about it

see what happened to CHICAGO or MOULIN ROUGE. They were a success because they have been perfectly adapted to be enjoyed by different people who are extremely prejudist when it comes to musicals.

[dramatic_mizfit]

Phantom does sing "Music of the Night"...And Moulin Rouge wasn't an adaptation.

Besides which, there are about 5 other threads on the "what happened?" aspect of this movie.

[Fantine]

[Brother Marvin Hinten, S.]

Please tell me you were being sarcastic with that entire post. Pleeease. The "Antonio Banderas" almost leads me to believe so, but I'm not sure.

[B3TA07]

[Rumpleteazer4760]

I have never been able to imagine Antonio Banderas as the Phantom. In my opinion, he's a bit too Spanish. I mean, every role I've ever seen him in has been Spanish. But then again, I've never seen him sing the part on the ALW Birthday Celebration DVD (I believe that's what it's on).

[B3TA07]

He's okay...I don't think his voice is that amazing or anything.

[operafantomet]

[Pianoforte]

the problem is that he had to direct under the influence and "orders" of ALW who decided on how most of the things had to be dealt with.

Piano

[dramatic_mizfit]

Nah. He's just a lousy director.

[Brother Marvin Hinten, S.]

If ALW had his way, he would have been credited as director, with Schumacher credited for additional direction. He f*cked this film like a cat in heat.

[operafantomet]

[dramatic_mizfit]

[Lady Jemima]

I too hope you are joking. Especially about :

[Quique]

[enkeli-kitten]

Aww...so maybe Antonio Banderas isn't the greatest singer in the world, but he has the most beautiful accent ever, and he's so hot !!!! <3 <3 (but too old for me *cries*) He rocks as Che!!!

Well...about the movie...I really don't think it's so bad!! I have nothing to compare with having never seen it on stage, but I really liked it in the cinema, and nobody walked out *shrugs* It was never really destined for stardom, I mean, opera and musicals aren't "fashionable" but they obviously put heaps of work and thought into the movie, and every non-musical person I know who wasn't too "cool" to go see it liked it. I've also heard people complain about how badly orchestrated it is...so Masquerade is a bit dissonant...but most of those songs are very nice. Nobody's perfect!

[Clairvectra]

I dont really think this film was all that bad as everyone says it is. I really enjoyed it when i first saw it and even got tingles a few times. Its also got alot of personal meaning for me because of who i first saw it with and that was the best night of my life. I do really like the film as a film, I much prefer the musical but I dont think i can compare the two, they're completely different mediums as far as i'm concerned. And as enkeli-kitten said, nobody walked out! I saw the film of The Producers a few weeks ago and nearly everyone in the cinema left (no joke!)...Just thought i'd add my thoughts

[Theatrelife101]

I really liked the movie. I mean, yes it didn't exactly follow the show lol. Yet, for a movie and what they did putting that aside I really did enjoy the movie! I still do enjoy the movie. (I own it)

<3 Amber

[Fantine]

I enjoy(ed) it too.

[dramatic_mizfit]

I didn't hate it. It just had a lot of flaws, and maybe I was expecting too much. But I still watch it on occasion, because I like Minnie Driver.

[griddlebone_girl]

I loved the movie, i saw it in the cinema about 12 times, i skipped a lot of school to see it. I got tingles during certain times and i always cried at the end.
The way i look at it is that it was an adaption not a strick copy of the show, that needs to be remembered. Yes there were a few things wrong with it but no adaption, or even original, is ever perfect.
The only major problem i had with the casting was Jennifer washerface as Meg.
Sorry, i know this has probably all been said before.

[tommo2k]

Basically, if you have seen the show on stage you know that the film is nowhere near as good. For a start the phantom can't sing and he has a slight rash instead of being hideously deformed as is implied in the show. The film could and should have been lots better than it was. It still has some good points, such as the sets, costumes and the overture bit is good. Overall, I would say the show is a million times better than the film. Evita has been the only good film version of ALW's shows. I am not including cats though as the video is not really a film.

[Fantine]

I was really, really, really, really dissapointed with what they've done to 'Masquerade'

But then again, that bit cannot be transposed into film... It's just too impressive on stage. And I'm glad that they didn't because it would spoil the show for everyone.

[Aimee]

OK, I may have left the room and please correct me if I'm totallly wrong, but one of my fave bits in the show is when they are singing the 'new' opera all wrong and then suddenly, as if my magic, the all start singing it perfectly. I missed that in the film.

Is it there or cut?

[Jordan]

It's cut.

[Aimee]

Shame on them!!

[Fantine]

[Aimee]

The piano starts playing yes but, before that, the chorus and the tenor are all singing really badlyand he is arguing with the MD [or someone] saying that its written wrong. Then, later the piano starts and they all sing it perfectly. That bit.

[Fantine]

But that bit ís in the film... I do remember seeing it...

[griddlebone_girl]

its not in there, which is very dissapointing

[dramatic_mizfit]

Yeah, it's not in there. If I remember correctly it cuts right from Masquerade to the Mausoleum scene...I haven't watched in a while.

[Aimee]

So it gets a big boooh hiss form me. [Just that bit, the rest is ok. ]

[dramatic_mizfit]

I was really pissed off at the mausoleum scene. It's my favorite in the entire show and they really screwed it up. Grrr...

[Wraithfive]

I just saw the stage PotO (like, last night) for the first time. And I'll say this. Did the movie version live up to the billing? No.

Was it a good movie in its own right? Better than most of the crap Hollywood chooses to produce.

I still say the best Film Adapt of a musical that I've seen is Chicago, but even that was streaching it. Dunno bout Les Mis, haven't been able to catch the stage production yet.

I do agree that the film makup for the Phantom was pitiful. I mean, JS proved he knows what a makup artist is from the different Batman movies and other assorted (or sorrted, as the case may be) movies he's made.

I'd give the movie a 4-5 in comparison with the play, a 7-8 on it's own merit.

[Fantine]

[badbananahabit]

But rumours say that it soon will

Apparently Philip Quast is a definite, but they are questioning whether Colm Wilkinson is too old.

[Wraithfive]

[TheNextTenMinutes]

There is a Les Mis film that is based exclusively on the novel. 1998, Liam Neeson as Jean Valjean, Uma Thurman as Fantine, Claire Danes as Cosette. It's worth a look, but they have cut HUGE chunks from the book...(as in, whole characters)
As for th Phantom movie, I've been very confused since a read the first post. Did someone really list Uma Thurman among her hopefuls for Christine? I swear I just imagined it.

P.S. I hated the movie. It was hideously boring. Antonio Banderas would have done a much, much better job than Gerard "if I rasp out a few notes then they can bend the pitch to make it sound vaguely like Music of the Night" Butler.

[Wraithfive]

[Pounce]

[TheNextTenMinutes]

I've never seen that recording, although I keep meaning to track it down... I've only heard Banderas sing in Evita and at the end of Shrek II. He is still pleasant to the ear although I suppose ther role of the Phantom would be more vocally challenging than what I've heard him in.
Mind you, it's not like Butler was outshone by his leading lady. Working next to Emmy "One Expression" Rossum would bring me down vocally too. She sounds like a high school student.

[Fantine]

True, there are many films based on Les Misérables, but none of them are based on the musical.

[Mademoiselle Lanoire]

[badbananahabit]

And there was no Eponine. Which caused confusion when I'd only seen the film, and was chatting about it to someone that had only seen the musical...

[Bex]

[Lady Jemima]

[theonetowatch]

[le_moofin]

I've only seen the stage version once and it wasn't on Broadway (I think it was a group touring across America because I saw it in Cincinnati) and I loved it. I had seen the movie about a year earlier and loved that too. There are parts about both that I liked more than the others. Overall, the musical /is/ better than the film, but if I can enjoy watching either of them, then that's all that really matters to me.

[Fantine]

[Ulla Dance Again!]

Well, I'm not a big fan of Butler's singing. He ruined MOTN and that is something that bothered me. It's my favorite song from the show and maybe I was just pissed that he didn't sound like Michael Crawford... I don't know. However, sometimes his voiced worked for the part - like the scene where Christine takes off his mask and he gets wicked pissed off. Y'know... the scene where he's like "Damn you, you little prying pandora, you little demon..."

Overall, I think my main issue was the fact that the Phantom was not grotesque enough. They obviously spent a lot of money on costumes and sets and all, so was it going to kill them to spend a little more on make up? I mean, he looked like he had a bad radiation sunburn!

Then again, I'm more leniant to live theatre, so maybe that's why I'm not as big of a fan of the film.

[The Very Angry Woman]

[Fantine]

That's a sad given.

[DaddyDiesel]

[Fantine]

He was definitely too pretty. I think it's disturbing when THE PHANTOM gets new FANS because he is pretty.

They should have applied the musical make-up, I find the Phantom much more intruiging that way too.

[DaddyDiesel]

Fantine is my new hero for the next ten minutes. Im in a musical right now and our napkins (BATB) are all freshman in Highschool.. And they have argued with me since day one that Gerard Butler looked perfect for the part and was way better then that "Crawfish fellow" (sad thing was is they were being serious about his name and not just messing with me) on the original recording. Of course being older and having enjoyed the Phantom of the opera way before the movie. I told them how he was supposed to look like. Using old books from broadway shows and professional tours I showed them, but I just cant sway them. Of course I also had to explain who Paul Mcartney was so I pretty much have given up.

OH YEAH and speaking of these movies what about those soundtracks. When we put our make up on and get ready for the show, these damn kids bring in the Movie soundtracks to POTO, Rent, and HIghschool Musical, and think there amazing. With the exception of highschool musical, because there isnt a version of that show that i have heard where I havnt wanted to physically stab my eyes out, there so many better actual cast recordings out there. Im not that terribly old (23) but I seriously think the younger generation has gone insane!!!

[Ulla Dance Again!]

[Jordan]

[The Very Angry Woman]

[Pounce]

[DaddyDiesel]

^^^^^^^ Agreed on some of the arangments for RENT but I miss alot of the original songs they cut out. I do like the voice of Joanne from the movie better. But not Dawson's as much.

[Gavroche Girly]

UMA THURMAN AS CHRISTINE?!

Pardon me--but I just cannot see Uma handling such a professional role that requires a lifetime of operetic experience.

Although Emmy Rossum isn't my favorite choice for Christine, she handled the role well. Her voice is very mature, and she looked the part in certain aspects.

Broadway P.O.T.O. all the way....

HOWEVER, the movie was enjoyable and good in introducing theatre to those who are more likely to pay to see a movie.

[Rumpleteazer4760]

I watched the movie the other day (after having not watched it in awhile) and I realized what it is that I like about Emmy Rossum: it's her overall "look" as Christine. I love the way she looks so young and innocent; I think it's a fitting look for the character.

[MademoiselleMusicals]

Yes, Emmy LOOKED like Christine, but she looked like a deer caught in headlights. The thing is I can't decide whether Emmy Rossum is a good Christine because she can sing but sometimes her voice is strange. I LOVED the set, costume, in fact everything about the scenery.

I actually disagree with some of your comments, I think Gerard Butler was really good - although at some times his Scottish dialect crept in which ruined some bits. I thought he was sexy as the Phantom and I was crying when he was crushing the rose when Christine and Raoul sing, 'All I ask of You.' I loved the rock and roll quality in his voice added real depth and sexiness to the Phantom.

What we do have to give the film credit for is bringing it to the non-theatre types who would never dream of going to see it in the West End or Broadway before seeing the film.

[DaddyDiesel]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Thats the thing I dont think the phantom is supposed to sexy. He is suppose to be horribly miss figured in his face. Yet very misterious and girls think that is sexy which is fine. Unfortuanetly for his voice this is a rock opera. He had the rock but no Opera.

[Pawzxx]

for not having operatic, or musical theatre experiance I thought gerard butler done great. Mighta not had the best voice for it, but by god he did act is wee heart out lol.

And he did make all the fangurlies swoon lol including me hehe

but i agree...i don't fink the phantom is supposed to be sexy but in a big buget hollywood movie I suppose its only mandatory that the lead is sexy cos it sells...lol I love that word....."sexxayyy" <---- neva mind that bit hehe.

[MademoiselleMusicals]

[AndrewShatterhand]

My main problem with the film wasn't the cast (although I would've prefered a different one) but it was with the direction (Schumacher is one of the worst directors around today) and the visuals of the film.

The film just looked gaudy and cheap, like it wanted to be a grand epic but couldn't. There was far too much gold and light, especially in the lair which should be dark and cold, using blues and grays.

When I pictured PotO as a film I pictured a very classicalgothic looking film that made use of shadows and darkness (as is said best on the "Behind the Mask" documentary; "What is a threatening space? A dark space") while still maintaining a level of elegance.

It seemed like they watered down the film in an excuse to make it look like a cheap romance film while leaving behind the essence of the story.

[Rumpleteazer4760]

[Fantine]

[broadwaybabe1364]

I really liked the movie, but I would have loved it if Michael Crawford could have been the Phantom. but what really bothers me is the people out there who claim to be Fans but, they have only seen the movie and never even heard the OBC!!!
as for the Antonio Banderas as the Phantom thing, obviously some of you have never seen Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration when Antonio sang The Phantom Of The Opera. I love his voice...but he sang that song horribly!

[Fantine]

[broadwaybabe1364]

[Lazarus (Adam G)]

Umm... does anyone else think it's possible that Webber f*cked this movie up? I mean, he's screwed up all of his other musicals. He's on a role.

[The Very Angry Woman]

[Cazzy Mcsnazzy]

I saw the film before the actually show and i have to say i enjoyed the film more. The west end production i saw was dead, there was no energy. I was so disapointed as i love the music. After seeing parts of it on 'Hey Mr Producer' i think maybe my cast were just having a bad day but it was just dull. The stage show didnt have the suspence and excitment of the film. For example when they pull the sheet of the shandaleir (i have no idea how to spell that) and the main phantom riff plays i just got such an amazing feeling inside! The WORST part in the stage show was the shandaleir falling, i hardly even noticed it had happened. Maybe i should go see it in australia. lol

[Fantine]

Really? I completely adored the cast!

[Ulla Dance Again!]

[MademoiselleMusicals]

[~*~SweetSeduction~*~]

omg!! your all rong ( in my opinoin) the film did the musical justice as far as films go. its a big resposibilty to take on a film like tht and they pulled it off fantasticly!!
as alw said on the extras of the dvd and i quote..." thoses kids said look we just cant afford to go and see it in the theatre we have heard it from our parents and love it and to be honest i hope those kids enjoy it co thats wot we need youngsters for theatre!!!"

lawzxxx

[zeppy1223]

The Phantom didn't touch my heart as much when he sings stuff like "You will curse the day you did not do all that the phantom asked of you".. just not awesome acting.
Raoul had a nasty mullet.
We all know that fireball throwing is 20 thousand times cooler than sword fighting.
It made me sad to see that the cast is made of people who cant lip sync to save their life.

[Cake_in_Song]

I quite liked the film. Granted, I haven't seen the stage version (I'm seeing it tomorrow, actually!), so I don't have anything compare it too. Sure, it wasn't a "perfect" film; it did have a few minor flaws. But, like most films, it's a heck of a lot better without the all the disecting. It's a bit of romantic fluff, set to gorgeous music. Enjoy it as that! Stop trying to make it some world-changing, Oscar winning blockbuster with a flawless plot and heroic theme. For god's sake, it's just movie! If you don't like it, don't watch it!

[Fantine]

[Stan Marsh]

[Cake_in_Song]

[Ulla Dance Again!]

[Glinda Upland]

[MademoiselleMusicals]

[GungaDin]

Have been away a long time. I see that most of the old flaming hasn't gone away. I am gratified. That was one of the best things about this POTO folder -- especially such blind c*nts as "Chrysania."

Anyway, I liked the film MUCH BETTER than the stage version. Stage version is overly hyped. THe film is much better; and best of all, you have your own personal copy at home. So there. And Butler, Rossum and Schumacher are welcome in my home any time. Not Crawford!

[klutzyk8ie]

I loved everything about Phantom of the Opera except one thing: the Phantom. Gerard Butler looks good on screen, but he cannot be operatic. He butchered Music of the Night. (No matter what I'm doing, homework, pilates, whatever, whenever I hear his "Where you long to BE" I have to stop what I'm doing and wince a few times it's so out of tune!) Many of the higher, more resonant notes he cheating by screaming them (e.g. "Down that path into darkness deep as HELL!") He completely killed the last word he sings. (It's over now, the music of the NIGHT*Cutoff*." He cuts it terribly short. It should be more like that mournful cry that seems to last forever conveying ever ounce of sorrow known to mankind). When I listen to the soundtrack, I am completely taken with Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson, but, save for Point of No Return, every time I hear Butler, I secretly scream, Michael Crawford! Save me now! Save us all!

ps. His makeup was pitiful. He wasn't repulsive at all. And it was completely inconsistent with the rest of the movie. Watch carefully: Before Christine removes his mask, his whole forehead is exposed and flawless. After, random defects just happen to show off. And his hair changes from perfectly slicked black to wild and frizzy blond, yet I have never caught site of a wig. If there is one, they should've made it more obvious.

[broadwaybabe1364]

[Ulla Dance Again!]

Anybody is better than Gerard Butler. Even the guy who played The Phantom in the Wishbone version of The Phantom of the Opera is better than Gerard Butler.

I do agree with klutzyk8ie, Butler ruined "Music of the Night". It just isn't pretty... at all. I think they should show that clip to kids in vocal performance classes - "This Is How To Butcher A Song" then follow that by showing Hugh Panaro's final performance clip of "Music of the Night" - "This Is How To Sing Aforementioned Song Properly".

[operafantomet]

[Ulla Dance Again!]

Anyone who knows me knows I was just being snarky. I gotta get one snarky comment in a day. Of course, I know Panaro cracks a bit when he hits "soar" (but I think that was due to him being sick and probably was burdened with emotion, seeing that it was his final show).

[GungaDin]

[quote="klutzyk8ie"]I loved everything about Phantom of the Opera except one thing: the Phantom. Gerard Butler looks good on screen, but he cannot be operatic. He butchered Music of the Night. (No matter what I'm doing, homework, pilates, whatever, whenever I hear his "Where you long to BE" I have to stop what I'm doing and wince a few times it's so out of tune!) Many of the higher, more resonant notes he cheating by screaming them (e.g. "Down that path into darkness deep as HELL!") He completely killed the last word he sings. (It's over now, the music of the NIGHT*Cutoff*." He cuts it terribly short. It should be more like that mournful cry that seems to last forever conveying ever ounce of sorrow known to mankind). When I listen to the soundtrack, I am completely taken with Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson, but, save for Point of No Return, every time I hear Butler, I secretly scream, Michael Crawford! Save me now! Save us all!

ps. His makeup was pitiful. He wasn't repulsive at all. And it was completely inconsistent with the rest of the movie. Watch carefully: Before Christine removes his mask, his whole forehead is exposed and flawless. After, random defects just happen to show off. And his hair changes from perfectly slicked black to wild and frizzy blond, yet I have never caught site of a wig. If there is one, they should've made it more obvious.[/quote]

Picky. Picky. Too bad. You get Butler for posterity. Obviously, the powers that be, didn't believe in Crawford (for posterity's version). So there. Stop pining about the shudda-wudda-cuddas. Never did happen. Face up to reality.

[operafantomet]

[The Duchess of Mint]

[Rumpleteazer4760]

The first time I saw Gerard Butler as the Phantom I didn't like him for the simple fact that he wasn't creepy enough! The other Phantoms I'd seen inspired you with terror and all around creeped-out-ness one minute and then your heart went out to them the next. Gerard Butler didn't do that for me. He's too...normal.

[Ulla Dance Again!]

[Defies_Gravity]

[Rumpleteazer4760]

I would like to see a combination of the appearance of the younger actors, which I do like a lot (especially in Christine, as you said), and the acting I've seen in the live show. That would be amazing.