The Phantom of the Opera

††BlackRose†† · 11-22-2007, 05:20 AM

This was an amazing musical. I loved it. I especially like the way the ending was done. One of my favorite songs in the movie is the masquerade one.

For some reason my dad, my sister, and my mom all hated the movie so much. It was only me and my cousins who actually enjoyed it.

Oh well, it's still good.

A Simple Poet · 11-22-2007, 07:28 AM

Yeah ... to bad the book sucked so bad. Don't read it because it has very little to do with what A.L. Webber did with it and will leave you jaded and disappointed.

So, since you probably are clambering to read it now and not take my advice, the author is Gaston Leroux.

Rorschach Twin · 11-22-2007, 11:13 AM

I've never gotten around to watching it. I suppose that I'll probably like it. I have the new one, and the original silent one.

DarkGentleman · 11-24-2007, 08:22 AM

Ah! One of my favorite gothic love stories/musicals. I thought the book was very genuine, ALW got the rights and kinda tweaked it around to fit for his musical production and a fine job I must say.

I saw the musical in July '06 and it was an awesome experience and worth the $100 for the ticket too. (I still have it and framed with a collage I made with it). If the musical is ever in your town/city, GO SEE IT!!!

It was tongue in the cheek for me about the movie, I personally think Joel Schumacher fucked it all up and Rob Marshall would have made it better if he had directed it. Even though I do enjoy watching the movie, but wished it was done right.

The cast was great and all, but some things were still missing and that's where Joel screwed it up.

There were other movie versions (non-musical) made:

Phantom of the Opera (with Robert Englund) 1989.
Phantom of the Opera (Herbert Lom) 1962.
Phantom of the Opera (with Claude Raines) 1943.
Phantom of the Opera (with Max Schnell and Jane Seymore) 1983.
Phantom of the Opera (with Charles Dance) 1990.
Phantom of the Paradise (William Finley and Paul Williams - A cult classic) 1974.

Another book I recommend is "Phantom" by Susan Kay. This book tells about how Erik lived his life before becoming the Phantom.

I found out recently that an author, Stefanie Cole, has written a sequel to POTO called "Return of the Phantom.

Few years ago there was another "sequel" written called "The Phantom of the Manhattan" by Frederick Forsyth. I have this book and it was a good read however it was missing a time gap as to how Erik and Christine became intimate. After you read this one, you'll know what I mean.

(sigh) I love this thread.

korinna5555 · 11-24-2007, 08:50 AM

I love that movie. Justin and I love it so much, we "watched" it when we gave ourselves to each other. A very special movie, and now I can't watch it without giggling..

The Prince · 11-24-2007, 12:56 PM

Dario Argentos "Il Fantasma dell'opera" from 1998 is pretty good, but no way near this musical version, which I like a lot... No real musical fan, though...

spoon! · 11-24-2007, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkGentleman

Ah! One of my favorite gothic love stories/musicals. I thought the book was very genuine, ALW got the rights and kinda tweaked it around to fit for his musical production and a fine job I must say.

I saw the musical in July '06 and it was an awesome experience and worth the $100 for the ticket too. (I still have it and framed with a collage I made with it). If the musical is ever in your town/city, GO SEE IT!!!

It was tongue in the cheek for me about the movie, I personally think Joel Schumacher fucked it all up and Rob Marshall would have made it better if he had directed it. Even though I do enjoy watching the movie, but wished it was done right.

The cast was great and all, but some things were still missing and that's where Joel screwed it up.

There were other movie versions (non-musical) made:

Phantom of the Opera (with Robert Englund) 1989.
Phantom of the Opera (Herbert Lom) 1962.
Phantom of the Opera (with Claude Raines) 1943.
Phantom of the Opera (with Max Schnell and Jane Seymore) 1983.
Phantom of the Opera (with Charles Dance) 1990.
Phantom of the Paradise (William Finley and Paul Williams - A cult classic) 1974.

Another book I recommend is "Phantom" by Susan Kay. This book tells about how Erik lived his life before becoming the Phantom.

I found out recently that an author, Stefanie Cole, has written a sequel to POTO called "Return of the Phantom.

Few years ago there was another "sequel" written called "The Phantom of the Manhattan" by Frederick Forsyth. I have this book and it was a good read however it was missing a time gap as to how Erik and Christine became intimate. After you read this one, you'll know what I mean.

(sigh) I love this thread.

I see you have accidentally left Lon Chaney's very-much-a-masterpiece silent version off your list.

DarkGentleman · 11-24-2007, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spoon!

I see you have accidentally left Lon Chaney's very-much-a-masterpiece silent version off your list.

Revised list
Phantom of the Opera (with Lon Chaney Sr.) 1925.
Phantom of the Opera (with Robert Englund) 1989.
Phantom of the Opera (Herbert Lom) 1962.
Phantom of the Opera (with Claude Raines) 1943.
Phantom of the Opera (with Max Schnell and Jane Seymore) 1983.
Phantom of the Opera (with Charles Dance) 1990.
Phantom of the Paradise (William Finley and Paul Williams - A cult classic) 1974.

G'OH!!! Why the living hell did I forget that?! ::bashes head against wall::

Godslayer Jillian · 11-24-2007, 04:41 PM

I like the Phantom of the Opera.
I used to love it; now I only like it. The movie is still among my favorites.
I started pondering on why I like it, and realized it's because the Phantom is a genius, and everything he has was supposed to be made by him, designed by him, or stolen for his use. Quite a yippie.
But now every time I watch the movie and I see all the flamboyance of the scenery, I take it into a wider context of its setting and realize all that abundance of decor is nothing but in-your-face superiority towards the people that aren't 'cultured' enough to attend the Opera Populaire and the people that work behind the stage.
I think I can't stand flamboyance anymore. I'm becoming too contemptuous of superfluousness.

Crying_Crimson_Tears · 11-24-2007, 05:40 PM

I love the movie. I love the music and the whole story behind it. It's very romantic and magical. I love it.

Samyania · 11-27-2007, 07:31 PM

Except for the part where the Phantom can't sing on pitch to save his life, it's a lovely movie.

Green.Lady · 11-27-2007, 07:37 PM

I loved the Webber version. The book wasn't that bad, A Simple Poet. Just... not as romantic. At all.

MollyMac · 11-27-2007, 08:19 PM

People see Dracula and see Phantom as movies first and get these romantic notions that are someone else's invention.. not the author's. Read first, and then stand aghast at what film does to fantastic works. Fucking romance kills storylines.

As per sequels or alternate stories? There is a horrendous book called "Journey of the Mask". Save yourself. Read Kay's "Phantom" instead... a fine enough stand alone work.

le_revenant · 12-07-2007, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkGentleman

G'OH!!! Why the living hell did I forget that?! ::bashes head against wall::

I was going to mention the ommision but was beat to the punch! lol.
I recently saw the 1925 silent film in one of our town's surviving silent movie houses. An organist with experience in improvising a score to match the action on screen was brought in for the occasion. It was a hell of a treat although someone must've bumped the projector during the money shot unmasking scene because the movie fuzzed out slightly before coming back into focus after the Phantom taunts Christine that if she wants to see his face to have a good look at it, as he gets close to her.

Kind of a disappointing ending though. Tho the FX was good, the film didn't do so well in its initial run & was re-released several years later in 1929 w/ dubbed lines in an attempt to have a 2nd go at making money. Didn't do so well, again. Check out imdb.com for more trivia on it.

I saw the musical. Didn't do much for me.
I heard the Iron Maiden song. That did do much for me

Black&Blue · 12-07-2007, 10:15 PM

I read the book and saw the 2004 movie, and it's like two completely different stories. Hollywood changed things around so much.

When I first read the book I really liked it alot, but then as time went by and I had a chance to think about it, I realized it wasn't really so hot. It's actually written kind've badly, I think. OTOH, I've watched the movie about 10 times, but that's really because of the music. Andrew Lloyd Webber's great. I think his songs are good enough that it doesn't matter if the singers aren't the best -- and in the movie, they weren't.

Alexander IV · 12-09-2007, 10:22 AM

I love the Phantom of the Opera
I acually havent gotten a chance to read the book
But I did really enjoy the movie ( 04 )
My favorite song is _ Think of me & The Phantom of the opera

Shlindrea · 12-18-2007, 09:32 AM

The most recent version is the only one I've seen...really enjoyed it...of course it probably had more to do with Gerard Butler...but I really did enjoy all the pageantry too...

Wonderland_fairy · 02-18-2008, 09:58 AM

I've only seen the newest version. I liked it very much, especially the music in it, but there were some parts that I found annoying. For example, Emmy Rossum had only one facial expression through the whole movie, and Gerard Butler was way too handsome to be the phantom.

I've been wanting to see the original movie with Lon Chaney for a very long time, but I haven't found it anywhere.