January 09, 2005
Phantom of the Opera
I thought this movie was entertaining: amazing costumes and sets, and extremely detailed.
I read the book and also saw the silent film, so I guess a lot of my criticism would have to do with the story being a bit dumbed down. Raoul's character seems very wimpy, and Christine seems too ditsy - her love for Raoul fades into the background every time she hears the phantom sing, even to the very end. I didn't like that. And the Phantom didn't seem as evil as he could have been.
I also think Webber's music is sometimes just not that great. Sorry to say it, but the "Phantom of the Opera is here" song would sound a lot better without the guitar and cheesy drums, and even then you'd have to deal with the lyrics.
So, in conclusion, I guess if you like the play, you'll probably love the movie. I thought it was beautiful to look at and mostly pleasant to listen to, but it's not my favorite movie of the year.
Posted by wendytime at January 9, 2005 12:58 PM | TrackBackactually, the play and the movie are partly based on "The Phantom" by Susan Kay -- i'm reading that right now and it explains a lot about how the movie/play are different from Gaston Larieux's story. The movie is actually a perfect hybrid of the original story and the book by Susan Kay, imho. read her book and everything will make so much more sense.
Posted by: becky on January 9, 2005 08:38 PM