Comments on: The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

By: jared

jared — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:23:54 +0000

I’ve seen dozens of movies that have been adapted from broadway musicals. In my opinion, “The Phantom of the Opera” is the absolute best. It has everything a good movie should have: beautiful music, an involving storyline, and Emmy Rossum. SHE’S A BABE!!!!!!!!

By: Kayla

Kayla — Mon, 26 May 2008 01:56:37 +0000

I LOVED this movie. My friend and I wanted to rent it again, but they didn’t have the 2004 version, so we rented the one from 1989. It was TERRIBLE…whether comparing it to the newer one or not. Anyway, that was really disapointing.

I’m an artict, though, and this movie (2004) really inspired me. I’d really like to see the Broadway play for this in New York someday. The Masquerade was AMAZING. All the work they had to have put into those costumes! The dancing, the music, and EVERYTHING! And the storyline was so, so beautiful. Brilliant! Amen to Phantom of the Opera!

By: Anne Bernie

Anne Bernie — Sun, 11 May 2008 20:50:14 +0000

I don’t get out much due to health reasons, so I did not see this until it ran on Hallmark Movie Channel. It was one of the best movie’s I have ever seen, and that encompases many years since I am 66. I cried when I watched it, and watched it again today and cried again. I bought the soundtrack, and plan to get the 2-disc movie. I am a music major, and I absolutely loved it. I agree with you about Greard Butler. He was wonderful. His voice was great, and went the range of emotions from love to bitterness, to dispair and anger. I think he was superb-great acting AND singing. Emmy’s vooice is lovely, she tends to be a coloratura soprano, which is lighter than the regular soprano voice. And she was 17 and playing a 17 year old, so it was just right. A deeper and more resonant voice would have been correct for a person in their 20′s or 30′s. Hers was right for the part. I think she shower far more emotion with the scenes with the Phantom than with Raoul. I felt she loved him(P) but was afraid to explore it deeper. She was unable to understand the depth of emotion that he aroused in her. Raoul was , as said, a pretty boy, with a nice voice, who I, for one, in no way would have chosen over the Phantom-even unmasked. I almost laughed when he pinned the Phantom during the swordfight. NO way!!!
He was just too wimpy.
The scenery was magnificent, the music glorious and the acting wonderful. If the fans gave Oscars, from what I have read here and elsewhere, it would have won hands down.
I do not usually cry in movies, unless a dog is hurt or dies, but now, I even get tears in my eyes listening to the soundtrack. The scene when he first takes her to his Lair is beautiful. It borders on almost erotic, yet plainly pure, clean and beautiful. He shows her that he wants to marry her. He could have taken advantage when she fainted, but he did not. This showed his love was pure, and that there was good in him. In the final scene, which is the most emotional, from the song” The Point of No Return” till the end it is just emotion heaped upon emotion. I think he is more docile when he has his mask on, but when unmasked, he becomes angry. No one can really blame him when you know his story, shunned by his mother, ridiculed by almost everyone , hated, scorned and reviled. But still, he has a heart full of love, and only wants to be loved in return. In a way, it bothers me when she kisses him, because it is almost like giving him a taste of what he will never have-in my words-cruel punishment. At the end, when he is singing to the monkey and crying, and she comes and gives him her ring, and then LEAVES AGAIN- well, I could’ve drop kicked her across the lake.
My favorite thing about this movie, aside from the beauty of the music, great acting, was that it was clean and decent, which unfortunately today, is not the NORM.
Bravo to all involved in it.

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:59:16 +0000

The reason this movie received so many horrible reviews was because everyone was comparing it to the original musical from 1986. And compared to it, the actors weren’t as skilled in acting or singing. But of course with Michael Crawford as the Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine, was anyone truly expecting it to rival them? It is just like how a popular book is always better than the movie, except this time it was the musical.
However, if you reviewed this movie without expecting it to be as good as the musical, you will probably end up enjoying immensely. Gerard was able to show much emotion with his character, although his voice isn’t the traditional opera style most people were looking for, and if you listen closely to the songs, you can hear that he has trouble holding some notes. Other than that, his looks were probably enough to win the hearts of many teenage girls.
Emmy has a beautiful voice but, as said before, seems inexperienced as an actor. And what can I say for Patrick Wilson. I just didn’t like him, I’m not sure if it was only his character that made me feel this, or that he wasn’t that good at acting.
Overall I really liked this movie, and soon became addicted to the songs. I would recommend it to anyone.

By: courtney hazelett

courtney hazelett — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 14:41:04 +0000

aug.28.06

this movie is and has been one of my all time favorites. i am doing a research on emmy rossem for a speech in drama we had to choose someone famous so my first choice was emmy, from her fisrt film, songcathcher to the phantom of the opera and everything yet to come she will be put down in history for me the movie phantom of the opera is a classsic in my family and even know i am just 15 i think of big exspectations and as emmy is my idol that is why i choose her to do for this project. i belive everyone should watch this film and if u leave not likeing the movie there is something seriously wrong with you…ill post another comment to show u how my project is comming along.

love courtney
mountain home,ak

By: Lily

Lily — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 14:46:24 +0000

Where have I been the past 20 years? Nowhere near the musical theater, that’s for sure. I knew nothing about Phantom of the Opera, aside from the iconic Lon Chaney silent movie, and barely registered that the phenominally popular stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber had been brought to the screen. Until 3 weeks ago, that is.

As of this date, August 25, I have watched the movie on DVD six times, bought and listened to (and sung with) the two-disc special edition CD at least a dozen times, borrowed and listened to the original cast recording with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, read the libretto, and made plans to see the stage production when it comes to town next year. Obsessed? Could be.

I have also read half of the movie reviews on the IMDb and have come to the conclusion that I must be somehow lacking in the finer points of cinematic taste and style because the movie sure worked for me. And yes, I like Gerard Butler’s phantom. His voice, although not a traditionally trained opera-style voice, has a passionate intensity that thrills those of us who have very primal responses to dark, sexy men. In spite of Butler’s obvious physical magnitism, he is able to convey the phantom’s emotional torment, his obsessive love for his protege, Christine, and his ultimate surrender of her to Raoul, in a very powerful way. The phantom’s mask has been reduced to little more than a fashion accessory, which makes his psychological balance the main focus of the film as opposed to his “horrible deformity.”

I think Emmy Rossem shines as Christine. She is quite the accomplished actress–Mystic River, The Day After Tomorrow–and yet she plays Christine as a shy, unassuming teenager who is being unwittingly manipulated by her “angel of music”, aka the phantom. Her voice and visage have the sweet innocence that make her character believable. She is apparently mesmerized by the phantom when he first shows himself to her and takes her to his underground lair. Later, she is frightened by his mecurial temper when she removes his mask in an effort to see who he is. (We do not fully see the phantom’s face at this point, but Christine does.) She is confused by her own feelings, gratitude for the gift of her musical tutoring on the one hand and horror at the reality of the phantom on the other.

Raoul is certainly not what one would call a fully-rounded character, although Patrick Wilson does wonders with what has been given to him, and the film version gives him a bit more to do the stage version. When Christine goes to the graveyard to visit her father’s tomb and begins to fall once more under the spell of the phantom, Raoul duels with him in a lively action sequence. Later, as the opera house is in flames, Raoul races to the underground abode where the phantom has taken Christine and is caught in a diabolical water trap from which he must free himself first, before he can free Christine. Wilson’s tenor is clear and true and in the romantic duet “All I Ask of You” he promises to keep Christine safe, though in a typically 19th-century, paternalistic fashion: “Let me be your shelter/ Let me be your light/ I’m here, no-one can harm you/ My words will warm and calm you.” But when Wilson sings those words, for the moment all any girl wants is to be taken care of.

One other major character is not really a character at all. It is the music. Although it has been described as bombastic, repetitive and overly cloying, I thought the score fit this particular production to a “T”. From dark and passionate pieces to light, humorous songs, The Phantom of the Opera left a decided reverberation in my mind that demanded I hear it all again.

In the end, The Phantom of the Opera is a tragic love story, pure and simple. And the finale, and possibly the only, unselfish act of the phantom will rip your heart out as it so obviously did his. Yes, the music of the night is over, indeed.

By: Angel D.

Angel D. — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 03:43:27 +0000

I have seen this movie so many times and must say it is my favorite. I sing the songs from this movie, or at least part of them, everyday.
Emmy Rossum did such a good job in Phantom of the Opera, that I must also say that she is my favorite actress. She beautiful, has a sense of humor, young, and a great voice. Gerard Butler is adored by me too. He has everything that Emmy has: Handsome, a sense of humor, (sorta young), and a GREAT voice.
Someday I hope to follow my dream and meet them someday. But it is NOT going to happen anytime soon.
Luv you Emmy and Gerry!
Angel

By: mariken

mariken — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:27:49 +0000

@ Bex: try Amazon, or Play.com. They usually have it in stock and are generally cheaper than the average (high street) store.
If you do not want to buy online, HMV is probably your best bet.
(thus ended the commercial presentation )

By: bex

bex — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 13:05:48 +0000

i have not yet seen the phantom of the opera and have wanted to see it for a long time and this review has made me want to see it even more but the problem is that in all of the shops i have been in i have not seen the film out on the shelves!
what kind of shop owners do they call themselves if they dont have the film out on the shelves
really upset that i havent managed to see it yet

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 02:04:12 +0000

I’m in love with this movie. I am an aspiring actress/singer, and seeing this really inspired me. Gerard Butler was amazing and Emmy Rossum was just phenomenal. I love her voice because she has the perfect facial expressions and matches that to her voice. She can really portray what she’s feeling. I also loved Minnie Driver as Carlotta. She was hilarious, and some of my favorite scenes are the ones that Carlotta is in. People who don’t like Phantom of the Opera really just are kind of stupid. How can you not like it? I’ve decided people like that aren’t worth my time.