LCD Listens to LND (so you don't have to), Act 2 Tracks 11-13

[ladycdaae]

Here's the drawn-out conclusion, with final thoughts and a nice little treat (well, I like it anyway).

Comments

[meganphntmgrl]

I'm way less impressed with that video than you seem to think I should be. The whole thing screams high school.

As for the crazy-assed reprise of Bathing Beauty... that was the one part of this show that I thought was seriously chilling and effective.

Look, I'm not going to say that LND is a great show, because it really does suck. But there are tiny bits of it that stand on their own, and sometimes I swear this fandom has gotten so far gone on the concept of Leroux > everything that it will bash anything along those lines. LND is a terrible literal Phantom sequel, but I think that if ALW had produced it as a Spiritual Successor instead I'd be all over this mess, if only for the lulz. The decent bits of it are getting unilaterally panned just for being attached to it, and I'm frankly starting to be a little sick of this.

And now I clearly have to find that thing I found a while ago about Leroux himself having written a treatment for a sequel to the silent film, because he did. I'm off to finish my own review of LND, which I should

[ladycdaae]

Like I said, it's not perfect. But personally, I'd rather a decent "high school" rendition of Erik's final monologue (I'm not a Leroux purist by any means but I think it's one of the things about it that no adaptation has surpassed, despite a century of trying) than the umpteenth rendition of the "Once Upon Another Time" chorus. But YMMV.

And I'm not panning the "decent bits" simply because they're attached to this mess. I just don't think there are very many of them to begin with. In fact, there are only two things I found salvageable: "Dear Old Friend" and the melody for "Till I Hear You Sing." Everything else left me bored, annoyed, and unhappy.

~LCD

[meganphntmgrl]

Except the guy in the video didn't seem the slightest bit Erik-ish to me.

[carey_pontmercy]

I like the reprise of "Bathing Beauty", too. This is partly because I love my singing prostitutes and partly because Erik is held somewhat accountable for being a self-absorbed moocher. I'd like Meg's character in general, actually, if her obsession with Erik were explained better.

[crysania4]

Love your review! I agree with so much of it.

I have to admit, I can't quite get past how much "Erik" reminds me of my friend Jason, who is a BIG HUGE FLAMER. Love Jason. Love my gay boys. But erm no. Not for Erik. Also, TOO YOUNG.

[crysania4]

That's the Erik on that video...not Ramin. Though he also sounds and looks way too young.

[ladycdaae]

He is too young, but I like what he's doing character-wise--that sort of childlike craziness. But I can see I'm going to be in the minority on this one, so whatevs. :-)

~LCD

[crysania4]

LOL Maybe he'll get better with time. It seemed a bit forced to me, but maybe this is an early rehearsal. I look forward to hearing what comes of it.

[divadeanna]

I haven't watched any of the YouTube videos for that new show, but I found out about it a few weeks ago via Twitter, and since I'm so close, I may go see it. Probably toward the end of its run. Also, I should know better than to click on your TV Tropes links. Got sucked in for an entire afternoon. lol

[ladycdaae]

TV Tropes Will Ruin Your Life. XD

~LCD

[sporkgoddess]

[ulkis]

Mr. WTF tries to talk her down. “Give me the gun, Meg…Give me the hurt and the pain and the gun, Meg…” I don’t know why I find that line so funny, but I just do.

It cracks me up because the Phantom is trying to relate to Meg by saying, "oh man girlfriend I know how you feel! I was totally rejected too!"

Mr. WTF sends Frau Blücher for help, and she takes the opportunity to escape the musical.

Hee.

Thanks, this was great reading.

[ladycdaae]

Now that I think on it, it's probably because the gun sounds like an afterthought--"It's all right, I know how you feel and oh by the way, could you drop your weapon, plzkthx...?"

~LCD