The Phaaaaaaaaantom of the Operaaaaaaa

Feb 18, 2005 23:01


I have a little aside from my my usual Hero-Worship, in order to bring you this "Review":

Yay, I saw The Phantom of the Opera movie!  And so, here's what I thought:



Overall, yeah it was alright.  Could've been worse.  Much worse.  I was highly distracted by the fact that the Raoul guy looked like a (no, not dirtbag Neen... though... yeah, he kinda looked like a dirtbag) fake Kelso, and that Emmy Rossum is so danged familiar.  She looks like someone but I don't know who.  I think maybe Emily.  Which doesn't bode well because I care not for Emily.

Anyway, movie:

I love the way it started with the chandelier going up.  It made me feel nostalgic for when I went to see Phantom way back almost 10 years ago...when I was a young'en... Man, I remember how badly I wanted to see Phantom then, and I almost smacked my head on the stairs (as I actually once did...
) because I was SOOOOO excited.  I twasn't disappointed when I went to see it.  Twasn't indeed.  Anyway, back to the movie again,
, I wanted to re-watch the stage version, because another teeny problem I had with this was everything they did I kept thinking "Was it like that in the stage one?  How was that on stage?  Was that even IN the stage version??"

Of course, the part that I DEFINITELY remember from the stage version, the Chandelier, I was confused when that did not happen. Then "Masquerade" came and I turned to Neen and said:  "Um... did they just FORGET the Chandelier??"  He didn't say "and a new Chandelier!"  What an outrage! 
  But that's okay, they had to switch-y it so it could be at the real climax.  Without an Intermission, I realised, the need for a Chandelier drop in the middle makes no sense.

What else?  What else?

The Characters/Actors/Actresses:

Christine/Emmy Rossum: Emmy Rossum was pretty good.  She was better than I thought she'd be.  I had a feeling watching the trailers that Iw as going to hate her.  She looked whiny.  And though, as Neen pointed out, she did have a bit of a whine to her voice, I thought she did rather well.  Doesn't seem like that voice really belongs to her even though it suits her look.  She DID look very Christine.  She fit the part well.

Raoul/..uh...Fake Kelso?:  He was so the Harker (this brings up another point to come later).  Quoting Neen and myself here: "He says "Christine" as much as Harkers says "Mina!"  "Well at least he doesn't say it as much as Julie Christie said 'Pasha'!"  *insert Neen glowering for me reminding her of that here*
  Other than saying her name so much he was the Harker for being the skeptic.  Always need the skeptic in there.  I found it funny that both him and Emmy Rossum are American and pretending...sort of... to be French-y.

"Carlotta"/Minnie Driver:  Yeah, I love her.  Like I said, I wish I had her painted on GG dress. 
  But yeah, she was funny, and even though she didn't sing herself, I'd say she was the best person in the movie just because of her over the top silliness.

Ol' Phantom himself/Gerard "Look at me I played Dracula/Judas AND the Phantom -- next stop Frankenstein Monster and Wolf Man" Butler:  I know I should probably censor myself a bit here considering how Mo seems to be "Gerry" Butler's best friend,
 but I thought they could have got somebody better *cough*HughJackman.*cough*  His voice really didn't seem all that powerful to be someone who's whole life is music... He was alright though I guess.  The thing about the Phantom, the character himself, is that he's like my old buddy Dracula (which, once again, I shall write about in a sec) I like him.  Are you supposed to like them?  They are the "villains," but come on (say it like Gob again) are you REALLY going to cheer on Harker or Raoul, when instead you have guys who wear CLOAKS?  I sympathise with them.  Poor guys... They're just misunderstood.  In the Phantom's case I think you are supposed to feel that way.  In Dracula's case... maybe not, but who cares he's DRACULA!  But yes, this is about the Phantom... And yeah, while he was fighting Raoul and said: "YEAH! KILL HIM!"  (To which Neen said, and I could sense her dirty face was on
 "Which one?" - You could practically here the "BLECH!"  At the end)  And my comment was directed at the Phantom, to kill Raoul, bc I don't like the pansies that the girls are supposed to end up with.

Is there ever going to be a story/play/movie where the girl actually goes with the misunderstood "evil" guy and leaves the annoying pansy who can't run and says her name too many times behind?  I will write that story if I must, bc dang, it's about time the evil misunderstood guy gets the girl!  They are the far more interesting ones than the pansies!

But I think the main problem with ALLLLLLLL of the singing and everything about this movie is:

I have listened to a certain Phantom of the Opera soundtrack for so long and am so used to that, that hearing it differently was just... weird.  "Masquerade" for example, what's with the just SAYING the whole "Think of it, a secret engagement..." part?!?  THAT is my favourite part to sing along with (another problem) from even BEFORE I had seen it and only used to listen to the songs from Roy's CD.  (Which, by the way, this movie has caused me to miss.  I wish I had the songs.  Alls I have is the actual Phantom song and Masquerade on a burned CD somewhere.)  And yes, as for that other problem:

I don't sing along with many songs (with "She Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllllllllllllll Be Loved," Beatles and from time to time Backstreet Boys as the other exceptions) but PHANTOM is one thing I always find myself singing along with and so when the actual "Phantom of the Opera" song came on, I had to stop myself.  Same with "Masquerade."  Twas quite hard to censor meself.  Now I know what Neen must go through every time she listens to Media Player.  Tee Hee.

The Dracula Factor:

Like I said, there are similarities:

- Harker/Raoul = pansies

- Dracula/Phantom = misunderstood evil men pining after the ladies that don't want them (and in Dracula's case shunning the one that does... Poor Lily...uh...I mean LUCY.  Stinkin Nina-Mina. 
 )

- The 'Masquerade' party -- Duke Dracula walks in "Whoops... wrong party..."  

- Papa Daae's tomb dealie -- gots to go in there to cut off Lucy's head!

Yeah, those Dracula references just kept coming and coming... That's why they're both such interesting stories.  They take place at interesting times, with interesting clothes and most importantly COOL HATS!

Which leads to the most important part of the night:

My lovely hat.

Yeah, though they called it a "top hat" at the store, it's a bit too short to be one.  It's still mighty nice though.  Now I'm about a corset away from a Satine-style outfit... Unless I take the Pink route, in which case stick a "P" on the hat and my top... well, then it's just a bra.  

OR I go the Zatanna route and wear the stockings and little tuxedo-y top.  Either way:

I gots me a (sort of) top hat!

Contrary to what this "review" may portray with it seeming like I complained a lot, about dirtbag Kelso being like Harker and the Phantom's voice not being all that great, I really did like the movie.  And so let me end with a 'Phantom' song quote:

Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade, they have their seasons, so do we... But please promise me that sometimes, you will think of me.

ps. Haha, ok so before I end I have one thing to say... I still find it hilarious that the Phantom's lasso is supposedly called the "Punjab Lasso" or something like that.  He's got super Punjabi-Envy.  He wishes he was so he could jam to the bhangra music... tis the best music of all.  Yeah, he really does know his music if that's the case.  You go Phantom!  

poto movie, movie review

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