Movie Review - Phantom of the Opera

Before I get to my movie review, I want to say I just realized I have to moderate the comments, so that's why your comments didn't get posted until today. Some change I must have selected without knowing it, I guess. Sorry!

And on to the movie review...

I got HBO free for a few months when I signed up to Comcast and so I have been taping several movies and am now just getting around to watching them. Phantom of the Opera is one of those films.

Most of you already know the story of the Phantom of the Opera. Orphaned chorus girl Christine Daae has been taking voice lessons from an anonymous benefactor she calls the Angel of Music. When theatrical diva Carlotta won't go on during a performance of 'Hannibal', Christine gets her chance and becomes a sensation. While on stage, her old friend Raoul sees her and the two fall in love, angering the Phantom, who has been Christine's anonymous teacher. And struggle ensues.

The movie stays fairly close to the theatrical performance. Andrew Lloyd Webber worked with Joel Schumacher on the screenplay and added a few bits here and there, based on the original novel, so there's more backstory than you'll see on the stage. I found some of that a little distracting, as I did the black and white flashbacks; I much prefer to get lost in the colorized moment.

Speaking of the auction, I was thrilled to see the movie keeps my favorite moment, when the auctioneer selling an old chandelier says he'd like "a little illumination. Gentlemen?" And as they whip the covering off the chandelier, it bursts into colorful life to the strains of the organ overture. That's one of those moments I can be watching the movie, the stage play or just listening to the CD and the hair on my arms stands up. That's when I knew this movie wouldn't deviate from the successful stage performance, and that's to the film's benefit. Why mess with a worldwide success?

Emmy Rossum plays Christine and to say she has a voice is an understatement of the highest degree. I found myself wondering why we hadn't seen her in more films since this one, then wondered if she was doing stage work. She should be. She filmed this role at 16 and she sounds amazing - she carries the highs and the lows of Christine's singing with little effort. Plus she's gorgeous, so you can understand why men are fighting over her. I'll admit I was a bit surprised that we get a shot or two of her thigh high stockings - especially once I realized how young she was. This is a sexier Phantom.

Patrick Wilson plays Raoul, and he too has a lovely voice, if you can look past the nancy-boy haircut. (He looks more manly when his hair is pulled back, which is only done once.) He is a stage veteran and it shows vocally, so his duets with Christine will remind you of being in the theater. This is a bit of a 'white hat' role - he's asked to play the Prince Charming, oh-so-good. He has a title, he dances eloquently, he rides horses bareback to rescue the damsel in distress. I hear the swooning now.

Of course he has to do this to fight his rival for Christine's affections, a 'black hat' who is not quite a villain, a sexy, open-neck-shirt-wearing Phantom who gropes Christine while singing to her (I hear more swooning). Gerard Butler plays the Phantom with a stronger dose of testosterone than I'd seen on stage, and it would be effective - if his voice could play along. He doesn't have the requisite vibratto to keep up with Emmy Rossum, and when the two sing together, he's aiming for force, while she's aiming for range, and that's distracting. His is a rock band voice, which I understand from reading IMDB was what Webber wanted, but it doesn't fit.

In fact, that was my big complaint with the movie. Some of the voices are exquisite. Some are merely in tune (Ciarin Hinds is another example of a voice that wouldn't work on Broadway). Some casting changes would have evened out the vocals and focused attention where it should be - songs that stick in your mind, gorgeous sets, strong acting.

Even if you don't recognize a lot of the faces in this film, you should recognize Minnie Driver, having a riotously good time as the diva Carlotta. She does not do her own singing, but it looks like she's having so much fun that you can imagine her breaking into snorts of laughter the minute the director yells 'cut'. She's supposed to be over the top, and she does it with panache. Why she doesn't get good comedies is a mystery. Also, Miranda Richardson plays Madame Giry, and the movie actually fleshes out her role, which cleared up a few things I had missed from the stage performance.

One other note that occurred to me while watching this movie, and I hope you won't see this as a spoiler if you don't know the story. Christine's father told her about the Angel of Music before he died - so at first she thinks the Phantom is her father's ghost. Yet there are a few scenes where she's clearly hot under the collar for the Phantom. Does this strike you as a bit creepy? Me too.

Animal Trauma: None, although you'll find yourself feeling sorry for Carlotta's lapdog and the on-stage sheep. The movie also restores a few horses apparently found in the original text that aren't utilized on stage.

Overall: Exquisite sets, attractive leads, a great story and songs, and a few mediocre voices. I give this film three roses out of five.