|
|
|
|
 |
The Movie:
 There have been
numerous film versions of The Phantom of the Opera over
the years. The most famous is probably Lon Chaney's frightening
turn as the Phantom in the classic silent version of the film. Up
until 2004, however, there has never been a film made of Andrew
Lloyd Webber's musical version of The Phantom of the Opera.
After it's enormous success, as a musical, on Broadway and around
the world, the idea of bringing Phantom… to the
silver screen was an obvious one. So obvious that Webber
contacted Director Joel Schumacher about doing a film adaptation
fourteen years ago. That version, unfortunately, never
materialized and the idea went onto the shelf. The resurgence of
the musical in recent years - and the success of films like Moulin
Rouge and Chicago - made the idea of bringing The
Phantom of the Opera to the big screen a no-brainer.
The question on everyone's mind, however, was this: How do you
turn one of the most famous and beloved musicals in the world
into a film? The answer: You let Joel Schumacher turn it into a
lavish action-adventure film that'll get all the young people in
the seats. I'm kidding, of course, although there are a few
elements of that ridiculous notion in the finished product. The
true answer to that question was to make sure that Andrew Lloyd
Webber was closely involved and to find a young, talented cast
that could do justice to the classic musical. And on most
accounts, this is exactly what Schumacher has done. He has
created a film that is visually breathtaking, full of gothic
romance, and balances all that on top of some wonderfully
orchestrated musical performances. Is it the perfect adaptation
of the Webber's musical? No. Are all The Phantom of the Opera
fans going to be happy with the film version? No. But does it
succeed in more places than it fails and provides a wonderful
alternative to people that might not be able to afford to see the
musical? The answer is a resounding "yes."
 While
discussing the film version with Andrew Lloyd Webber, one thing
that Director Joel Schumacher insisted on having was a young
cast. He wanted Christine to be as innocent as possible, and he
wanted the love triangle between her, the Phantom, and Raoul to
be believable and passionate. The young cast, Schumacher thought,
could only help bring these elements to the film. In two
out of three choices, Schumacher was exactly right. Patrick
Wilson plays Raoul with ambition and brings his tremendous
Broadway voice to the character in a way that nearly matches the
range and power of Emmy Rossum's Christine. Their passion for
each other, however, never seemed to me to be all that
believable. It's clear that Christine loves him, but she lacks
the same passion for Raoul that she so clearly has for the
Phantom.
 The true find,
however, of The Phantom of the Opera is Emmy Rossum. Not
only is she beautiful, innocent, and full of passion and fear,
but she also has one of the most beautiful voices you're likely
ever to hear. She outshines her counterparts in every single
musical number, and puts Minnie Driver's Carlotta to shame.
Rossum seems confident in her role and her doe-eyed performance
is nuanced and passionate. She does an excellent job of balancing
the fear and attraction her character feels toward the Phantom,
and never allows the more veteran actors to take away the
spotlight. Rossum is the real gem of this film, and she shouldn't
have any trouble finding work in Hollywood from now on.
The other big concern of the Phantom… devotees was
the casting of the Phantom himself. This, unfortunately, is one
of Schumacher's bigger mistakes in the film. He casts Gerard
Butler in the famous role and, although at times he seems a
capable actor, Butler simply cannot match the power and vocal
range of his counterparts. He is overshadowed in every single
scene with the Emmy Rossum. His voice just isn't quite good
enough to match up with her. I understand that Schumacher wanted
him to play a more rugged, less trained, and less
"angelic" Phantom, but it sometimes becomes distracting
how much better of a vocalist Rossum is than Butler. His
ruggedness does, however, make him a more believable attraction
for Christine. Still, the casting of Butler in the role of the
Phantom is easily one of the larger missteps taken by Schumacher.
 If you're going
into this film expecting to see an exact replica of the stage
musical, than you will most likely be disappointed. While the
main story is there, and most of the elements are in place,
Schumacher does take quite a few liberties with the material.
Remember that "action-adventure film" I mentioned
before? Well, let's just say that Schumacher adds a fairly
needless swordfight that made me think the film was turning into The
Pirates of the Phantom of the Opera. Sure it looks pretty in
the snow, but it seems like an addition that was made simply to
make the film more action-packed. Nevertheless, I won't begrudge
Schumacher his tendency for flare because, in the end, The
Phantom of the Opera is a highly entertaining and absolutely
beautifully designed film. It may not be equal to seeing the
musical on Broadway, but it is certainly a suitable alternative
for those without the means to see the stage musical. Even if
you're a hardcore Phantom… fan that detests the
idea of a film version, this one is worth seeing if for nothing
more than the performance of the up-and-coming Emmy Rossum.
The DVD
Video:
 The Phantom
of the Opera is presented in an absolutely stunning
anamorphic 2.40:1 widescreen format that beautifully captures the
highly stylized look of the film. The range of colors used in
this film is vast, and every single hue comes across perfectly.
From the opening scenes in grayish black and white to the vibrant
gold tones in the opera house and the blue-gray scenes in a snowy
cemetery, The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most
visually lavish and stylish films to grace the screen in quite
some time. This transfer is nearly perfect in its execution of
light and shadow, the richness of its colors, and the deepness of
its black tones. While there are several scenes that are
purposely shot in soft-focus, the detail in the rest of the film
is incredibly deep and intricate. The only that keeps this
transfer from being reference-quality is a barely-noticeable
layer change and the slightest hint of edge enhancement. There is
a fair amount of grain present in scenes that are lit by gaslight
or candlelight, but it is clearly part of the inherent look of
the film. Aside from those two minor quibbles, this is one of the
most gorgeous transfers that I have seen in a while.
Sound:
The audio on this disc is presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 format
that does a fine job of capturing the elegance and beauty of the
opera performances, while also knowing exactly when to turn it up
a notch to knock you out of your seat. Dialogue is always clear,
crisp, and distinct, and spatial separation across the front
channels is excellent. The best, and most important part, of The
Phantom of the Opera is easily the musical performances, and
here is precisely where this track really shines. The orchestra
is intricately balanced throughout every channel, and the
surround channels do a great job of providing even more ambience
to the performances. When the Phantom sings (and even when he
speaks) the surround channels come alive with his eerie, deep
voice. They, of course, also come alive during several major
sound effects sequences, but they are most affective in their use
of the Phantom's dialogue. Even the LFE channel gets involved in
providing a nice low rumble that makes the masked-man's speech
seem even more ominous and foreboding. Overall, this is a very
well balanced and dynamic audio presentation.
Extras:
It was a wise move to allow this lengthy film one disc basically
all its own. The only extra included on the first disc is a theatrical
trailer, and the addition of the second disc (for all
the extra features) really allows the film to thrive in the
audio-visual department on its own disc.
 The first, and
best, feature on the second disc is "Behind the
Mask: The Story of The Phantom of the Opera,"
which takes just over an hour to detail the journey of the story
from Gaston Leroux's novel to the silent screen, to Andrew Lloyd
Webber's stage version, and finally to Joel Schumacher's feature
film. Included in this documentary are interviews with basically
everyone that's been involved with the various productions in one
way or another. The real treat, however, are the clips from some
never-before-seen performances. We get to see a promotional video
made to sell an earlier screen version of the musical (which was
never made), and several clips from early performances that took
place in Andrew Lloyd Webber's own estate before the musical was
completed. Always interesting and entertaining, this documentary
is a fairly exhausting look at the progression of The Phantom
of the Opera from its start as a novel to its adaptation
into several different mediums.
Also included on the second disc is a 45-minute feature called "The
Making of The Phantom of the Opera."
You have the option of either watching it in three separate
segments or as one long feature, which actually cuts together
pretty cohesively. The first segment is called "Origins and
Casting of The Phantom of the Opera," and it
features interviews with Director Joel Schumacher and most of the
other principles. Schumacher explains how the film finally got
made after fourteen years of waiting. He also tells us a lot
about the casting process and how each part was chosen. We also
get to see interviews with the major players, as they talk about
how daunting it was to step into a film based on one of the
world's most popular plays.
 The second
segment is called "Designing The Phantom of the Opera,"
and it basically details the creation of the elaborate sets and
highly detailed miniatures. We also get to see interviews with
the film's costume designer and many of the other artistic
crewmembers. The third, and final, segment is called
"Supporting Cast and Recording the Album of The Phantom
of the Opera," and it not only allows Schumacher to
explain his choices for a mostly British supporting cast, but
also provides a glimpse into the recording studio as each actor
records their parts for the musical performances. It would have
been great to be able to see even more of this, but what we have
here - including a look at the recording of the huge orchestra -
is really entertaining. Overall, "The Making of The
Phantom of the Opera" isn't your typical studio EPK
fare. It is, rather, a detailed and intriguing look
behind-the-scenes at "the most expensive independent film
ever made."
In addition to those two great documentaries, the second disc
also contains an additional scene. The excised
scene features Gerard Butler as the Phantom singing his part in
"No One Would Listen." The scene is short and, although
it isn't clear why it was deleted, makes for a nice little bonus
feature.
Finally, we have a very funny Easter Egg that is
pretty easy to find, and also a DVD-ROM weblink
to the Phantom's Online World.
Final Thoughts:
 Andrew Lloyd
Webber's The Phantom of the Opera is undoubtedly the
most famous version of Gaston Leroux's novel to ever be created.
It has been seen on the stage by 80-million people worldwide and
continues to play on Broadway to this day. Webber has seen his
musicals make their way to the silver screen more than a few
times (with some mixed results), but The Phantom of the Opera
took upwards of fourteen years to make the transition.
Nevertheless, the timeless gothic romance still manages to send
chills up my spine every single time those Phantom chords come
pounding out of the organ. While Joel Schumacher's version may
not be the perfect adaptation, there is certainly more good than
bad to be found in his film. Emmy Rossum's performance alone is
worth the price of admission. The film alone would make for a
simple recommendation, but the inclusion of two excellent
documentaries makes this disc highly recommended. If you were
only lukewarm to the film in theaters, do yourself a favor and
pass up the one-disc version that Warner Bros. is also offering.
This is a case where the extra features actually make you
appreciate and enjoy the film even more. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Special Offers
|
|
|
| DVD Blowouts
|
|
|
| Special Offers
|
|
|
|
Buy: