The Phantom of the Opera

Poster for The Phantom of the Opera

Describe

    The Phantom of the Opera is the film adaptation from Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical.  The Phantom of the Opera was filmed in 2004, but was first announced in 1989.  However, production on the film was halted because Webber's divorce from Sarah Brightman.  Brightman was the star in the original stage production and was the frontrunner to star in the film version.
    The final product stars Gerard Butler in the role as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum as Christine Daae, Patrick Wilson as Raoul, and Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry.  The film was directed by Joel Schumacher, produced and co-written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and was distributed by Warner Brothers.  The film is 143 minutes.  The Phantom of the Opera was released on December 22, 2004 (in the United States).

Analyze
    The Phantom of the Opera is the story of the Phantom of the Opera that resides in the Paris Opera House and his obsession with Christine Daae, a chorus girl who he has trained through her dreams to be the lead singer in the Opera.  The Paris Opera House has just come under new ownership of Mr. Firmin and Mr. Andre and the patronage of Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny.  The new owners have their hands full with their prima donna- La Carlotta, who refuses to take the stage in a cursed theatre.  Christine Daae, who has been coached by the Phantom, steps in to take her place and does a superb job.  During her debut performance, Raoul remembers Christine from his childhood when they were childhood sweethearts.   As the film progresses, Christine and Raoul begin to fall in love again.  This is where the love triangle comes into play because Christine has an innocent and pure love for Raoul, but when she is under the influence of the Phantom, she is able to explore her "dark side."  The Phantom's obsession with Christine becomes more intense when he realizes she loves someone else.  The Phantom's obsession ultimately results in his downfall and loss of Christine.

Interpret
    The film is ultimately a love story between three people: Christine, Raoul, and the Phantom.  When Christine is with Raoul, their love is an innocent love that developed from a childhood friendship.  Christine's relationship with the Phantom is the complete opposite and is formed under false pretenses.  When watching the movie, you know the right man for Christine is Raoul, but at the same time you are intrigued by her relationship with the  Phantom.  With Christine and Raoul, you get to see a childhood friendship develop into a romantic relationship. On the other hand, when Christine's relationship with the Phantom was more dark and dangerous.  Even through the songs the couples sing, you can see the difference between the relationships.  When Christine and Raoul  would sing together their songs are lighter and pure love.  However, when Christine and the Phantom sang together it is the complete opposite; their duets are dark and more edgy.  The two relationships were something  every girl goes through in falling for and being intrigued by the "bad" boy, but ultimately she ends up with the the "knight in shining armor."


Evaluate
    I throughly enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera.  The film was a classic love story about a girl who falls for a "good' and "bad" boy.  The film keeps you in suspense of which guy Christine is going to ultimately pick in the end.  Although, I enjoyed seeing The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, I understand why Andrew Lloyd Webber wanted to make a film adaptation of the stage production.  With the film version, Webber was able to reach an entirely different audience that may not have ever heard of The Phantom of the Opera or have the chance to see it on Broadway.  I loved the costumes in the film and attention to the small details.  One of my favorite scenes was in the very beginning when the chandelier was being raised in the run-down Opera House and then we see the Opera House in its prime.  I thought the characters were perfectly cast and their takes on the characters.  I would recommend for anybody who loved the stage production or who's hearing of it for the first time to watch the movie!