The Phantom of the Opera (2004 film): Difference between revisions
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The ending of the movie was also very different from the play. The movie ends with the Phantom smashing all of the mirrors and walking through a passage behind one of them. There is also an added scene at the end which takes place after the auction at the opera house in 1919. The elderly Raoul visits the cemetery and places the monkey music box on Christine's grave. There he finds a rose tied with a black ribbon and the ring, which indicates that the Phantom is still alive at this time. The play however ends just after Christine and Raoul leave the lair in the boat; the Phantom notes of Christine that "you alone can make my song take flight; it's over now, the music of the night!" He sits in a large throne and covers himself in his cape. When Meg and the mob enter, she lifts the cape only to find the Phantom's white mask. |
The ending of the movie was also very different from the play. The movie ends with the Phantom smashing all of the mirrors and walking through a passage behind one of them. There is also an added scene at the end which takes place after the auction at the opera house in 1919. The elderly Raoul visits the cemetery and places the monkey music box on Christine's grave. There he finds a rose tied with a black ribbon and the ring, which indicates that the Phantom is still alive at this time. The play however ends just after Christine and Raoul leave the lair in the boat; the Phantom notes of Christine that "you alone can make my song take flight; it's over now, the music of the night!" He sits in a large throne and covers himself in his cape. When Meg and the mob enter, she lifts the cape only to find the Phantom's white mask. |
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Most fans or "phans" feel that the stage version is vastly superior to the movie version. {{fact}} |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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Revision as of 03:11, 20 July 2008
| The Phantom of the Opera | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster for Phantom of the Opera | |
| Directed by | Joel Schumacher |
| Written by | Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart, Richard Stilgoe, Joel Schumacher |
| Produced by | Andrew Lloyd Webber |
| Starring | Gerard Butler Emmy Rossum Patrick Wilson Miranda Richardson Minnie Driver Simon Callow Ciarán Hinds Jennifer Ellison |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. (USA) Universal Studios (Latin America and Australia) |
Release date | December 22 2004 |
Running time | 143 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $70,000,000 USD |
| Box office | $51.2 Million |
The Phantom of the Opera is a 2004 Joel Schumacher directed film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart's internationally successful 1986 stage musical, which is based on the novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux. The screenplay was written by Schumacher and Webber and Webber produced the film. The cast includes Gerard Butler as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum (who was only 17 at the time of filming) as Christine Daaé, Patrick Wilson as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry, Jennifer Ellison as Meg Giry, and Minnie Driver (whose vocals were dubbed by Margaret Preece, a professional opera singer) as Carlotta Giudicelli. Ramin Karimloo (who had been playing Raoul in the London production of Phantom at the time of filming) appeared in a cameo role as Christine's father.
The film was a USA/UK co-production that had various distributors worldwide. For example, Warner Bros. distributed the film in the USA, and Universal Pictures (producers and/or distributors of the 1925, 1943, and 1962 adaptations of the book) released the film in Latin America and Australia.
Plot
Derived from the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which was based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, the plot centers on a disfigured musical genius (the "Phantom," played by Gerard Butler), tormented by his scarred face, who lives in the watery labyrinths beneath the Opera Populaire in Paris, fging the opera, and committing several murders. After nearly ten years of quiet obsession with the delicate voice of Christine Daae (Emmy Rossum), a beautiful young soprano, he plots to place her center stage.
Christine is torn between her love for Raoul (Patrick Wilson), a childhood sweetheart who has returned into her life, and her dark attraction to and pity for the Phantom. Towards the end, the Phantom imprisons Raoul and threatens to kill him if Christine does not choose the Phantom.
Eventually, Christine gives him affection- showing that she loves both Raoul and the Phantom, but in different ways- something which he has never received from anyone.Her kindness so deeply touches the Phantom that he allows Christine and Raoul to leave. He disappears into an empty glass mirror portal, before the police arrive in his underground lair. Upon entering, Meg Giry (Jennifer Ellison), the ballet mistress's daughter, finds only the phantom's white mask.
There are changes from the stage musical: Some new scenes are added while others from the musical are removed, and some lines that were sung are now spoken. In addition, the chandelier crash-- situated at the end of Act One on stage--was moved to the film's climax near the end. The Phantom's makeup for the face itself in the film is also changed from the musical and made much less deformed, to the anger of the fans.
Casting the film
The casting for the two leading roles was a rather lengthy process. Patrick Wilson, who later got the part of Raoul, had initially auditioned for the title role of The Phantom. The director later felt he was better to play Raoul because his voice matched the character better.[citation needed] Several actors were considered to play the title role including John Travolta and Antonio Banderas. Originally offered the role, Travolta turned it down because he felt the film wouldn't work, while Banderas, a skilled singer, took several months off from acting to train for the part, before he was turned down. Hugh Jackman was up for the role, but he lost the role at the last minute after the director heard him singing. He felt that he looked right for the part, but something about his voice wasn't good enough.[citation needed] Gerard Butler finally won the role after several intense screen tests. Casting for the role of Christine Daae took longer. Charlotte Church, Keira Knightley and Katie Holmes were all in the running. Holmes had secured the part but the director refused to cast her because he felt that she was too old for the part; she reportedly impressed him with her voice.[citation needed] Anne Hathaway was a soprano singer in New York, and she was praised for her voice; she auditioned several times and almost got the part, but just as the contract was sent to her, she was forced to decline because of the overlapping schedules with the Princess Diaries sequel, although she tried to make it work. Emmy Rossum won the part.
Stage version vs. film version
While the film remained somewhat faithful to the original libretto of the stage show, many changes were made. Some scenes were added; others were deleted; some songs were shortened or deleted; some lines that were sung on stage were spoken in the movie, as well as minor changes in the lyrics to suit the scenes. In addition, several changes were made to the story.
The famous chandelier crash - used to close Act One on stage - was moved to the film's climax after the song "The Point of No Return", and becomes a crucial plot point in that it explains the destruction of the opera house, which is set on fire as a result of the crash. This, as well as some other changes, was kept for Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular, a modified stage production modelled mostly after the film. The chandelier crash also received computer-generated imagery alterations. For example, before reaching the floor, the chandelier's cables rip through the ceiling of the Opera House where this would be all but impossible on a live stage.
Changes were also made to some of the characters and their backgrounds. In the film, Madame Giry first meets the Phantom when they are both children and helps him escape from imprisonment in a carnival, after which he spends his entire life living at the Opera. In both the original book and the stage adaptation, the Phantom winds up in the carnival as an adult after travelling the world and spending time in Persia. Also, during the film scene in which Christine visits her father's grave, a sword-fight ensues between Raoul and the Phantom. In the stage production, the Phantom stands upon the grave and attacks the couple with small blasts of fire from his torch. The Phantom's makeup for the film was changed from the stage and made much more subtle and natural as it would not be required to impact from afar, although the scarred face that ultimately was revealed proved to be far less horrific than one would have anticipated given the character's angst, and proved to be a bone of contention with many critics. The Phantom's various magical tricks (such as his sudden disappearances) were also demystified and fully explained in the film.
The pivotal unmasking of the Phantom was made more dramatic; unlike on the stage, close-ups could be afforded. Furthermore, there was a noticeable increase in the action and drama of the film incarnation, examples including the various sword-fighting sequences absent from the stage version. The Phantom's subterranean lair was enlarged and given various new furnishings including candles that lit themselves automatically (these were actually accomplished with a special type of candle which would light itself when brought out from underwater, instead of using CGI).
The ending of the movie was also very different from the play. The movie ends with the Phantom smashing all of the mirrors and walking through a passage behind one of them. There is also an added scene at the end which takes place after the auction at the opera house in 1919. The elderly Raoul visits the cemetery and places the monkey music box on Christine's grave. There he finds a rose tied with a black ribbon and the ring, which indicates that the Phantom is still alive at this time. The play however ends just after Christine and Raoul leave the lair in the boat; the Phantom notes of Christine that "you alone can make my song take flight; it's over now, the music of the night!" He sits in a large throne and covers himself in his cape. When Meg and the mob enter, she lifts the cape only to find the Phantom's white mask.
Cast
- Gerard Butler as The Phantom
- Emmy Rossum as Christine Daaé
- Patrick Wilson as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny
- Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry
- Minnie Driver as Carlotta Giudicelli
- Simon Callow as André
- Ciarán Hinds as Firmin
- Victor McGuire as Piangi
- Jennifer Ellison as Meg Giry
- Murray Melvin as Reyer
- Kevin McNally as Buquet
- James Fleet as Lefevre
Notes
Driver herself does lend her actual singing voice to the film's end title song, "Learn To Be Lonely", written by Lloyd Webber and Hart exclusively for the film. The tune for "Learn to Be Lonely" was originally intended for an additional song to be sung by the Phantom during the film, called "No One Would Listen" (originally to have had lyrics by David Zippel, who adapted a few lines of the musical for the movie due to changes in the staging), but the song was removed for pacing reasons (It is included as an extra on some editions of the DVD).
Trafalgar Square Publishing has issued The Phantom of the Opera Companion, a definitive account of the tale, tracing the legend from its origins, and through all its artistic incarnations, to the contemporary theater production and film. It includes the complete screenplay and more than 150 photographs from both the film and theater productions worldwide.
The soundtrack has been released on CD.
Warner Home Video released the film on HD DVD on March 28, 2006 and on Blu-ray Disc on October 31, 2006.[1] It would be one of the earliest titles to be released on high-definition. The HD DVD audio track features Dolby TrueHD.
Awards and nominations
Wins
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
- Best Performance by a Younger Actor - Emmy Rossum
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards
- Best Young Actress - Emmy Rossum
- Female Breakthrough Performance - Emmy Rossum
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards
- Best Cinematography - John Mathieson (tied with Christopher Doyle for Hero)
Young Artist Awards
- Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress - Emmy Rossum
Nominations
- Art Direction - Anthony Pratt
- Cinematography - John Mathieson
- Original Song - Learn to Be Lonely
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
- Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film
- Best Costumes - Alexandra Byrne
Art Directors Guild
- Feature Film - Period or Fantasy Film - Anthony Pratt
Costume Designers Guild Awards
- Excellence in Costume Design for Film - Period/Fantasy - Alexandra Byrne
- Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Emmy Rossum
- Best Original Song - Motion Picture - Learn to Be Lonely
Online Film Critics Society Awards
- Best Breakthrough Performance - Emmy Rossum
Young Artist Awards
- Best Family Feature Film - Comedy or Musical
Critical reaction
The film was met with mixed reviews upon its release, the general critical consensus being that it was visually spectacular but lacked any truly compelling sense of romance or danger.[2][3][4]
Gerard Butler, who had no formal vocal training prior to the film, was criticized for not having the full vocal range needed to play the title character. Joel Schumacher states in the special features of the DVD that he intended "to make [the film], probably about 14 or 15 years ago with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman" to which Andrew Lloyd Webber adds "then frankly, I started to split up with Sarah and things were getting a bit bumpy between us" and Schumacher concludes "we had to put it on a shelf for a minute there". In many interviews, Andrew Lloyd Webber said that Butler was chosen specifically for the emotional, rocky quality of his voice as a juxtaposition against Patrick Wilson's much sweeter singing style.
Some reviewers suggested that Emmy Rossum's voice was not mature enough for the role of Christine, as she was only 16 and a half at the time of filming and she is a mezzo-soprano, not a full soprano.
Many fans were disappointed by the lack of disfigurement of the Phantom's face, which looked more like a bad burn than anything likely to incite fear and horror.
Some fans also felt the production was too harsh on Carlotta, due to the fact that the audience in the Opera during the Don Juan production covered their ears during Carlotta's solo. It is expressed by some that some comic relief was needed in the movie, and Carlotta seemed the perfect catalyst for such humor.
Popular response, however, was much more positive, with the movie maintaining a spot in the top ten grossing movies of the week, for a month, even in limited release. Due to its limited theatre count, however, domestic box office receipts overall fell short of the film's $60-70 million USD budget. When foreign box office receipts were added in, it quickly made a profit, earning over $100 million overseas.[5]
See also
- The Phantom of the Opera Soundtrack
References
- ^ Business Wire. Warner Home Video Announces Titles and Release Dates for HD DVD. January 5, 2006.
- ^ "Film version lacking" by Phil Villareal, Arizona Daily Star, December 22, 2004, retrieved September 1, 2006
- ^ "Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera (2004)" by Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald, 2004, retrieved September 2, 2006
- ^ "The Phantom of the Opera (2004)" by Staci Layne Wilson, horror.com, 2004, retrieved September 2, 2006
- ^ Business data for The Phantom of the Opera, IMDb.com, retrieved November 5, 2006.
External links
The Phantom of the Opera, an external wiki
- The Phantom of the Opera official home page
- The Phantom of the Opera at IMDb
- The Phantom of the Opera at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Phantom of the Opera at Box Office Mojo