The International Writers Magazine: 'The Phantom' Review
Overcooked
and Underplayed?, or Just Adapted From The Stage?
Ben Macpherson reviews Joel
Shumachers film of
Andrew Lloyd Webbers The Phantom Of The Opera
After
a long anticipated wait, the glitz of the West End mega musical,
and the notoriously overblown director of the Batman movies collide
in a film which may be more aptly titled Batman: The Musical
or Andrew Lloyd Webber meets Moulin Rouge. After a
reported fifteen years of waiting The Phantom Of The Opera,
Andrew Lloyd Webbers most successful musical - in fact the
most successful musical ever - has made it to the big screen.
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Starring Emmy Rossum,
as Christine - the starlet with the voice of an angel (that defies Rossums
years); and Gerard Butler as the disfigured, love lorn genius, this
movie is a more or less literal translation of stage to screen. Some
may instantly view this with a morbid dread akin to that of the Phantoms
fear of loathing. Detractors have long levelled criticisms at the show,
of the gaping holes in its plot, the emotionless void at the centre
of characters - with about as much exposition of their emotional make-up
as a badly written Jackie Collins novel - and with probably just as
much kitsch. I was slightly preconditioned on entering the cinema, due
to an overbearing sense that having seen the stage show and studied
it in depth - the film would not quite live up to its name (and
yes, we could and will call The Phantom, an institution).
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In short, before
a more considered and specific analysis, I will say that for the price
of the ticket, the three hours of opulent, overt and glorious indulgence
that is this movie, it is the one to see this winter. The lavish colour,
the glamour, the soaring score and gorgeous cast (with the possible
exception of Simon Callow, great actor: not gorgeous), one cannot help
but sit up and watch. I personally loved the stage show - for nothing
more than what it is - a spectacle of entertainment; and I believe the
same applies to the film.
For me, the gaps in the story (which stem from the original novel anyway)
and the occasional peculiarity are mere charms of a succulent
piece into which it is plain Mr Schumacher and of course, the ever conceited
Mr Lloyd Webber have eagerly sunk their teeth. What I went for was what
I got: a tear in my eye when the Phantom realises Christine has deserted
him, mourning "I gave you my music...and now...you betray me".
Goose-bumps when the two lovers play out their seduction
in my favourite number The Point Of No Return (a triumph of originality
from the composer), and shivers up my spine during the duel. The music
soars along with the vocals; and with the exception of Minnie Driver,
who had her voice dubbed as the Diva Carlotta, the all star cast with
among others Miranda Richardson, Simon Callow, Kevin McNally and Jennifer
Ellison all sang their hearts out with great gusto. Rossum, an eighteen
year old with an ego problem (judging by an interview I read recently)
performs excellently. With a voice like hers its no wonder she feels
she has something to sing about; and, the requisite amount
of breathless cleavage heaving and lace draped thigh coupled with big
brown eyes, watery and innocent, gave her the perfect reason to fill
Sarah Brightmans shoes. Gerard Butler, performed with modern grit,
a role which demands subtlety and yet, over emphasis. I think though,
that his presentation was very suited to cinema. The camped up
sensuality with which the stage character is portrayed would perhaps
of looked too pantomime-esque on film. Well judged on his part and on
Schumachers.
One major change in the story is the position in the film at which point
the Phantom famously brings down the chandelier. In the stage show this
is contained in the penultimate section of the first act - a stunning
and dramatic reason to retain your bum on its seat for the second
half (especially in Australia, where there are reportedly no restrictions
of health and safety as such, and so the poor audience in the front
stalls have to duck as a lethal object flies at high- velocity above
their heads.) For dramatic effect, Christines "singing to
bring down the Chandelier" is reserved until the penultimate ending
sequence (just after Point Of No Return). This I was most sceptical
of...but, ignoring my previous two experiences at the theatre, it worked
well and, for a cinematic audience was perfectly dramatic.
Of course, one cannot write such a review without at least one criticism.
The majority are small, personal preferences from the part of a humble
fan of the show - but the predominant annoyance for me was as follows:
the transition from dialogue to song. My drama lecturer at University
is writing a PhD on that very subject and I await his appraisal with
interest. For me though, the fact that the preliminary verse of some
songs were made into rhyming speech sounded lazy, half done
and shoddy. Re-written dialogue would have sufficed. Failing that, of
course, why not just keep the singing in? It is a musical after all.
The other, smaller gripe that stays in my mind just an hour after viewing
is that during the graveyard scene, the Phantom, Christine and Raoul
have a trio part in the stage version. This was simplified in the film
to a smaller scale duet between the Phantom and Christine. Musically,
Raouls contrapunctal melody line enhances the emotion of the moment,
and this is relegated to tremulous strings in the film - softening the
entire feel. Still,this is just a quibble, it doesnt detract from
the film as a whole.
In short then, if you do go to see this film - expect nothing more than
a solid Joel Schumacher style, gothic portrayal of the most successful
musical in all theatre history. For those who love its lush, rich,
soaring score and stereotypically operatic over-cooked characters, this
film is a joy. For those who detract Schumacher for his over blown production
and at times slow moving camera work (there is a moment at the end of
the film where you feel he didnt quite know what to do), then
this film is one to avoid. Of course, if you dont like Andrew
Lloyd Webber, I shall take it as read that this film is one you wont
want to lose yourself in.
(But go anyway, just be happily surprised.)
Rating: 7.5/10
© Ben Macpherson December 14th 2004
krazeebob2001@yahoo.co.uk
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