This film is a magnificent achievement.
A.L.B. and Joel Schumacher have managed to put together a sparkling feast for the eyes, ears and senses.
I have seen it four times and it has not ceased to thrill me each time. I laughed, I cried, the music filled my soul and gave me chills again and again! I can't get enough! It's beautiful,haunting, and heartrending at times. The songs play in your head constantly. The story and characters haunt you through the day and into the night.
Emmy Rossum's Christine is gorgeous. I prefer her voice much more than Sarah Brightman's. Her performance was stunning. Her compassion and range of emotions are portrayed to perfection.
Gerard Butler as the Phantom is without equal. He wrung out every emotional note of the Phantom's torment and longing. His performance is hauntingly beautiful and heartwrenching.
Admittedly, I did have to make a mental transition from the previous Phantoms' singing voice qualities to Gerard Butler's singing. However, it does not take long to appreciate how Mr Butler's emotionally intense performance carry over wonderfully into his singing of the Phantom's songs.
Patrick Wilson almost seemed in danger of being eclipsed, I felt, by the intense fire of emotions ablaze between Christine and the Phantom, but he definitely held his ground, and his singing voice is fabulous.
Minnie Driver as Carlotta was hilarious! She was great! All the supporting cast were superb as well.
I don't know what is with the critics. They seemed to have had their minds made up to hate this movie before it even opened. Was it some personal vendetta? Were they paid to bash it? I can only say that I feel all the negative press was very unfair, and I feel sorry for people that stayed away from it just because they let the critics decide for them.
I suppose I, like the Phantom don't really fit in this world (the entertainment world, anyway). I come from a generation that went to the movies to enjoy laughter, drama and beauty and, even music (heaven forbid!). These days, it seems that commercially successful entertainment must to pander to more jaded (and grittier) tastes. Since this is what brings in the money, and money is the bottom line for all of this anyway, so be it!
"The Phantom of The Opera" will probably not be a big money maker, which is likely to be the only deplorable criteria it is to be judged by. However, like the Phantom himself, it seems to have been born into a time and a world into which it does not fit and is grossly under-appreciated.
However, I absolutely love it and welcome the music, story and characters into my heart and soul again and again.
A.L.B. and Joel Schumacher have managed to put together a sparkling feast for the eyes, ears and senses.
I have seen it four times and it has not ceased to thrill me each time. I laughed, I cried, the music filled my soul and gave me chills again and again! I can't get enough! It's beautiful,haunting, and heartrending at times. The songs play in your head constantly. The story and characters haunt you through the day and into the night.
Emmy Rossum's Christine is gorgeous. I prefer her voice much more than Sarah Brightman's. Her performance was stunning. Her compassion and range of emotions are portrayed to perfection.
Gerard Butler as the Phantom is without equal. He wrung out every emotional note of the Phantom's torment and longing. His performance is hauntingly beautiful and heartwrenching.
Admittedly, I did have to make a mental transition from the previous Phantoms' singing voice qualities to Gerard Butler's singing. However, it does not take long to appreciate how Mr Butler's emotionally intense performance carry over wonderfully into his singing of the Phantom's songs.
Patrick Wilson almost seemed in danger of being eclipsed, I felt, by the intense fire of emotions ablaze between Christine and the Phantom, but he definitely held his ground, and his singing voice is fabulous.
Minnie Driver as Carlotta was hilarious! She was great! All the supporting cast were superb as well.
I don't know what is with the critics. They seemed to have had their minds made up to hate this movie before it even opened. Was it some personal vendetta? Were they paid to bash it? I can only say that I feel all the negative press was very unfair, and I feel sorry for people that stayed away from it just because they let the critics decide for them.
I suppose I, like the Phantom don't really fit in this world (the entertainment world, anyway). I come from a generation that went to the movies to enjoy laughter, drama and beauty and, even music (heaven forbid!). These days, it seems that commercially successful entertainment must to pander to more jaded (and grittier) tastes. Since this is what brings in the money, and money is the bottom line for all of this anyway, so be it!
"The Phantom of The Opera" will probably not be a big money maker, which is likely to be the only deplorable criteria it is to be judged by. However, like the Phantom himself, it seems to have been born into a time and a world into which it does not fit and is grossly under-appreciated.
However, I absolutely love it and welcome the music, story and characters into my heart and soul again and again.