THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA MOVIE -- by naudy

It dosn't suck as much as the live show does.

I had some friends see this film before I did and they hated it. A lot. I believe they actually quoted Michael J. Nelson when suggesting that this movie was "a rotting squirrel carcas in the punchbowl of cinema." As a result, when I paid my $1.50 to see it at 11:50 on a Thursday evening, I was expecting to loathe it as much as they did. And, I do have to agree with their complaints. "The Music of the Night" is, in fact, a giant Whitesnake video -- complete with skanky costumes and smoky eye makeup. I almost laughed out loud when Christine goes to the cemetary and the mist stops dead at the graveyard gates. Obviously something as valueable as graveyard atmosphere can't be wasted on both sides of a wrought iron fence. And I was amused by the way they casted Christine's best friend specifically to look like Degas' "Little Dancer, aged fourteen" statue. The high-society musical number "Masquerade" was as oddly-lifeless and rather than vicariously participating in the abject decadence the song tells about, I ended up wishing I were back stage with the rif-raf and enjoying myself.

However, this movie is still light-years better than the live stage play. My friends have never had the priviledge of paying a lot of money to see the show live and they didn't know how good they had it. I admit that I'm not a big fan of Musical Theater. With the exception of THE FANTASTIKS and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, I prefer to leave musical theater very much alone. In this film version of a Broadway blockbuster I found it a pleasant change to see the characters actually have some motivation for their actions. With the exception of "The Music Of The Night", ostensibly a portrayal of a seductive dream sequence that ends up being an excuse to wow the crowd w/ cool effects, all the songs made emotional sense. Heck, they even made sense in relation to the plot! -a refreshing change. The singing was actually good, the Phantom was actually sexy, and I was delighted to see my friend Patrick Wilson again. (He was in THE ALAMO, another movie only liked by myself and the director's mother.) By far the very best thing, though, was Minnie Driver. I'v never seen a Carlotta who was as funny and brilliant and human and horrible as her's and I loved every minute of it. I think she did too. =)

So, what's the verdict? If you feel the need for a musical love story w/ a gothic flare, lots of pretty clothes and dancing, and a screaming opera singer carrying a pink poodle, see this movie. It's about $97 dollars cheaper and a whole lot more satisfying than anything you'll see live at the real opera house.