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Phantom Of The Opera, The - BLU-RAY Version (2004)

Phantom Of The Opera, The - BLU-RAY Version cover art
blu_ray

Average rating: 68%
32176111220413
3.5
from 277 members
 
Starring: Emmy Rossum, Miranda Richardson, Gerard Butler, Patrick Wilson, Minnie Driver, Simon Callow
Director: Joel Schumacher
Studio: ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO
Run time: 135 mins
Certificate: 12
Collections: Blu-ray
Genres: Drama, Music/Musical
Languages: English
Released: unknown

Brief synopsis of Phantom Of The Opera, The - BLU-RAY Version

Those who thought that smoke machines and cobwebbed candelabras were the stuff of Halloween parties and dance clubs need to think again. In Joel Schumacher's film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway musical THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, these moody set devices--and countless others--make every scene an atmospheric vision of souped-up 19th-century Gothic bliss. Christine Daee (a luminescent Emmy Rossum) is a tortured young star who is haunted by the voice of the phantom (Gerard Butler--who also played the lead in DRACULA 2000), a musician who hides in the shadows to hide a facial disfigurement, yet sings to her obsessively. Dwelling in the dark, damp chambers beneath the Paris opera house, the phantom lords over the cast and management with artistic autocracy--he writes the shows, casts them, and threatens all who disobey his plans with dramatically violent outbursts. But when his young student Christine falls for the rich and dapper Raoul (Patrick Wilson), the phantom descends into madness. Webber's memorable songs are performed with aplomb by Rossum, whose background includes singing with the Metropolitan Opera, and Wilson and Butler provide ample accompaniment. One of the treats of the proceedings is Minnie Driver's deeply exaggerated portrayal of the jealous diva, giving this PHANTOM a very appropriate dose of comic relief.

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Rated - 5 starsPhantom Rules!

Bluestar from HULL , 16/02/2008

WOW! This was my first Blue Ray DVD with HD Audio (only 5.1 sound but nonetheless what an amazing audio track - a great test for the new amp and speakers I bought last weekend.)

OK so I'm a softie for ALW musicals, and I always found Richard Stilgoe amusing, but for me this show is extra special.

The costumes, lighting, the outstanding stage building work and sculptures, the special effects, the powerful singing, the beautiful female lead (is it really fair to be so stunning, with a wasp waist and the voice of an angel - all in the same person???!!) combine to make this one of my favourite productions - and a must for my permanent collection.

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Rated - 4 starsBetter on stage

Jeffa from Southampton [Highly rated reviewer] , 11/08/2008

Emmy Rosum (Day after tomorrow) takess the lead in this version of the film backed up by Miranda Richardson and Minnie Driver. I am not saying that Emmy does a bad job in this film version, but she will never match up to Sarah Brightman whom has both screen and stage presence. I was one of the original lighting arrangers at Her Majesty's Theatre, London, where I saw and heard both Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford giving performances that I was truly astounded by. Since my background is in Theatre this film hits a few of the buttons that bring a few parts of the performances back to me. The vocal work is clean and clear but in some places you can notice it has been synthesized in places to compensate for lacking vocals on the part of the actor. Minnie Driver's vocals are substituted in places because she doesn't have the range.

There are plenty of extras on the DVD I am glad to see and they do include the single releases and a lot of the background to the stage musical and some about the actual film. But if you are able to get to London, if you really want a thrill and a bit mre drama than watching a film, then my advice is to go and see the Musical stage version before watching this. The stage version gives you so much more to go home with.

A film can always have the same atmosphere as the cinema with a decent home cinema system, but a live performance is always different.

The comparison between this movie and the stage version is vastly different. The stage version has some slightly different songs and sometimes slightly changed lyrics. The story has slightly changed from the film version and there are more subtleties in the Identity of the various characters of the stage version than the screen version. These happen on a daily basis.

I would have given it five stars if it had Sarah Brightman in it and the clock turned back 14 years. But alas we cannot live in a dream world. As it stands the film is adequate and fulfills those whowish to see what the basic story is about. Some of the musical numbers are exceptionally well pulled off. But remember these actors go back to a normal life after this movie. Stage performance requires staying power and a performance every night. A film once produced can be played as many times as you like. The film lacks the passion you would get from a live performance.

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Rated - 5 starsPhanton of the Opera

bignumber10 from Stoke-on-Trent , 04/04/2008

Fantastic quality of picture - the detail and colour is remarkable. It has all of the amazing music from the musical and it was just as good as watching it live in the theatre. I will definitely rent this title again.

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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 4 starsBetter on stage

Jeffa from Southampton [Highly rated reviewer] , 11/08/2008

Emmy Rosum (Day after tomorrow) takess the lead in this version of the film backed up by Miranda Richardson and Minnie Driver. I am not saying that Emmy does a bad job in this film version, but she will never match up to Sarah Brightman whom has both screen and stage presence. I was one of the original lighting arrangers at Her Majesty's Theatre, London, where I saw and heard both Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford giving performances that I was truly astounded by. Since my background is in Theatre this film hits a few of the buttons that bring a few parts of the performances back to me. The vocal work is clean and clear but in some places you can notice it has been synthesized in places to compensate for lacking vocals on the part of the actor. Minnie Driver's vocals are substituted in places because she doesn't have the range.

There are plenty of extras on the DVD I am glad to see and they do include the single releases and a lot of the background to the stage musical and some about the actual film. But if you are able to get to London, if you really want a thrill and a bit mre drama than watching a film, then my advice is to go and see the Musical stage version before watching this. The stage version gives you so much more to go home with.

A film can always have the same atmosphere as the cinema with a decent home cinema system, but a live performance is always different.

The comparison between this movie and the stage version is vastly different. The stage version has some slightly different songs and sometimes slightly changed lyrics. The story has slightly changed from the film version and there are more subtleties in the Identity of the various characters of the stage version than the screen version. These happen on a daily basis.

I would have given it five stars if it had Sarah Brightman in it and the clock turned back 14 years. But alas we cannot live in a dream world. As it stands the film is adequate and fulfills those whowish to see what the basic story is about. Some of the musical numbers are exceptionally well pulled off. But remember these actors go back to a normal life after this movie. Stage performance requires staying power and a performance every night. A film once produced can be played as many times as you like. The film lacks the passion you would get from a live performance.

Report offending content.

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