THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

US, 2004, 142 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson, Miranda Richardson, Simon Callow, Ciaran Hines, Minnie Driver, James Fleet.
Directed by Joel Schumacher.

The Phantom premiered in the London West End in its Lloyd Webber incarnation in October 1986. 80,000,000 tickets sold worldwide these past 18 years and still playing, the author-composer has decided it is the right time for the screen version.

While many reviewers are unshakably convinced that 80,000,000 people are not only wrong but disgracefully wrong and incapable of recognising trash and derivative music. If, at this stage of this review, you find yourself agreeing with the reviewers, don’t read on. This lavish and loud version is not for you.

If, on the other hand, your find your indignation rising against these alleged arbiters of taste, the film is definitely for you.

At a minimum, it is an opportunity for those who have not been able to afford theatre tickets or who have not been near a theatre where The Phantom was playing to see and hear what the enthusiasm was all about. Again, it provides a very colourful and tuneful memento for those who loved their theatrical experience.

One reviewer who bristles at the mention of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s name, concedes that the film’s plot is still strong enough without the music and that the look of the film is outstanding. It certainly is a ‘visual-feast’ production. The press notes use the word ‘sumptuous’. We can add ‘lush’ and ‘lavish’. The 1870s Paris settings mean that the visual style is a kind of baroque-gothic-gallic, pre-raphaelite- rococo. Something striking for everyone.

A new framework has been introduced: an auction of Opera House mementos in 1919, filmed in black and white – with a return to 1919 at different stages of the film.

We spend a lot of time in the Opera House, its glittering auditorium (and the chandelier), the vast backstage area, the opulent foyer (for the beautifully-staged Masquerade) and the vast caverns, staircases, channels and rooms that constitute the world of the Phantom. The film opens out the play and includes a carriage ride, a chase by horse, visits to the cemetery, even a sword fight.

Several of the characters have been given back stories (including flashbacks to the Phantom’s childhood). Raoul’s presence has been increased. In fact, the plot of the film (which Lloyd Webber has co-written with director Schumacher) is more coherent than the play.

As regards the songs and music, we either like them or not. They are all here with full orchestra and reprises.

As regards the performances, Emmy Rossum is a charming Christine. However, Gerard Butler may disappoint many audiences as the Phantom. He is not a dominating screen presence (Patrick Wilson as Raoul comes across more forcibly) which lessens the drama. Again, one of the difficulties of seeing him close-up is that the final revelation of his disfigurement is not particularly startling or frightening.

On the other hand, the supporting cast, mainly British, give the film some substance: Miranda Richardson as the ballet mistress who knows the secret of the Phantom, Simon Callow and Ciaran Hinds as the bourgeois owners of the Opera House and Minnie Driver well over the top (director Schumacher advised her that no one pays to see ‘under the top’!) as the haughty diva, Carlotta.

Most fans should enjoy it.

1.The popularity of the play? Tickets sold worldwide? An opportunity for people to remember – and an opportunity for those who have not seen the play?

2.The play opened out, the externals, the back-stories, the flashbacks, behind the scenes at the opera house?

3.The lavish and sumptuous visual style, the references to the late 19th century art, paintings and sculptures? The atmosphere of the 1870s? The period of Pre-Raphaelite? art in England? The Gothic horror overtones? Baroque? The world of opera and heightened drama? The theatre, below the theatre, the exteriors? The lavish costumes and style, for the operas, for Masquerade, for the audiences? Décor and make-up?

4.The special effects, the black and white photography and the transition to colour? The effects for the world of the Phantom under the theatre? The backstage? The fall of the chandelier?

5.The over-the-top style, larger than life, loud and resonant? 19th century? The connection with the audience in terms of plot, characters, themes, music, tunes, songs? Horror and romance?

6.Andrew Lloyd Weber’s score, the popularity of the music, the criticisms that it was derivative? The excerpts from the operas? The melodies of the principal songs? The lyrics? Their place in the drama? The theme for the Phantom of the Opera, ‘The Music of the Night’, for Christine’s father, ‘All I Ask of You’, ‘Point of No Return’, ‘Masquerade’ – the reprises? The song over the final credits?

7.The framework of 1919, the opera house in ruins, the auction, the few people there, the mementoes, the music box, Madame being present, Raoul being present? The going back to the opera house, to 1919, to Raoul’s journey, his seeing Madame? The ending and his going to the cemetery, Christine’s grave and the information that she had not long died, was a wife and mother?

8.The legend of the Phantom of the Opera, the puzzle as to his identity, his being a ghost, his voice being heard through the theatre? His tutoring of Christine? The accidents, the deaths – and the cruelty of the Phantom, especially the hanging of the stage manager? The appearance of the Phantom, his taking Christine, his face, seemingly ordinary, sinister (or not)? His singing, his antagonism towards Carlotta, the sending of the various letters, his vengeance and cruelty? His hatred of Raoul, his being on the roof for the song ‘All I Ask of You’? His vowing vengeance? The performance of ‘Il Muto’, Carlotta being the star, her spray for her voice and humiliation? The Masquerade – and his appearing in vermilion? Madame telling his story to Raoul, as a boy, the carnival, the disfigurement, the people coming to see him as a sideshow, his vengeance, brutality and escape? Madame saving him? An explanation for who he was, what he did? His taking up residence in the opera house, its being his own domain? The build-up to the finale, the Don Juan opera, his substituting himself for the singer, with Christine? The abduction, the chandelier? The pursuit by Raoul, in the depths, the confrontation with Raoul and Christine, his bargaining for her love for Raoul’s life? The fight between the two – and the echoes of the sword fight and the wounding at the cemetery? His decision to free Raoul, his love for Christine? His being pursued? Character, symbol, the mask, the inner and outer person, beauty and the beast?

9.Christine, her story, her father, his grave, the shrine to him in the theatre? In the ballet, her liked by everyone, adopted by Madame? Love for Meg? The opportunity, the audition for the owners, success, her being feted by the audience and by Paris? Her seeing the Phantom as her tutor, the Angel of Song sent by her dead father? Following the Phantom, going to his lair, trying to remove the mask? Sleep? Her love for Raoul, memories of the past, his wanting to take her out, the Phantom locking the door and taking her? His wanting to promote her career, the managers and their making her the page boy in Il Muto? With Raoul on the roof, her love for him, the song? Her going to the cemetery, watching the fight between the Phantom and Raoul? Singing in Don Juan, with the Phantom, his taking her down, wanting her to be with him forever, his taking of Raoul, the bargain and her letting Raoul live? Her going off with Raoul – and the final images at the cemetery and their life together?

10.Raoul, his being the patron of the theatre, young, attending the operas, recognising Christine, the Phantom locking him out of the room? Raoul on guard, sleeping, Christine going past him? The visit to the cemetery, the confrontation with the Phantom, the sword fight, his being wounded? The finale, his pursuing the Phantom, his being caught, the possibility of his dying? The choices that Christine made? Their life together, his going to the auction, to the cemetery in 1919?

11.The old owner of the theatre, his handing over? Getting the new owners to grovel to Carlotta? The new owners, scrap metal and junk? Their tastes? Their approach to Carlotta, grovelling, getting her to come back? The audition of Christine? Their characters, the newly-rich, the range of songs, the recitative and comic aspects of the songs? Their getting the letters? Their presence at the Masquerade? The final disaster and the destruction of the theatre?

12.Carlotta, the diva, over the top, haughty, her performance, the cast treating her with disdain? Her wanting to walk out, her Italian mutterings? Susceptible to flattery, returning? Her jealousy of Christine? Her return, the spray for her voice, the humiliation?

13.Madame, the supervising of the ballet, her knowing the truth about the Phantom, the letters, his account? Her care for her daughter, adopting Christine? Telling the story of the Phantom to Raoul? Finally with Raoul at the auction?

14.Meg, her friendship with Christine, supporting her, leading the search at the end?

15.The workers at the opera, backstage, the hanging of the manager? The designers, make-up artists? The re-creation of the backstage world of the opera?

16.The staging of the operas, their style, visuals? Hannibal and the mock-heroic style? The neo-Mozart style of Il Muto? The beauty of the Masquerade?

17.Audience understanding of the Phantom – and the importance of the flashbacks to his story and his childhood?

18.The themes of reality and appearances, masks, inner and outer selves, the myths of Beauty and the Beast?