The Phantom of the Opera

On monday afternoon, Holly and I went to a matinee. We try to do this as much as we can because Monday is Holly's day off and we like seeing movies for cheap. We've not been able to do it for awhile because I've had a standing recording session on monday afternoons for awhile, but my client was out of town this monday.

We'd heard that Phantom of the Opera was good, so we went.

First a little history of me and the Phantom of the Opera: When I was in high school in the middle of wheat fields in Kansas, I was a huge fan. I had a two-tape (we had those back then, if you don't know what tapes are, ask your parents...) set of the complete soundtrack of the original london production with Michael Crawford as the Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine. I had the sheet music. I knew all the songs and sort of knew the story. (It's harder to really get the story of a stage play when you're only hearing it...) and this was one of the reasons I hated that I lived NW Kansas and thought I would NEVER get to actually see the Phantom of the Opera.

Finally, when I was 23 or 24 and married to Holly, a stage production of the Phantom was coming to Kansas City when we lived in Manhattan. I don't remember how much it cost, but I know that it was pretty significant for our newlywed budget. We were both really excited to see it.

It was horrible. It was a huge disappointment. To be honest, I don't even remember if the performances we good or bad. It was just a smaller production and the special effects were ridiculously cheesy and the volume was so quiet that it ruined that it ruined the whole thing for me. (When the phantom's theme comes on, "Duhhhhhhh....du-du-du-du-duh....." it NEEDS to be shaking the rafters. In this production, we really had to strain to hear it at all.) All that to say, I was so dissappointed that since seeing that production, I decided that I really didn't even like musicals at all.

So, what how could I expect to respond to a movie directed by the guy who made the most awful Batman movie? (Batman & Robin)? Well, it made me like the musical again. It was an enjoyable movie and it reallly is a great musical. They did a great job with the movie. However...

The Phantom sucked rocks! I don't know who this guy is or how he got this role, but he very nearly ruined the movie for me. A major point of the story is that the phantom is supposed to be this musical, mechanical, psychological genius. But mostly musical!! He's been training Christine in secret and is supposed to be the BEST voice tutor ever. When he starts singing, he's supposed to have the purest, most enchanting, beautiful singing voice that anyone in the opera house has ever heard! The guy in the movie sounded un-trained, un-controlled and just horrible. I like great rock voice (bono) as much or more than the next guy, but I don't think that's what this role called for nor do I think this guy had even that. I cannot imagine how in the world he got this role.

ok. rant over.