Being an avid fan of musicals and of theatre, I was very excited when I found out that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Phantom of the Opera, was being made into a movie. Although I have never seen the musical on the stage, I have listened to the soundtrack and read so many reviews of the show, that I was eager to go see the movie and see the whole story.
The movie did not disappoint. From the first scene, the music, scenery, and cinematography was captivating. Director Joel Schumacher (8MM, Batman & Robin, Batman Forever) does a fantastic job making this happen.
Eighteen year-old Emmy Rossum (The Day After Tomorrow) does an excellent job portraying Christine, an orphaned chorus girl who is tutored by the “Phantom” of the Paris Opera House. From the first time you hear her sing, you will be mesmerized.
Gerard Butler (Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Reign of Fire) plays the Phantom, a deformed man since birth, who terrorizes the actors and actresses of the Opera House. His love for Christine drives him to terrorize the lead soprano, Carlotta, played by Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting, Sleepers), and make her quit so that Christine may play the lead.
The Phantom’s plans get disrupted when Christine falls in love with the new owner of the Opera House and childhood friend, Raoul, played by Patrick Wilson (Angels in America, The Alamo).
When the Phantom finds out about the new romance, he is angered and demands that Christine end it at once to be with him. When she refuses, the Phantom is infuriated even more and plans revenge against Raoul.
Raoul however will not go away quietly, and that leads to a fantastic fight scene and dramatic ending.
I would definitely recommend taking time to go see this movie, which was up for several Golden Globe Awards including Best Picture in a Musical or Comedy, Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical or Comedy (Rossum), and Original Song (“Learn to be Lonely”). Although it did not win any Golden Globes, I would not be surprised if Phantom received similar Oscar nominations and come away with one or two.
