Phantom of the Opera directed by Laurence Connor

Phantom of the Opera (2004) is a beautiful masterpiece. The movie, directed by Laurence Connor, stars Emmy Rossum who plays the talented ing鮵e Christine Daae. Christines mysterious masked singing instructor and the titular character, the Phantom, is played by Gerard Butler. Christines childhood love, Raoul, is played by Patrick Wilson. This highly anticipated adaptation of the broadway classic had a budget of 70 million USD. It is a stunning masterpiece filled with gorgeous music and visuals which tackle themes of love, loss, discrimination, and sacrifice, even though the film is not without its faults

The story, debuted in Gaston Lerouxs novel, is a classic. It follows Christines rise to stardom thanks to instruction from her teacher. She is haunted by the loss of her father. The male lead, the Phantom, is a manipulative killer who has his eyes on the young heroine, and will do whatever it takes to win her. He is a jealous lover who even goes as far as taking lives to ensure he gets what he wants. He also wears a mask to hide the deformity that has caused society to shun him. However, throughout the story, her compassion and kindness affects him and helps him grow as a person. He ultimately ends up letting her go to be with the man she truly loves. He learns that he cant force someone to love him. She teaches him that, despite what he looks like, the real reason he is an outcast is because of his murderous, manipulative nature, and he has to overcome it. He grows, and his final act ends up being one of selflessness.

The Phantom of the Opera would be nothing without its musical score. This is Andrew Lloyd Webber at his finest. His score is absolutely gorgeous with its lilting melodies combined with the dark undertones that set the mood for the grim tale. The song Music of the Night is soft and flowing, the overture is big and dramatic, and the title song brings out a rock-like sound with its use of electric guitar, without losing its musical theater feel with its operatic vocals.

The cinematography is visually satisfying too. The dark shadows as well as the reds and oranges in the lighting set the tone. The set is impressive as well. The Phantoms candle-lit lair and the intricate designs on the opera houses stage particularly stand out.

Emmy Rossum was only sixteen when she landed the role. She has a beautiful voice. While not as developed or as strong as some of the adults who had previously played the character, Rossum's voice has a charming bell-like quality and a bright, youthful tone that fit the role.

Of course, the movie has its faults. Gerard Butlers performance is one of them. I question the choice to cast him. The Phantom is a role that requires a strong singer, and he had had no singing experience when he took the part. While he looks good in the costume, his vocals are rough and growly and he never once attempts vibrato. He often grumbles his words which makes it difficult to understand him.

Emmy Rossum has mistakes in her performance too. While she can hold her own vocally, her acting needs work. Her facial expression doesnt change very much. She looks like shes only mildly inconvenienced when the life of her fiance is at stake. Christine is a passionate character in an emotional story. The character demands more than what Emmy gives

Also, in a movie, one would expect the makeup and special effects team to be able to put a more impressive deformity on the Phantom. It comes across like the director was focusing too much on trying to make the Phantom look good on screen, but the Phantom isnt supposed to look good - in fact, his character is defined by his ugliness. His deformity is the thing that has made him an outcast and is a definitive aspect of his character and motivations. It is reduced to nothing more than what looks like a bad sunburn. The reveal of his face is underwhelming, especially when one considers the makeup used in the broadway production. It weakens his character and, rather than tragic, he comes across as whiny.

Plotwise, questionable decisions were made. The movie adds a sword fight that did not need to be there. It is pointless, adds nothing to the story, ultimately leads nowhere, and is more of an interruption than an addition. The out-of-place scene could have easily been replaced with one of the scenes from the broadway musical that were left out of the film.

The film also makes the mistake of having some of the words spoken where they were originally sung. The result is awkward. The poetic lyrics dont sound right when they are spoken. The score is also so beautiful that its a shame that it isnt used to its full potential.

In conclusion, the movie is good. It is most peoples first introduction to the timeless story. However, it is not the best version of Phantom of the Opera that is out there. Its many mistakes and questionable directing choices show that, while good, it could be better. Some people say that since the movie isnt perfect, it hurts Phantom of the Opera as a whole, but ultimately, the movie is harmless. It is one of many versions that have been produced. Many more will be produced in the future. The other versions remained untouched and unruined, and are available to enjoy along with this one.

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