The Phantom of the Opera
by Darwin Knight
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DVD details
Actor: Christopher Rath, David Staller, Harsh Nayyar, James Baldwin (VI), Joey LeoneDirector: Darwin Knight
Brand: Water Bearer Films
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 93 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-09-01
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Water Bearer
DVD Reviews of The Phantom of the Opera
DVD Review: Au Contraire....
Summary: 5 Stars
While this little musical isn't the big-budget bravado production that Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera is IMHO it's more than worth a watch or three...
There were two OTHER musical takes on POTO that came out about the same time that Webber's grand musical did. This small low budget production meant for a small theatre and PBS was one, the production of "Phantom the Musical" by Yeston and Kopit was another.
All three actually had their moments.
ALW's version went onto legend-hood. Yeston and Kopit's did quite well in regional theatres and eventually became sans music the Charles Dance mini-series, the third, this one, well that became what I can only call a "sleeper musical" in a lot of ways.
The fact that it's even available now is because it has quite a surprising and loyal following.
I first saw it in a neighborhood theatre on a rainy day and I had NO idea of what I was seeing. I just happened to walk by and saw the marquee and being a LeRoux's Phantom fan I decided to check it out.
I walked out with "Perfect Music" and David Staller's performance STUCK in my head. So much so that I had to see it again, and again. Three times that week before the film ended it's run I went back to see the little Phantom film because something about it touched me utterly.
Time went on, several years passed, and yet I never forgot that version, in fact I looked for a tape for quite a while to no avail. Then, one day, wandering the streets of NYC I came across a homeless guy selling a bunch of homemade tapes one of which was labeled POTO. I bought it, mainly to give the poor guy a buck, and much to my surprise and delight it was an audio tape of Staller in rehersals for the musical! It wasn't the whole play, just a few bits and pieces but it quite tickled me listening to it, and I found myself once again enchanted by Staller's Erik and in particlar the song "Perfect Music."
Oddly enough less than a month later I opened up the newspaper and there was an ad for a Cole Porter musical review at the Algonquin hotel starring David Staller an actor I had never seen in anything else!
Being a Cole Porter fan, and thinking that with his voice it was likely to be a lovely performance, I called the hotel's number, mentioned that I had seen Staller's Phantom and was interested in seeing his Porter show.
Much to my amazement I was connected to Mr Staller's room and about 10 minutes and one nice conversation later I found myself invited to the show as his guest!
It WAS a great show. Cole Porter and the voice of David Staller? Now that's a STUNNING combination! More than that the guy was just a lovely person besides!
At the time I asked him if his Phantom was EVER going to be released and he said it would depend on a lot of things, rights and so forth, but that he hoped so.
I think it was about a decade until it actually showed up, but you know what? Everytime I pop it in the viewer I really DO believe it was worth the long wait!
No, it's not a Broadway production. Heck it's not even an OFF Broadway production, but for a small locally-produced musical it's not half bad! The two main leads are lovely singers and can actually act, the supporting players are funny, and contrary to statements above I personally found at least two songs memorable enough that 10 years later I they were still in my brain enough that I truly wanted to hear them again!
From what I understand David Staller's career has been a modest one. Frankly, I don't see why. The man has far more range than you'd think, this simple production doesn't even begin to cover it. This guy really SHOULD have stepped into Crawford's shoes on Broadway or at the very least made a lovely Raoul...
But at least there's this....
This modest but IMHO truly enchanting Phantom....
:)
Description of The Phantom of the Opera
Studio: Water Bearer Films Release Date: 02/27/2001 Starring: Darin Depaul Christopher Rath Run time: 93 minutes Rating: Nr Director: Darwin KnightBestsellers in DVD
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