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
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD-Video, 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: A mere phantom of The Phantom
Summary: 1 Stars
I have always been a collector - stamps, books, chess sets, music, and so on, 60-years of it. Current craze is of course DVDs. Collectors generally compulsively hang on to something once they've acquired it - even if it turns out to be a piece of drek. You will therefore understand that - while it was a wrench - I've 86d this little item from my collection. And I'm aboaut to tell you why.
The Phantom of the Opera is, like Dracula or Frankenstein (the monster's correct name since he would have the name of his father), an iconic figure from the lushly Romantic (as opposed to romantic) horror literature of the 19th Century. The Phantom exists in a number of celluloid versions, although inexplicably not so many as the endlessly dreary zombie films. At least, thank the gods, there are no zombie musicals.
The story line of this production pretty much follows (if sketchily) that of the Gaston Leroux novel on which the whole "Phantom" phenomenon is based. There is no need to rehearse this, since those who don't already know it ... well, what can I say?
The music for this production is, at best, kitschy and banal, more or less on a par with the alleged music Disney provides for their teeny-bopper programming. There is only one even remotely good musical number - and that is a very bad arrangement of Camille St.Sa?ns' "Danse Macabre". This accompanies the sc?ne-ballet which follows the Phantom's unmasking. Missing from the production entirely is any hint of the music to the Phantom's grande-oeuvre, "Don Juan Triumphant".
The acting is no better. Indeed, it isn't acting at all; it's mere declamation. I've heard better delivery from used-car commercials.
This is of course a cut-rate production, complete with barely OK sets and obviously plastic prosthetics. Indeed, the Phantom's mask is far more realistic than his alleged disfigurements. We did get a falling chandelier - not badly done, actually.
I've seen this billed on some sites as a "musical comedy". It isn't - it's a serious if inept performance. We could perhaps regard it as a non-comedic parody. It is certainly a travesty.
I've seen some positive, even enthusiastic reviews for this performance. Well, everybody deserves to be loved by somebody. However, my advice is that you rent this before you even consider buying it.
DVD Review: Craptistic Cheese worth checking out?
Summary: 2 Stars
Especially if you are looking for a reason to forgive the Hollywood version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical for its flaws.
How this video found its way into my library I'll never know. How it got itself recorded for posterity's sakes is the more intriguing question.
Although the ALW version is the most famous version of Phantom, there have also been several other musicals of it made. Maury Yeston (Broadway composer of NINE, GRAND HOTEL, TITANIC) made one (that never made it to Broadway but has been performed regionally and it is on cd), and these local composers also turned out a version. No matter what one thinks of this version, one does have to applaud the composers of this one for deciding to write their own even though they aren't ALW or Yeston.
At any rate, I saw this at my library and decided to get it out. When one has listened to the ALW version for years, it is a struggle to keep an open mind and it took me two days to get through this 90 minute musical. Never did 90 minutes feel so long!
It is just as bad as the other reviewers say it is. It does have one redeeming quality, but that is it. The sets are cheap, the makeup overdone (I cringed everytime, they did close-ups and had to turn away) except on the Phantom where the makeup artists did themselves justice. The songs are forgettable but remind you of Rodgers and Hammerstein but in a bad way.
The acting is also not effective. What should be spooky or haunting comes across as ordinary and, in some cases, comic. The comedy where it is meant to be comedy is appropriate, but only reminds the viewer that this is an inferior version of the Phantom.
Which brings me to its one redeeming quality. Christine as played by Elizabeth Walsh is a spirited, opinionated, and decisive girl. In the ALW version, Christine in the wrong hands can appear very, very spineless and can drive one crazy with her 'save me Raoul' bits. This Christine makes her an equal to the Phantom. The most effective acting comes from Walsh and it is her scene with the Phantom when she is with him in the lair the first time that is the most effective scene in this musical.
So, for that reason, it is worth watching. You'll cringe most of the time or find yourself wondering how much more cheesier or craptistic it can get, and it does get boring to watch, but it does provide a nice example of a Christine with spirit.
However, you should only buy this if you are a Phantom freak.
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....
:)
DVD Review: Pretty Crappy...
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this DVD in my quest of owning every Phantom of the Opera movie available (which I have now finished). From reading the other reviews I wasn't expecting anything of great quiality, I just wanted to own it. But, as other reviewers have said, it's pretty poor. The sets are cheaply made due to an obviously low budget. The acting aside from the Phantom and Christine was terrible. The guys playing the Persian and Bouquet were some of the worst actors I've ever seen. The costuming for the Phantom and Raoul were probably ripped off of the Andrew Lloyd Webber stage version. And as one other reviewer commented, there really isn't a single memorable song in this thing! Most of them are down right terrible and the orchestra sounded very quiet. I give this 2 stars for the prosthetic for our beloved Phantom which looks really good, surprisingly compared to the rest of the crappy production. And of course as everyone who's seen this knows, the ending is completely unlike the phantom at all. IT'S SO BAD!!!! The production value is next to nothing.
If you're a big Phantom Phan, then go ahead and get the movie, otherwise don't waste your money. It's really not worth it!
DVD Review: O_o Ummmm...
Summary: 3 Stars
Well the singing was okay and it was kind of funny,but it didn't make my top ten that's for sure.
Description of The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera opens with a stately dream ballet between our young heroine, Christine, and her intended love. The mood quickly changes though, as she falls prey to the mad Victorian Phantom and his oozing, sinister charm. With a romantically enticing book, closely following the original novel, and a bright musical score that ranges from pop to musical comedy styling, the Hirschfield Theater has created a dramatically new Phantom. From the richly appointed Paris Opera House to the dank catacombs of the Phantom's lair, Ken Kurtz's evocative settings highlight all the mystery and grandeur in this classic story of passion and terror. The Phantom of the Opera, filmed before a live audience, brings to life Gaston Leroux's 1911 classic novel like no other musical production in the history of stage and screen.General DVDs
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