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The Phantom of the Opera [Blu-ray]
Review by Cheryl L. Murphy "Sherri Murphy" : Stunning, Beautiful Rendition Of A Classical Masterpiece

I have seen many renditions of Phantom Of the Opera throughout the years and without a doubt this one is the most beautifully Haunting. The music was amazing. Andrew Lloyd Webber did a great job putting the movie to music. Gerard Butler is dashing as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum was stunning as Christine, what a voice!, Patrick Wilson was great as Christines childhood sweetheart and gallant rescuer Raoul. Minnie Driver added a bit of comic relief as the ever arrogant and conceited "Diva" Carlotta. This movie had a little bit of something for everyone. Great Music, Haunting Set designs, Beautiful costumes, Dashing sword fighting, and that Chandelier!...I could go on an on.... I have three teenage (macho) sons and they loved the film! They talked their friends into seeing it and now I have a bunch of High School "Phantom Junkies" on my hands. The last time we went to see it I had 9 High School boys with me anxious to see it. Seriously it is really great to see teenagers appreciating the cultural experience of this movie. I highly recommend seeing it. It's just a shame that it wasn't nominated for more academy awards! I hope you love the film as much as we did.... : )

The Phantom of the Opera [Blu-ray]
Review by JR Pinto : I HAVE SEEN IT!!!

I have just seen Andrew Lloyd Weber's The Phantom of the Opera last night and I still don't quite know how to feel about it. This is my favorite Broadway musical of all time. I have been privileged enough to see it twice on stage with the inimitable Michael Crawford. This Phantom is significantly different - both the production and the character. On stage, the Phantom is an older man who is missing most of his face. In this film, the Phantom is so young and so sexy we wonder why Christine would ever be interested in Raoul. The movie has more time and ability to go into the Phantom's backstory - the problem is the backstory makes no sense! In the book, it was explained that Erik was the son of a master mason who grew up to be one of the contractors who worked on the opera house. In the movie, he is a child who is rescued from a freak show by Madame Giry who has grown up in the opera house. (Perhaps that gave him time to install a pipe-organ single-handedly.) Joel Schumacher has tried to "humanize" the Phantom, which is the wrong decision because - like Hamlet - the Phantom is a larger-than-life character. The worst filmmaking decision is to have the Phantom swordfight Raoul...and lose! The Phantom is like Hannibal Lecter - he would NEVER let anybody get the upper hand on him. In the play, the Phantom spends most of the time off-stage, creating an air of mystery. Also, in the play, he has more of a devilish sense of humor. The movie phantom does not move in the same way the stage phantom does - gone are the balletic gestures that accompany The Music of the Night.

In the hands of a better filmmaker, this would have been a better movie. Shumacher is a little uncomfortable about having the characters sing directly into the camera. He cares more about the story than the music and seems to be happiest when he is adding extra scenes. He also misses opportunities to do things with film - superimpositions and the like - that cannot be done on stage. Emmy Rossum is great as Christine. Patrick Wilson is a fine singer to play Raoul - a character I have never liked. Gerard Butler has the thankless job of being "the guy who isn't Michael Crawford."

However, there is much that the movie does get right. MOST IMPORTANTLY, it keeps the score intact. There are a few minor changes - some lines are spoken rather than sung, which is REALLY annoying. The movie LOOKS beautiful. The set pieces translate wonderfully to the film. When we hear the overture, there is an electric moment - literally - when the chandelier comes to life and the old opera house rejuvenates. The transition in the song Think of Me occurs perfectly. The journey through the mirror and into the labyrinth is fantastic. Much of the special effects from the stage show are preserved. Even a few new additions are here from the book: the horse and the torture chamber!

Do I recommend the movie? Wholeheartedly. Is the film a satisfying interpretation of the stage play? No - it is just too different. Characters and relationships are altered for the worse. Watching the movie, I became grateful that the play is still running strong all over the world and shows no signs of stopping. I can't wait to see it on stage again - where it belongs. This film - taken on its own merits - is still great. Even though I will see the movie again many times in my life, it cannot compare to the stage version. The theater occupies a world too surreal to ever be adequately captured on film.

The Phantom of the Opera [Blu-ray]
Review by S-Dav10495 : Start a journey through a strange new world

This is probably not a movie for the extremely cynical. So it's no wonder why many critics, especially having already established a dislike for Lloyd Webber and Schumacher, did not give this masterpiece the credit it truly deserved. One of the most beautiful films I have ever laid eyes on, "Phantom" is not meant to be analyzed--it is meant to carry you off your feet in one sweeping blow. It is meant to be viewed by an audience prepared to let themselves enter another world more lush, more strange, and more unbelievable than their own--and it seems most audiences embraced the experience. Like the sets and costumes, for which this film was at once praised and frowned upon, the melodic score surrounds every inch of you and settles itself in your head for at least a good week afterward.

Moreover, there is a heart at the center of all the gold leaf and curtains--in short, Schumacher has stuck with the formula that made the show a mega-success over the past two decades. Like the show, not every detail of the film is perfect, but the overall experience can be described as nothing short of breathtaking. Don't look for trendy, frentic camera work here: the film knows its larger-than-life source material, and so is done in a big, bold, Old Hollywood fashion--and the result is a very successful adapation of the world's most successful show to date. There is no doubt that Lloyd Webber's "Phantom" is a people-pleaser.

I saw this movie with very picky moviegoers...one had a great big smile on his face as he walked out and the other, although laughing during the film at some parts that seemed overly fantastic, had to admit it was wonderful and now wants the soundtrack. As for myself--even being a big fan and once "purist" of the stage show for many years did not stop me from loving this movie (as you can see).

This film must be seen, if only for the visual wonder of it all...but most will come away with much more.