REASONS I DO AND DON’T LIKE ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’: TWENTY YEARS LATER
Watching musicals is something I enjoy, but is also something I have to be in the right frame of mind to journey into. I love music, but there is something about a character bursting into random song just when they’re having a good conversation that doesn’t also “work” for how I enjoy storytelling. Irrespective of this there are a few I thoroughly enjoy and several that I have seen. One of these is the 2004 feature that adapts a classic. This brings us to our subject today which is to share reasons I do and don’t like The Phantom of the Opera.
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REASONS I DO AND DON'T LIKE ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’: TWENTY YEARS LATER. #MovieAnniversary #ThePhantomoftheOpera #EmmyRossum #Romance #Musical #PeriodDrama Share on XA romantic story about a young woman, named Christine. Set in Paris, in 1870, the film follows Christine, a young chorus girl at a theater. When she receives an opportunity of a lifetime to sing lead at the opera, she takes the change, but it’s under the thumb of a strict and mysteriously disfigured “Phantom” who roams the opera and is an enigma to all. Putting a kind of curious hold on Christine, this Phantom, whom Christine believes to be the “Angel of Music” her father once promised would protect her, Christine does anything this man says…
There is also a young man who falls in love with Christine and other intricacies, but at the heart is the theme of music. The story also has a kind of Beauty and the Beast fairy tale element. Based on the novel from 1910 by Gaston Leroux, the story has had many different adaptations on the stage and film, though it’s this 2004 adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that is perhaps best loved. Or at least most universally known.
December 22nd marks the film’s twentieth anniversary so we’re recounting the reasons why we do and don’t like the film.
REASONS I DO and DON’T LIKE THE PHANTOM of the OPERA
THE ATMOSPHERE
I do love the atmosphere of this film. It’s very “spooky” in an almost eerily romantic (in the sense of a Gothic story) way.
THE CAST
I think the cast is good in this. It’s fun to see Patrick Wilson in some long before his other more famous roles; Emmy is gorgeous as Christine; Minnie Driver is ridiculous, but good as Carlotta; and Gerard Butler nearly unrecognizable as the Phantom.
THE COSTUMES
As I remember, and as is evidenced by the partial rewatch I had, this does indeed have beautiful costuming. I love Christine’s ensembles, most if not all of which, Emmy Rossum looks stunning in.
THE FAIRYTALE
Though many films do, this one is all about fairy tale elements. Most notable the lore than is Beauty and the Beast. While there is an argument to be made (and I do list it below) that this story as well as Beauty and the Beast
THE MUSIC
Though I just shared about having to be “in the mood” for music, I can recognize that the music is stunning in this. The vocals are fabulous, which I saw as someone who doesn’t know anything about the technicality of music. While I appreciate its beauty and how it can enhance the story, it’s equally a pro and con for me. reasons I do and don’t like the phantom of the opera
THE ROMANTICISM
While the actual romance may not also work well or be at its most healthiest, the romanticism goes beyond a relationship. It’s more in the look of the film and the music.
THE DARKNESS
While the darkness works really well for the atmosphere and appearance of the film, it doesn’t work quite as well for the characters. It makes us sad to see them struggle and be unable, in many instances, to find peace and happiness.
REASONS I DO AND DON'T LIKE ‘THE PHANTOM OF OPERA’: TWENTY YEARS LATER Share on X
THE MUSIC
As I said in my “pro” section, the music can be stunning. I love certain aspects of it, and think it does add much to the plot, but sometimes I just want some dialogue that isn’t sung.
You can digitally purchase or rent The Phantom of the Opera on places like Apple TV or Prime Video
Photos: Warner Bros. (Alamy Stock Photo / Cinematic Collection)
What are the reasons you do and don’t like The Phantom of the Opera? Do you like this story? What is your favorite song or moment or version? Are you in awe that this one is twenty years old? Comment all of your thoughts down in the comment section.
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I love the costumes for Phantom of the Opera, too. I’ve only seen it once and it was many years ago, so the plot isn’t so fresh in my mind anymore.
I’m also commenting to share a dream I had about you last night.
In it we were both students in some sort of literary college course. We all had to give speeches on the literary topic of our choice. You decided to make a list of the best romance novels ever and why everyone needed to read them.
I did not recognize or remember the first few titles you shared. And then I woke up before you finished your speech.
Anyways, hope this amuses you as much as it amuses me. :D
The costuming is GORGEOUS! I feel like the film (probably on stage too) is just WAY sad for me to enjoy often, but since I’d only seen this once before YEARS ago, I did discover that I actually did find the story really haunting and lovely to see. :)
LOL, probably you had to leave that speech because mine was so dang boring. ;) I never have seen myself as a public speaker, so while I would love to talk about favorite things (like romance novels), I’d probably mess it up in a public setting. :D
:)
😊