This was 1000 times better then that movie-version

For me, I saw the original Toronto production that apparently inspired Ramin, then I saw the movie, and a high-school production (which in all seriousness was the best of the three... tip of the hat to Walkerville).

But until seeing this version, I didn't really form any sort of connection to the characters, and I was beginning to think that maybe the Phantom story just isn't any good, and needs the music and dance and effects to hide that fact. But the acting is really at the forefront in this one, and we're helped to experience it by really good camerawork. The set is (relatively) scaled back, with video screens, a chandelier that is no longer the big event, and an inconsequential boat ride. This is the way Phantom should be done. It's certainly the best thing I can remember seeing on over-the-air TV.

9/10 (can't get past the boat and chandelier ... write them out of the musical for a 10, sorry)

Couldn't agree more.

My first encounter with Phantom was the Cassette tapes (yes that long ago) of the original artists, Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. I played them over and over and knew every note. I never thought I'd get to see the stage performance so I went and saw the film. Big mistake. It almost broke my heart listening to that thin weak pitchy voice of Emmy Rossum compared to the near perfection of Sarah Brightman and likewise Butler just wasn't "my" Phantom. I thought my ears were going to bleed. Once, later on when it came on TV, I even killed the sound and played the tapes (how sad does that make me - lol).

Then I got given tickets for the actual show as a birthday present. What a disappointment that was too. We had front stall seats which were much too close and you could see that the costumes looked tired and faded. They were too low down too, so the spectacle of the candelabras was lost to us too. Would have been better in the dress circle I think. Add to that the fact that it was no longer Brightman and Crawford, they having been replaced several times over, I was sadly disappointed and came away feeling a bit cheated.

This latest anniversary DVD has restored my love of it. I feel that at last I've seen it as it was meant to be seen and even not having my two favourites singing the parts didn't detract too much from my enjoyment because they did a much better job than Rossum and Butler.

I was totally enthralled by it and even the slightly cringe-making bit at the end didn't spoil that. In fact I enjoyed hearing all the Phantoms singing their bit and Sarah can still reach those notes, even if her voice has suffered a bit over the years. Only disappointment was that Michael Crawford didn't sing. I kept expecting him to come in at the end but it wasn't to be. I did wonder why and whether he had lost his voice but have read that it might be because he was under contract to another show.

So I give it a big thumbs up and wish I'd saved the £100 it cost for 2 seats in the theatre and waited for the £7.99 DVD.

I will not sit through the film, of my own accord.
If forced, I will sing along (loudly), just so I don't have to listen to Gerard Butler sing.

This production, I can watch any time (and frequently do).


~*~ Melba ~*~

I love the movie version, but I have to agree with you this version was so much better.

I'M SMARTBUT IN A STUPID WAY

Comparing the two would be a sin by itself. Joel Schumacher's adaptation was barely watchable.

You said it, man. Nobody *beep* with the Jesus.

I agree...there is no comparison between this and the movie. They got Gerald Butler to "go back to the beginning" when the first idea for the Phantom was to have a rock voice (Steve Harley) which was abandoned for Michael Crawford. But the real problem with the movie is Shumacher, who turned the story into a gay leather fantasy and made the campiest movie ever. POTO is funny at times and maybe over the top and lush and melodramatic, but it's not campy except in the movie. It's one of the worst movie musicals ever made and the film of the Royal Albert Hall staging puts it to shame. If they filmed the stage show as they did Cats or Joseph, it would be 1000 times better than the movie. The POTO film has to be one of the worst adaptations of something popular ever.

I agree with you on this being better than the movie, but I have to disagree on one part. Emmy Rossum was (IMO) a fantastic Christine. One of my favorites to date.

I'm apparently the only person that loved the movie version and enjoyed Gerard Butler in the part of the phantom. This may be because the movie was my first experience of The Phantom of the Opera and I enjoy Neil Young, Russell Crowe, and Bob Dylan's singing. And there were times watching the Royal Albert Hall version when the chorus sounded shrill and pitchy that I just wanted to turn down the volume. But this version had a much more appealing Raoul, and the costumes for the masquerade ball were so much prettier than the boring monochrome of the movie. And the curtain call for the Royal Albert Hall play was a show in itself!