It's been a long time since I saw a movie that so moved me emotionally. Perhaps I'm just in an emotionally sensitive state, I don't know, but this movie got me. I saw it twice in 24 hours, and I could see it again. I need to get the book, I need to understand what is going on. Why is the phantom so taken by Christine, and does Christine actually have some feeling for him? Does he destroy it when he tries to force her love? But then he lets her go, what happens to him, and to Christine and Raul. We know they married, she lived to a good age, but does the book go into the emotions and the happenings deeper than the movie, or is the movie a romaticized version of the book? Like Man in the Iron Mask and Three Musketeers?
12 comments:
I have the book and haven't read it yet :( I imagine the book is better than the movie, though. Isn't it always like that?
You should read the book, it seems to be based on a real character, very interesting. I'm going to get the book on Tuesday while I'm in town, I can hardly wait! And it's always best to see the movie first and read the book after cause the book is almost always definitely better than the movie. Except I far preferred both the movies of Man in the Iron Mask and Three Musketeers to the books.
Will you be seeing Memoirs of a Geisha??
Yes, I'll see MOG when it comes out, over here it's called Sayuri. I read a review though that it sort of glosses over the pain of her life, and focuses more on the glamor of it, so I'll have to separate the book from the movie, I think I tend towards being a purist about books and movies. I'm also disappointed that they used Chinese actors for the main parts, sort of a betrayal of the Japanese theme and focus of the story. Have you seen it already?
Erinn
this was one of hte greatest plays i ever ahve seen. I saw it 2 times and rented the movie. the paly came out in the 90's/ all the best palys are from London and it is an Andre L Webber paly. he is the best.
you need to see more plays or movies based on plays. Chirstine was like in love with the fantasy of him and his voice jsut leads you to go. need i saw more.
MOG is ont out yet but will be anyday. do you know any good jaanese actors. i do not.
I would love to see Phantom of the Opera on the stage, that would be on my wish list. But I guess I have to go overseas to an English speaking country, I would rather not see it in Japanese.
Can you believe I am woefully ignorant of Japanese actors, I have no clue, outside of Ken Watanabe, who is in the movie already.
We watched The Phantom here and loved it so much. It is the best conversion of a musical to a movie that I've ever seen. It really drew you in to the story and and the music. We recorded it, and talking about it now has made me want to get it out and watch it again. On your other subject, I think you should always read the book first. Because if you've already seen the movie, it's harder to let the author guide your imagination with regard to the way the people and places look and sound because you've already seen some director's interpretation of it. So you can't help but imagine the particular actors who were in the movie. Also, movies leave a lot of the depth out, so if you have already read the book, then you have a full understanding of the story and the subtleties behind the main scenes.
You pose a good arguement for reading the book first and seeing the movie after vs. my preference. I'm not sure though, I just finished the Phantom of the Opera book, and it is definitely different from the movie. The basic elements are there, of course, but some key characters have been eliminated, some key scenes combined into one, or foregone altogether. The one thing I now understand though, through reading the book, is what Mdm. Giry meant when she kept telling Raul to keep his hand by his eyes--in the book the Persian keeps telling Raul to do this while they are travelling the maze underneat the opera in search of the Phantom and Christine, and he tells Raul that it's necessary to give the illusion that he is ready to shoot a gun at any moment, but in reality, the Persian knows that the Phantom Erik is gifted in using a lasso to kill people, and your only protection against this attack is if your hand is close to your neck, thereby protecting you from strangulation.
Anyway, I enjoyed the book, but as far as emotionally touching me, the movie was better.
I wathced the Braodway production of this in NY...and if you like the movie you will just LOVE the play. It was truly amazing!
I would LOVE to see the play--in English that is. One day, it's on my wish list!
Post a Comment