Next week, Joel Schumacher’s film of The Phantom of the Opera opens in North America. I know very little about the movie, and just checked out the trailer. The trailer has the same ambiguity to it that trailers for foreign films have–there’s no actual speaking. With subtitled movies, the objective is to attract viewers without explicitly informing them that the actors aren’t speaking English.
The Phantom of the Opera trailer works the same way–lots of recognizable musical themes, lots of swooping camera moves, but no actual singing or speaking. It’s like they don’t want to admit that they’ve made a musical. The Moulin Rouge trailer used a similar trick, implying that there’s a bit of singing, but not too much to discourage the heterosexual men.
While it’s possible that Phantom is not a musical (after all, the stage musical is based on an 19th century novel), that’s not the case. If it was a drama, they wouldn’t have cast the relatively-unknown actress (but talented singer) Emmy Rossum in the female lead. Still, clearly the producers are gun-shy about pitching the ‘everybody sings’ angle.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
Yes, it’s a musical based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber version.
May God help us all 😉
I got so burned by this in the movie version of “Evita”. These people next to us walked out. I kept whispering “What’s with all the singing?”.
I know some men who actually *LIKE* musicals! (Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me — LOL!)
I have no idea what to think of the fact that Phantom has been made into a movie. It’s kind of odd, but I guess Hollywood has to have their hands into everything.
I’ve heard some of the recording of the songs from the movie, and it’s honestly not bad. Someone at work was listening to it in the back.
I got free tickets for the show last night and it was fairly good. I mean, it was “Phantom” – but on the screen. The actor choices were good and the movie was…well, a musical.
This of the play and then throw it on the screen. Done. Phantom of the Opera, the movie version. If you don’t like musicals (sorry, I do and have been in many) I wouldn’t go.
I LOVED Moulin Rouge. Oh wait, I’m not hetero.
I don’t think I’d see Phantom, it’s the cheese and not even the good cheese of Andrew Lloyd Webber. I’d rather see Donny Osmond do the Technicolor Dreamcoat.
I’ll probably see it at some point, but as a fan of musicals, I’m terribly critical of any adaptations. I was doubtful when Chicago came out, but loved it. As for Moulin Rouge, that took the back shelf quickly and has been gathering dust since.
It’ll be interesting to see how they pass the long (and honestly not thrilling) recitative parts in Phantom. It’s one of those musicals, just like Joseph, that has only a few true melodies that get re-used repeatedly. Let’s see if they can fool the viewers!
Hmm the more I think about it, the more curious I become…
Oh darn.. Rog isn’t straight? I guess I knew that. Never mind.
I’m about as straight as they come and I like musicals. I’ve been involved in 6 musicals:
– Bye Bye Birdie (pit band)
– Annie (various roles)
– Crazy For You (Sam the singing cowboy)
– Little Shop of Horrors (Bob the wino)
– Fiddler on the Roof (vocal director)
– The Baker’s Wife (band director)
I was the only one of my friends (in high school) who knew that Southpark: The Movie had so many “borrowed” elements of other musicals (especially Les Miserables). Musicals rule!
I personally love musicals. It’s an OGT (obviously gay trait) of mine.
I do not however see myself being subjected to Joel Schumacher’s personal “vision” of anything.
The man killed Batman, and should be shot, not allowed to direct.
I very much enjoy musicals in my hetromale capacity as well.
I remember reading that Lloyd Webber was involved in the production of the Phantom movie, though I’m not sure to what degree. Still, the structure of Phantom’s songs and plot is fairly simple and clear, so I don’t antipicate too much change from the stage version. I’m more worried about the movie adaptation of RENT, which has just gone into production.
THE WHO WHAT OF RENT?? Oh god, please help us… Don’t let them slaughter one of the best recent musicals on this Earth.
Who’s supposed to direct/produce RENT as a movie?
My heart skipped a beat and my stomach was turned upside down… Shitbags… somehow I don’t trust a movie adaptation! (excuse my language Darren, it’s the emotions speaking!)
Chris Columbus decided to pick up the project. He’ll be directing as well as handling the screenplay adaptation (using the old Steve Chbosky screenplay as a starting point). From what I gather, he does have an appreciation for the show, and he seems to have snagged six of the eight original Broadway cast for the movie, so I’m hopeful but worrisome.
What can you tell me about the movie adaptation of Rent?
Amanda: Most of the original Broadway cast is in it, which is great (though they may be getting a bit long in the tooth). Chris Columbus is an unremarkable, overly-sentimental director, but that will probably play well.
Hollywood names are Rosario Dawson and Taye Diggs. Diggs’ is essentially a non-singing role, which Dawson plays Mimi. That’s worrying, because I think she’s an awful actor and I’ve never heard her sing.
The musical runs two and a half hours, so they’re going to have to cut something, or shorten many of the songs. I’d cut that awful song “Today 4 U” and the pedantic “Life Support” and significantly shorten “Over The Moon”. That might buy you ten minutes.
I can’t wait to see which songs are deemed worthy of being kept, which get cut out (Agreed about Today 4 U, it makes me cringe) and whether any “new” material is created to fill holes.
I’m more and more curious about this project.