Product Description

Musical Drama based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's celebrated musical phenomenon. The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius (Gerard Butler) who haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, waging a reign of terror over its occupants. When he falls fatally in love with the lovely Christine (Emmy Rossum), the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star for the Opera, exerting a strange sense of control over the young soprano as he nurtures her extraordinary talents.

DVD Features:
Additional Scenes:"No-one Would Listen" Approx. 4 Mins.
DVD ROM Features
Documentary:Behind the Mask - The Story of the Phantom of the Opera
Easter Eggs
Featurette:The Making of The Phantom of the Opera in 3 Spellbinding Acts: Preproduction, The Director, Production

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5958 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2005-05-03
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, Collector's Edition, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 143 minutes

Amazon.com
Although it's not as bold as Oscar darling Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera continues the resuscitation of the movie musical with a faithful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage musical. Emmy Rossum glows in a breakout role as opera ingénue Christine Daae, and if phantom Gerard Butler isn't Rossum's match vocally, he does convey menace and sensuality in such numbers as "The Music of the Night." The most experienced musical theater veteran in the cast, romantic lead Patrick Wilson, sings sweetly but seems wooden. The biggest name in the cast, Minnie Driver, hams it up as diva Carlotta, and she's the only principal whose voice was dubbed (though she does sing the closing-credit number, "Learn to Be Lonely," which is also the only new song).

Director Joel Schumacher, no stranger to visual spectacle, seems to have found a good match in Lloyd Webber's larger-than-life vision of Gaston LeRoux's Gothic horror-romance. His weakness is cuing too many audience-reaction shots and showing too much of the lurking Phantom, but when he calms down and lets Rossum sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" alone in a silent graveyard, it's exquisite.

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Those who consider the stage musical shallow and overblown probably won't have their minds changed by the movie, and devotees will forever rue that the movie took the better part of two decades to develop, which prevented the casting of original principals Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. Still, The Phantom of the Opera is a welcome exception to the long line of ill-conceived Broadway-to-movie travesties.

DVD Features
The special edition of The Phantom of the Opera has two major extras. "Behind the Mask: The Story of The Phantom of the Opera" is an hourlong documentary tracing the genesis of the stage show, with interviews of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Harold Prince, producer Cameron Macintosh, lyricists Richard Stilgoe and Charles Hart, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and others. Conspicuously absent are stars Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. Both do appear in video clips, including Brightman performing with Colm Wilkinson at an early workshop, and Crawford is the subject of a casting segment. Other brief scenes from the show are represented by a 2001 production. The other major feature is the 45-minute making-of focusing on the movie, including casting and the selection of director Joel Schumacher Both are well-done productions by Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.

The deleted scene is a new song written by Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, "No One Would Listen," sung by the Phantom toward the end of the movie. It's a beautiful song that, along with Madame Giry's story, makes him a more sympathetic character. But because that bit of backstory already slowed down the ending, it was probably a good move to cut the song. --David Horiuchi

More on The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera (Special Extended Edition Soundtrack) (CD)	The Phantom of the Opera (2004 Movie Soundtrack) (CD)	The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast) (CD)
Evita (DVD)	Andrew Lloyd Weber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration (DVD)	More Broadway DVDs

From The New Yorker
A bold but fruitless attempt to disguise the fact that Lloyd Webber's extravaganza belongs on the stage. Theatre audiences, an easily tickled crowd, may still be aroused by the sight of dry ice being puffed across the footlights, but moviegoers, who regularly witness whole cities being trashed, are made of sterner stuff. They are also liable to feel cheated by weak casting, and thus the choice of Gerard Butler (the Phantom), Emmy Rossum (Christine, his protégée), and Patrick Wilson (the Vicomte, her No. 2 squeeze) is unlikely to find universal favor. The score remains a cunning consolation to those who are frightened by the thought of real opera, and the director and co-writer is Joel Schumacher, which means that the enterprise is best viewed, if at all, as a prolonged exercise in interior decoration. With Minnie Driver, enjoying herself no end as a screaming diva. -Anthony Lane
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

PHANTOM is a solid and spectacular film musical
Many people will look at this film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical spectacular, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA with mixed emotions. There are people who will be upset that Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, who played the original Christine and Phantom respectively, were not allowed to recreate their signature roles. There will also be people who'll be disappointed that this version is not a literal translation of the stage musical. Finally, we have the critics of both Webber and director Joel Schumacher, who have both been accused of wretched excess in previous projects in their individual careers. Taken as a film version however, this PHANTOM stands the test of time, not only as a wonderful musical film, but as one of the more faithful versions of Gaston Laroux's romance/horror novel.

Starting with a black and white prologue, the film tells the story of budding opera star Christine Daae and the two men who fight for her heart: the noble Viscount who she knew in childhood, and the mysterious Phantom of the Paris Opera House who hides his ugliness behind a half-mask while sponsoring Christine's career. Like the stage production, this film is awash in glorious colors and sets that would put many epics to shame. It's well balanced by solid performances that help propel the romantic, if melodramatic, story along.

Gerard Butler makes for a wonderfully dark and obsessive Phantom, while allowing the character to retain the audience's sympathy. Miranda Richardson is solid as the dour Madame Giry, who knows the Phantom's secret. Minnie Driver easily gets the most laughs as the over-bearing diva, Carlotta. (It's interesting to note that Ms. Driver's singing is dubbed in the film proper, while she actually sings the new closing credits melody "Learn to be Lonely.") Patrick Wilson makes for a stalwart, if somewhat bland, Viscount. But the strongest impression is made by the lovely Emmy Rossum. Only in her late teens when filming, she turns in a fantastic performance with a crystal clear voice that does justice to Webber's score. Joel Schumacher does a strong enough job in directing this film, allowing the music and the screenplay that he co-wrote with Webber to shine.

In the end, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is a delightful spectacle that does justice in its own way to both the stage original and Laroux's book. As such, this is a film I highly recommend.

Haunting, romantic and truly memorable............
You know that a movie works when it follows you long after you've left the movie theater. I saw the Broadway tour of "Phantom of the Opera" a few years ago and it has been my favorite musical since. I love it more than Cats, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon...you name it. Its romanticism and beautiful songs just blew me away.

I was then somewhat hesitant to see the film version, fearing that it would not live up to my expectations. A little over two hours later and I found myself crying over the Phantom (Gerard Butler) and his love for the young Christine Daae (Emmy Rossum) as she decides between him or the nobleman Raoul (Patrick Wilson).

In short, I love this movie! It was everything I had hoped it to be and more. The story is faithful to the stage version but it also gives the audience a closer look into the lives of the three main characters. The art direction, sets and costumes are resplendent and breath-taking. And the songs are brought to life superbly by the talented cast of young newcomers (Rossum, Wilson) and film veterans (Miranda Richardson, Ciaran Hinds, Simon Callow).

I know many would argue that Michael Crawford was a superb Phantom...that is, except for me. I always felt that Crawford's voice was too high-pitched and not manly enough. To me, Gerard Butler is more effective Phantom. Apart from being incredibly handsome (under that make-up), tall and well built, he also has this rough and raspy voice that is very masculine and full of passion. He IS the Phantom! Emmy Rossum has a hauntingly beautiful voice and has an innocence and sweetness that fits perfectly for Christine. Her voice gives me goosebumps! Patrick Wilson's romantic voice contrasts well with that of the Phantom's. After all, one is supposed to be a nobleman and the romantic hero while the other is dark, mysterious and brooding (like the misunderstood Quasimodo of "Hunchback of the Notre Dame.") But even without the singing, Gerard Butler turns in a memorable and passionate performance as the Phantom and you really do feel for him in the end. If there was one fault to this film, for me, it would be Minnie Driver's Carlotta. She was so over the top that I sometimes found her grating.

All in all, however, I walked out of the theater wanting to see "Phantom of the Opera" again and again (I've now seen it twice and counting). I couldn't get the music out of my head and have since purchased the CD. I can't wait for the dvd to come out so I can watch it over and over. I highly recommend it to fans of the stage version, music lovers and incurable romantics everywhere. And if you loved the songs, be sure to pick up the equally superb soundtrack. This phantom will haunt you long after you've left the movie theater....and I have gladly fallen under its spell. Superb!

Don't let the critics fool you!
This movie is superb! I really loved the stage musical but this is ten times better...no, a hundred times better. I even had people who said they disliked the stage version comment on how great this film is. I don't understand why the critics are so harsh when the viewers are enjoying it. I should know, I've seen it nine times already...and I'm not the only one.

There are some prominent changes from the stage version, but if you've never seen the stage version this movie is just as enjoyable. Gerard Butler did a phenomenal job. I myself was a little leary of him, knowing he's no Michael Crawford, but now I like him a lot better than Michael Crawford. He makes the Phantom more emotional, powerful, and more easier to sympathize with. Gerard definately deserved an Oscar nod for his role, but that's neither here nor there.

I won't give away any of the surprises of the film, but I will tell you something...you won't be disappointed. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll get mad, you'll feel sad, you'll want to jump for joy, then you'll want to throw things...it's a very emotional piece and not just for women (believe it or not, more men have cried in the theater than women).

This is a must buy! You may even want two copies because you will wear out one of them for sure.