Sunday, September 18, 2011
The Phantom of the Opera
I spent the majority of my free time today watching Rupert Julian's (or should I say Lon Chaney's) Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom of the Opera's story is my favorite story line ever! I'm not saying it's thee best, it's just my favorite, although I personally think it's one of the best.
I first became obsessed with The Phantom of the Opera when we sang a medley from the musical in my high school choir. The amazing medley lead me to watch/buy the movie (2004 version). What struck me the most when I watched the 2004 version of The Phantom of the Opera was that I was more sympathetic towards the phantom than I was in the 1925 version. In the 1925 version I felt as if the phantom was more eerily possessive of Christine. Rather than in the 2004 version where I felt like the phantom really did love and need Christine.
Both versions of the story were very, very similar, yet with different emotional twists. Both ended the same way, yet I felt different at the end. In the 2004 version I was upset at the end because I wanted the phantom and Christine to be together. In the 1925 version I was perfectly happy (well, as happy as one could be at that sort of ending) at the way it ended. Perhaps it was Lon Chaney's amazing make-up that made the phantom seem more of a monster, rather than a misunderstood human being.
Regardless, I still love the 2004 version better than the 1925 version. I'm too in love with Andrew Webber's music to like the silent version better. Though I did enjoy the organ playing and Lon Chaney in the 1925 version.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You just wanted her to be with Gerard! Just kidding!
ReplyDeleteI love the Lon Chaney one. So atmospheric.
ReplyDeleteGrant, you are probably right! I just don't want to admit it to myself that I am that shallow :P
ReplyDeleteI saw this with my sister once. It was okay I guess. I am a huge Batman fan, so I don't really trust Joel Schumacher, since he did "Batman and Robin." I got sensory overload watching this movie, and the constant singing kinda annoyed me. (How the heck is Raul suppose to sing with a rope strung around his neck?) To its credit though, It was a little better the second time around.
ReplyDeleteI mean... it is a musical, which would explain the "constant singing". :) Lol!
ReplyDeleteMost musicals don't make very much sense anyway.... And I'm very glad to hear that you gave it another chance by watching it a second time! Maybe watch it a third and you'll love it...?