The Phantom of the Opera

This movie is a filmed version of a stage play. The music is fairly good, and the chemistry between the Phantom and Christine is evident. With the goofy managers bickering and Carlotta's constant whining it is also quite funny. If you like musicals this will be a good one for you. It is not the Leroux telling of the story, but it is an entertaining story none-the-less.

Well not if you have seen "Beware: Children At Play" From Troma Entertainment. That was Awful. But I digress.

This Phantom of The Opera was not meant to be a movie. It was originally a very low budget Play. It was for a Benifit in Florida. The Set was Cardboard , and the Sound was horrible. But David Staller's Acting was once again awesome. He is the only reason to see this movie. Elizabeth Walsh was O.k The woman that Played Carlotta, played a very good Carlotta. Everyone else was just bad, really really bad. If your expecting to see a blockbuster hit, you will be sadly mistaken, but, if your a David Staller fan, Like I am, It's bearable enough to watch just to see him. He's the only good thing about the movie. But than again, As a David Staller lover, I offer a Biast opinion. I would like to see him do Andrew Lloyd Webber's play.

I have always been a collector – stamps, books, chess sets, music, and so on, 60-years of it. Current craze is of course DVDs. Collectors generally compulsively hang on to something once they've acquired it – even if it turns out to be a piece of drek. You will therefore understand that – while it was a wrench – I've 86d this little item from my collection. And I'm about to tell you why.

The Phantom of the Opera is, like Dracula or Frankenstein (the monster's correct name since he would have the name of his father), an iconic figure from the lushly Romantic (as opposed to romantic) horror literature of the 19th Century. The Phantom exists in a number of celluloid versions, although inexplicably not so many as the endlessly dreary zombie films. At least, thank the gods, there are no zombie musicals.

The story line of this production pretty much follows (if sketchily) that of the Gaston Leroux novel on which the whole "Phantom" phenomenon is based. There is no need to rehearse this, since those who don't already know it … well, what can I say? The music for this production is, at best, kitschy and banal, more or less on a par with the alleged music Disney provides for their teeny-bopper programming. There is only one even remotely good musical number – and that is a very bad arrangement of Camille St.Saëns' "Danse Macabre". This accompanies the scène-ballet which follows the Phantom's unmasking. Missing from the production entirely is any hint of the music to the Phantom's grande-oeuvre, "Don Juan Triumphant".

The acting is no better. Indeed, it isn't acting at all; it's mere declamation. I've heard better delivery from used-car commercials.

This is of course a cut-rate production, complete with barely OK sets and obviously plastic prosthetics. Indeed, the Phantom's mask is far more realistic than his alleged disfigurements. We did get a falling chandelier – not badly done, actually.

I've seen this billed on some sites as a "musical comedy". It isn't – it's a serious if inept performance. We could perhaps regard it as a non-comedic parody. It is certainly a travesty.

I've seen some positive, even enthusiastic reviews for this performance. Well, everybody deserves to be loved by somebody. However, my advice is that you rent this before you even consider buying it.

When I got this version from my local library, I had no clue what it was. When I got it and watched it,I was a bit confused. I now got it for a second time and realized it was good for what it is. Just know that it is a musical but it's as though someone brought a camera into a show and taped it. David Staller portrays a very pathetic Phantom and Elizabeth a very conflicted Christine. Staller's voice is very passionate,even though sometimes he over acts the part,he is still a very wonderful Phantom. And even though the beginning of this is a bit odd because they only dance and you hear voices though the performers lips never move,it is still a very good version.

This is not ALW's version of the Phantom! How can I tell: It's much worse! Although, it wasn't the worst film I've ever seen, (that would been Solaris), it was very bad. When I rented this, I didn't know what to expect. I hoped it would be ALW's version, but from the first opening scene, I knew I had made a mistake.

I was surprised that it was a filmed play instead of a movie. The acting was okay, and it seemed to be a bit more comical than the ALW version, but it could never compare. This Phantom seemed to be more villainous than Gerard Butler's Phantom. I will admit, it has a somewhat similar story line, and you do get to see more about the characters' backgrounds than in ALW's, but the music is NOT the same! The music did not sound very good, but the passion was there. It's closer to the book, but I still didn't like it very much.

If you're really interested in the Phantom, and want to see all the versions, see this one, so you know how bad it is. If your into romance, the ending will have you wondering what exactly was the Phantom thinking?!