The Phantom of the Opera (2004 Movie Soundtrack)
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Free Music Notes for The Phantom of the Opera (2004 Movie Soundtrack)
Free Music Review: The Best Musical I Have Ever Heard and Seen
Hit: 5 Stars
I am not a big fan of musicals, or I should say that I have not been ... until I saw "The Phantom of the Opera". I have seen some musicals prior to The Phantom but they never caught my attention as I thought them to be rather dull and boring. The Phantom changed it all. It was the best musical I have ever seen. There will be no other like this one, not ever. After seeing the movie I have immediately bought the soundtrack, read the actual Gaston Leroux's book, and went to the original Broadway show. I am in love with The Phantom music. It is breathtaking, wonderful, amazing ... so beautiful. Perhaps Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum are not world's best opera singers, but they were the perfect picks for the characters. I think that Gerard's deep and mysterious, as well as powerful, voice wonderfully and faithfully portrays the phantom and his personality. Emmy Rossum has one of the most beautiful sweet voices I have ever heard - so soft and flawless, nearly angelic; perfect for the role of Christine Daee who is an extremely sensitive and loving character. I used to laugh at musicals in the past and thought I would never, not in a million years, like any. Now I cannot imagine how I could not like The Phantom! The Phantom sountrack is one of the best, if not THE best, soundtracks that I have. If you have read Gaston's original story, you'll truly appreciate the musical seeing how well and faithfully it is depicted by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Joel Schumacher. Excellet visuals and excellent music! I would greatly recommend it to anyone interested.Free Music Review: The Only Thing Bad About This Album Is It's Not The Two Disc Set.
Hit: 5 Stars
There is nothing bad I can say about this album. I loved it from start to finish. I have been in love with this musical ever since I saw it in Toronto back in 1998, so I knew I had to get this soundtrack. Every song from "Overture" right down to "Learn to Be Lonely" delivers the quality you would expect from Andrew Lloyd Webber. Easily one of my favorites of all time. I should have gotten the two-disc set, but I will probably do that anyway eventually. The overall scope of the musical is that there is a love triangle between Christine, the Phantom, and Raoul. Both the Phantom and Raoul both love Christine and she must ultimately choose which one she ends up with.
Favorite Tracks:
Phantom of the Opera - The title track from the musical is my personal favorite of all time. The integration of rock into a musical was something unheard of, and this song has a great rock type feel to it.
Music of the Night - This song is where the Phantom is opening up to Christine and making his admission of love to her, and though she is asleep, he is trying to convince her that through the music of the night, the two of them can be together.
All I Ask of You - This duet is Raoul's love song to Christine, where he professes his love to her, and she does back. All the while, the Phantom is listening, and he becomes enraged.
Masquerade - In the musical, this was the opening to Act Two. It is the token "group" musical song that all musicals have. It is well orchestrated and put together very well.
Free Music Review: Run, Crawl, claw your way to this film
Hit: 5 Stars
If I could scream it to the roof-tops...I would.....THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S PHANTOM....(I should know, I am one)....
This is a Phantom that will live for all time, with a performance so close to the actual stage creation, it's frightening. (Having had the privilege of making a pilgrimage to the Ahmanson theater in 1991, when "the man" was there....Gerard has channelled that performance.)
The "original creator" screamed, blubbered, whined, sang off-key when crying....grunted, growled, groaned....everything that Gerard seems to have found within himself....naturally. It is not the pristine, recording-studio CD version....it is a raw, living, breathing masterpiece.
The wonder of this film, which the stage production will never have, is actually putting the audience member inside the Opera House....(warts and all)....painted with wonderous colors and shapes....spinnings and showing a passionate love for the work.
Gerard Butler should be very proud, his depth of soul, his compassion, his very essence is on that celuloid, for all to see. It will make zillions of dollars...and will be embraced by this generation of theater go-ers.....becoming one of the best musicals...ever filmed. For those who adored Moulon Rouge, this beats that....by increments of millions.
Race, crawl, claw your way into a theater que/line....stand patiently...and be prepared to be swept away....into another time, place.....and have a good cry!!!
Free Music Review: Better than Crawford!
Hit: 5 Stars
The first time I heard Phantom, I really, really disliked it. Michael Crawford's thin, reedy tenor really grated my nerves. There was nothing grand or romantic in it, and the character of the Phantom came off as a whiny cry baby.
Thank goodness they had some sense and cast a guy who can act while singing, and isn't afraid to come out of his head voice for a minute. Gerry Butler is awesome, though I do feel there were points in this soundtrack where he could have toned down the intensity some. I'm sure it will look great on the screen, but through headphones some of the urgency and anger sounded a bit silly.
While Sarah Brightman will always be a favorite singer of mine, Emily Rossum has a much more traditional theatre voice and really uses it to bring new life into the music. You can feel her pain and indecision in the last few songs.
I'm a bit dissapointed that Minnie Driver didn't sing. She has a beautiful voice, and I don't really see the point in taking a role with very little spoken dialogue. But whoever did her part did a great job!
My only complaints are the comically drawn out ending of the finale- three second pauses between notes are just too long- and the abhorent pop song stuck on the end. When ALW wrote "You Must Love Me" for Evita, it fit with the rest of the score. This new song sounds remarkably like a Burt Bacharach sap-fest from the seventies. Totally killed my Phantom buzz.
Overall, it's a much, much better product than I expected.
Free Music Review: Not for snobs
Hit: 5 Stars
I have a degree in music and have laughed at some of the reviews here eulogizing the original performances by Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford to the detriment of Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler. I fell in love with Emmy Rossum's performance right from the start. She doesn't have Sarah Brightman's pedigree, but her performance has an innocence that I never saw in Sarah Brightman, whose voice I always disliked for its hard edge. I find Emmy Rossum's voice to be much more subtle and nuanced.
As for Gerard Butler, get over MC! I was fascinated by the contrast between Gerard Butler's rough sensuality and Patrick Wilson's upper class sophistication. I think that's what they were going for, and I think it succeeded! From a purely musical perspective, MC has a more trained voice; we all know that. But his Phantom to me seems more polished, cold and calculating than Gerard Butler's raw and sexy one. Are you looking for an operatic performance or the whole character?
By the way, I've seen 3 different Phantoms perform on stage and found aspects of each of their performances that I loved. I didn't expect to see or hear Sarah Brightman (thank goodness, no matter how huge her range is!!) or Michael Crawford, and I didn't. I saw new interpretations, which was great. So if you want Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, listen to the old recordings. If your mind is open to new interpretations, get this - it sheds a whole new light on the story and its characters!