The Phantom of the Opera (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
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Free Music Notes for The Phantom of the Opera (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Free Music Review: Phantom at its best!!!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first listened to "All I Ask of You" on a Sarah Brightman album I though that the "Phantom of the Opera" sounded like an okay musical. When the movie came out a year later I went with some friends and had the time of my life. Visually stunning with drop dead gorgeous music it had me hooked from the first chord on the overature when the chandlier was raised.
Being a movie soundtrack fanatic, I bought the double disk soundtrack instantly and listened to nothing else for over two weeks. Since then I have become a die hard Phantom fan and my friend Sarah and I always belt "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" whenever we are together.
If you have never seen or heard the Phantom of the Opera before, do not get the older version. Though many people say that the new actors can't sing, they're one hundred percent wrong. It's the origanal cast that lacks talent. Sarah Brightman uses way to much vribratto on almost everything, Michael Crawford lacks every single human ability to be evil, and Steve Barton is hardly what I call a fitting Raoul. And to top it off, the original cast was simply too old.
I enjoyed the newer version, for one, because these people can really sing. Emmy Rossum provides a beautiful clear soprano without the overdone performance of her predicessor. Patrick Wilson has been gifted with a extrodinary tenor, though in the movie his hair is a bit funny looking. But Gerard Butler is most certainly worthy of the title "Phantom of the Opera". Unlike the common misconception he can sing and quite well. He is younger than Crawford and has that evil yet sorrowful quality which makes the roll so perfect.
The only flaw I found in the CD is the closing new song "Learn to Be Lonely". It takes away from the actual story and was clearly written for the sole purpose of achieving an Academy Award.
If you have to chose, get the two disk version. It has almost everysingle song from the two and a half hour movie, plus dialogue is included. This I LOVE!!!!!!!
Phantom
Free Music Review: Overall... one fine production
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first glimpsed the trailer with Gerard Butler singing "Music of the Night," I cringed. I've loved the Crawford rendition of that song for a very long time, and to my ears, he butchered it.
Fast-forward. I actually saw the movie, and now it all fits. The movie has been mainstreamed to appeal to the audience (which means a younger and good-looking primary cast) and the Phantom is - well, frankly he's got a lot of pent-up anger and sexual frustration. That said, I think Butler's vocals work very well with the character as he appears onscreen... listening to the soundtrack WITHOUT viewing the movie probably lessens its impact. I've since reconsidered my initial "Augh! He's butchering it!" stance; while Butler is almost overpowering at times, his renditions of songs have grown on me. That said, it does look better onscreen than it sounds flat-out.
Emmy Rossum: She has a beautiful, clear voice. I haven't seen many complaints, though there are the inevitable comparisons to Sarah Brightman. I was never very fond of Brightman myself; the way she sings her music just grates on me for some reason. So I'd say Rossum is a big improvement.
Patrick Wilson: No complaints here. He's a good singer. I wasn't all that impressed with his character (but then I was quite taken with the Phantom) but he does a very solid job. He and Rossum sound very good together, particularly in "All I Ask of You." Other reviewers have mentioned that Wilson's performance is one of the first that made them *like* Raoul. From what I recall of the stage version, I agree.
The orchestration itself seems to be a little bit beefed up; the familiar melodies are all here and still lovely, but with more oomph to them. It's a long drive back to school so this soundtrack will be playing as I cruise down the freeway.
There's always going to be the inevitable comparisons to the stage version. Me, I take them as two separate entities. It's easier to appreciate each one that way.
Free Music Review: Energetic and lively
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first heard the song samples they had on the official website for the Phantom movie, I was very disappointed in the sound of Gerard Butler's voice. However, after listening to him from beginning to end on this recording, I would have ot sya he grew on me. True, he doesn't sing as well as Michael Crawford but he sings the role better than one of the Phantoms I saw on broadway (I've seen the show three times). Plus, he puts a lot of feeling and emotion into it... for example, the "All I Ask of You Reprise", I like him more than Crawford. Plus, he does very well in the final scene and anywhere where the Phantom is to convey anger. I'd say his weak point is "Music of the Night".
Emmy Rossum has a beautiful voice. Yes, it's true. She doesn't have the power or the range of Sarah Brightman. Let us not forget that Sarah Brightman was almost ten years older than Emmy Rossum when she did this role. Also, Emmy puts more emotion and feeling into some of the songs. I prefer her rendition of "Twisted Every Way". And, she conveys a youth and innocence that I have never heard conveyed in this role before... and, I think it's a youth and innocence that SHOULD be there. I also can't help but wonder what this girl is going to sound like in another ten years or so.
The rest of the cast either equals the original London cast or surpasses them. The woman who dubs Minnie Driver's voice is the BEST Carlotta I've ever heard.
So far, this seems to be the best film soundtrack of an Andrew Lloyd Webber show. "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Evita" both had scores that had to be slashed and redone to fit lesser voices. At no point in this soundtrack do I hear notes being changed just to fit a lesser voice. The only chnages made to the score here seem to have been done for dramatic purposes. Actually, this is quite a dramatic sountrack, and I can't wait for the movie to come out!
Free Music Review: A new interpretation for a new medium
Hit: 5 Stars
If you listen to this soundtrack do not expect to magically hear your favorite stage Phantom singing. This album is not meant for a stage show, it is meant for a movie. Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson all bring their own new interpretation to their respective roles and in many places it is different from what you hear on stage.
Patrick Wilson manages to put some back-bone into the character of Raoul. The character is now someone you can see as a legitimate rival for the Phantom.
Emmy Rossum brings a sense of innocence and youth to the role that is often lacking in the stage production due to the actresses usually being in their late 20s and Miss Rossum only being 17 when she filmed it. Her voice gets stronger as the movie goes on. Some of her high notes are a little weak but her Wishing is absolutely heart breaking.
Gerard Butler is probably the biggest change. Instead of following Micheal Crawford's interpretation of a depressed and lonely genius, Mr. Butler has a much fiercer and angrier Phantom that I think works very well. There are some vocal issues but I think he does a wonderful job overall. His version of Music of the Night is the best I have heard. When I first heard the recording with Crawford and Brightman I was unable to really get a visual picture of what was going on. With Butler I can tell exactly what he is trying to portray.
I love the new incidental music that is on the recording. There are some changes in the scoring of the vocal parts, such as "I have brought you, to the scene of sweet music's throne" etc that I am still unsure about, probably due to 4 years of listening to the original cast recording.
Overall, I am thrilled with this recording. In my opinion, it is on the same level as the original cast recording. It is just different because it is for a film and not for a stage. I would recommend this to anyone.
Free Music Review: another review for the Sarah Brightman vs. Emmy Rossum/Michael Crawford vs. Gerard Butler debate
Hit: 5 Stars
I'll start by saying my review in simple terms: I loved it. It truly made the movie a rock-opera and the deeper notes sung by the Phantom (Gerard Butler) gave me the chills. Carlotta (Minnie Driver) was decent with her singing but I read somewhere that the part of Carlotta's singing voice was MEANT to be not that great. Raoul was okay in this one, but I must say, whoever played Raoul in the Crawford-Brightman CD was WAY better. As for the various other supporting roles, they were very good and I cannot find a better-worse with them, except that the role of Meg (Christine's friend) sounded sort of weak in Angel of Music.
OK, now for the comparison.
I liked the Crawford-Brightman versions as well. But, to put it plainly, when I'm in the mood for a darker, edgier, more RocknRoll version I listen to the 2004 Movie Soundtrack. If I'm in the mood for a classical, light, melodious version (with a better Raoul) I listen to my first version with Crawford and Brightman. I'm a teen and this may interfere with my opinion that I like Emmy Rossum better. Sarah Brightman, on most high notes, sounded overdosed with verbratto (i dont think thats how you spell it) and nasal-y. I've only ever heard 3 versions of the show (the 2004 movie, the Crawford-Brightman one and a Broadway play version) and I like Emmy Rossum the best. I'm not saying she's the best who ever was because I'm POSITIVE there have been better. She was a little weak on some high notes, i know.
As for the Butler-Crawford debate, they are both incredible vocalists although very, very different. As I stated before, if I'm in the mood for something lighter, I'd go with Crawford.
In the end, it all comes down to a preference; do you prefer lighter and more classical, or rockNroll-type and darker?
Buy this album for a darker, sexier side of the Phantom.