The Phantom of the Opera (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
|
List Price: Our Price: $12.47 You Save: $3.48 (22%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $5.87 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for The Phantom of the Opera (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Free Music Review: Don't forget the passion - Gerard does a fantastic job
Hit: 5 Stars
There has been much comparison/criticism of Gerard Butler's casting for the big screen's Phantom roll. Shame on that criticism. To capture Gerard's passion, emotion, expression and pain of his - the Phantom's - experience in his performance is to capture the essence of Andrew Lloyd Webber's intention (ALW - isn't that what you meant?). To posess the passion, emotion and pain that is clearly seen, heard and felt from Gerard's performance leaves no doubt in our experienced minds that he was perfectly cast as the Phantom. Thank you, Gerard Butler. Your portrayal of the Phantom was more pain wrenching in the movie, and along with the inevitable close-ups of the faces where expressions of emotions could be at their most exposed, we were able to experience more of the best of you. You made emotion and reality so genuine and real. Thank you for making the story come to life.
As expected, there has been much comparison/criticism from the play to the (present day) big screen. I was fortunate to have experienced Michael Crawford and the talented predecessors on stage for several years throughout Los Angeles and New York - and with great respect, I convey many, many kudos to them. I've listened to "The Highlights from the Phantom of the Opera" CD for many years, being the basis of my reminiscing of my magical experiences of the play, the enjoyment of the passion of the emotion of the story. If you're looking for a Michael Crawford on screen, you're not going to find him in this movie. Make no mistake - Gerard made a raw, emotional and lasting impression as the Phantom.
The play is great and it will always be treasured, and now, we're lucky to have the movie, with Gerard as the Phantom.
Free Music Review: Give it a rest people!
Hit: 5 Stars
I am going to give this recording 5 STARS simply because they had the courage to give a fresh look to a tired musical. Don't get me wrong...The original cast was good for their roles...but if Michael Crawford was so good, why hasn't he outgrown the role of the Phantom? Every character he sings and every CD he does...he sounds the same...sad and lonely. And Sarah Brightman??? Does anyone know that she started out as a chorus girl in CATS?? How lucky to be married to a composer of a famous musical...of course she sounded good in it...HE WROTE IT FOR HER. I give BIG KUDOS to all the cast of this movie!! First of all, they were hand-picked by Andrew himself...so, doesn't that say something? And second, why would they need to sing to the back rows of the theater? THEY ARE IN A MOVIE. DUH. To all you people who sit and criticize this movie...why not rejoice that they are even making it in the first place. Does anyone remember the old days when movie musicals were the number one draws at the box office. And they really butchered alot of stage productions making them into movies back then. But, it wasn't possible for people to go to NYC or other places to see shows. So, that is why they were made into movies. The same holds true today. I know lots of people who will never see a live show on Broadway or anywhere. Movies are all they get. At least this movie has people singing for real in it...not like Marni Nixon and such dubbing every actor and actress in the cast. To all the people reading this review...BUY THIS CD. It will be a huge success and many other stage productions will come to the big screen. Let's help support the return of the movie musical. Please don't ram it into the ground.Free Music Review: The Best ---- Gerard Butler was brilliant
Hit: 5 Stars
I love everything about this soundtrack. I think it is much better than the original Broadway production, but that's just my opinion. I don't wish to offend anyone who doesn't agree with me, I simply MUCH prefer this. Gerard Butler was absolutely brilliant! Crawford's performance as the Phantom has always bugged me, but I could never tell what exactly it was that was so irritating to me until I saw this new production. Crawford's voice, though not completely terrible, was too powerless. It lacked the commanding and beckoning feel to it as the voice of the Phantom should have. His voice lacked the subtext of emotions that Butler gave to the character. If Phantom was this completely horrific and ugly and unappealing murderer as Crawford portrayed him, why would Christine have been attracted to him all all? Many have been critisizing Butler for his voice been, well, not professional enough or not been able to hit all of his high and low notes. Well, maybe he was not able to do all that (though I didn't notice any), but his acting abilities more than enough made up for it. Even when I'm listening to only the soundtrack without watching the movie, I could feel the torment or joy or pride overflowing in his voice. Butler was the star of this movie.
Although I didn't like Rossum as much in this movie, but I do think she did a descent job, for a 18 year old atleast. I think her voice been "weak" in the begining acutally fitted the character. It allowed some growth later in the film. And it showed the youthful innocence in Christine, ever so conflicted.
All in all, I love this movie and this soundtrack. Buy it, it's worth it, I haven't stopped listening to it ever since I got it.
Free Music Review: WHOA!
Hit: 5 Stars
Being a child of a professional opera and musical theater stage performer, my life has been surrounded by musicals, operas, theater, and music in general all my life. From classics such as "Oklahoma" to new hits such as "Hairspray", I've been sung to sleep, kept from crying, and fallen in love to songs from the Broadway stage. I was 4 when I first saw a production of "Phantom of the Opera" in Los Angeles and can remember singing "Think of Me" to my first crush in the 8th grade (not well however :P). Since then I have seen it's stage production 4 different times at 4 different venues, once lucky enough to see it on Broadway while being a California native. When I heard wind of the exceptional musical being considered for the screen, I was enthralled and a little skeptical at the same time. Knowing of Hollywood and its way of...well..."Hollywood-izing" certain stories and plays brought to screen in the past, I was worried that this beautiful story would be destroyed by the minds of glitz and glam. When I finally saw the film not too long ago, I could have stood up and applauded its excellence at the end...oh wait...I did! The story was a little askew from the original, but nonetheless, it's wonderful tale still triumphed. The actors were wonderful, the music was, as always, a wonderful masterpiece, and the choreography was amazing. The singers on this CD triumph to their counter-performers Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman by bringing a new light to the world of Andrew Lloyd Webber's long list of exceptional lyricists. This soundtrack pulls together all of Webber's hard work and new talents of such as Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson into a wonderfully humble circle. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!Free Music Review: great movie, great soundtrack
Hit: 5 Stars
After seeing all the negative reviews for this movie and soundtrack, I had to write. People really need to listen to the music without trying to compare it to SB and MC. Yes they were great, but they couldn't possibly do the movie. And those who say the music is tripe, well of course you aren't going like this soundtrack or the movie! What did you expect?
Anyway, I actually prefer Emily Rossum to Sarah Brightman. Brightman is wonderful of course, but at times she doesn't have enought emotion in her voice and she doesn't sound right for the young innocent Christine. Rossum does a wonderful job and I can't believe she was only 17 when the movie was made.
Gerard Butler as the Phantom is a very different Phantom than Michael Crawford. This does not make him worse however, just different. He has a rawer sound (contrary to some reviews, he does not growl or yell his lines, he actually does sing them). Butler was a former rock singer I have read, and this shows in his interpertation of the Phantom. He does an excellent job, though I am sure many purists won't like him just for the reason that he isn't Michael Crawford. Give him a chance, and you might be surprised.
Patrick Wilson also does a good job. His duet with Christine in "All I ask of you" is beautiful. He is the only broadway actor I believe, and he has a perfect tenor to play Raoul
In conclusion, please listen to this without comparing it to MC and SB. Webber and Schumacher knew what they were doing when they cast the parts, they knew they couldn't possibly cast a man in his 60's and a woman in her late 30's to fill these roles. Give the newbies a chance and you will be glad that you did.