Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
David Poland of Movie City News hosted this screening of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA last night, and he’s already gone on the record saying he believes the film will win Best Picture this year. Which isn’t to say that he’s picked it as his favorite film, since he still seems to be firmly in the SIDEWAYS camp. But he seems to think that the Academy is going to have a hard time passing up the old-fashioned PHANTOM.
Today’s reviewer disagrees:
Harry,
I saw a screening of the latest Joel Schumacher film, "Phantom of the Opera last night." It was a screening in Los Angeles through Movie City News for the broadcast press and other SAG/DGA/WGA types. I went with a friend who is a member. I've read your reviews for years but this is the first time I've written to you.
First off, I saw the broadway production of the play years ago with Michael Crawford as the Phantom. I liked the play, but didn't love it. I enjoyed the spectacle, but thought the music was kind of mediocre and repetitive. When I heard they were making a film, and that Joel Schumacher was directing, I have to admit I didn't expect much. I thought the film would be pretty bad.
Harry, I am writing to tell you that I was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The film was not pretty bad. It was TERRIBLE.
But, let's give credit where credit is due. The look of the film and the production design and the costumes are fantastic. Oscar nominations all around. It is a beautifully produced movie. And there is one great performance in the film (more on that in a minute).
But here's the bad news. Overall, the film is just a mess. It doesn't work. It is chaotic and frantic. I sat there in the theater wanting to jump out of my skin....it just grated on me. Joel Schumacher seems to be imitating some great films, but can't breath any life into this one. He uses much of the same quick cutting as in Moulin Rouge...but with much less successful results. He seems to copy aspects of Rob Marshall's Chicago...again, with sad results. This film is just a lumbering giant. It doesn't move. My friend and I just kept staring at each other in disbelief. Could the film really be this bad.
Next, what seemed to make sense...or at least, follow some kind of logic on stage just gets completely lost in the film. In the movie the Phantom has been tutoring Christine since she was brought to the opera house as a child. But we're never sure if she has seen him before or only heard him. Then, at a certain point in the film it seems like three months have passed, but we're not sure. Plus, the character of Christine is this really passive person who doesn't seem to have a thought of her own. At first she is possessed by the Phantom, until Raoul comes along and tries to steal her away. She seems to have no mind of her own. And Emily Rossum, the actress playing Chrstine doesn't help matters. She has this deer in the headlights look throughout the film...like she's in some sort of trance. She never seems flesh and blood. The biggest casting mistake is Gerald Butler playing the Phantom. He doesn't have the power to carry this role. His singing voice is weak...he sometimes seems to be whispering or shouting the songs. And when he's supposed to hit high notes the music drowns him out. He looks like a road show Phantom and this completely screws up the film. The movie can't recover from the lack of a truly kick-ass Phantom.
The best performance of the movie, surprisingly was Minnie Driver as Carlotta, the Diva opera singer. Driver seems to know that she's in a big piece of dreck and she just mugs her way through the film. She is hysterical. She was the one thing that the audience loved.
My friend and I were bored to tears. We talked to a few people after the screening and everyone felt the same way. One person said a great thing....that never before had mediocrity had been so embellished. Like someone serving Taco Bell at a sit down dinner party on their best China.
Last thought...was does Joel Schumacher have over the heads of Warner Bros? Does he know where all the bodies are buried or something? How could they let the person who killed the Batman franchise make another big budget film for them? He is a great production designer, but a terrible filmmaker....and while not as heinous as Batman and Robin, Phantom of the Opera is maybe his second worst film.
So, of course, please don't print my real name...you can call me Onyourmark.
Thanks Harry.
Wow. Harsh. Who else saw it last night? I’d love to hear about the Q&A afterwards, and to see what other people thought of the film. It’s certainly one of the higher-profile films with the least amount of buzz at this point in the year.
"Moriarty" out.
