Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #720 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-05-02
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 143 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Although it's not as bold as Oscar darling Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera continues the resuscitation of the movie musical with a faithful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage musical. Emmy Rossum glows in a breakout role as opera ingénue Christine Daae, and if phantom Gerard Butler isn't Rossum's match vocally, he does convey menace and sensuality in such numbers as "The Music of the Night." The most experienced musical theater veteran in the cast, romantic lead Patrick Wilson, sings sweetly but seems wooden. The biggest name in the cast, Minnie Driver, hams it up as diva Carlotta, and she's the only principal whose voice was dubbed (though she does sing the closing-credit number, "Learn to Be Lonely," which is also the only new song).

Director Joel Schumacher, no stranger to visual spectacle, seems to have found a good match in Lloyd Webber's larger-than-life vision of Gaston LeRoux's Gothic horror-romance. His weakness is cuing too many audience-reaction shots and showing too much of the lurking Phantom, but when he calms down and lets Rossum sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" alone in a silent graveyard, it's exquisite.

Those who consider the stage musical shallow and overblown probably won't have their minds changed by the movie, and devotees will forever rue that the movie took the better part of two decades to develop, which prevented the casting of original principals Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. Still, The Phantom of the Opera is a welcome exception to the long line of ill-conceived Broadway-to-movie travesties.

DVD Features
The two-disc edition of The Phantom of the Opera has two major extras. "Behind the Mask: The Story of The Phantom of the Opera" is an hourlong documentary tracing the genesis of the stage show, with interviews by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Harold Prince, producer Cameron Macintosh, lyricists Richard Stilgoe and Charles Hart, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and others. Conspicuously absent are stars Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. Both do appear in video clips, including Brightman performing with Colm Wilkinson at an early workshop, and Crawford is the subject of a casting segment. Other brief scenes from the show are represented by a 2001 production. The other major feature is the 45-minute making-of focusing on the movie, including casting and the selection of director Joel Schumacher Both are well-done productions by Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.

The deleted scene is a new song written by Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, "No One Would Listen," sung by the Phantom toward the end of the movie. It's a beautiful song that, along with Madame Giry's story, makes him a more sympathetic character. But because that bit of backstory already slowed down the ending, it was probably a good move to cut the song. --David Horiuchi

Important note: Initial playback of this DVD defaults to the DTS (Digital Theatre System) soundtrack, therefore customers without such equipment will not hear any sound. Please note that this is NOT a fault with the DVD.

If you are not in possession of a DTS compatible sound amplifier, you need to change the film's soundtrack type from the main menu.

In order to do this, please follow the instructions below:

1. Click the "set-up" option.
2. Select either Dolby Digital Surround Sound or Dolby Digital Stereo as appropriate.
3. Select "Play Movie". The film will now play with a universal audible soundtrack.

Synopsis
Those who thought that smoke machines and cobwebbed candelabras were the stuff of Halloween parties and dance clubs need to think again. In Joel Schumacher's film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway musical THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, these moody set devices--and countless others--make every scene an atmospheric vision of souped-up 19th-century Gothic bliss. Christine Daee (a luminescent Emmy Rossum) is a tortured young star who is haunted by the voice of the phantom (Gerard Butler--who also played the lead in DRACULA 2000), a musician who hides in the shadows to hide a facial disfigurement, yet sings to her obsessively. Dwelling in the dark, damp chambers beneath the Paris opera house, the phantom lords over the cast and management with artistic autocracy--he writes the shows, casts them, and threatens all who disobey his plans with dramatically violent outbursts. But when his young student Christine falls for the rich and dapper Raoul (Patrick Wilson), the phantom descends into madness. Webber's memorable songs are performed with aplomb by Rossum, whose background includes singing with the Metropolitan Opera, and Wilson and Butler provide ample accompaniment. One of the treats of the proceedings is Minnie Driver's deeply exaggerated portrayal of the jealous diva, giving this PHANTOM a very appropriate dose of comic relief.

Customer Reviews

Made me feel as though I was there, amazing.
As I have never seen the stage show, I cannot compare the two. I have heard the music many times and always wanted to see it, now that I am able to I can say that it is one of the best musicals I have ever seen. The story is dramatic and sends shivers up your spine every 2 minutes. It takes you back in time to the point where I came out thinking that I should be wearing a corset and have my best puffy dress on. I love the attention to detail, not one thing looks out of place. The theatre looks amazing and the cinimatography is very good. I also thought that the actors fitted the roles perfectly, and their voices surprised me. Gerard Butler's voice was amazing, even though he had not sung before, he was the best phantom I've heard (though I am not saying that past ones have been bad), he brings a rock essence to the role and this makes the phantom seem somehow more real. I also think that Christine was very believable, casting Emmy Rossum in the role gave her a sence of niaveness. The story shows why the Phantom does such awful things and made me simpathise with him, it was put accross as not good and bad, I was able to understand every character. I loved everything about this movie. I became emmotionally involved and came out of it crying, I still cry every time I watch it on my small T.V. Truely amazing.

The Phantom of the Opera is here inside my mind...
Anyone who watches this musical and fails to be enthralled and captivated by it's pure beauty and tragedy isn't human. Not as good as the live performance in London, but close enough to offer a fix for those who can't afford to see it as often as they'd like.

Wonderful buy
Since I bought the DVD, I've watched the scenes with Gerard Butler more than 100 times. I would say it was the best money I spent for a DVD. Do not listen to the silly critics. I found his acting absolutely superb and I believe this to be case with most open minded people who do not have their fixed idea of what Phantom of Opera should be like. His voice was fascinating. Otherwise, I would not have bought CDs to listen to his songs on the way to work and on the way back home. After 5 months, I still love his songs. And I know many who adore his singing voice.

Some criticised him that his acting was overdone when Christine took his mask off in his lair. Noncense. The phantom was supposed to have quite a temper. And you would act exactly the same if you had been beaten everytime your face was shown. His acting makes the Phantom perfect and real.