Post by HeXXus on Apr 16, 2010 11:27:17 GMT -5
Alright, well...lolol I feel like venting about this again. I was reminded of this movie not that long ago, and I don't want to vent at people who actually like it- so I thought I'd construct a post here.
Beforehand, I want to indicate that this is my personal opinion, and yeah I probably feel and come across a bit strongly. If you enjoyed this movie, please don't let my words offend you. I have nothing against people who like the movie, and if you thought it was good- you have every right to your opinion. I just hate the movie, and need to whine about it. xD
----
The movie I am talking about is The phantom of the opera- the one that came out in 2004. I actually wrote a HUUUUUGE tirade about it on another forum, which I will try to refrain from doing this time.
Before I get into attacking it, I've got to establish the context. Why it bothers me, and all that. When I was a kid, I first found out about Phantom of the opera through ALW's stage musical- and through that, I discovered the Gaston Leroux novel. Which, for those of you unfamiliar- is the ORIGINAL. The phantom of the opera started out as a novel, and THEN became several movies, a stage musical, and then eventually that musical movie.
Because I prefer the original novel, I am looking at the movie critically because of that. (I could look at the stage musical the same way, but there are actually singers for it I like.)
First things first, I'll say some good things about it.
The visuals were fantastic. I loved the costumes, the backgrounds, the environments- the paris opera house set. The movie did a FANTASTIC job on the visual element, and I'm not afraid to admit that.
Also, the acting was fairly decent. I do not consider the acting and singing the same thing, mind you. But, they were good at the emotions, body language, speaking roles, etc of their characters.
Now to the bad.
First of all, the singing. Ehhh. They did the best they could, and for that I applaud and respect the actors and actresses. But, I didn't like the singing. Especially from the ones like Gerard butler who were playing...BIG musical roles. He's a good actor, and Rossum is a decent actress- but I kind of wish that the movie had been another phantom movie without singing. For a musical, the director picked some of the...weirdest choices for singers. They acted just fine, but when you're doing a musical and one with particularly difficult singing roles for the leads- it's...well..it would be nice to get ACTUAL professional singers, since we have to listen to them singing most of the time.
But the singing isn't what bothered me most. It was the casting and design choice for Erik, the phantom. I feel it was the...worst possible choice. Their phantom was a young, attractive man. And the 'deformity' he's bemoaning the entire time little more than a combination between a rash and sunburn. People were all 'CHRISTINE IS SUCH A =you know what= FOR LEAVING HIM! HE'S SO HOT'.
..That my friends, lets you know the point of the character was defeated.
Erik isn't supposed to be hot. The book describes him basically as a living corpse. He has like, no nose- sunken in eyes, tight-fitting yellow skin, barely any hair.. Erik is supposed to look like a living skeleton; a gruesome sight. Being blunt, Erik is supposed to be incredibly hideous- but his voice is supposed to be that of an angel's, and him a genius in many ways...so that aspect of him is seductive. The appearance, no.
The entire purpose of the character and his struggles are defeated by making him hot- and he's THE MAIN FLIPPING CHARACTER.
I mean, what the heck. The stage musical uses hot actors for the phantom too, but they ugly them up really good with stage makeup. the oen side of the face, boy..it's nasty looking.
The movie had a budget, right? Where was this deformity he was crying about?
Ugh, just..no.
It's like phantom reviewer said. it's like making a new quasimodo movie, casting Brad pitt as quasimodo, and then getting rid of the hump because it does nothing for his figure.
like he said..YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT.
D; so yaeh. I really like Erik, so the fact they destroyed his character in that movie makes me despise it.
Beforehand, I want to indicate that this is my personal opinion, and yeah I probably feel and come across a bit strongly. If you enjoyed this movie, please don't let my words offend you. I have nothing against people who like the movie, and if you thought it was good- you have every right to your opinion. I just hate the movie, and need to whine about it. xD
----
The movie I am talking about is The phantom of the opera- the one that came out in 2004. I actually wrote a HUUUUUGE tirade about it on another forum, which I will try to refrain from doing this time.
Before I get into attacking it, I've got to establish the context. Why it bothers me, and all that. When I was a kid, I first found out about Phantom of the opera through ALW's stage musical- and through that, I discovered the Gaston Leroux novel. Which, for those of you unfamiliar- is the ORIGINAL. The phantom of the opera started out as a novel, and THEN became several movies, a stage musical, and then eventually that musical movie.
Because I prefer the original novel, I am looking at the movie critically because of that. (I could look at the stage musical the same way, but there are actually singers for it I like.)
First things first, I'll say some good things about it.
The visuals were fantastic. I loved the costumes, the backgrounds, the environments- the paris opera house set. The movie did a FANTASTIC job on the visual element, and I'm not afraid to admit that.
Also, the acting was fairly decent. I do not consider the acting and singing the same thing, mind you. But, they were good at the emotions, body language, speaking roles, etc of their characters.
Now to the bad.
First of all, the singing. Ehhh. They did the best they could, and for that I applaud and respect the actors and actresses. But, I didn't like the singing. Especially from the ones like Gerard butler who were playing...BIG musical roles. He's a good actor, and Rossum is a decent actress- but I kind of wish that the movie had been another phantom movie without singing. For a musical, the director picked some of the...weirdest choices for singers. They acted just fine, but when you're doing a musical and one with particularly difficult singing roles for the leads- it's...well..it would be nice to get ACTUAL professional singers, since we have to listen to them singing most of the time.
But the singing isn't what bothered me most. It was the casting and design choice for Erik, the phantom. I feel it was the...worst possible choice. Their phantom was a young, attractive man. And the 'deformity' he's bemoaning the entire time little more than a combination between a rash and sunburn. People were all 'CHRISTINE IS SUCH A =you know what= FOR LEAVING HIM! HE'S SO HOT'.
..That my friends, lets you know the point of the character was defeated.
Erik isn't supposed to be hot. The book describes him basically as a living corpse. He has like, no nose- sunken in eyes, tight-fitting yellow skin, barely any hair.. Erik is supposed to look like a living skeleton; a gruesome sight. Being blunt, Erik is supposed to be incredibly hideous- but his voice is supposed to be that of an angel's, and him a genius in many ways...so that aspect of him is seductive. The appearance, no.
The entire purpose of the character and his struggles are defeated by making him hot- and he's THE MAIN FLIPPING CHARACTER.
I mean, what the heck. The stage musical uses hot actors for the phantom too, but they ugly them up really good with stage makeup. the oen side of the face, boy..it's nasty looking.
The movie had a budget, right? Where was this deformity he was crying about?
Ugh, just..no.
It's like phantom reviewer said. it's like making a new quasimodo movie, casting Brad pitt as quasimodo, and then getting rid of the hump because it does nothing for his figure.
like he said..YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT.
D; so yaeh. I really like Erik, so the fact they destroyed his character in that movie makes me despise it.
Those two songs are catchy, btw!