Phantom of the Opera Act. 2

[phyco126]

Weeeee! For my birthday, my mom and sister are taking me up to Denver to go see it again! Aside from the movie (which I saw 4 or 5 times in the theater, and countless times via DVD) I haven't seen the actual play since around 1998' (estimated time, I could be a year or two off.) *squells*

It'll be nice to finally re-remember the differences from the broadway production and the movie. I hate not remembering what was changed....

[PrettyGirlJean]

LUCKY! I want to see POTO so bad! I saw it twice at the movies, once for myself and then with my best friend who's also a fan. She's gotten to see it a couple of times herself in New York.

My fiance was even more lucky he got to see it with Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford! He thinks it's neat but he just doesn't realize how lucky he was >_<

[phyco126]

Oh, I forgot to mention I also have both the movie soundtrack and the Broadway soundtrack

[Alunissage]

I wondered if I should get the movie soundtrack for completism, but the possibility of my snapping it in half out of sheer irritation with the "singers" seemed to make it inadvisable. The movie is a musical the way Dragon Song is a Lunar game.

[phyco126]

Honestly, I don't know why you have an issue with the singing. I honestly can't find nothing wrong with it, and I even often find myself singing along with it. Then again, maybe I'm able to match with the voice of the Phantom in some of his songs doesn't help.... I'm not a very good singer.... maybe that has something to do with it. Hmmmmm....

Eh, regardless, each to his or her own. But if you do get it and decide to break it in half, I might be losing mine after december so instead of breaking it, just send it to me

[Alunissage]

Well, I'd have to look up my last post on the subject for specifics, but the girl kept scooping into her notes like a pop singer, and the guy just wasn't very good. Rough voice, bad pitch...ugh. I can't believe they didn't dub him.

[PrettyGirlJean]

I have the broadway soundtrack, but don't have the movie soundtrack just yet. I have mixed feelings about the voices. Sometimes I think they sing well or at least hit good notes, but then other times they just fall kind of flat. I know it's unfair, but I can't help but compare them to Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman because to me they are the Phantom and Christine, for instance. I think of all the songs I really enjoyed "Point of No Return" and "Masquerade".

Alunissage: I can see what you mean about the Christine doing somewhat pop, but where did you find it most prevalent? I think I noticed it here and there, but I'm not sure it was really obvious enough to stand out. I haven't watched in a while so your answers will give me another reason to watch

[Alunissage]

I'm afraid I can't give you a specific example; I only saw the movie the one time and I don't think I've heard any of the soundtrack since -- except in Barnes and Noble where they were playing it and I had to hear the Phantom actor mangle ...something, probably Music of the Night.

[phyco126]

Well, the only real disturbance I heard in the singing is how the Phantom's voice becoming "dry," like when you're throat is dry and you can't speak too well. *shrugs* Other than that, I still found it okay. Then again, I grew up in the pop age I'm sure that has to do something with not noticing how bad a singer is. Oh, and my track record for liking songs that everyone hates is pretty evident too... hmmm.

Edit: Okay, just came back from seeing PotO in Denver, and I have to say that the changed wheren't really all that different in the movie than on stage. Really, the biggest changes are some really small scenes being taken out of the film, and one scene being shopped into pieces and inserted throughout an entire segment of the film, not to mention the last scene in Act 1 with the you-know-what.

Everything else was pretty right on, save for costumes, the brilliant halloween like Masqerthingy, and a couple of lines.

Regardless, the experience was less than what I was hoping for, as a group of kids from a school on a field trip two rows behind us talked, threw trash, spitted spitwads at people below them (included us) and where very very obnoxious. Fortunatly, we only had to put up with them through Act 1, then a teacher got complaints during intermission and, from what my sister's BF said, yelled at them out in the hall and dealt with the problem very well. The teacher even addressed the rows below them and apologized.

Other than that, I was pretty happy Oh, and let's not forget the mask. The guy wore 3 different types of masks. The most prominent one he wore was the same kind as he wore in the movie. The different ones was the one he wore in the beginning that coverd his upper half of the face, then the skull that he wore that covered his whole face (and looked wicked cool when he sang )

[Mychael216]

Awesome play. I went and saw it in May in NYC. It was so great! Group rates are awesome and I got to see it for $60, 7th row orchestra! It was liek heaven! The actors and actresses were phenominal. I got the sheet music and the soundtrack so I could play it at home.

The movie was also very good. I couldn't really find much to complain about. The movie stuck a little bit more to the original book that the whole story is based upon. Again, really can't complain.

I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys musicals. I would say see the musical first then the movie. The book was also very good. I forget who wrote it now... I'll be back if I remember!

~Mychael

[Ozone]

The Broadway play is soooo much better than the movie. I love them both though Have fun.