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I rented a DVD of the movie & returned it to the store with the comment that quite possibly it was/is the worst movie I've ever seen that was intended to be taken seriously. Butler cannot sing, Rossum is barely on-key most of the time & off key-for the remainder. The atrociousness of the Andrew Lloyd Webber score is fully revealed here.
I bought the DVD. I think that Butler has a different quality to his voice(note, I am not defending him;I do not defend anyone). But I think that the Andrew Lloyd Webber score is okay.
Pardonne-moi?? Okay, I agree that Rossum and Butler weren't good choices (chosen on looks rather than acting or singing capabilities)--actually, lemme add to that. None of the actors or actresses were very good choices. But how DARE you lambast the Webber score?? *strokes score* My...precious...
Er, not to be snarky or anything, but if you already thought ALW's score was atrocious, why'd you bother renting the movie in the first place?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonetto
The score is magnificent, if sung and performed by the right actors/musicians; I saw this performed live onstage in NYC. Then when I saw the film version I was devastated. You are correct in that Butler falls very short of expectations in his poor vocals and Rossum barely gets by. I wasn't impressed with any of the casting and felt it ruined the whole thing. I was very disappointed in the film, it felt all wrong - only interesting thing was some of the visuals and even those seemed a bit overdone at times. If you want to be swept away by the score, see it performed on stage with really accomplished performers. Then you may certainly change you mind.
For the most part, I agree that Butler and Rossum don't measure up to standard expectations of Phantom. Then again, it's hard to measure up when the distinctive recording is made by Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. :D
I have to disagree. I first fell in love with Phantom through the movie. And I think the actors did a pretty good,(emphasis on the pretty good,) job with the movie. But once you hear the original recording, nothing else quite measures up.
And I really, really liked the movie score. The singing wasn't the best, true, but it was NOT dreadful. At least, I don't think it was.
The only really dreadful one is Carlotta. Worse than nails on a chalkboard. And I'm not talking about Minnie Driver. She can sing beautifully. I am speaking of Margaret Preece, the woman who dubbed her in the movie.
Overall, I really liked this movie.
P.G.7.
For me, their voices were enough good for Christine and Eric...I think, Sarah Brightman has too professional voice to play Christine. And what about Webber, he is perfectly suitable composer for this movie
The score is a masterpiece, in my opinion. Now, as far as the film is concerned, I agree that Rossum was mediocre, and Butler was simply unacceptable. I think that "Raoul" did a good job. Overall, it was a baaaaad attempt...
I don't think Butler's and Rossum's singings are bad. It is not an opera, it is a movie. And if Sarah Brightman had been Christine in movie, I would have been quiet dissapointed. She is an opera singer, after all, and her strong voice would have sounded awful in the movie(cause Christine is a very delicate girl). Butler...he managed very well according to the fact he is an actor at first.
First of all, I still think the worst movie I ever saw that was meant to be taken seriously was "Titanic". This movie isn't even close to that nonsense. But that is another topic for somewhere else. Anyway, I don't see what is so atrocious about the score. You simply can't base a score on the vocal performances of the actors.
Second, I am not necssarily defending Gerard Butler, but I don't see what was SO bad about his performance. I thought he was a helluva lot better than Emmy Rossum (which I will get into in a second). I've said it before and I will say it again. ALW had originally written the Phantom's part with more of a rock style in mind. Long story short, Michael Crawford was chosen and now he will forever be known as the one and only Phantom and that is where the problem comes in. But ALW actually went back to his original plan and chose someone that had a rougher (I suppose somewhat rock, I guess) sound to his voice. I don't see what was so horrible.
Emmy Rossum, on the other hand, well, I will use the word atrocious for her. First of all, she was too young for the role. She and Raoul are supposed to be childhood sweethearts. Come on now. The pairing of those two is a joke. I was so tired of her "I am so in awe of you" expression that she had on her face whenever she looked at the Phantom. OK. You're mesmerized by the man. Stop with that expression!!
Vocally, she was flat more than once. My favorite part is while her voice "goes" during "Think of Me". I have sung this song. I know it isn't easy, but if you are THIS far in your career to where you are playing this on screen, you better live up to expectations, which she doesn't. At least she doesn't for me. This musical is more of a pop musical, yes, but Christine Daae is NOT a pop singer. She is an OPERA singer. Why the hell wasn't she singing with an operatic voice??? Delicate or not, she is an opera singer. Her voice was too weak. There is no way that she could be this "star" with that voice in the opera world. Rossum's voice was just too weak for that role. To say that an opera voice wouldn't work on a movie screen isn't necessarily true. Kathryn Grayson, Jeanette MacDonald and Mario Lanza (to include a man in this list) all sang opera on film. Most recently, Kenneth Branagh directed an adaptation of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" for the big screen. It can be done. Even if they would've cast an actress that could sing "light" opera. But she can't even do that.
That's it. That is my opinion. I have nothing more to say about it.