Today, I went to see The Phantom of the Opera.

This is gorgeous! Music and songs, costumes, set design, camera work, everything were great.except actors and actress. Gerard Butler is...Phantom? Gimme a break! He doesn't look like Phantom. Well, I must forget that awful actor. If I can forget him, this movie is perfect.

Anyway, this is worthy to see opening scene...and, songs and music. I bought soundtrack.

Today, I went to see The Phantom of the Opera.

This is gorgeous! Music and songs, costumes, set design, camera work, everything were great.except actors and actress. Gerard Butler is...Phantom? Gimme a break! He doesn't look like Phantom. Well, I must forget that awful actor. If I can forget him, this movie is perfect.

Anyway, this is worthy to see opening scene...and, songs and music. I bought soundtrack.

I saw it a couple of weeks ago, Kenji, and I agree.

The movie was a pretty close adaptation of the stage play (except for an added framing sequence which wasn't bad, and a couple of details added from Gaston Leroux's novel), but seeing the special effects done on stage - chandeliers falling, actors rowing a boat across a lake on stage - are more impressive than seeing the same on film. The actress who played Christine had a good singing voice but didn't have much acting ability. The Phantom wasn't too bad, but nothing special. I saw Robert Guillame (of TV's "Benson") do the role in LA, and he had a surprisngly good opera voice. There were a lot of big-name actors that could have done a better job. Minnie Driver was good and very funny as the diva.

I thought the unmasking scene was disappointing - the Phantom just seemed to have some minor acne, nothing some Botox couldn't take care of nowadays. I wanted a full-on horrible face!

Was the Japanese release dubbed into Japanese or presented with subtitles?

Was the Japanese release dubbed into Japanese or presented with subtitles?

Of course, it was subtitles version. If it was dubbed into Japanese version, I won't see it in theater.

I really want to see this movie. The musical was here in Madison last month (for the first time ever) and I really wanted to see it, but David and I are saving really hard for a down-payment on a house and decided against going. Now that we're getting into the nuts and bolts of a mortgage (lots of money up front for closing costs, down payment, etc ) it looks like it was a good choice, but still wish we could have seen it. So, I'll have to settle for the movie and maybe see it in the theater some other time!

I saw The Phantom a couple of years ago on (off?) Broadway in NYC. The play was awesome. The reviews say that the spectacle doesn't translate to a movie quite as well, but I still kind of want to see it. I really like some of the music.

Good luck with the house hunting, Stacy. I went through that a little over a year ago. It can be quite scary and confusing, but I am glad I did it.

I saw The Phantom a couple of years ago on (off?) Broadway in NYC.

ON Broadway, Jim. Big splashy musicals by Sir what's-his-name (can't remember his name and I don't like the music he makes) are always on Broadway. They need the hefty price of a Broadway ticket to carry musicals these days.

I will be the lone desenter here, but I've never seen the musical "Phantom," and I don't care to. I was bored by "Cats" and couldn't sit through the whole thing, on video not in the theater. I won't pay those prices to see his musicals.

For my money, off-off Broadway is much more fun. It's dirt cheap, and you never know what you're going to see. It's eclectic, can be electric, but it can also be horrendous. There is an immediacy to off-off-Broadway productions because the venues are so tiny; you don't get that with the bigger houses.

OK, that's my two-cents.

I was bored by "Cats" and couldn't sit through the whole thing, on video not in the theater. I won't pay those prices to see his musicals.

You saw Cats on video and are comparing it to the theatre experience?!?! They just don't compare, IMHO. I have never seen Cats, so I am making a general statement here. Plays are almost always better! In college I saw Guys and Dolls presented by our theater department, and it was 1000 times better than the movie starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.

You saw Cats on video and are comparing it to the theatre experience?!?! They just don't compare, IMHO. I have never seen Cats, so I am making a general statement here. Plays are almost always better! In college I saw Guys and Dolls presented by our theater department, and it was 1000 times better than the movie starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.

Sorry, but boring is boring. "Cats" is a boring show, for me, PS period, no matter the venue.

I've been on stage, and I know the thrill of a live performance from both sides of the curtain. Few things can beat it, if the material is superior.

I agree with Maggers whole-heartedly and that's not only because I love her and her foul mouth so. But Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber has ruined the Musical. I can appreciate the work that went into creating these shows, but it is only the big shows that see Broadway these days while a lot of excellent shows are passed over because they don't have Cameron McIntosh or ALW attached to the marquee.

With that said though I do love Jesus Christ Superstar. I also enjoyed Les Miserables` which was not ALW.

RENT was okay but not worth the hype and Phantom was mediocre in my book. I enjoyed it only because of Michael Crawford whose voice is amazing.

Some plays that were off Broadway that I have thoroughly enjoyed have been;

HAIR and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

That was my two cents. You can give me change if you want.

Today, I went to see The Phantom of the Opera.

This is gorgeous! Music and songs, costumes, set design, camera work, everything were great.except actors and actress. Gerard Butler is...Phantom? Gimme a break! He doesn't look like Phantom. Well, I must forget that awful actor. If I can forget him, this movie is perfect.

Anyway, this is worthy to see opening scene...and, songs and music. I bought soundtrack.

Kenji, if you want to see Gerard Butler in a different role, rent "Dracula 2000". That's right, the Phantom previously played Dracula! Wasn't he considered for the James Bond role?