Sing, My Angel of Music!
by Paul Wontorek • Dec 10, 2004
In case you haven't heard, the buzz in the theater community surrounding the Christmastime film version of The Phantom of the Opera is wildly uneven, with those who have been lucky enough to see advance screenings either praising or [IMG:R]panning composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's $40 million dollar pet project. Of course, this should come as no surprise to any of us, as Phantom has always been the kind of long-runner at which theater aficionados loved to snub their noses, especially after original Phantom Michael Crawford started performing everything in the overblown whisper-sing manner of "Music of the Night," the show's overplayed subterranean anthem.
But not I. In my opinion, Phantom has always been the best of the sung-through mega-musicals that Lloyd Webber and those French dudes made a pretty penny on over the past quarter-century. With its horror movie trappings, swooning love story and legion of fans, it's also always seemed to be the most in need of a screen adaptation. And now, thanks to director Joel Schumacher, Phantom's day has come.
And how is it, you ask? Well, I can't imagine that those who found Phantom to be overrated and overblown in the theater will suddenly become converts. But for a fan like me, Schumacher's film is a dark beauty, faithful to its stage counterpart and yet expanded in all the right ways. Basically the full score is intact, save for the basically unnecessary Act Two Don Juan Triumphant rehearsal scene. But oh, the additions! Finally we learn how the Phantom came to meet his fate in the shadows of the opera house and why Madame Giry always seems armed with a sly secret. And at last we see the huge chandelier really fall with a terrifying, murderous intent. The Phantom film also ends with a touching new epilogue that hints at what Lloyd Webber may have had up his sleeve for that once-announced sequel.
If the heartbreaking Phantom is always the focus of the stage musical, unassuming Christine Daae comes close to stealing the show onscreen. A lot of that has to do with the work of 19-year-old Emmy Rossum, who seems poised for stardom after her enigmatic, haunting work here. But that's not to [IMG:L]say that Gerard Butler is a second-rate Phantom. If I weren't blown away by his vocals on the recently released soundtrack, I've learned from past experiences that a movie musical performance is more than just vocals. Even if his "Music of the Night" is less swoon-worthy than Crawford's, Butler is a decidedly sexier Phantom that could actually make moviegoers seriously debate the possibility of living in a cave with him. (Oh, and his final moments are absolutely heartbreaking.) Of the rest of the cast, local boy Patrick Wilson does Broadway proud as Raoul, injecting the sometimes stiff character with some much-needed testosterone (despite his wig!) in the film's final act, lip-syncher Minnie Driver milks the role of Carlotta with style and Miranda Richardson makes Madame Giry more human and creepy all at once.
[PAGEBREAK][IMG:R]The most exciting--and scary--thing about the Phantom film is projecting how audiences will take to an actual musical in which the story is told with song and the characters sing to one another. When was the last time we had one of those? Chicago chickened out by putting all the musical numbers in music-video dream sequence mode and if Moulin Rouge was closer to the real deal, it still did so with the use of kitschy songs with which mainstream audiences were familiar. Even Evita told much of its story with montages, dazzling the audience with historic information that made the songs sometimes seem like background music.
So get out your $10 and support this gorgeous gamble when it hits movie theaters later this month (or in January for you suburban folks!). Now bring on Les Miserables!
THEATER PEOPLE, 80 FEET TALL
The Phantom of the Opera isn't the only movie I caught recently of interest to theater fans. Here's a little round-up:
Being Julia
Over Thanksgiving weekend with the folks, I finally caught up with Being Julia, the little indie set in the theater world that's earning Annette Bening her best career buzz in years (I've been obsessed with Mrs. Warren Beatty for quite some time now, especially relishing her work in Bugsy and Love Affair--yes, I really did just say Love Affair!) Based on W. Somerset Maugham's novella Theatre, this charmer is centered around Julia Lambert (Bening), a British stage star whose career and emotions are put on the line when she beds a young American (Shaun Evans). There's delicious supporting work from Juliet Stevenson as her dresser, Jeremy Irons as her husband and Bruce Greenwood as an old friend with a secret, but the film belongs to Bening and is a must-see for fans of grande dame performances. If someone were clever enough, it could be just the right material for a chamber musical. NOW PLAYING
Beyond the Sea
Broadway vet Kevin Spacey is taking a lot of heat for casting himself as chart-topping crooner Bobby Darin in the biopic Beyond the Sea, his first directorial effort since 1996's well-received Albino Alligator. The criticisms would lead one to believe that Spacey has himself [IMG:L]acting out embarrassing scenarios--like playing a teen Darin alongside appropriate aged performers. Instead, the film is a loose, stagy telling of Darin's life--the kind of film in which musical numbers (choreographed with flair by Tony winner Rob Ashford) spring out thin air and grown-up Darin often finds himself chatting up his younger self (played by Nine scene-stealer William Ullrich). "Normal" movie audiences will probably have a hard time with a biopic that's more concerned with entertaining crowds that getting the facts right, but us Broadway folk shouldn't care about that. After all, The Boy from Oz was about as convenient of a life story as you can find and that was a stage smash. Which reminds me--hell, if we can accept Hugh Jackman as Peter Allen, then we really shouldn't challenge Spacey for taking on Darin! OPENS 12/17 in NYC and LA, 12/29 everywhere
[PAGEBREAK]Closer
I had a good time at Closer when I first caught it at the Music Box Theatre back in 1999. I can clearly recall the inventive way that playwright Patrick Marber staged the online sex chat between the show's two leading men--Rupert Graves and Ciaran Hinds--and how vibrant both Anna Friel and Natasha Richardson (spitting out one of those unforgettable lines--"Like yours, only sweeter!") were in their respective roles. Beyond the performances and the shock value of hearing such raw language on a Broadway stage, I don't really remember thinking it was a great play, a fact that I'd somehow forgotten until I sat down to watch Mike Nichols' brand-new screen adaptation. Once again, the cast is king here--Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts and especially Clive Owen all seem committed and passionate to Marber's tale of betrayal and passion. Still, about an hour in, the film falls into a pattern of sameness and ultimately is more about style than substance. NOW PLAYING
READING RENT
After all of my whining in my last column over Chris Columbus' recent interview with About.com regarding the Rent film, I was thrilled when a few of my readers sent me the actual screenplay so I could read it for myself. It seems that one of the original cast members who is recreating their role for the film has been passing this treasured document into the hands of fans over the past month, which led to one overzealous Rent-head posting the entire document on their website, showing a blatant disregard for law. Which actor was it? I won't tell, but it's not all that difficult to decipher.
Anyway, I have to say that the actual script eased my soul in a lot of ways--novice screenwriter Stephen Chbosky and rewriter Columbus have delivered a shooting script that will make many a Rent fan happy. The aforementioned cut songs turn out to be the obvious choices--some "Voicemail" sequences, "Contact," "Happy New Year" and, disappointingly, the wonderful "Christmas Bells" shopping in St. Marks Place scene (although there are several of the shorter versions of the song sung by packs of homeless people). But the plot is intact, with just that goofy gay marriage subplot thrown in--Joanne and Maureen awkwardly sing "Take Me or Leave Me" in front of the guests at a swank [IMG:R]"engagement party" at Joanne's parents' house in Connecticut. Chbosky and Columbus have even found a credible way to incorporate "Seasons of Love," the one song in the show that isn't plot-driven, into the screenplay and in the same exact spot as it is in the score!
In terms of expanded scenes, we now see Mimi's place of the employment, the Cat Scratch Club, which seems to something between Lucky Cheng's and Scores. Mimi sings "Out Tonight" on the stage of the strip joint on a set that apparently will mimic the Broadway Rent set, staircase, scaffolding and all. By the way, Angel randomly joins Mimi for the last verse of the song and they both wind up topless with just panties on! There's also a new scene between Mimi and Benny at the club, which helps to explain their dubious past.
As Roger sings "One Song Glory" on the roof of the apartment building, we know get to see via flashback dead girlfriend April and see signature scenes from their sad story. Similarly, "Tango Maureen" offers a chance for Joanne and Mark to flashback on telling moments during their troubled relationships with the oversexed performance artist (Brace yourself for the sight of stars Idina Menzel and Anthony Rapp in bed together!) and culminates in a dream black-tie tango sequence that may just prove silly. Speaking of dream sequences, "Santa Fe" transforms the view from a crowded Manhattan subway car into the landscape of the New Mexico haven. Oh, and when Roger himself goes to Santa Fe toward the end of the film, we'll go with him (By the way, Roger drives a Mustang).
Peppered throughout the script are some potentially gorgeous images. My favorite is when Mimi and Roger escape from the madness of "La Vie Boheme" at the Life Café after learning that they both are HIV-positive. As the snow falls from the sky, they sing the gorgeous "I Should Tell You" amidst a summer courtyard now blanketed in winter white. If Columbus can nail the theatricality of scenes like this, we might just have something to look forward to next Christmas after all.
But not I. In my opinion, Phantom has always been the best of the sung-through mega-musicals that Lloyd Webber and those French dudes made a pretty penny on over the past quarter-century. With its horror movie trappings, swooning love story and legion of fans, it's also always seemed to be the most in need of a screen adaptation. And now, thanks to director Joel Schumacher, Phantom's day has come.
If the heartbreaking Phantom is always the focus of the stage musical, unassuming Christine Daae comes close to stealing the show onscreen. A lot of that has to do with the work of 19-year-old Emmy Rossum, who seems poised for stardom after her enigmatic, haunting work here. But that's not to [IMG:L]say that Gerard Butler is a second-rate Phantom. If I weren't blown away by his vocals on the recently released soundtrack, I've learned from past experiences that a movie musical performance is more than just vocals. Even if his "Music of the Night" is less swoon-worthy than Crawford's, Butler is a decidedly sexier Phantom that could actually make moviegoers seriously debate the possibility of living in a cave with him. (Oh, and his final moments are absolutely heartbreaking.) Of the rest of the cast, local boy Patrick Wilson does Broadway proud as Raoul, injecting the sometimes stiff character with some much-needed testosterone (despite his wig!) in the film's final act, lip-syncher Minnie Driver milks the role of Carlotta with style and Miranda Richardson makes Madame Giry more human and creepy all at once.
[PAGEBREAK][IMG:R]The most exciting--and scary--thing about the Phantom film is projecting how audiences will take to an actual musical in which the story is told with song and the characters sing to one another. When was the last time we had one of those? Chicago chickened out by putting all the musical numbers in music-video dream sequence mode and if Moulin Rouge was closer to the real deal, it still did so with the use of kitschy songs with which mainstream audiences were familiar. Even Evita told much of its story with montages, dazzling the audience with historic information that made the songs sometimes seem like background music.
So get out your $10 and support this gorgeous gamble when it hits movie theaters later this month (or in January for you suburban folks!). Now bring on Les Miserables!
The Phantom of the Opera isn't the only movie I caught recently of interest to theater fans. Here's a little round-up:
Being Julia
Over Thanksgiving weekend with the folks, I finally caught up with Being Julia, the little indie set in the theater world that's earning Annette Bening her best career buzz in years (I've been obsessed with Mrs. Warren Beatty for quite some time now, especially relishing her work in Bugsy and Love Affair--yes, I really did just say Love Affair!) Based on W. Somerset Maugham's novella Theatre, this charmer is centered around Julia Lambert (Bening), a British stage star whose career and emotions are put on the line when she beds a young American (Shaun Evans). There's delicious supporting work from Juliet Stevenson as her dresser, Jeremy Irons as her husband and Bruce Greenwood as an old friend with a secret, but the film belongs to Bening and is a must-see for fans of grande dame performances. If someone were clever enough, it could be just the right material for a chamber musical. NOW PLAYING
Beyond the Sea
Broadway vet Kevin Spacey is taking a lot of heat for casting himself as chart-topping crooner Bobby Darin in the biopic Beyond the Sea, his first directorial effort since 1996's well-received Albino Alligator. The criticisms would lead one to believe that Spacey has himself [IMG:L]acting out embarrassing scenarios--like playing a teen Darin alongside appropriate aged performers. Instead, the film is a loose, stagy telling of Darin's life--the kind of film in which musical numbers (choreographed with flair by Tony winner Rob Ashford) spring out thin air and grown-up Darin often finds himself chatting up his younger self (played by Nine scene-stealer William Ullrich). "Normal" movie audiences will probably have a hard time with a biopic that's more concerned with entertaining crowds that getting the facts right, but us Broadway folk shouldn't care about that. After all, The Boy from Oz was about as convenient of a life story as you can find and that was a stage smash. Which reminds me--hell, if we can accept Hugh Jackman as Peter Allen, then we really shouldn't challenge Spacey for taking on Darin! OPENS 12/17 in NYC and LA, 12/29 everywhere
[PAGEBREAK]Closer
I had a good time at Closer when I first caught it at the Music Box Theatre back in 1999. I can clearly recall the inventive way that playwright Patrick Marber staged the online sex chat between the show's two leading men--Rupert Graves and Ciaran Hinds--and how vibrant both Anna Friel and Natasha Richardson (spitting out one of those unforgettable lines--"Like yours, only sweeter!") were in their respective roles. Beyond the performances and the shock value of hearing such raw language on a Broadway stage, I don't really remember thinking it was a great play, a fact that I'd somehow forgotten until I sat down to watch Mike Nichols' brand-new screen adaptation. Once again, the cast is king here--Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts and especially Clive Owen all seem committed and passionate to Marber's tale of betrayal and passion. Still, about an hour in, the film falls into a pattern of sameness and ultimately is more about style than substance. NOW PLAYING
READING RENT
After all of my whining in my last column over Chris Columbus' recent interview with About.com regarding the Rent film, I was thrilled when a few of my readers sent me the actual screenplay so I could read it for myself. It seems that one of the original cast members who is recreating their role for the film has been passing this treasured document into the hands of fans over the past month, which led to one overzealous Rent-head posting the entire document on their website, showing a blatant disregard for law. Which actor was it? I won't tell, but it's not all that difficult to decipher.
Anyway, I have to say that the actual script eased my soul in a lot of ways--novice screenwriter Stephen Chbosky and rewriter Columbus have delivered a shooting script that will make many a Rent fan happy. The aforementioned cut songs turn out to be the obvious choices--some "Voicemail" sequences, "Contact," "Happy New Year" and, disappointingly, the wonderful "Christmas Bells" shopping in St. Marks Place scene (although there are several of the shorter versions of the song sung by packs of homeless people). But the plot is intact, with just that goofy gay marriage subplot thrown in--Joanne and Maureen awkwardly sing "Take Me or Leave Me" in front of the guests at a swank [IMG:R]"engagement party" at Joanne's parents' house in Connecticut. Chbosky and Columbus have even found a credible way to incorporate "Seasons of Love," the one song in the show that isn't plot-driven, into the screenplay and in the same exact spot as it is in the score!
In terms of expanded scenes, we now see Mimi's place of the employment, the Cat Scratch Club, which seems to something between Lucky Cheng's and Scores. Mimi sings "Out Tonight" on the stage of the strip joint on a set that apparently will mimic the Broadway Rent set, staircase, scaffolding and all. By the way, Angel randomly joins Mimi for the last verse of the song and they both wind up topless with just panties on! There's also a new scene between Mimi and Benny at the club, which helps to explain their dubious past.
Peppered throughout the script are some potentially gorgeous images. My favorite is when Mimi and Roger escape from the madness of "La Vie Boheme" at the Life Café after learning that they both are HIV-positive. As the snow falls from the sky, they sing the gorgeous "I Should Tell You" amidst a summer courtyard now blanketed in winter white. If Columbus can nail the theatricality of scenes like this, we might just have something to look forward to next Christmas after all.
That's it for now. Talk to you next time. Please e-mail me any of your questions, comments or critiques!
Paul Wontorek
Editor-in-Chief
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