by Tracey Cozby

Created on: August 07, 2008

Phantom of the Opera is one of those stories that blends a love triangle, the loss of a parent, murder, blackmail, extortion into a musical that can bring tears to even the most macho type of guy. There are two sides of the Phantom fan base, those who are diehard fans of the play and hate the movie. There are those who love the movie but were disappointed with the play. How you view Phantom can allow you to enjoy each performance and fall in love all over again.

Everyone knows that a movie just cannot do a book, in this case a play, justice. With Phantom of the Opera the complete opposite is true. The movie delves so much deeper into how Erik, Kristine and Raoul got to where they were. It gives you a wider view of why Erik is so bitter and angry at the human race. It is through the movie you can gain a better understanding of the main characters and why they got to the point they are in. This movie took a lot of liberties that could not be done in the play. The incredible 100+ piece orchestra proves that. Andrew Lloyd Webber was able to go further into the story with the movie than he could on stage.

On the opposite end, seeing the play is an experience a person should enjoy at least once in their lifetime. There is so much to see, hear and become a part of. The chandelier is a major part of the story whether you are watching the play or the movie. The play uses the chandelier as major character more than the movie does. It is through using the chandelier as a character, the audience "becomes" a part of the play as the chandelier falls and comes within feet of crashing into audience members. When you walk into the theater you do become part of the Phantom of the Opera. Your senses heighten and you realize from the moment you stepped through the door that you are about to experience something amazing. Walking out the door after 2 hours of almost sensory overload you know that you have just seen something amazing and will never experience in quite the same way again.

There are those who vehemently refuse to see the movie because nothing will ever be better than the play. There are also those who vehemently refuse to see the play because nothing could be better than the movie. Both sides are missing out on experiencing Phantom in a way that it should be experienced. Phantom as a movie gives you so much more clarity into the story. The visual effects are stunning. The music is taken to a place that Andrew Lloyd Webber had only dreamed of when he wrote the play. As a movie the audience is able to really see just who these characters are. The movie is able to give the characters more dimension and liberty to take the story to the stratosphere. A place where Gaston Leroux could have only hoped his novel could be taken.

Phantom of the Opera is a story that is told amazingly well in movie and play form. When you watch the movie you will be transported back in time to the late 1800's. You can feel what the characters are feeling. You become a voyeur with a sense of being in a place you shouldn't be. A place you just don't want to leave.

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