Short version of this review (which won't contain any plot summary): **This isn't horror, more drama/Gothic romance. Great writing and acting, gorgeous music even though it isn't a musical, and filmed at the REAL opera house in Paris. See it - if you're able to get it.**
I recently rediscovered this 2-part mini series, on YouTube of all places. It doesn't seem to have been shown much on TV, and one has to make an effort to track down DVDs as well. Generally, this has never been distributed the way it should have been IMO, which is a disgrace. We taped it from a Norwegian TV airing when I was a kid and watched it time and time again, yet sometimes it's like it exists in a vacuum.
This version might well have the best Phantom of them all, played by Charles Dance of recent Tywin Lannister fame. Wonderfully written and acted, he's pretty different from other versions; a sardonic British gentleman (in manners if not accent), yet passionate and vulnerable. Not insane as much as unstable, and much more sympathetic (and boy did the teen girls on YouTube notice that! Well, at least I hope they're teens..). This Phantom is like if you provided Gerard Butler (2004) with more dignity, less selfishness and a sense of humor. And he STILL comes off more threatening.
Christine is played by a young Teri Polo, she's pretty good, but a bit overwrought, and annoyingly naive.
Poor Adam Storke gets the ungrateful task of playing Raoul, or Phillipe, as he's called here (his brother's name in the novel). Everybody always hates Raoul, because he gets the girl over the main character even though he's not a traditional hero (in other aspects his characterization varies). However, he remains Christine's childhood sweetheart, and the one who offers her a normal, healthy life, something the Phantom wants to deny her. And Christine does not love the Phantom in a romantic way; she loves Raoul. Storke does a good job if you can look beyond his blonde tresses and raspy voice (was he trying to sound French or what??) His version of Raoul is less condescending to Christine than Andrew Lloyd Webber's.
Others worth mentioning are Burt Lancaster in key role and Andrea Ferreol as a very evil AND very funny Carlotta.
For a TV movie with presumably restricted budget the production values are truly outstanding. The movie was filmed in the real Opera house Palais Garnier in Paris, apparently as the only Phantom version so far. The sets are very atmospheric and a welcome relief from the kitschy production values of the 2004 movie.
The music needs to be mentioned. This is no musical (though was later made into one, very confusing), but uses real operas combined with a haunting original score by John Addison. Christine and the Phantom have opera singing doubles, but believe me, this is one instance where that works, as the voices chosen (Michele Lagrange and Gerard Carino) are exquisite. I love Lloyd Webber's music, but this is just as good if not better.
The only problem I can think of with this mini is some pacing issues in Part 2, where it slows down a bit, which makes it all the more annoying that it was never cut down to movie length and released in cinemas. Well, I guess DVDs and Youtube are better than nothing. Unless you loathe romances (this is deeply romantic in an old-fashioned, Gothic way) - see it.
I recently rediscovered this 2-part mini series, on YouTube of all places. It doesn't seem to have been shown much on TV, and one has to make an effort to track down DVDs as well. Generally, this has never been distributed the way it should have been IMO, which is a disgrace. We taped it from a Norwegian TV airing when I was a kid and watched it time and time again, yet sometimes it's like it exists in a vacuum.
This version might well have the best Phantom of them all, played by Charles Dance of recent Tywin Lannister fame. Wonderfully written and acted, he's pretty different from other versions; a sardonic British gentleman (in manners if not accent), yet passionate and vulnerable. Not insane as much as unstable, and much more sympathetic (and boy did the teen girls on YouTube notice that! Well, at least I hope they're teens..). This Phantom is like if you provided Gerard Butler (2004) with more dignity, less selfishness and a sense of humor. And he STILL comes off more threatening.
Christine is played by a young Teri Polo, she's pretty good, but a bit overwrought, and annoyingly naive.
Poor Adam Storke gets the ungrateful task of playing Raoul, or Phillipe, as he's called here (his brother's name in the novel). Everybody always hates Raoul, because he gets the girl over the main character even though he's not a traditional hero (in other aspects his characterization varies). However, he remains Christine's childhood sweetheart, and the one who offers her a normal, healthy life, something the Phantom wants to deny her. And Christine does not love the Phantom in a romantic way; she loves Raoul. Storke does a good job if you can look beyond his blonde tresses and raspy voice (was he trying to sound French or what??) His version of Raoul is less condescending to Christine than Andrew Lloyd Webber's.
Others worth mentioning are Burt Lancaster in key role and Andrea Ferreol as a very evil AND very funny Carlotta.
For a TV movie with presumably restricted budget the production values are truly outstanding. The movie was filmed in the real Opera house Palais Garnier in Paris, apparently as the only Phantom version so far. The sets are very atmospheric and a welcome relief from the kitschy production values of the 2004 movie.
The music needs to be mentioned. This is no musical (though was later made into one, very confusing), but uses real operas combined with a haunting original score by John Addison. Christine and the Phantom have opera singing doubles, but believe me, this is one instance where that works, as the voices chosen (Michele Lagrange and Gerard Carino) are exquisite. I love Lloyd Webber's music, but this is just as good if not better.
The only problem I can think of with this mini is some pacing issues in Part 2, where it slows down a bit, which makes it all the more annoying that it was never cut down to movie length and released in cinemas. Well, I guess DVDs and Youtube are better than nothing. Unless you loathe romances (this is deeply romantic in an old-fashioned, Gothic way) - see it.