LISTEN TO THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT.
A mysterious figure (Gerard Butler) terrorizing an opera house in Paris keeps demanding that a talented chorus singer (Emmy Rossum) gets promoted. Joel Schumacher, of all people, is the one to bring Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart’s famous musical to the big screen; results are opulent and beautiful, but needlessly protracted because of new material. Some viewers might also find the endless variations of a few tunes tedious; on the other hand, you won’t get them out of your head. The cast does a good job, especially 18-year-old Rossum who is both an excellent singer and actor.
2004-Britain. 142 min. Color. Widescreen. Produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Directed by Joel Schumacher. Screenplay: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joel Schumacher. Songs: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart (“Angel of Music”, “The Phantom of the Opera”, “The Music of the Night”, “Learn to Be Lonely”). Cast: Gerard Butler (The Phantom), Emmy Rossum (Christine), Patrick Wilson (Raoul), Miranda Richardson, Minnie Driver, Simon Callow… Ciarán Hinds.
Trivia: Driver was the only actress whose singing voice was dubbed; she’s not a skilled opera singer. She does however perform the newly written “Learn to Be Lonely” over the end credits. The musical was allegedly first meant to be a movie in the early 1990s, starring original stage stars Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman.
