chrisdavartharris

Well, what can I say? One of the best musicals of all time, beautifully brought to life by a dream cast. Boggess and Karimloo have perfect voices, both alone and together. Fraser gives a fantastic performance as Raoul, bringing out the more heroic, protective side so often ignored. Boggess conveys every expression flawlessly, from elation to heartbreak. Erik's pain at the end is felt so keenly by viewers, as if they themselves experienced it. All the songs are sang brilliantly, but special praise must go to: the title song, Prima Donna, point of no return and the final song. The disappearance of the phantom at the end intrigued, as always!

After seeing the musical, the Schumacher film and reading the book, I was so anxious to see this version of the film. Without a doubt the truest adaptation of the novel by far. Lon Chaney gives two terrific performances, as the terrifying murderer who sends tremors down the spines of viewers, and the lovelorn man cursed by his own face. I was half terrified, half sorry for Erik all through the film, thanks to this fantastic portrayal. Philbin is a joy to watch also, who clearly expresses her emotions and those of the character despite not uttering a single word. I understand that this had to be the norm back then, but, all in all, truly astounding. All the Gothic, dark features of the horror of the day, combined with the timeless story of the hideous man willing to go to any lengths for a drop of love. A real tear-jerker, both from fear and sorrow. Definitely worth a watch!