The Phantom of the Opera Hits the Big Screen

The Phantom of the Opera, a rare big screen adaptation of a musical, opens this weekend.

With the musical grossing $3.2 billion worldwide with stints in New York, London, and Toronto, it was worth the gamble to producers. Over 100 million people have seen the musical?quite the grassroots marketing campaign.

Before the Phantom was even released, it picked up 3 Golden Globe Award nominations, as announced last week, including Best Original Song (Learn to Be Lonely) and Best Picture (Musical/Comedy).

The other nomination was for Best Actress for Emmy Rossum. Rossum, 18, plays Christine Daae, the love interest of the Phantom.

In her audition with Andrew Lloyd Webber, she had the courage ? or stupidity?to admit that she had never seen the Phantom onstage. Webber gave her the role but told her not to see the play so she could get a fresh interpretation of Daae.

Rossum is new to the public eye but has already built up quite a reputation. She has already been referred to as a ?diva,? and somewhat demanding.

Another interesting aspect of the film is that director Joel Schumacher cast another unknown actor as the Phantom, Gerard Butler, and he had never sung professionally before.

Butler didn?t mind working with Possum, calling her ?extremely talented? and ?amazing.?

The early reviews have been mixed, but mostly positive. The elaborate set decorations, including a huge chandelier, and extravagant costumes, some say, are taking away from the rest of the movie.

Others argue the ratios of all the movie?s aspects are fine. The actors are brilliant, the songs spectacular.

And then some say, save the money;rent the movie.






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