Phantom of the Opera and other stuff

[erastes]

1, It's impossible to watch it without seeing "Maskerade" by Pratchett.

2. To my poor ears, of the songs are dreadful, except when they emulate G&S, and then the lyrics suck. Cacophony doesn't do it justice.

3. Where's Granny & Gytha?

Went to see "Slumdog Millionaire" last night. Yes! Film Night!  It's the first FN since my birthday when we went to see Bond. First I was ill, then Canaries Chick was ill, then it was Christmas, then my car died...  Anyway, the film was WONDERFUL, although it hardly needs my squeeage for any justification. If you can't get to see it, then don't miss the DVD. I would have probably enjoyed the DVD too as some of the dialogue was a bit tricky to hear, it was just about all filmed "In the action" with a steady cam and it didn't catch everything that was said, plus of course, some words was in the native tongue although the parts of the film where this is constant--especially the parts of the boys' childhood, it's pretty all subtitled, but done well, dynamic subtitling, like in Heroes.

The only performance I didn't think much of was that of the actor playing the lead character as a grown man, he was completely gormless, but perhaps he was supposed to be, I don't know. The slums were hideous, and it made me feel ill more than once--which I suppose is a good thing. It's just appalling that in this day and age people live like that, the scope of the slums just beggar the imagination.  Anyway, highly recommended. Hope it wins lots of Oscars.

I have lots of lovely books from the library: Sabriel, Lirien by Garth Nix, the two next Temeraire stories, (yes I know I said I wasn't going to read 'em but I was lacking in ideas of what to get), Anasasi Boys by Gaiman (am determined to plough on with Gaiman if it kills me). Am not very impressed with Sabriel so far, but Gehayi assures me that Sabriel isn't the Mary Sue that she's appearing to me at the moment.

Comments

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Never saw any version of Phantom all the way through, never wanted to. But I think we can guess what Pterry thought of it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I can't recommend it. *makes face* If I'd paid mega bucks to see it at the theatre I'd be suing.

[lyras.livejournal.com]

I love some bits of Phantom (mainly Michael Crawford as the phantom pwning everyone else in the cast), but quite a lot of the choral parts are too horribly atonal and noisy for me. Never seen the film, though.

I liked Slumdog Millionaire, too, although was a bit confused by the feelgood tag with which it seemed to be marketed. I thought, "Pretty bloody depressing with tacked on feelgood ending interspersed with major character death" was more like it!

Re Sabriel, I have mixed feelings about her Mary Sueness, but I do really like her as a character. Tim Curry does a fantastic job on the audiobook, btw - really adds to the otherworldy atmosphere, as you'd expect!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I admit that I wouldn't have minded seeing Crawford in the role, I could have stood the raucous din for him, but Gerard Butler is awful, however hot.

"Feelgood"?? Good grief. A mislabelling, for sure.

I'm about a quarter of the way through, and she has improved a little, although I rather feel that the author is making bad things happen to her to deflect from her Sue-ness, accidents and peril don't make anyone less Suey if they are hugely talented beyond their years and manage to do everything well without any preparation. I'll stick with it. Tim Curry? Yum! I'm tempted to dump the print book for the audio!

[kittymay.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear that someone else didn't like Phantom of the Opera either. I bought the dvd because it was cheap, and could only watch about a quarter of it because it all seemed so silly.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I found it just awful - the music was so discordant! I found the male leads pretty slashy, though. Drown the bird in the nightie and get on with it, boys.

[celticangel76.livejournal.com]

The DVD sucks diseased donkey balls. The only good Phantom is Michael Crawford who is a GOD in that role. But then I was a fan of the original book before the stage show - and the story itself is actually amazing. I'm still waiting for someone to do a really good adaptation of it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes the book is great - one of my flist wrote and published a sequel.. *rummages around to try and remember* Oh yes...

http://madrigalist.livejournal.com/
http://www.jenniferlinforth.com/index2.php

[penelopefriday.livejournal.com]

Libraries are wonderful things. Apart from my notorious inability to get books back on time, that is.

I quite liked the Garth Nix books, but I feel the need warn you that Liriel sort of finishes halfway through a storyline, which I wasn't expecting and which pissed me off greatly at the time.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Now they let you have billions of books rather than three, and they charge 50pence per book per week I have forced myself out of that habit, because I was appalling at getting books back on time, too.

I also have Abhorsen so I'm hoping that the book continues, although I don't know if I'll get that far - I'm just not very addicted yet. Sabriels just fallen down a big hole and I'm all "meh" about how she's going to get out. And her little cat too. :)

[kate-burgess.livejournal.com]

The POTO movie IS dreadful and I've only managed to watch a small bit of it. That was more than enough (the lack of singing talent had me covering my ears in horror). I am, however, a great fan of the original source, many of the various re-workings of it and of the Lloyd Webber stage production--which is far better than the movie.

The discordant music, however, is on purpose. The Phantom has ultimately two musical themes, the lush romance of 'Music of the Night' and the contrary discord of 'Don Juan Triumphant'. It represents his anger and disconnect from society.

And you probably weren't interested in a music analysis of the work--that's not even really why I commented! *grin* I am sort of baffled by the association of Lloyd Webber with Gilbert and Sullivan. That is who you meant by G&S, isn't it? I'm curious what made you liken the two?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I just don't like discordant music, it hurts my ears. :(

There was a duet, between two men, I don't know who they were, based on Pratchett, I guess they might have been the opera house owners, and that duet sounded a little G&S ish.