The Phantom of the Opera [1987]

The Phantom of the Opera [1987]:
01). Erik, the Phantom… Aiden Grennell.
02). Christine Daaé… Collette Proctor.
03). Raoul, Le Vicomte de Chagny… Daniel Reardon.
04). The Persian, Daroga… Jim Reid.

I talked about the book a lot in this one. It is difficult not to. So you possibly may need to of read it to understand. Or at least know it fairly well.

For those that don’t know. Yes, there is a cartoon version of this story. It begins with a sort of preview of what’s to come. Which, for me gives away a lot so I don’t really understand why. But, I guess they had a reason. This movie is an Emerald City movie so it tends to remain true to the classic literature that it is based of off. A lot like the Wishbone version of Phantom… Pant’in of the Opera.
We begin by looking out into the streets of Paris during the Belle Époque. Raoul, is escorting Christine to the Opera. Christine tells him that she got the role of Juliette. She tells him about the voice that has taught her to sing. The lines so far are pretty close to the original novel, even if they are at the beginning…
DAROGA! Yes, finally we have the Persian! He is equal to Erik for me and often forgotten or replace. Poor, Daroga. Sorry, I have an obsession with Daroga as well.
Here Joseph Buquet is now a manager. Combining character does help shorten time, and lessens the amount of characters in the story.
He just killed a cat! What! Erik doesn’t kill animals! Why do they need to add that? To add suspense? To make him evil (like every other movie tends to do). You can actually show the yellow eyes in this version though. Which is kind of cool.
Christine performance goes well. Raoul tries to visit her. She sends him away. Then he listens behind the door. “The Angels wept tonight…” exact quote. Raoul bursts into her dressing room after hearing a man’s voice. I like how she tells him off. “Spirit of Music”… interesting. Christine throws a vase at him, after he stalked her then yelled at her it is deserved. She should of done that in the book. I do like Raoul by the way.
Then we have them finding the body, the Daroga watches over.
In Christine’s dressing room, he asks her to go with him. She does. “I am not a spirit or a ghost… I am Erik” I love that he says that! They even have them men working on the heating in the cellars! Amazing!
Erik has a nice place, though I never imagined it being this large. His mask isn’t a full face black one, but painted to look like a face, and his dress is a little brighter than I would expect. He kneels down before her. I like that.
When she unmasks him his face to me isn’t that scary, he really can show a lot of emotion. He tries anger but then goes into crying, so accurate.
Back with Raoul, he receives a letter from Christine to meet her. She tells him about Erik. She tells him, not to see her again. Erik listens in behind the mirror. Christine and Raoul plan to meet at the Bal de Masque.
The costumes in this scene for me are intolerable. I hate them. Why couldn’t they of done better. Even the red death is horrible. But, the scene plays out pretty well. Once again we have our stalking Persian. Who isn’t getting stalked or stalking someone?
Also Aiden Grennell, who does the voice of Erik I think did a pretty good job. Erik follows Raoul and Christine to the Apollo’s Lyre, where they plot there escape, and Erik overhears… heartbroken.
At Christine’s last performance he drops the chandelier and abducts Christine. Raoul goes after her. He looks for her in her dressing room. The Persian finds him, and helps Raoul find Christine. Daroga says a line that can really be taken the wrong way.
The flaming head of the rat catcher is seen. I think this is one of the only movies that shows up in!
Erik’s place here seems to resemble a castle more than a hidden retreat, but I can work with them. They find a trap door that supposedly leads to him home. Instead they drop into the Torture Chamber. They listen to Erik talking to Christine. Erik doesn’t know of Raoul and Daroga’s presence yet.
Christine gets Erik to untie her, and Erik figures out that Raoul and Daroga are in the Torture Chamber. The scorpion and the grasshopper make an appearance in this one as well.
Now it seems to change. But, only slightly. The feel is somewhat the same. So I can understand it. I don’t remember Erik talking to Daroga this much until the end. But, it gives a way for Daroga to give a little bit of history. Raoul is the one who pushes the nail for them to go into the cellars away from the now heating up Torture Chamber. They find they barrels of gun powder. More running around so they can get back in. Christine turns the scorpion. After Erik swears to let Raoul go. The place floods drowning the gunpowder, Raoul, and Daroga.
Erik lets Raoul and Daroga out of the Torture Chamber. Erik then gives Christine a ring for her and Raoul “A present from your poor unhappy Erik” He quotes from the book once again. Erik soliloquy is said here as he says goodbye.
He plays the pipe organ bringing the place down as they escape. This time they really changed the ending. Dramatic effect maybe? But, still annoying. Cheesy lines to end the movie.
One thing I forgot to say earlier is that perhaps the Erik may look scary to some. I at times found him rather cute! This one follows the original novel fairly closely almost word for word at times. Which makes it truly sad that this is the only one that follows this closely.