The Phantom Of The Opera Companion

Rating:
Summary: Hoped for more details on the movie
Review: Mr. Pinto is correct in his review. The Complete Phantom of the Opera [which I have] is a far better and more complete book about the history the the novel, the earlier films and the Lloyd Webber stage musical. As Mr. Pinto says, far too much of this book, simply repeats the earlier book in short form. I had hoped for a book dealing in detail with the creation of the spectacular movie, but the information here is pretty thin. You won't get, for example any info or pictures on the [too understated, in my view] movie Phantom make up. This book is nicely illustrated, and should please people who want a general overview, but is hardly the complete movie companion, I had hoped for.

Rating:
Summary: Phantom Of The Opera Companion Synopsis--BUY IT!!!
Review: One of the most successful musicals of all time, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera has been running for nearly twenty years on Broadway and on the West End. It has delighted over 100 million people in 22 countries and is now to become THE Christmas blockbuster of 2004. It is the most highly anticipated British film to be released.

The Phantom of the Opera is the definitive account of the award-winning masterpiece, tracing the Phantom legend from its origins in historical fact, through numerous artistic incarnations to the present-day theatre production and film. Divided into three parts, the first section introduces the reader to Gaston Leroux's classic story, based on the Paris Opera House during la belle époque; the second section provides a unique insight into the renowned theatre production, with back-stage pictures and enlightening interviews with the director, designers and crew. The final section covers the making of Joel Schumacher's 2004 film production.

Hollywood director Schumacher (whose work has included Veronica Guerin, Phone Booth, Batman Forever and The Client) has brought together an all-star cast to bring this heartrending story to a new generation. This companion book follows the actors - including Miranda Richardson, Simon Callow, Minnie Driver, Ciaran Hinds, Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler - and features reportage photos of them at work; the special effects team talks through the work that goes into recreating turn-of the century Paris and make-up artists show how they turned actor Gerard Butler into the menacing Phantom.

As the authorised volume book to accompany the film, The Phantom of the Opera is a lavish insight into this classic story and its modern-day reincarnation.

PS The book costs only $15.18 @ www.walmart.com


Rating:
Summary: Edited version of a better book...
Review: This book is for anyone who is really into the movie version of The Phantom of the Opera. It has a lot of colorful pictures, a history of the Phantom, and the complete screenplay. The problem is that many of these people will all ready own The Complete Phantom of the Opera by George Perry. The first 45 pages of the Movie Companion are simply an edited down, Reader's Digest version of that earlier, better, and longer work. There is some new material here on the movie, but that is painfully thin - consisting mostly of pictures, actor bios, and the screenplay. If you are obsessed with Phantom, you will probably want to own both, but the Perry book has EVERYTHING you always wanted to know about the Phantom.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Companion Piece
Review: This book is quite interesting in that provides back story on The Phantom through its incarnations as novel, stage production and film. From Chaney to the Schumacher version, we can read about the many interpretations and styles of the films. The book also includes the screenplay, which is a bit much...personally I would have preferred more behind the scenes pics especially of Butler (woof!).

Rating:
Summary: OK...for those who LOVE ALW's Phantom....
Review: This is a fine book; for those who LOVE and believe that ALW's Phantom *IS* the Phantom of the Opera. I don't hold to ANYTHING ALW says about Phantom in his play...and not that the original cast was all that terrible...but this new, younger, sexier cast assigned to this upcoming movie really bothers me. Butler is prettier than ALW! And he's supposed to be The Phantom??? Come on! This really stinks! Now millions of new, stupid "phangirls" are going to be drooling over The Phantom because of this ALW movie. EVERYONE!!!!! READ THE ORIGINAL NOVEL FIRST!!!!! ALW short-changes us with his Phantom! He doesn't give us who Erik really is!!! *excuse me....I'm sorry for this insanity...I apologize for this rant...*

I liked this book for the photos...but they show too few of the Phantom in my opinion and all it really contains is the shooting script of the movie (which I do hope is better than what this book and reviews are promising). Give us more if you're gonna sell your movie to us, Andrew!
And...if you already have the book "The Complete Phantom of the Opera" by George Perry, this new companion is nothing more than a mere re-hashing of the information presented in the previous book. I would have really, truly have enjoyed some different bits of information to be given (plus MORE photos of the Phantom...there just seems to be too few of him in this book).

If you LOVE ALW's Phantom...get the book. But don't pay full price for it. It's not worth it (in my opinion only). Check out half.com, walmart.com, etc. You can get it cheaper elsewhere. OH...and don't forget: Read Leroux's original novel! It will put ALW's play into perspective.