Customer Reviews

Andrew Lloyd Webber's the Phantom of the Opera Companion (Film Companion)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

I got this for my 11th Birthday and it was just great! Look, you have the whole screenplay of the movie, pictures and notes from the directors, writers and producers, a whole chapter of just the history of The Phantom of the Opera AND another really cool chapter of the Musical [Yes, with screen shots and original artwork!!!!] Give me one good reason why you shouldn't buy this! It is cheap, it is long, it is valuble, it is The Phantom of the Opera! Buy!

I also reccomend the original book of the Phantom of the Opera [The old novel] and for you to go see the show and buy the upcoming DVD! EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT A MUSICAL FAN,YOU WILL LOVE THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!

Here's a good explanation why it's so good: It's the second [Cross you're fingers it will soon be the first] LONGEST RUNNING SHOW ON BROADWAY!

So you see why this would be the obvious choice. Thank you.

One thing; if you already own George Perry's Complete Phantom of the Opera, you don't need this book! The first two sections of this Companion, which deal respectively with the former versions of Phantom (the original Gaston Leroux novel, the 1925 silent movie and its successors) and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical (the idea, the writing, the casting and the ensuing success) are both very interesting, but are merely summarys of the same two sections in Perry's book.

However, it is the part about the movie itself that is the most disappointing: while I expected comprehensive interviews with the cast and crew members, details about the shooting, etc, all we get is 2 pages for each of the followings: an interview with Andrew Lloyd Webber, one with Joel Schumacher, brief bios of the main leads, details about the music, production and set design and ONE page on the costume and make-up. I should speak of half-pages actually, because there are more pictures than text. And all of these are mainly details you'll have read already, the "music" stuff is written word-for word in the booklet of the new extended soundtrack CD, and finally, you get less information than if you go to the movie's website.

Two redeemers, though: the pictures are truly wonderful, colorful and lavish, including many never-before-seen from the movie, and the book includes the whole screenplay, which gives away many interesting details and allows to understand the characters better. There are many stage indications and scenes that differ from the final movie version (most have been simply skipped), and reading it, I found myself thinking that it would have made the movie better if they had followed the original script.

For the real phanatics only, or maybe the newcomers.

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.

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

I purchased this book a few months after I bought THE COMPLETE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA by George Perry. This book is very similar to Perr'y book except for the fact that THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA COMPANION focuses some on the movie production. It also includes really nice photos of the cast and crew during shooting, and some photos ftom the movie. Other than that, Perry's book is probably more informative. However, if you are a big fan of the movie, then you may want to purchase the COMPANION. I am a big fan of POTO, so a bought both!

This book makes a great companion for those who love the movie. The pictures are wonderful and the screenplay (as mentioned before) add detail to better appreciate the movie.

FYI for Silverpen: the cover photo is not really flipped -- it is a view in the mirror.

Includes history of the original novel, some info on the Broadway production, and of course, the making of the movie. It also includes the script of the movie (although, for some reason, the movie doesn't follow the script exactly). The book was worth it for me!

I highly recommend this book, even more so if it was in hardcover. Not comprehensive but who cares? A good picture is a thousand words, and the book is filled with them in color. For 17 bucks, the book is a STRONG BUY.

I enjoyed this book very much. It includes the screenplay for the movie and when I read it I could understand the movie much better. Plus the pictures are beautiful.