The Phantom Of the Opera (2004) Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, & Patrick Wilson

03/24/22 • 51 min

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Book Vs. Movie “Musicals in March”
The 1911 Novel The Phantom of the Opera Vs the 2004 Joel Schumacher Film
The Margos close out “Musicals in March” with one of the most popular musicals of all time--The Phantom of the Opera. Originally created in 1911 by French journalist and bon vivant Gaston Leroux, the story is based on stories about the Paris Opera in the 1800s which include hauntings aplenty. His creation is about Phantom Erik (!) who is an “Opera Ghost” madly in love with soprano Christine.
The complicated tale of Christine, the “Angel of Music,” her childhood friend Raoul, a performance of Faust, and flooding in the basement of the Palais Garnier involves love, intrigue, some objectification, and imprisonment. The 1925 movie starring Lon Chaney just barely scratched the surface so we turn to the unofficial King of Musicals--Andrew Lloyd Weber who along with lyricist Charles Hart created one of the most successful productions in Broadway and West End history.
The 2004 film was directed by the late Joel Schumacher. It’s lush, gorgeous, and filled with talented actors.
So, between the original story and the 2014 musical adaptation--which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The author Gaston Leroux
Paris in the early 20th Century
The differences between the novella and musical
The cast includes Gerard Butler (The Phantom,) Emmy Rossum (Christine,) Patrick Wilson (Raoul,) Minnie Driver (Carlotta,) Simon Callow (Gilles,) and Victor McGuire (Ubaldo.)
Clips used:
Opening scene of the movie
The Phantom of the Opera (the 2004 trailer)
“I Remember Stranger...”
“Why So Silent”
“All I Ask of You”
Carlotta sings
Music by Andrew Lloyd Weber
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
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Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Previous Episode

"Carmen Jones" (1954) Harry Belafonte & Dorothy Dandridge

Book Vs. Movie “Musicals in March”
The 1845 Novella Carmen Vs the 1954 Carmen Jones film
We are continuing our month of musicals with the classic tale of Carmen which began as a novella by French writer Prosper Merimee and was first adapted as an opera. The story of a Romani woman who enchants the narrator by reading his fortune and behaving in a mysterious manner has been adapted several times, but for this episode, we focus on a 1954 all-African American cast filmed by director Otto Preminger.
Based on the1943 Broadway musical by Oscar Hammerstein, Carmen Jones stars Harry Bellafonte, Dorothy Dandridge, and Pearl Bailey and it was a true passion project for the director as most studios would never risk a film that would not appeal during the era of massive Jim Crow laws. The character of Carmen was also criticized for being lustful and there were not enough “moral” voices. Preminger went so far as to send the script to Walter Francis White who was Executive Secretary for the NAACP who approved it.
Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte became stars after the film’s release which was a big hit a the box office. Dandridge became involved with Preminger and though she was the first African Americen woman to be nominated for Best Actress, her career had major ups and downs and she died under mysterious circumstances in 1965. Belafonte recently celebrated his 95th birthday.
So, between the original novella and the 1954 musical adaptation--which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
The original novella by Prosper Merimee
How the main character is presented
The differences between the novella and 1954 musical
The cast includes Harry Belafonte (Joe,) Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones,) Pearl Bailey (Frankie,) Olga James (Cindy Lou,) Joe Adams (Husky Miller,) Brock Peters (Sargeant Brown,) and Diahann Carroll as Myrt.
Clips used:
Carmen Jones and Joe in the Jeep
Carmen Jones (the original trailer)
Carmen Jones sings
Pearl Bailey sings
Joe Kills Carmen Jones
Music by Georges Bizet
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
.
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Next Episode

"Hustlers" (2019) Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Lizzo, Cardi B., & Keke Palmer

Book Vs. Movie: "Hustlers"
The 2015 New York magazine article Vs. the 2019 Jennifer Lopez Film
The Margos decided to go back to the magazine mill to find a racy true story from writer Jessica Pressler about a group of Scores strippers who drugged and bilked their clients of thousands of dollars. The Hustlers at Scores came out in New York Magazine in December 2015 and became so notorious, Pressler was nominated for a National Magazine Award and the rights to the story were sold to Will Farrell’s production company.
The original article talks about the world of Scores, the treatment of women who work there, the abuse by customers who work on Wall Street, and how they were able to steal so much money for a long period of time without getting caught.
The movie, Hustlers, was treated as an independent film with a small budget and a 29-day shoot in New York City starring Jennifer Lopez and lead hustler Ramona, Constance Wu as newbie Destiny, and Julia Stiles as “Elizabeth, the journalist.” Starting with its premiere at the Toronto Film Festical in September 2019 it was a (mostly) critical hit and made $157 million worldwide at the box office.
Lopex does her own dancing and stunts and she has never been more beautiful. (Many people were bummed when she did not receive an Oscar nomination for her fur-draped performance.) The soundtrack features some amazing women artists including Fiona Apple, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Lorde. Does it glamorize stealing? (Does anyone blame movies with men as thieves and villains harshly?)
Pressler would go on to further fame with her next article about NYC con artist Anna Sorokin which was turned into a Shonda Rhimes production on Netflix--Inventing Anna. (Anna Chlumsky plays her in that adaptation!)
So, between the original story and the 2019 film-which did we prefer?
In this ep the Margos discuss:
Writer Jessica Pressler and her magazine career
Scores in NYC
The differences between the real-life characters and the film
The cast includes Jennifer Lopez (Ramona,) Constance Wu (Destiny,) Keke Palmer (Mercedes,) Lili Reinhart (Annabelle,) Lizzo (Liz,) Cardi B (Diamond,) Julia Stiles (Elizabeth the journalist) Mercedes Ruehl (Mama,) Frank Whaley (Reese,) and Usher (as himself.)
Clips used:
Ramona advises Destiny on pole dancing
Hustlers trailer
Romona and Destiny in a coat
Destiny and Ramona reunite
USHER!
Ramona rationalizes their scheme
Music by Lorde (arrest scene)
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
.
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine