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Phantom of the Opera (1998)

   
Directed by: Dario Argento

Written by: Gerard Branch, Dario Argento & Giorgina Caspari (English adaption)
Gaston Leroux (Novel)

Starring:

Julian Sands .... The Phantom
Asia Argento .... Christine Daae
Andrea Di Stepfano .... Baron Raoul De Chagny
Nadia Rinaldi .... Carlotta Altieri
Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni .... Honorine
István Bubik .... Ignance, the rat-catcher
Lucia Guzzardi .... Madame Giry
Aldo Massasso .... Pourdieu
Zoltan Barabas .... Poligny
Gianni Franco .... Montluc
David D'Ingeo .... Alfred
Kitty Keri .... Paulette

Release Date: Theatrical: August 11, 2006; Deauville Film Festival: September 2, 2006

*Images courtesy at www.evilontwolegs.com

Rating:

 

After being abandoned as a baby and taken away in a stream towards a cave, some rats come to the rescue as he is known as the Phantom (Julian Sands) and grows up living in the caves and plays his organ as well as murdering intruders that trespass in his domain as well as saving his pet rats from exterminators.
But suddenly he seems to have a change of heart when he encounters a beautiful opera singer named Christine Daae (Asia Argento) as he begins to lure her by playing a haunting melody in which he caresses her and she gives in to him.
However, he wants to keep her in his cave and do his deeds in which she doesn't want to so her keeps her there.
A charming young man at the opera named Baron Raoul de Chagny (Andrea Di Stepfano) who falls for Christine as well tries to track her down and saves her from the grasp of the Phantom.

 

An Italian version of the good ole classic which works quite well. It almost reminded me of Andy Warhol's horror flicks Frankenstein and Dracula by the style it was done. Yet, this film had much better taste.
It's very exploited and a little different since the Phantom doesn't wear a mask to hide his ugliness yet he doesn't look monstrous at the same time.
There's many good dialogues and some suspenseful scene's throughout the film which I thoroughly enjoyed too.
We have some odd dark humor here and there as well as real intense moments too especially between the Phantom and Christine.
Original fans of the movie may not enjoy this as much but for others that enjoy artsy film with skin and gore will probably enjoy it.

The acting is not too bad but I believe some of it is overdubbed with American actors. Yet, it is well performed with the voice over's.
Lead actor Julian Sands was marvellous playing the Phantom with his soft and soothing voice to the one he falls in love with and his insane and aggressive actions towards the one's he doesn't like putting it all together. He has the right looks for the role too.
Asia Argento
shows a nice soft speaking and lustful behavior in her role of the film plus knew how to act aggressive and emotional. She stood out well with her opera singing too.
Andrea Di Stepfano
as the charming one in the film really showed a good obnoxious attitude and also was good at acting heroic too.
Nadia Rinaldi
stood out extremely well playing an arrogant opera actress in the film showing a good nasty and self centered attitude to her role which made her part totally believeable.
István Bubik was quite a comedic character in his role as the eccentric rat catcher and had the perfect timing for the role he played in the film which added a nice touch to the whole story.
D
avid D'Ingeo was one of the first people who got killed off in the film but seemed to show a nice charm to his part in the film.

Oh yes lots of nudity as we have breasts exposed by Kitti Keri while being seduced in a cave.
There gratitious nudity in a bathhouse with men and women full nude. Yes folks it's true.
There's a tit shot on Asia Argento while being seduced by the Phantom which there's partial nudity on him too played by Julian Sands.
There's a tit shot on N
adia Rinaldi after the Phantom tears off a top part of her costume.

A body is cut in half
A finger is cut all the way through
Someone is hurled into a sharp rock
A woman's tongue is bitten off by the Phantom
A guy's face and neck is being chewed off by the Phantom
A dwarf's head is chopped off
Some gruesome looking rats are slaughtered
The Phantom is bloodily shot

Dario Argento shows alot of nice style to make this Italian version of the old classic come to life. He shows a nice shot in a cave with a baby floating in a cradle on a stream with a bunch of rats circling around it and then taking the cradle in which looked cute along with a good close up shot on a rat with it's eyes growing red.
There are many shots on Asia Argento performing and singing on stage which looked quite impressive.
There's also many moments with lead actor Julian Sands as the Phantom caressing Argento and speaking softly towards her with her soft reactions.
There's a great reaction on supporting actor I
stván Bubik screaming in pain when his hand is trapped in his rat catcher stabbing his finger with some rats swarming around his hand and biting in it.
A good reaction on Bubik after discovering his finger bitten all the way through after trying to get surgery with an aggressive attitude.
We have a good lustful dialogue between supporting actors David D'Ingeo and Kitty Keri making out and speaking to one another in a corner of a cave and a good shot on them later on walking the alleyways with a sudden grab by Sands picking up D'Ingeo and then a great fearful reaction on him along with a good close up shot on Sands speaking evil and viciously towards him along with a good shot throwing him down.
There's a good close up shot on Keri screaming in terror and then running away suddenly getting caught with her foot between some rocks along with a distant shot on Sands coming after her. There's a good shot on her foot when she tries to break free which makes you wonder if she'll make it on time. We have many other suspenseful shots on her when she tries to escape and a good close up shot on Sands with his face next to her and then about to bite her tongue off.
There's a nice reahearsal performance by Nadia Rinaldi and afterwards having an arrogant behavior towards others.
We some some artsy interesting shots on people at a bathhouse getting out of the pool, making out or massaging one another. We have a great aggressive reaction on Andrea Di Stepfano at the bathhouse not satisfied with the women there.
There's a corny direction with Bubik and supporting actor Sandor Bese with their killing vehicle doing away rats at the cave with a great deadly crash.
We have a good presence by Argento performing on sutage with a camera looking up on Sands watching with her suddenly passing out and the people looking worried especially by Sands.
We spot a good shot on Argento walking in the cave with Sands playing the organ and then he asks her to sing for him.
We spot some nice lustful shots between the two in bed with a good shot on Bubik peeking through a crack watching them.
Later on Sands does well acting physically aggressive towards her to stay in his domain.
There's a great screaming reaction with Argento outside near the stream with a good shot on Sands going away on his raft.
We have a nice reaction on Rinaldi acting worried and concerned while trying to find who's talking to her and then a nice attack by Sands he rips some of her costume. She does well screaming when this happens.
Rinaldi
does well performing on stage meanwhile with Sands breaking open some cement of some sort and then a part of a stage object crashing on the orchestra with lots of people fleeing and screaming.
We get a good shot on Argento screaming and crying floating away on a raft with shots on Sands being shot to death.

Ennio Morricone composes some fast paced orchestral nmusic with the Phantom chasing after a woman in his cave plus there's some hokey music that invovled a rat cather killing rats with his vehicle in the cave.
There's some nice smooth and peaceful violin playing during a lustful moment between the Phantom and Christine. Plus we have some quivering violin music for the susenseful moments too.

The Phantom: The role is yours
Christine Daae: I don't want it
The Phantom: I said that it's yours
Christine Daae: I said, I don't want it. Tell me how many life did it costs, huh
The Phantom: You shall sing Julliete and I shall be there with you.
Christine Daae: I hate you!
The Phantom: Yes. Well, hate and love are one.

Christine Daae: I HATE you, and I HATE this place!