woodyellio Beautiful scenery and costumes. Tragic story. Ending could have been better. Adds more depth than Andrew Lloyd Webber's 2004 movie version directed by Joel Schumacher. There is more interaction between the main characters and offers a more believable background for how Christine Daee could have loved the Phantom and how she accepted him as a tutor. Imagine how the 2004 movie musical version would have turned out if it had been filmed at the Paris Opera House and incorporated more of the story from this version. Burt Lancaster makes a powerful presence on the screen as Gerard Carriere. Charles Dance plays a highly intelligent, articulate and mildly mannered Phantom. Terri Polo plays a gorgeous Christine Daee. This Christine Daee ends up living the equivalent of the American success story beginning from the bottom and achieving the very best through her hard work and talent. Aristocratic blood lines and culture are depicted as judgmental and opportunistic through the likes of Carlotta played by Andréa Ferréol and even Count Philippe de Chagny, a handsome and wealthy womanizer, played by Adam Storke. Was nominated for five Emmys, winning two. Was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards including Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for TV. All in all this series is worthy of viewing especially for those who seek more of the Phantom of the Opera than Andrew Lloyd Webber's version provided. If only modern TV mini-series could produce similar quality productions!

fro0tlo0p If your looking for mindless gore and horror, look elsewhere. If you are looking for a phenomenal story, incredible cinematography, lavish costumes, superb acting, and all the elements from Phantom of the Opera that you've ever wanted to see wrapped up in imaginative, risk-taking dialog, see this one. Charles Dance is the perfect blend of sympathetic monster and mad, love obsessed gentleman. He loves deeply with an innocent passion. Teri Polo plays Christine with such angelic sweetened and bitter remorse, you'll love, hate, and love her character time and again. Add to that Burt Lancaster's majesty and Andréa Ferréol's over-the-top performance as Carlotta, and this is the strongest PotO cast I have ever seen. Plus, you get to hear real opera beautifully sung throughout the film.

John Wayne Peel To start with, this Phantom reinvents the story line with things that Gaston Laroux never had in his book. Like characters that were never in the book, and to add insult to injury, the reviews of the Kopit/Yestin musical claim it is closer to the book than the more famous Andrew Lloyd Webber version. It actually stuck close to the Lon Chaney classic. Even Phantom star Michael Crawford said many times that he based his characterization on the magnificent work of "The Man Of A Thousand Faces." While utilizing actual sets of the Paris Opera House, it's sumptuous production values mask an almost ludicrous storyline that make Erik the Phantom a plagued wimp.What infuriated me most about this entry in the Phantom film history was that after religiously taping the two parts and eliminating all commercials, the director/writer doesn't even show you the Phantom's face. Instead, we are "treated" with looks of horrified disgust by those who supposedly did see his ugly visage. What a gyp.Actors Burt Lancaster and Charles Dance have been better used elsewhere, and both of them should hang their heads in shame for being connected to this complete overhaul of the great original. To date, the only true Phantom Love The Opera is the 1925 silent classic starring Lon Chaney Sr.To make matters all the worse, this Yestin and Kopit version was made into an even less memorable musical with totally forgettable songs.

opera_ghost There has been many movie-version's of well known story of Phantom- the tragic figure, who has found home in the Opera house in Paris. But for my own surprise best version is not made for the cinema, but for the TV. Movies strengths seem to be the atmosphiere and actors. It is only Phantom movie that is filmed on location as well features french actors. Everything seems to be in place. You can feel one with the characters, nothing supernatural. There's not even silly clisés that seem to be necesery add-ons for any movie that deal with anykind lovestory.It is actually second Phantom of the Opera movie I had seen back on 90's and it is also only one that is equal in quality to Lon Chaney's silent movie. When you have a question: to see it or not, I believe it is one of the "must-see"'s.