Susan Kay's Phantom- Yes/No?

Hmm... I don't really think that list of cast would be a good combination but it would be good if the book was made into a film.
I think we need less well known actors to preform.

I haven't gotten to Madame Giry in Kay's book yet, but in Leroux's I always pictured her like Audrey Hepburn's character, Eliza Doolittle, in My Fair Lady. At least before she was trained to be a lady. Very rude, unpleasant, but still quite proud. I'm trying to think of a newer actress that could pull that off as well as Hepburn...

RoseSoda wrote:I haven't gotten to Madame Giry in Kay's book yet, but in Leroux's I always pictured her like Audrey Hepburn's character, Eliza Doolittle, in My Fair Lady. At least before she was trained to be a lady. Very rude, unpleasant, but still quite proud. I'm trying to think of a newer actress that could pull that off as well as Hepburn...

Hell yes! I love My Fair Lady. Audrey Hepburn is amazing in that role, even though most of the singing is not her. Good idea!

I think that we should have a film version, with newer actors, and not an all star cast.

It's possible Phantom by Susan Kay sometime in the future will be adapted into a film. I read the book around three years ago. The writing was considerable, and I'' admit I enjoyed her descriptions. She just failed to make me care--for the story, for Erik, for anything he might've experienced as a child.

I have nothing against romantic works, but I'm unconvinced the only experiences to shape Erik as we know him in the original story was the lewd gypsy man, his fleeting romance with Luciana, and the slave girl who faced death rather than bed him.

The most touching scene was Madeleine's narration.

Oh I loved Madeleine's narrative. I loved the whole book, really, but, her part was amazing, how she blossomed from a pretentious, snobby rich girl into the humble mother Erik's birth should have originally made her.
And I would like it to become a movie sometime, but they should film it with a dark, noir look. Not lavish like the ALW one

No offense but Marie is supposed to be plain and pinched and Nicole Kidman certainly is neither. ) Nor would she be likely to take so small a role for a movie and certainly not for a miniseries.

I think a miniseries would work fine for the whole book without skimming over parts. Obviously it would have to be on cable, prolly Showtime or HBO, because of the rating it would likely incur due to violence, sexual situations, etc. The book is already neatly divided into seven parts for them, all they'd have to do is divide some of the parts into two more parts. Madeleine's section would be a two-parter. Persia would be a two-parter. And certainly the juxataposition between Erik and Christine would be a two-parter. That would bring it to a total of ten parts... each one-hour long... for a total of ten hours. That's reasonable for a mini-series. (Look at the mini-series by Discovery Channel like Blue Planet or Planet Earth...)

More than likely, for a mini series, they'd have one or two big stars to draw in non-POTO fans. It's funny you suggested Ralph Fiennes for Garnier... I always thought of him as being a wonderful adult Erik. I absolutely would love to see Naveen Andrews (Sayid in Lost) as Nadir. By the time they get this together, Emma Watson would be old enough to play Christine/Madeliene... but I'm leaning more towards Liesel Matthews. I do think it should be the same actress playing Madeleine and Christine. One, it fits with the storyline. Two, it'll save the production at least half a salary. Funnily enough, I think Molly Shannon would be a great Madame Giry... look at how well she did in Marie Antoinette.

Film noir doesn't have a great deal of fans, at least not the type who will be drawn in by a Phantom miniseries. However, I do agree that it should not be lavish like ALWs. It needs to separate itself tottaly from the musical. I's want a director that pays keen attention to detail and wants his/her actors to be comfortable with each other. Peter Jackson comes to mind. I know he's getting more well known for epic CGI movies, but let's not forget how beautifully he directed Heavenly Creatures.

Speaking of CGI. I'm very tempted to let them completely CGI Erik's deformities. At the very least, they would have to blue screen out Erik's nose for any scenes where he's unmasked. I'm almost tempted to let the audience see his face a great deal throughout the movie, as a way of making the audience feel more intimate with. So that by the end when we're relatively immune to his ugliness, it really is a shock when Christine freaks out. I'd like the audience to be on Erik's side, not Christine's.

Um... yeah...

*gets off soapbox*

Marie

Well...
Here are my thoughts. I certainly would like Ralph Fiennes as Erik, yes, that is a good idea. After seeing him as Voldemort, I'm sure he could pull it off.
I'm not sure if having the same actress for Madeleine/Christine would be good or bad. True, they are supposed to have an uncanny similarity in the face, but, I'm not sure if I would like it unless they made them look so different only the faces were the same.
I liked my idea of Alison Lohman being Christine. She has an amazing voice, and is gorgeous.
As for the Khanum, I am leaning more towards Katherine Zeta-Jones now. Her eyes can elict both fear and sympathy. Especially after seeing her in Chicago.
Perhaps Helena Bonham-Carter could be Madeleine. After seeing her in Sweeney Todd, she bears the look I always envisioned Madeleine with: regal and elegant, but also unkempty and motley since Erik has frazzled her nerves. Mostly, it's in the hair and eyes.

As for CGI. Sorry, but, PLEASE NO. I think CGI would ruin the visage. They should use prosthetics like in the old horror movies or the stage show. They can be just as, if not more, horrifying. Plus, with CGI, you dont see the finished product until you see the rushes or the actual film. The actors would have to fake seeing Erik's face. Using prothetics would have them see it when needed, and they could give genuine reactions
Especially if they did it the way Lon Chaney did in his POTO... Do the make up and not let the actors see it until the unmasking, so the reaction would be realistic. People rely on CGI too mush nowadays. They expect films to have it left and right. Granted, the nose would have to be digitally erased, but, the use of make up would be able to achieve the harrowing effect just as well.
Plus, with CGI, you run the risk of having poor designers. And we don't want a botched, obviously fake look.

RedDeath wrote:
Especially if they did it the way Lon Chaney did in his POTO... Do the make up and not let the actors see it until the unmasking, so the reaction would be realistic. People rely on CGI too mush nowadays. They expect films to have it left and right. Granted, the nose would have to be digitally erased, but, the use of make up would be able to achieve the harrowing effect just as well.
Plus, with CGI, you run the risk of having poor designers. And we don't want a botched, obviously fake look.

That's more what I was insisting on, having to digitally blot out his nose. There have been many cinematic Phantoms and none of the really have a death's head IMHO. And regardless of whether we use full CGI or prosthetics, we run the risk of bad designers. It will depend on the director and the producers. If WETA were involved, I wouldn't worry so much. They do both CGI and prosthetics. It would probably have to be a happy marriage of both.

Rose

I haven't read the book yet i want to read it baddly i can't find it at my librariy any way it would be intersting to see im not so fond of the cast but it would do also it would make a better movie then a mini seires and i say yes it should be made into a movie reading what you said about it seems good



signd:O.G:MOTN2:

It's MUCH too long to be a movie. Unless it is an epic like the LOTR movies.... Even longer, since it chronicles an entire life..

No, it will have to be a mini series

I'd love to see a movie version of this!

The only a few parts that I would definitly be sure of are:

Erik: Johny Depp since he could totally pull it off and be dark and brooding
Khanum: Angelina Jo Lee because she's exotic and powerful looking
Raoul: Brad Pitt? lol
Nadir: The guy who played Xerxes in 300

Good LORD No!
No Brad Pitt for Raoul. I'd rather die!

But after seeing Sweeney Todd, I definately think Johnny Depp could pull Erik off.

i read the book and omg it was the best book i have ever read i cried through a majority of the book it sad and powerful i love eriks naritives you can realy get eriks oppinon about being deformied and how he hates humans and all the pepole who caused him pain i would love it to be a movie or a mini sieries



signd:O.G

This book is definitely my favorite out of the POTO books. I love Leroux for starting this conspiracy! I would love to see a movie of this book. I think if put into the right hands it would be amazing.

Yes, I definately agree. I think Tim Burton is a good visionary, but would try to make it too dark.

Well, If you think about it, the book is already dark. I want Tim Burton to do POTO anyway. That is something i HAVE to see before i die. lol

Yes, I love Burton's work. But I think he would try to focus more on the horror aspect of the original novel than the romance that the story has recently become.
Susan Kay's PHANTOM is a romance, with dark humor and a Gothic backdrop. I'm sure that Tim Burton could do it, if he found the appropriate people.
We would not want it to become like... an inverted version of Corpse Bride. At least, I wouldn't.

I love how Tim Burton has his sets, so, there's no worry there. But I do not like how he makes all characters look like insomniacs- dark circles around their eyes, unkepmt hair, pale skin, etc. He did that in Sweeney Todd, and though I loved the film, Mrs. Lovett's deathly appearance made me a bit upset.
If he did do PHANTOM, I would like to see him make the characters a bit more...alive. Except, of course, Erik.

I like the idea for Tim Curry as Javert. He seems like one who could really pull off that particular role.
I personally think that the mini series idea sounds much better than a movie. The only thing is that they need to find a director who would be able to combine the tragic story and the beauty behind it together in a perfect balance. I suggest the man who directed "The Illusionist", Neil Burger. He seems the type of director that could pull a Phantom movie together without butchering it.