歌聲魅影 - 享受夜之音樂

Tuesday, January 4, 2005

poto.jpg

其實自己早在平安夜已看了,不過到現在才寫個評論。

對於電影版的 “歌聲魅影/The Phantom of the Opera” 其實是蠻有期待的,由於自己沒有看過歌劇的版本,所以反而沒有了這個既有的框架限制,過往只憑自己的想像力從音樂裏想像情節是怎麼的,現在有了電影版的影像又是另一種體驗。因為自己都看過相當多的片段,及聽熟了電影的原聲大碟,所以對於電影是什麼模樣大概都心中有數了。

電影片的細節比較豐富,在畫面上也將時空交替,開場一幕由黑白轉而為彩色,一個富麗堂皇的歌劇院,已經感受到影片的方向是華麗光亮的,而不是原著小說的神秘黑暗的感覺。在片中的 phantom 並不神秘,而且很明顯是一個人來,他並不只出沒在黑暗之中,而且也高調地宣示他的存在。

故事刻劃可再深一點

在故事編排上,也是跟原來的音樂劇差不多,所以在故事進行時大概都知道下一幕要播些什麼。而在細節上有更清楚的交代,和更現實。例如phantom與raoul在墓地的一幕就由火球轉為格劍。大燈下塌一幕也推後到近片尾一段,原來的劇裏這一幕是在中間的,因為音樂劇會有intermission,所以有必要將上半場的氣氛拉到小高潮;而電影的版本則因為是一氣呵成,所以就要將高潮位推後了。

也正因為 phantom 沒有那麼神秘和比較有人性化,所以我們也會比較同情 phantom 的遭遇,導演加插了一段 phantom 小時候在馬戲團被人欺負歧視的情況,讓我們更清楚 phantom 為什麼會變成歌劇園的幽靈。這的確為 phantom 打了不少的同情分,不過他對 Christine 的迷戀可以寫得更深入一點。我們在 phantom’s lair 可以看到很多不同的 Christine 的東西,顯示出他很留意 Christine ,但我覺得如果再加上一些他如何留意到暗戀 Christine,再如何成為她的音樂老師的話會更好,畢竟電影可以在細節上比起音樂劇講得更多。不過為了遷就歌劇的編曲與順序,所以就沒有了。我覺得可以在他們唱歌的時候加上不同的 flashback 去交代,現在只看著他們在對唱反而沒有太大的感覺。在最後的結局,phantom 放走了他的愛人,但這個轉變其實著墨不夠深,究竟是什麼令他突然覺悟,知道愛是不能強求的呢?

電影和音樂劇的不同之處,我們聽音樂劇,看的是神奇的劇場效果,聽的是歌者唱現場的技巧,抱著看表演的心情;而電影主要目的是交代故事,描寫感情,抱著是看故事心情。反而賣弄花巧的效果和眩目的佈景只是次要,所以故事要寫得好才會得到觀眾的心。在 phantom 的故事上其實並不新鮮,出自典型的美女與野獸的愛情故事,原著也並不是很暢銷,只是在ALW改編之後才受人注目。故事的本質上,其實沒有什麼特別,但ALW抓主了愛情這個重點,再加上驚人的舞台戲法,才會做到既好看又動人的劇目。現在改編成電影,在沒有舞台的玩意底下,如果只是單靠ALW的音樂,就會令故事單薄了點,所以人物刻劃得深一點,情要寫得再濃一點更好。

音樂效果不錯

音樂方面,做得很不錯,感覺上比起原來的更有氣勢,而且在旋律上也有一些新的小段,是ALW特地為電影再寫的,真的很不錯。在吊起燈一幕,overtue響起整個電影院,比起在家中的兩個喇叭仔,實在是令人值得入場的。

至於聲音方面,老實說,打從剛開始聽OST時,我自己並不太滿意 Gerard Bulter 的聲音,始終Original London Cast裏的 Michael Crawford 的完美演出是沒法被取替的,他的聲音動人之餘,也有著點令人著魔的感覺,將phantom演譯得很好。Gerard 的聲音,始終不像 Emmy 和 Patrick 般經過多年的聲樂訓練,只唱過一些 Rock music,所以出來的效果還是差了點,對我來說 phantom 的聲音應該是完美的,否則又怎能夠成為 Christine 的音樂老師?

不過正如ALW在心目中 phantom 的形容:粗獷、俊朗、帶點殺氣,這幾點 Gerard 的確是做到了,他也將 phantom 野性一面帶出來。而在搖滾一面也符合了劇的本質,以歌劇作為包裝,但骨子裏卻是現代感很重的歌曲,旋律實際上也是很k歌的,所以才會受各大階層的人所歡迎。

至於 Emmy 和 Patrick 的表現我很滿意,很好聽。尤其是 Emmy 在聲音上可以聽得出她越來越成熟,由 Think of me的幼嫩,轉到 The Phantom of the Opera時的漸漸有力,到 Wishing you were somehow here again 時的感情收放自如。當然比起 Sarah 還是有一點距離,不過技巧是磨練出來的。而她的演技也是有待磨練。

結語

總括來說,這齣戲其實也拍得不錯,與ALW的音樂也配合得很好,很令人享受,如果能夠在故事上再深入一點就更好了。

p.s. 在字幕翻譯上其實是有點搞笑的,例如 Pass the point of no return 這句字就有幾種不同的譯法,什麼「穿過門檻」、「走上不歸航道」。Hide your face so the world will never find you譯成「玩失踪」。

Phantom OST Full version preview

Saturday, November 27, 2004

終於到手!只聽到頭幾首,不過比起London cast 2cd詳細多,像在prologue裏就有得多hannibal的音樂。最印象深的是…Carlotta實在很誇張….

“Think of me~~~ Think of me fondly~~~when we said goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooodbye….”

POTO - Feel it! Hear it!

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Here is some POTO Update:

  1. The sound preview from Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum, featuring the song ‘The Phantom of the Opera”. Showing here
  2. The JP trailer for POTO, in which you can see the opening of the movie, the overtune is amazing and the black and white —> color look is fantastic! Check it out here

Angel of music hides no longer! Secret and strange angel!

In sleep he sang to me…

Friday, May 21, 2004

Twisted every way, what answer can I give?
Am I to risk my life to win the chance to live?
Can I betray the man who once inspired my voice?
Do I become his prey? Do I have any choice?

He kills without a thought, he murders all that’s good…
I know I can’t refuse, and yet, I wish I could…
Oh God – if I agree, what horrors wait for me
in this, the Phantom’s opera…?

The movie of the famous Broadway opera “The Phantom of the Opera” is now in production. It’s a sad story about a man behind the mask.

It’s one of my favourite Broadway musicals. The music is just so amazing and so beautiful. It’s more classical. I just can’t tell how many time I have listened to the whole 2CDs set of London original cast version of Phantom.

So when it comes to adaptation into the big screen, I’m a kind of expecting. Originally, these kind of musical-movie is not so famous. But after the success of Moulin Rouge and Chicago, seems more and more musical adaptations would appear on the big screen.

Of course, there has been a big debate among Phantom fans whether to have a movie or not is a good idea. The casting is also quite an controversial issue. Many of the fans think that Michael Crawford is still the best Phantom and hope that he can appear in the movie. But considering his age, it would be quite unsuitable. There are many rumors from time to time. But finally, the role of Phantom goes to Gerard Butler. If you have seen Tomb Raider: the Cradle of Life, you will know who he is.

The director is Joel Schumacher, who has directed Batman Forever, Batman & Robin and Phone Booth. To me, only Phone Booth is a kind of refreshing. The other two batman movie is just so so. Hope that musical movie would be different and he would do a good job on it.

Here is some photos I got from the web, enjoy!
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Look at your face in the mirror….I’m there inside!
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Masquerade! Paper faces on Parade..
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No more talk of darkness…
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Night time sharpens…. Heightens each sensation…

The offical movie site has not been launched yet. There is a fansite on the movie : PhantomMovie.
Also, the imdb entry: the Phantom of the Opera 2004.

Whistle down the Wind

Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Lets make a promise, and then lets take a vow
Times running out, the only time left is now
And you know you deserve more than this
If you trust me at all then just give it a chance
They all want you to crawl but I want you to dance
And if we make a pact then it’s only right to seal it with a kiss

These are part of lyrics from a song called “A kiss is a terrible thing to waste”, which is in another Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical called “Whistle down the wind”. (If u don’t know who is Andrew Lloyd Webber, he’s the one who write the famous musical “The Phantom of the Opera”)

The story of Whistle down the wind is quite simple, a prisoner has escaped to a small town and hide in a house’s barn before the Chirstmas. Some children find him and mistaken him as the Jesus Christ. The children promise the man that they will keep his identity a secret. The main lead is a girl called Swallow. She does believe the man is Jesus. On the other hand, the police are searching for this prisoner.

The songs of this muscial is very different from the “Phantom” where you can hear more electronic music. The melodies are more pop-song like too. One of the most famous song in the musical is “No Matter What”, which has been re-sung by other artists some time ago.

I would recommend to listen to the whole story, as it is quite interesting…a man who pretend himself as Jesus in order to hide. The contrast between grownups, teenagers and children is quite clear and you can see how these people interacts.

Songs recommeded: Tire Tracks and Broken Heart, No Matter What, When Children rule the World, A kiss is a Terrible thing to waste.