SpecialsTarget Disturbing yet enthralling

ScoobyMint Disappointment for a huge fan!

Suman Roberson It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Billie Morin This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

edwardcking2001 Aside from the original musical, this is probably the pick of the crop out of the cinematic versions of the story.Charles Dance does an outstanding job, making good use of the script and direction, both of which are well above average. Other performances were pretty excellent too. The music is engaging and well worth adding to any non teenage-dirtbag collection!This could easily have been a disaster, but instead turned out to be surprisingly - and pleasantly - good with interesting variations on a theme. Good, clean entertainment that the whole family can enjoy without the usual Hollywood crass to spoilt it! All in all, a big thumbs up to all concerned.

FloatingOpera7 I never saw this on TV. In 1990, I was exactly 10 years old, and must have missed this two part TV movie. It won an Emmy or Golden Globe for best TV drama. Director Tony Richardson (of Tom Jones fame) makes a brilliant adaptation of the play by Arthur L. Kopit. Charles Dance stars as the tragic Phantom Of The Opera, Erik, whose father Gerard Carriere (played by Burt Lancaster) manages the theatre and conceals his hideously deformed son underground. There have been some alterations to the versions most people are familiar with- either the Lon Cheney version of 1926 or the more recent Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. These changes include the omission of Raoul, Vicomte De Chagny and calling him Phillipe. The Phantom's father is a new character, taking the role that Madame Giry was supposed to fill. She had saved the troubled Phantom and hidden him under the theatre and been a "parent" figure to him. Teri Polo plays Christine Daee, the ingenue of the Paris Opera and the Phantom's student and true love. More than any other film, the relationship between Christine and the Phantom as mentor/muse..student and teacher is most emphasized. The love story is therefore even more emotional and profound. In the end, we can't help but cry when watch how a father is forced to kill his own son, who is also ready to die and even asking for the death blow, high atop the Paris Opera dome/rooftop, surrounded by men ready to fire.This has its moments. The visuals and cinematography are top-notch, effectively creating the 19th century Paris Opera environment- complete with the world of ballerinas, costume makers, patrons, singers and managers. Andrea Ferreol as the bitchy, jealous and totally corrupt La Carlotta is quite a good performance. The Phantom is portrayed as a sympathetic and tragic figure, not a terror of the opera, which is closest to the original concept of author Gaston Leroux. This is the same kind of Phantom we get in the Lloyd Webber musical. This is not that version, mind you, and is strictly a drama. The use of authentic operas (Norma, La Traviata and Faust) which were indeed staged at the Paris Opera is advantageous. There are several moments of humor- especially in the scenes in which La Carlotta's singing is foiled by schemes devised by the Phantom i.e. itching powder during her entrance aria as Norma and the glue on the cup she raises in the toast song in Traviata. True, some of the dialogue, especially in the later portions, gets too simple, stilted and wooden. But the strength of this movie is the chemistry between Teri Polo's Christine Daee and Charles Dance as the Phantom. Beautiful film, not to be missed. If you like anything Phantom, this film is one to watch. The music is gorgeous, the costumes, the cinematography and the acting.

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.

adrian2umortal I saw this 2 parter on NBC back when Andrew Lloyd Webber was sitting on top of the musical world with his Phantom of the Opera. This is a decent musical story version of the Leroux tale. The year before in 1989 Golan and Globus hired up Robert Englund a.k.a. Freddie Krueger to do a slasher movie version of the story which was a total off the original storyline of the Phantom of the Opera. That movie in all honesty, sucks ! When Yestin and Koppit released this mini series they returned Erik to Paris, France and to his beloved Opera House and once again he is deeply in love with engenue chorus girl and understudy to La Carlotta, Christine Daae, who's beauty and angelic voice reminds him of his dead mother, a nice back story line added to the original storyline with one more family member added in for the first time, the Phantom's friend and father played by venerable veteran actor Burt Lancaster. The soundtrack to this movie is available on RCA C.D. and Tapes under the simple name Phantom. It is the original theatrical stage production that this mini series was based on by Yestin and Koppit.