The DVD is the filming of a musical play as it is being performed. The close-ups allow the singers' facial reactions to events to be seen, but the Phantom's disfigurement has been modified to emphasize the dreadful bald-pate wig that will register effectively with theater audiences sitting in the balcony.
The triangle of Christine-Phantom-Raoul looms large, but there are also interesting character/ plot developments in LND for Meg Giry (and her controlling mother) and Gustave (the son). The Australian re-working of the lyrics, sequencing of songs and other details makes for a tightly-staged character study of how the five survivors of the Paris Opera House fire have evolved. The dangerous feeling of the roller-coaster stage set is captured inadequately in the cinematography; one recognizes that such an intricate moving set needs to be experienced in its totality to do justice to the designer. (There are limits to what can be shown in a movie of a play being staged.)
The Phantom starts out as his nasty old self with homicidal tendencies towards Gustave. At first the new character (Gustave) is a pawn; the Phantom threatens to "make the boy disappear" if Christine will not bend to his will. There's a great condescending moment when the Phantom discovers that the "little viscount" can play the piano which allows for some character change over the span of a song and climaxes with a new life purpose for the Phantom. In Act II there is a very cocky confrontation between the Phantom and Raoul that reminds us of the twisted Phantom of PTO who had previously tried to kill Raoul. Yes the Phantom shows some compassion towards Meg Giry (who hates what she has become by letting the Phantom get into her soul), but his forceful efforts to manipulate everybody to have his own way makes Christine's choice in the climax very unsettling. The Phantom is still a selfish genius who uses people for his art, but the depth of his love for Christine should be beyond question by the end of the play.
The triangle of Christine-Phantom-Raoul looms large, but there are also interesting character/ plot developments in LND for Meg Giry (and her controlling mother) and Gustave (the son). The Australian re-working of the lyrics, sequencing of songs and other details makes for a tightly-staged character study of how the five survivors of the Paris Opera House fire have evolved. The dangerous feeling of the roller-coaster stage set is captured inadequately in the cinematography; one recognizes that such an intricate moving set needs to be experienced in its totality to do justice to the designer. (There are limits to what can be shown in a movie of a play being staged.)
The Phantom starts out as his nasty old self with homicidal tendencies towards Gustave. At first the new character (Gustave) is a pawn; the Phantom threatens to "make the boy disappear" if Christine will not bend to his will. There's a great condescending moment when the Phantom discovers that the "little viscount" can play the piano which allows for some character change over the span of a song and climaxes with a new life purpose for the Phantom. In Act II there is a very cocky confrontation between the Phantom and Raoul that reminds us of the twisted Phantom of PTO who had previously tried to kill Raoul. Yes the Phantom shows some compassion towards Meg Giry (who hates what she has become by letting the Phantom get into her soul), but his forceful efforts to manipulate everybody to have his own way makes Christine's choice in the climax very unsettling. The Phantom is still a selfish genius who uses people for his art, but the depth of his love for Christine should be beyond question by the end of the play.