The argento version

[Night feather]

I've begun to watch this movie, i have not finished it yet.

To tell teh truth I got quite curious when all said it was repulsive, vulgaire and a disgrace to the story, but then ending should be sad.

I must say they are right. It is a complete misinterpretation of the whole story.

Erik is not deformed, he is only equipted with a long mane of gray hair (I think it's supposed to remind of rat fur)
He is raised byt telpathic rats in the catacomps, and therefore he is able to control other people's minds, for ecsample to make the rodent exterminator to stick his hand into the rattrap, so the rats eat parts of his hands (totally gross)

There are these disgusting pedofiles in the opera house as well. And the murders in the film are so apaalingly disgusting and gross. YUK!

It's bizarre, vulgaire, gross, disgusting, Erik is a suxual diviant, but boring is the last word I would use for it. it's actually quite interessant in is's obsecenety. Although they have got the names right.

I'll update when I'v finished it.

[The Phantom]

Could you give us a link to a website or something? I never heard of this form of the Phantom movies but indeed it seems vulgar and gross. I can't believe that someone would make a horror movie like this out of a beautiful piece of work like the Phantom of the Opera. :(

Edit:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119889/

I found it by searching on Internet Movie Database.

[Night feather]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by a link or a website, but if you enter www.videodetective.com and search phantom of the opera, it should appear, so you can watch the trailer. It's the one with Julian sands and Asia Argento.

Oh and... hahahhaha.... It's hilarious.. Raoul looks like prince... hahahha...

well I agree with you completely phantom, well.. no not entirely actually... Good stories has always been abused, just take the myth of troy for an example.

But yes, phantom of the opera is one of the most beautiful stories, and it is a pity to see it sullied like that, but hey I still have about 1 third of the film left, so maybe it van become better...

I'm trying to figure out witch version I dislike the most, the argento version or the one from 1943 with Claude Rains. The argento is gross, but they have all the events better caught. the one from 1943 is just... A mess.... They have completely destroyed it.

[Christine Daaé]

I thought this Argento version was funny as all heck. The funniest part is, when Raoul shoots Jerik -- Julian Sands-Erik -- in the heart, Jerik still manages to fight for a good ten minutes, even when he's stabbed in the gut and shot repeatedly in the chest. Then, as Raoul -- now the Baronne instead of the Vicomte -- is rowing Christine away, she screams "NOOO! MY LOVE, DON'T LEAVE ME! WHYYYYYYYY!"

Bad script, bad acting, and you can tell who the main characters are because they all have long hair. I love this version, because it's so bad, it's good. Know what I mean?

~ Zelda de le Fantôme

[cinty]

Gosh, it sounds awful!! How terrible! I know how you mean Zelda, sometimes things are so awful you can just laugh at it's ridiculousness. I don't think I will ever waste my time watching it though. Nothing like the Lloyd Webber musical, in my opinion. I don't konw why they bother to murder the story like that and actually think people will watch it!

[Night feather]

Yeah it's awful, it's official, the worst phantom version ever! Although the Claude Rains one was really really bad as well...

I thought it was hilarious when the Jerik (use your expression Zelda) says "I'm not a phantom, I'm a rat"

"Uh well I love animal" his victim then says.

Christ! horrible.

I laughed as well, it was so bad you have to laugh. What's strange is how a quite good actor as Julian Sands choses to be in some s*** like this!

Erik is a sexual diviant who prefers to do it doggystyle (sorry if this is to offensive)

Sodding God, this is BAD, BAD....

interesting yes, good... NO!

Watch it if you liek alternative and sexaully freaked out versions of the story of Phantom of the opera, otherwise don't!

[The Khanum]

The three best parts of the whole movie:

1. Fat Carlotta is running away to avoid being smushed by the falling pillar. It's made like those really awful Japanese ninja flicks, with the really awful use of green-screen. Quite amusing. Then the pillar falls on her head...but don't worry, SHE DOESN'T DIE! No, instead her hair has a large dent in it...apparently she was wearing a little too much hair-spray...

2. The chandelier falls on a bunch of people sitting in the audience. It looks like they filled a bunch of balloons with red paint and exploded them simultaneously...supposedly representing the audience's heads.

3. The very end...Erik (who has no deformity) is surrounded by the police. He is shot somewhere around six times in the chest. And somehow he manages to kill all the policemen (quite brutally, I might add) before suddenly realizing that he has indeed been shot (fatally)... He stands on the edge of the bank and reaches out to Christine before falling dramatically into the waters below.

::Snickers:: How I love this movie...

~Erik is my Hero

[Night feather]

Hahhahah yeah you are so right about the Carlotta sequence Erik_is_my_hero... Hilarious....

"you will not sing tonight if you value these big breasts"

HHAHAHHA.... So funny, but actually (frowns) also kind og grossly creepy.

[Christine Daaé]

The reason why Jerik doesn't have a deformity is because Julian Sands refused to have one put on him. So they rewrote the whole script. In my opinion, they should have dumped him and hired someone who would do it.

~ Zelda de le Fantôme

[The Khanum]

He wasn't even good as Erik anyways! ::Mutters incoherent bashing of the Jerik::

Stupid-head...

^ ::Laughs at own stupidity::

~Erik is my Hero

[IamErik771]

I want to see this version, just because I'm weird and I like watching completely awful films. I heard that Dario Argento originally wanted John Malkovich to play Erik in this film, but settled for Julian Sands instead. And I don't even want to think about Argento directing his own daughter in sex scenes. Ick... However, I want to see this film just because it's called "Phantom."

[The Khanum]

Wait. *Double-take* WHAT? Christine was Argentino's DAUGHTER?

::Shudders:: Okay, that's just creepy right there. I am so glad I did not know that while watching.

I've been in the habit of renting all these old Phantom movies lately, partly just to say I've seen them, partly to expand my Phantom knowledge, and partly to have myself a good laugh. I've managed to accomplish all three. Especially the last one.

~Erik is my Hero

[Night feather]

Yeah that's true Asia Argento is Dario Argento's daughter... Positively gross...

Can jsut imagine...

"No no Asia honey, you must get him grope your breasts more, and remember to part your lips, and seem liek you are reaaaly enjoying yourself, no no turn your arse more upwards"

[The Khanum]

Originally posted by Night feather
"No no Asia honey, you must get him grope your breasts more, and remember to part your lips, and seem liek you are reaaaly enjoying yourself, no no turn your arse more upwards"

That is so disturbing... But what is even MORE disturbing is that I'm laughing hysterically right now because of it.

I am a sick, sick child...

~Erik is my Hero

[Countess Cain]

I think this might be the one Phantom movie I'm going to intentionally skip. XD That 'being raised by rats' thing is making me want to gag already...

[Night feather]

Well I can understand you Sadako, it's really bad...

And KT, I'm sick as well... It's fun to be sick, it makes everything a bit more.... Welll fun!

(sniggers insanely)

[IamErik771]

I really wish that Dario Argento had hired John Malkovich to play Erik, like he originally wanted to. John apparently wouldn't have minded the disfiguring makeup, and I think he's a much better actor than Julian Sands. Why on earth did Argento not cast him? Was J.M. busy with other films at the time? If so, why didn't D.A. wait? Plus, if Malkovich had been cast instead of Sands, we could still call him "Jerik." :p

Absolutely hilarious commentary, Night feather. :D

[The Khanum]

To be honest, the whole story plot didn't really do it for me. Though he could have made it a whole lot better, I don't think JM could have saved this film. It was doomed from the very first scene, and a joke by the time the orgy-dream came about.

[IamErik771]

According to what I've heard about this film, Argento had the writers re-do the script almost completely to accomodate Sands. So who knows? Maybe it would have been a lot better with Malkovich. I guess we'll never know now. :(

[Countess Cain]

But still... A guy who lets his own daughter play in a role like that is just... Strange.

[IamErik771]

Aye. It's very disturbing. BTW, has anyone ever heard of another Argento film called "Opera?" It's also a very Phantom-esque story about a masked man who seduces an opera singer, and forces her to watch him murdering people.

IMO, this version should not have been titled, "The Phantom of the Opera." They should have called it "The Rat King." :D

[elycia1]

Argento's Phantom is freakin' hilarious! God I loved it for the camp piece of trash that it was. I was seriously entertained by it. I've seen enough Julian Sands straight-to tape-schlock to know what I was getting myself into. I laughed so hard I cried. Just when I thought it couldn't get any weirder or any funnier they threw in the rat vaccum and the Turkish bath scene. :tongue:

[Lady Christine]

somebody know a link for the trailer?

[Lady Christine]

Okay everybody tells me that the movie is violent and disturbing but what it have that make it that way pleaSe tell me, because a friEnd ask me to give her that movie for her birthday and i dont now if she can really seen it (she is 15).

[Bee]

It's gory in parts - the Phantom bites off a girls tongue, and it shows him killing other men graphically. It shows the Phantom and Christine having sex, and alludes to the Phantom having sex with rats also. The bath house scene also shows nudity. I thought the movie was good even though it had little to do with the original plotline, but it is graphic, so you'll have to make the call on whether to get it for your friend for her birthday.

[Tears and Rain]

How is that that the Phantom kill other man graphically? By the way I am Cristina Alexandria I am new here.

@
)'

[Phantom's Sonnet]

I haven't seen it but, from what I heard this version was pretty gory and intense. Its interesting that the Phantom isn't disfigured but, raised by rats in the catacombs. Thats very different from versions I seen of the Phantom. Do you recommend this movie to see or not? We have it at the movie place to rent so yeah...

[Bee]

Hi Cristina! -

How is that that the Phantom kill other man graphically?
well in one scene he kills a woman by biting her tongue and ripping it out of her mouth.

Do you recommend this movie to see or not?
I recommend it, not only cause it's a Phantom movie, but I thought it was a good movie overall.

[Tears and Rain]

Originally posted by Bee
Hi Cristina! -


well in one scene he kills a woman by biting her tongue and ripping it out of her mouth.




Thank You :cd9:

[MissDay7000]

This is my all means the absolute WORST phantom movie I've ever seen. I was actually very upset when I watched it, I felt almost insulted that Dario Argento would dare to pervade my favorite love story the way he did. Anyway, it's everything you ladies said: Vulgar, disgusting, perverted, bizarre, and utterly pointless. I'd give two thumbs way down and ZERO stars for a movie rating.

MissDay

[AngelicRose]

Wow! Sex scenes, murder scenes, Turkish bath scenes, rat vaccums, beastality, orgy dreams, biting tongues, AND telepathic rats? What DOESN'T this move have!?

[o_O;]

I saw this one way before I saw the stage show and the 2005 movie last week. Back then, I thought it was pretty good, the romance was sweet - but compared to the ALW movie, it just sucks. The murders are gross really... And what was up with the rats and the sex? Just weird.

[The Floor]

Then again, all of you, you seem to forget that all of the disturbing images you see in that version are the sort of things Erik had imagined happening... that, in his mind, the murderers were all perverted and worthy of death, and sex seemed to be a decent goal.

Meep! Adios!

[Night feather]

Yes this basically have everything...

It is very handy for Asia Argento to have a director dad, but really - this i one of his films she should have turned down. Because she is really very, very good when she gets the right material, this movie not being one of them, and I so love that woman!

However, one thing I liked about this film is that it actually had real opera music in it, and that they had (almost) all the supporting characters and storylines in place, just so unfortunate that the main one had been twisted horribly.

[o_O;]

The movie is interesting in its own way though. It's supposed to make you think at the end. There's a whole theory behind it, the Phantom only exists in Christine's mind or somewhat.

[~*~Rachelle~*~]

Hmm i wanna see this but i don't think i should ( cus im only 14) if it actually has sex in it which im not sure of does it cus i don't know whether to buy it or not cus i could get away with it as the blind people at fop ( dvd shop) think im 18 could anyone tell me if its TOO graphic please

[F-warp]

I just saw this and I was kind of pleasantly surprised.

Sure, it mostly works as a B-movie horrorflick and doesn't compare to the Chaney or Lom version but it definitely deserves an honorable mention despite Asia Argento's uninspired performance.

What I really like about the movie is it's guts. Argento obviously had ideas about POTO that nobody else had. But still he went out there and made the movie he wanted to make. That takes guts and demands respect.

And it easily beats the living hell out of the ALW-movie (but then again what doesn't)

[MissDay7000]

I hate--well actually, no I don't--to disagree with you, hon, but I myself thought that this movie was one of the worst I've ever seen. Ever. Just the first 30 minutes were enough to make me sick, in an extremely bad mood even at Argento's gall to turn Leroux's story into such a sick tale of his own. Considering the phantom wasn't even deformed--unless being psychologically insane about rats can count--I just got the vibe that Argento decided to do a soft-core porn flick about a guy in a sewer and put Leroux's character's names to his own to get a little more publicity about it. Just...wrong...all wrong.

[F-warp]

I hate--well actually, no I don't--to disagree with you, hon, but I myself thought that this movie was one of the worst I've ever seen. Ever. Just the first 30 minutes were enough to make me sick, in an extremely bad mood even at Argento's gall to turn Leroux's story into such a sick tale of his own. Considering the phantom wasn't even deformed--unless being psychologically insane about rats can count--I just got the vibe that Argento decided to do a soft-core porn flick about a guy in a sewer and put Leroux's character's names to his own to get a little more publicity about it. Just...wrong...all wrong.

You've obviously never seen a soft-core porn flick. And why is it so bad that the man wants to go out and do his own thing? I think it's an interesting twist to have the phantom's deformity be psychological instead of physical.

Don't get me wrong, I still think it's a bad movie that mostly works as a B-horror flick but that has nothing to do with it's not staying true to the book. Take the 1962 Herbert Lom version, nothing like the book but still a damn good movie. I want to see a deformed corpse-like Erik just as much as you but I think Argento made his phantom repulsive in his own way.

And if you don't like explicit gore and nudity, you shouldn't be watching the movie in the first place. Don't go using that as a reason to diss it.

[IamErik771]

Mod Message:
Hey, now . . . You certainly have the right to disagree, but please quit with the personal attacks. This board is for thoughtful discussions, so I humbly ask everyone to avoid flaming in the future. If not, there will be punishment in store. Thank you.


L'anyhoodles, back to discussion on Argento's film . . . I still haven't seen it, but I really want to. I admit that what I've heard about it so far doesn't really seem like my cup of tea, but I'd still like to see it for myself so I can form my own opinion. After all, I enjoyed Robert Englund's POTO a lot more than I thought I would . . . so who knows?

[MissDay7000]

Sorry if it seemed to get a little personal, that wasn't the message I was trying to send at all...my apologies. :)

Anywhoo, I understand what you mean, about Argento wanting to do his own thing--and like everyone else who lives in the good ole U.S. of A he has every right--but it just wasn't what I wanted to see at all. I guess I'm just touchy about my classics; I like for things to stay true to the books and when they don't, well I'm not a happy camper.

But oddly enough, IamErik771, I liked the Robert Englund version too, even if it was a little strange and violent in some parts. I guess it just amuses me, because Freddy's Erik! :lol:

[Andrew_Phantom]

Anyone seen Dario Argento's version of Phantom? To me, it's my least favorite version of Phantom, and after the first (and only) time I saw it, it made me sick. I gave it back to one of those movie trade-in stores and atleast got some money off of it. Here are a few problems I personally had with it:

*The Phantom had NO DEFORMITY, whatsover: Obviously, the key point about Erik is that he HAD A DEFORMITY, the reason why he lived in the catacombs under the Opera House to begin with. Being raised by rats was crazy, and how he learned to speak from them was beyond me.

*He had sex with Christine:This, of probably all the points I could make, made me sick the most. It didn't even seem consentual to me; it looked like anal rape!!:eek: If Erik was going to have sex with her, it seems like going by Leroux's and Lloyd Webber's versions he would want her to be willing too.

When it got to the end, I was actually glad that they killed Erik. As far as what he did in this version, he deserved it!:mad:

In conclusion, I thought this version of POTO was terrible, and if anyone saw this as the first version of POTO that they saw, there's a great chance they would be turned off from watching all the other ones. Compared to the Robert Englund version, I would have Englund as Erik than Julian Sands anyday.

What are your thoughts on this version which took many, many liberties?

[MllePaula]

My thoughts? Well, all I can say about this one is that I liked some of the costumes. Beyond that, I hated it. Not a movie I'd watch again and not at all Phantom to me!

[marissamayhem]

Since I have a strange need to read/watch anything Phantom, I just had to see this movie. I read up on it beforehand so I could see what other people thought. I went into it knowing that it was going to be a whole new level of suckage so I didn't expect much. I think it made it a lot more pleasing to watch. I just sat back and laughed. A lot. I completely lost it when Christine and Raoul kissed on the rooftop. If you can find a more absolutely ridiculous/awkard kiss on the face of this earth, then I will tip my hat to you because I just don't think it exists. I had to pause and walk away from the movie because I just could not stop laughing.

Also, the bath scene was just so ridiculous. "Oh, let's insert a bunch of naked people of varying body shapes just for the bloody heck of it!" Oh!, and who loved Jerik sitting on the roof by himself while sentimental music played then OUT OF NOWHERE, we see a huge mouse trap with naked humans stuck in it. That scene wouldn't have been so ridiculous if the music FIT, but it was like happy, skippy music. Weiiiird.

I could just FEEL the actors saying in their heads, "I can't believe these words are actually coming out of my mouth." The script was bad. The acting was bad. I giggled at almost EVERY line because it all sounded so ridiculous.

Also, I see that Jerik is a pretty messed up guy. He's raised by rats, he has sex with said rats, and he brutally murders people. I get it.. but even HE didn't deserve that crazed ramblings of Christine. One minute she loves him and sleeps with him, then in the VERY NEXT SCENE with NO reason at all, she absolutely hates him! She goes back and forth a couple times too. She clubs him with a rock right in the face then immediately after she's all, "PLEASE FORGIVE ME! YOU'RE ME ONE TRUE LOVE!"

But the best was the intense and emotionally moving scene at the end with Jerik, having been shot multiple times, lets out a very loud, "CHRIIIIISSSSTTTIIINEEE!"

Oscar worthy stuff, I'm tellin' ya.

[Andrew_Phantom]

Since I have a strange need to read/watch anything Phantom, I just had to see this movie. I read up on it beforehand so I could see what other people thought. I went into it knowing that it was going to be a whole new level of suckage so I didn't expect much. I think it made it a lot more pleasing to watch. I just sat back and laughed. A lot. I completely lost it when Christine and Raoul kissed on the rooftop. If you can find a more absolutely ridiculous/awkard kiss on the face of this earth, then I will tip my hat to you because I just don't think it exists. I had to pause and walk away from the movie because I just could not stop laughing.

Also, the bath scene was just so ridiculous. "Oh, let's insert a bunch of naked people of varying body shapes just for the bloody heck of it!" Oh!, and who loved Jerik sitting on the roof by himself while sentimental music played then OUT OF NOWHERE, we see a huge mouse trap with naked humans stuck in it. That scene wouldn't have been so ridiculous if the music FIT, but it was like happy, skippy music. Weiiiird.

I could just FEEL the actors saying in their heads, "I can't believe these words are actually coming out of my mouth." The script was bad. The acting was bad. I giggled at almost EVERY line because it all sounded so ridiculous.

Also, I see that Jerik is a pretty messed up guy. He's raised by rats, he has sex with said rats, and he brutally murders people. I get it.. but even HE didn't deserve that crazed ramblings of Christine. One minute she loves him and sleeps with him, then in the VERY NEXT SCENE with NO reason at all, she absolutely hates him! She goes back and forth a couple times too. She clubs him with a rock right in the face then immediately after she's all, "PLEASE FORGIVE ME! YOU'RE ME ONE TRUE LOVE!"

But the best was the intense and emotionally moving scene at the end with Jerik, having been shot multiple times, lets out a very loud, "CHRIIIIISSSSTTTIIINEEE!"

Oscar worthy stuff, I'm tellin' ya.

I know! lol:) It seemed as though the makers of the movie thought, "Did the Robert Englund version not have enough gore, sex, and random acts of violence to satisfy your craving? If so, this is the POTO for you!"

(The funny thing is that Christine's face looks like the following emoticon at one part in the movie...........>:eek:. roflmao!

[EphemeralSanity]

I was not at all a fan of this film. My parents bought it for me, believe it or not, at the local DOLLAR store, but we asked to present an ID upon purchase! So, they knew from the start that it was graphic, but, me being 17 at the time, I still watched it. And found it deplorable. :lol:

The sex scenes were too much for me. Now, granted, Erik in here is not deformed, so, they are acceptable. But, still, too much.
As for Asia being Argento's daughter, I thought that was sick when I found out. I thought it was his wife at first. Good lord.

Also, the scene with the rats in Erik's pants... Pointless and tasteless, IMO. It was comedic in some scenes, especially the over-the-top acting, gore, etc. One thing I hated was the scene with Raoul and his brother in the "bath house". Far too much nudity for me, haha. Call me prude, but, some of these things shown in there were not needed :D

[angelgirl]

This was one of those movies that I originally bought just because it was "Phantom" and now, after seeing it 3 times over, I'm wishing I hadn't! This movie sucked! Too much nudity for me and too many sex-alluding to it scenes and a little too much gore. On the plus side, I thought it was interesting how they made Phantom's deformity more pshycological than physical. And I loved when he said,
"Do you understand me, you fat cow?"
I nearly fell off the bed laughing triumphantly when I head that line. I thought,
Oh, yes, a Phantom finally insulted Carlotta almost to her face! YAY!
*laughed maniacally*
(I just can't spell anything today.)
Ok, enough with the ranting about how bad this movie was.
A.G.

[thePhantom6]

Three words: WORST MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!


(what's the deal with the rats!!???)
wtfwtf!??

[phantom's_rose]

Good Lord, who even gave these people the RIGHT to make a movie like this?! It sounds awful...I've never actually seen this version, but from what I hear, it sounds terrible. Just...ugh, terrible. And I saw a little tiny clip of it on a review on the Lon Chaney version. Erik has a nice doo goin' on...we should like...start a riot or something...

Yes, well, I'll have to look at this on Youtube. Gah.

[RTT]

I actually watched this version for the first time last week...wow.

I was really excited, because it was a version of PotO I hadn't seen yet, even though I have read really, really bad reviews on another Phantom site. Putting those reviews aside, I was determined to go into this film with an open, unbiased mind. ... Epic Fail.

Erik wasn't mysterious. At all. He was still a creeper, by all standards, but it wasn't the same kind of creeper as every other version. He didn't really love anyone, which was odd. Except the rats. He was pretty fond of the rats.

Christine was one giant mood swing. She would go from screaming "I love you" to proclaiming utter hatred and repulsion of him.

Raoul was a very bizarre character, and it's a wonder that Christine could even stand to be in the same room with him, let alone love him. And was there really a reason for the sauna scene? All we saw there was that Raoul had an intense temper.

Speaking of the sauna scene...what was with all of the random and unnecessary nudity? o.O It wasn't just in the sauna scene. It was everywhere.

On a scale of 1-5, 5 being a brilliant film, 1 being a waste of time, effort, and life, Dario Argento's "The Phantom of the Opera" earns a whopping 1/2 star from me. *shrug* Oh well.

[Erik'sPhantomfanGirl]

Maybe I'm the only one but;
I love this movie.

Yeah ok he as some strange min. but Every Phantom of the opera is different.

but yeah I realy like this Movie.

[glamgirlsg]

My friend saw this version and now she is scarred for life. Really.
She told me that this move totally rips off Batman Begins. You know the one with the Penguin and Catgirl. I actually saw THAT movie.:thumbs2: But anyoo, My friend just hated this movie. And I can be sure that if she hated it I would probably hate it too. When I asked her why she said
Well for starters Erik isn't even deformed. The girl that played Christine has total mood swings. It's almost like shes bypolar. And there are just too many references to sex, drugs, and murder. The only saving grace is Christines maid. But even then she gets high. It was just a horrable movie.

[PeachOfPersia]

Well, yea, mature, clean and classy were not exactly the words to describe these characters... Jerik is not deformed, nor sympathetically tortured. But it isn´t dull, and as period Gothic horror it is gorgeous.

[IamErik771]

My friend saw this version and now she is scarred for life. Really.
She told me that this move totally rips off Batman Begins. You know the one with the Penguin and Catgirl. I actually saw THAT movie.:thumbs2: But anyoo, My friend just hated this movie. And I can be sure that if she hated it I would probably hate it too. When I asked her why she said

Actually, the movie it rips off is "Batman Returns" (released in 1992, directed by Tim Burton). "Batman Begins" (2005, directed by Christopher Nolan) is much, much better (though I did enjoy "Returns" as well). But yeah, both those films are definitely far above and beyond this version of POTO.