There are debates in the Phandom over just about anything and everything to do with the many interpretations of the Phantom’s story. As of late, however, it’s been about one man who donned the great white half-mask and joined the league of extraordinary men who have showcased the power of the Music of the Night.
Gerard Butler...as a man, I say he is mighty good looking! As an actor, he has done a variety of roles and has done very well and is an accomplished and talented man. As the Phantom...eh. I give him props for doing the role some justice, at least. Honestly, it takes a LOT to play the role of the Phantom - one must not only have acting skills and be able to move well on stage but must have a very large vocal range (the highest note is a high A or A-flat, I believe, the 2nd space up on the treble staff, which is also the high note for characters such as Valjean in Les Mis - many who sing one can sing the other, such as the Valjean I saw on tour, who not only played the Phantom on one occasion, but also played Raoul and Andre, one of the only to play different leading roles...but I get away from myself. For those who don't understand music or vocals, that A is a far cry for many men, and many Broadway roles don't go that high...Jekyll/Hyde hits a G, Harold Hill an F and Sky Masterson an E-flat...so the Phantom is prestigious, as I'm sure you know), and all of that together is hard to come by. So for managing to play our beloved Phantom and do it well, I give Gerry a round of applause.
All of that said, being able to play the Phantom and do it justice doesn't mean you're a "good" Phantom. Having the ability to sing and act in the role doesn't make you Phantom material, as with any role. Part of it, like with any other stage role, is the aura you give off. Some roles can be played by a multitude of people that bring many different things to the show while doing just as good jobs, but roles like the Phantom are different. Since the show was based upon a novel that is far different from it, it loses its integrity if every single part of the show is completely changed. One thing that must remain the same is the ever-mentioned age difference between the Phantom and his protégée Christine. According to Leroux, Erik is much older than Christine, a good twenty-plus years, and the relationship is more that of a parental one. He loves her, yes, and wants to marry her, yes, but the ever-present love-triangle is not presented as a romantic choice. It is overbearing (and yes, a bit crazy) guardian vs. young suitor, not guy with the sexy voice vs. guy with the money and the title.
On to ALW...the original Phantom, Michael Crawford, portrayed an older Phantom, though not necessarily Leroux's skeletal one, to the, once again, young Christine, played by Sarah Brightman. I personally think that that pair does Leroux's vision the most justice, at least appearance-wise. However, the relationship was definitely more romantic...just watch the ending scene. ALW's Phantom love-triangle was certainly sexy voice vs. the vicomte, very different from Leroux's (actually, the "Down Once More" part of Leroux is much more different than that, but it's hard to explain to those who haven't read it).
So we take ALW, add Joel Schumacher and we have ourselves the 2004 movie, and I finally take this long rant back to Gerry Butler. I've already given him points for the ability to play the Phantom, so I won't do that again, but, like I said, ability doesn't equal getting a role. I know that JS has said on many occasions that he wanted to give the Phantom a more rock-and-roll edge (I’ll get back to this later) and that he wanted the entire cast to appear younger and more appealing to the younger audiences. Put it together and we have our dear Mr. Butler. He fit the bill for JS's vision, and hey, good for him. It catapulted him to a higher status in Hollywood, along with Emmy Rossum, for sure, but did it do our beloved Erik le Fantome justice? No way. Butler's voice is good, his acting skills are good, and let's face it, I'll watch Gerard Butler in tight pants with his shirt hanging open any day of the week, but he is not the Phantom! The age difference wasn't really there...in real life, he and Emmy are about 17 years apart (he was born in Nov. '69, she in Sept. '86…more on this later) but with his young good looks, he could've been her older brother. The classic age difference wasn't apparent and it changed the whole effect. The Phantom could have been a suitor for Christine, just as Raoul was (Patrick Wilson was born in '73), had he not been in his position. (I find it hard to believe that Leroux's deranged musical genius could have lived underground for all that time and still found time to work at a hot body...not possible.) JS's vision was served, but Leroux's and even ALW's was not.
Going back to the Leroux novel for a bit, we are all aware that the Voice (Erik’s voice, capitalized for a reason) was of major importance...of course, we can't ever hear what Leroux actually thought the Voice sounded like since it was on paper, but we can get the idea from reading. I've never read Kay, though I should, but I do agree that Erik’s voice was seducing, if not in a sexual way. It was more of a mental seduction than a sexual one, and I almost like that better as it's what the whole idea of the Phantom/Christine relationship is based on...he seduced her mind with his Voice.
Continuing with the subject of Voice, we know (as I mentioned before) that JS wanted a more rock and roll-ish Phantom. However, as I also mentioned, the Phantom’s part requires vocal talent. Gerard Butler does have a good voice…but not good enough, as I’ll explain. What Butler brought to the role of the Phantom was a very “rock opera” sound, as well as a rough and untrained edge that worked for some things (see below) but not all…and it is in those qualities that the problem lies. Talent in singing should've been more important in JS’s choice of Phantom, but it's over and done with and we don't have to worry about it ever again. I thought that physically (not counting age/appearance...physical as in mannerisms) Butler was a very good Phantom, and paired with the best qualities of Crawford!Phantom, he'd have been a knockout Phantom. I did love his more "rock opera" voice for some of the songs, such as in "Point of No Return", but that doesn't work for all of it. The Phantom's voice has to be versatile, and the rock-ish sound of Butler's doesn't work for all of it, not even close (just listen to “Music of the Night” when he does hit the high note…it’s too rough for such a melodic, soft and beautiful song). There is a lack of "professional sound”, but with the right man playing the Phantom (i.e. not Gerry), it could be beneficial...it adds a new element to the character since he isn't a professional, but a gifted genius. However, as Gerry was not the “right Phantom” for many reasons, those qualities that helped in some areas really hurt him in others.
So what's my point? Gerard Butler was good at what he set out to do, a younger more appealing Phantom with a voice to carry the title role. I'm not going to get into Emmy's preparation for her role (see note below) or you'll be here reading my ranting for a week, but the entire 2004 cast served its purpose. Leroux would've cringed, but, if I were him, I would be open to new interpretations of my story...I'd like to see what people would do to it with nearly a hundred years of time.
Gerard Butler will always be my Phantom, as he was the first I saw (did I mention that?) and the first I loved. This isn't to say that I think he's the best, because he's not. He is good in his own way and appeals to his own audience, just as Michael Crawford and Lon Chaney appeal to theirs. He does not deserve to be criticized for taking on a monumentally challenging role and doing it justice, if not the right justice. If I were him, I'd be patting myself on the back and feeling damn proud of what I'd accomplished, just like every other Phantom out there.
I probably forgot something, but oh well.
If you’d like to contact me regarding any of my essays, please feel free. I love your feedback! movietrendz[at]yahoo.com
Love to all Phantoms and Phans everywhere, Jewelles
A quick note on Emmy… Emmy was right in terms of age (though it's nigh impossible to be the lead in an opera at 16, so realistically the teenage Christine wouldn't have worked) and the pairing with Butler wasn't right, but, again, it's over. Nothing more we can do.
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