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rockfenris2005 07:03 pm UTC 02/19/07 |
| In reply to: | The Phantom of Manhattan - Venom 11:30 am UTC 02/19/07 |
The first time the "sequel" was mentioned, to my knowledge, was at Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th birthday celebrations. For the Encores, he introduced Dame Kiri Te Kunawa to sing a new song "from what I'd like to be, a continuation of the story of The Phantom Of The Opera". "The Heart Is Slow To Learn", with lyrics by Don Black, is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard in my life. I play it all the time. Since that event, talk was "raging" about it. Frederick Forsyth, the detective novelist, wrote a treatment "The Phantom Of Manhattan" that was published that year. Venom describes it best but it's, basically, the story of Erik the Phantom's escape to Manhattan. Christine, who is now Christine De Chagny, wife of Raoul and celebrated opera singer, has a son Pierre. We presume that he's Raoul's until, because of some ghastly event, he could never have children. The Phantom learns Pierre is his and that's that... I got the book when it came out. It's still up on the shelf and I can see it right now. It was universally dismissed by "Phantom phans" who were furious with Forsyth's statements that the Lloyd Webber version was the only correct telling. This was a cop-out to the original author, Gaston Leroux. The book, ultimately, failed and went out-of-print. Lloyd Webber abandoned the idea and went off to do "The Beautiful Game" instead. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" was recycled, musically, as "Our Kind Of Love", but only the chorus. Don Black, the lyricist, recycled the title in his collaboration with Frank Wildhorn, "Dracula: The Musical". The idea was pretty much dead. "The Beautiful Game", although an interesting show IMO, only lasted a year in the UK. Like "Whistle", it didn't make the transfer, although some of the music was played at George Bush Jr's inauguration (or something like that) and then after 9/11 ("Let Us Love In Peace"). I think the show is in Poland now The 2004 film version of "The Phantom" lifts several ideas from the Forsyth novel. When I saw the film I started to wonder if ALW *was* considering the sequel after-all. In the sequel, like in the film, Mme. Giry rescues Erik from the fairgrounds. The film ends with Raoul attending Christine's grave. The Phantom leaves a rose. This is explained in the Forsyth sequel. Matter of fact, ALW did mention the sequel around promotions time for the film and the 20th anniversary of the stage-show. As far as I know, Jim Steinman was never approached about doing it. He *was*, as is popularly documented, approached about the original "Phantom". I would like if he got the gig this time but not at the expense of composing some music himself. "Phantom" has always been Andrew's baby. It was his score, his vision. He wrote the role of Christine for Sarah. In some perverted way, "Phantom" is said to be a comment on their marriage. I say, bring it on. It'll be interesting to see what happens. "Cats" could have broken him, everyone knows that, along with everything else he ever wrote for the theatre. Why should this be the exception? LOL We'll see... | |
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