Phantom of the opera - Essay Example

Phantom of the Opera Phantom of the Opera, is a movie produced in 2004 after prior production of a book about it. It basically has a character named Phantom, who is a ghostly figure in control of the movie. The phantom terrorizes the crew at the French Opera House so as to remain with Christine (Joel). As Christine started to get known, she falls in love with Vicomte, with no prior knowledge that the Phantom was in love with him. This brings about some twists in the movie. In this paper, comparison and contrast between the play and the movie shall be made in relation the Phantom.

In the book, the Phantom is described as a ghostly figure that did not have a nose and had a dressing resembling that of an undertaker. In addition, in the book, he is described as a very thin person, in fact a comparison is made to a skeleton. The Phantom possesses an ugly yellow skin, together with deep set eyes that glow in the dark (Leroux 13). The book denotes the Phantom to have been having 3-4 long black hairs which hung down from his forehead. In addition, the books describe the Phantom as having a head that constantly changed at will.

In comparison to the movie, the Phantom is seen as a seemingly genuine and caring person. In contrast to the book, the movie brings out the Phantom as not that scaring and demon like (Joel). In addition, instead of a disfigured person, in the movie, the Phantom is seen as handsome shaped man that wore a beautiful white mask. In regard to the lair, in the book, it is described as being a dark area except for some area on the floor which had a shaded lantern. The lantern in the book shines on a gushing fountain set positioned in the wall (Leroux 19).

The wall had water splashing down it, and the water disappeared under the floor. Furthermore, it also had black demons that stirred fires in the book. It is described as having a nightmarish darkness, including tapestries on furniture, walls, vases, candlesticks and flowers (Leroux 21). In the book, Daae is seen as seen to be in a chaise lounge, which is a simple bedroom that contained a mahogany bed plus cretonne hangings existing on its walls. In the book, the room basically looked like a funeral room.

In comparison to the lair in the movie, it is portrayed as a beautiful place. The walls of the lair in the movie are seen as gray, though had candles placed everywhere that cast glow on the existing brick (Joel). In addition, the antique candlesticks plus the candelabras had been placed everywhere, books placed all around, silk curtains draped about, plus also had the art of Daae about a desk scattered. In addition, the lair had a shallow pool which led out to the existing shore making it beautiful place (Joel).

In conclusion, it is evident that there is a contrast between the original play of the Phantom of the Opera and the movie. In looking at the character the Phantom, quite a difference exists in the physical characteristics of the character when comparing the play and the movie. In the play, he is a disfigured ghostly person, but in the movie, he looks more handsome. In comparison of the lair, the play portrays it as a funeral home while in the movie, it is a beautiful lair. Works CitedLeroux, Gaston.

The Phantom of the Opera. New York: Sterling Publishing Company, 2008. The Phantom of the Opera. Dir. Joel Schumacher. 2004.