Costume Blog

Thoughts on Australian LND

Here’s my stream-of-consciousness thoughts I typed while I watched the LND DVD all the way through.  I thought it would be funnier than a stuffy review.

LND Thoughts

ACT I

The sound of the ocean is kind of neat in the opening credits.

The captions are quite stupid tho.

BEN LEWIS DRAMATIC ORGAN PLAYING

He’s got very girly curly handwriting on that score…

I like that the lair is dark and not one huge clusterfuck of crazy like the one in London.

ELECTRIC GUITAR

His jacket’s great here, why does he have to have the stupid floor-length huge-collared vampire coat later on?  It’s so fugly.  He looks more normal here.

The portrait is so much better than the sex bot.  That was just fucking stupid.

I want to know where he got that picture though, and how the fuck it moves.  Erik was crafty but not THAT crafty, LOL.  Maybe Tesla made it for him.  

That ring is really big and ugly.

CRAZY EYES

I already like him far better than Ramin though.  He can sing!  He can act!  Maybe a little overacting, but it’s better than underacting, or acting stupid, or just being offensive.

Camera angles are good in this scene.

Oh Ben why weren’t you in the original??? :(

All in all… TIHYS… Nicely done.  Very nicely done.  Very promising.  Too bad they’re about to ruin it.

“Point of no return” theme.

Freaks….

I like they’re costumes better… also like Miss Fleck.  Everything is more appropriate.  They are very creepy / freaky.  Unfortunately… it just doesn’t seem right.  Well, the whole Coney Island thing doesn’t seem right at all for Phantom.  But whatevs.

Is that guy supposed to be an egg? Humpty-dumpty?

I’m going to just ignore the whole Coney Island being wrong thing, or else this whole review will just be a huge rant.  But let it be known that I hate it.

That being said, I like the music here — it sounds darker than London, creepier.  More Tim Burton.  A lot of people complained that London wasn’t “dark” enough (sets, costumes, lighting, feeling, atmosphere, etc) and they’ve certainly corrected that here.  They’re excuse in London was that it was Coney Island, with …

…CRAP they ruined the fucking monkey music box!  I HATE YOU.  Don’t ruin the monkey!!  GRRR …

…Coney Island had electricity whereas in the original Phantom everything was romantic, with candelight.  But they’ve solved that problem here.  It’s very dark, just like a carnival at night should be.  I tip my hat to the designer.

Oh, humpty dumpty has wings on his back.

Miss Fleck’s wig is fucking weird though.  But I guess that’s the point.

Oh shit, Meg’s coming on.  Ugh.  I hate Meg’s bits.

“Festival” of fun sounds so much better than whatever word they were using in London (I couldn’t understand what they were saying)

Costume - meh, - but SO much better than London.  And at least it echoes ballerina, which is what she was.

They’re voices are so annoying though.

If Erik wrote this shit I’d probably leave him.

Erik you weren’t kidding about WASTING your time for 10 years.  Shame on you.

God, I really hated the London Meg’s costume.  LOL.  THank god they got rid of it.  It was stupid when she said she wanted to show more skin, because she was pretty much naked.

I don’t like the marble half mask on the proscenium-thingy.

I really hate Mme. Giry in this one.  (Both her character and the actress).  But that’s just how the character is.  But for some reason I just don’t like the actress here… she’s so weird.  I think she’s only giving half the effort.

I like Meg’s wig.

Giry looks like a duck hidden in a librarian’s costume.

Couldn’t they have changed Giry’s wardrobe?  It’s been ten fucking years.

I’m not sure if I like how they changed this scene (not having Erik in it).  I sort of liked it when they were fighting with him.  It seems strange with just the two Giry’s.  Why is Giry so pissed at Meg?  You know what I mean?  But in one way it works too, because Meg’s standing up for both Erik and Christine while Giry’s just being a bitch.  Maybe it helps her character development.  I don’t know.  God I hate Giry in this one.  Has Giry really become so bitter?  Jesus.  She helped Raoul rescue Christine, and she raised Christine as a daughter.  I don’t get it.  

I like Meg’s voice and look.  But she sounds kind of autotuned?

I like the “Ah Christine” bit, sounds very pretty.  But I’m still not sure if I like this whole scene.  Maybe.  Hard to say.

This shot of Erik on the bridge is so fucking weird.  I don’t know why.  It’s like in slow motion or something.  WEIRRRRD.

I like the costumes in the “arrival” scene.  

I like how the music changes when Christine comes out.

Costume is SUCH an improvement!

Raoul is a HOOT in this one.  I love the actor in this version.

Gustave is dressed like mini-Raoul, did anyone notice that?

I think Anna plays a mother well.

Nice lighting and sound and atmosphere on the storm.  Lighting designers don’t get much credit in theatre, but they are so important.

The “no horses” thing is just stupid.  OOOOOOH.  How does it work??!  Electricity, probably.  Ugh.

Mr. Hammerstein sent 3 freaks to pick you up?  SEEMS LEGIT.

WTF is up with Gustave’s lyrics?

I miss the “it’s a funhouse where the mirrors all reflect what’s real…” bit.

DRAMATIC LIGHTNING PHANTOM OOOOOH DRAMATIC

WTF is this whole Angel of Music thing?  Creepy and… fucking strange.  Does not fit!  Strange transition.  

ANGRY RAOUL!

I do like how they changed it to Hammerstein rather than Mr. Y … because that just showed how stupid they all are.  Mr. Y and PHANTASMA!  HMMM IT COULDN’T BE THE PHANTOM.  It’s still stupid, but it’s a little tiny improvement to the plot.

You’re such a douche Raoul.  I’m sorry they butchered your character so much.  Poor man.

Go ahead Christine, have no backbone.

Seriously Raoul doesn’t recognize the melody?  How stupid can you be.

RAOUL’S SERIOUSLY EXCITED TO GET TO THAT BAR LOLOL

Goose-tave

I like Anna so much better than Sierra.  They both have nice voices, but I prefer Anna’s, and Anna is so much of a better actress.  I guess they just make them better in Australia.

I like Anna’s costume here… very pretty.

Love the interaction between the son and mother… very cute, and believable.

The lyrics to this song are FUCKED UP THO.

“Forget what you think, ignore what you hear?”  WTF

The little toy is cute.

I never mentioned that I like this dressing room set MUCH more than the old one with the giant vagina.

DRAMATIC ENTRANCE IS DRAMATIC (so corny).

VAMPIRE COAT!!!  HEAVY BREATHING!!

That faint is horrible.  Then she wakes up and then she’s unconscious again, wtf.

Just cop a feel while you’re there, Erik.  I guess I don’t blame you.

I really don’t want to watch this scene again.  It’s so horrible.  BLEGH.

WTF…

…. …

Ben is too handsome.  WTF is up with these handsome phantoms?  Oh well.  It’s not Noodles and that makes me happy.

Did you ever really know him Christine?  God.

This is so out of character, I cannot even.

Seriously they had to have all been on morphine or crack or something.

Hey Ben you’ve got some spaghetti sauce on your lip there.  Nope, a little to the left.

Although the lyrics are SO GODAWFUL here, they are a slight improvement from London.

But they’re still pretty fucked up, LOL.

… And I fucked you! …

I want to vomit.

Let me sniff your shoulder…

“Pure and whole” MY ASS

Why don’t you just eat eachother’s faces off jeez.

“And I begged you” is by far the stupidest and most laughable line.

“AGAIN AND THAN AGAIN!!” comes in second place.

Whoops don’t touch that mask, you might see the scratches my cat gave me last week.

I mean seriously, you really think Erik would leave if she came back to him?  

This is SO OOC blehhhhhhhh

BOOB GROPING

GROPE

GROPE

GROPE

Ben’s face… HA HA

That fucking collar…

I like that Anna actually tries to resist him in the Aussie version.  I’m so sick of Noodles and Sierra just being all romance-novel-ish with no tension whatsoever.

Lyrics to OUAT - Super Fail

Is there a point to this song?  I feel like this song could be summed up in one sentence and they’re just regurgitating lines…

(Music is pretty though)

BEN YOU STILL HAVE SPAGHETTI SAUCE ON UR FACE

“And time keeps moving on…” line is sad.  I’ve always liked that one.

Two ballads in a row is just too much, sorry.

Ben she don’t wanna kiss you with food smeared all over your face.

Love this set too, by the way.  Very pretty.

OK NOW IT GETS FUCKED UP.

Random PONR melody…

CREEPER MUMMY/FRANKENSTEIN PHANTOM

And welcome to bat-shit crazy Phantom…

DRAMATIC VOICE BEN DRAMATIC

“JUST ONE NIGHT, CHRISTINEEEE!!”

I think the crazy eyes work when Ben first sees the kid.  But then after he picks him up and starts to do the eyes, and the voice, it’s just fucking creepy.

I finally understood after watching this twice, that he’s doing the crazy eyes because he’s getting the idea of kidnapping Gustave in his head.  But I didn’t know this the first time I watched it, because that info comes in the next scene.  So with that voice and those crazy eyes, it’s just so fucking wrong… he really looks like a perv.  Give the crazy eyes to Christine, but not the kid.  Ewwww.

Goose-tave

WTF Christine you’re just going to let this happen?

Creepy Phantom

Creepy Phantom

And not the good creepy

More PONR music.  Jesus Andrew, recycle much?

CREEPY EYES

IIIIII AHHMMM UR AHHNGGGGELLL OF MUZZZICKK!!!

God he says that line so fucking weird.  He is so much like the Mystery Legends: POTO Phantom voiceover person that it makes me laugh.  I swear to god they are the same person.

Again, I like that Anna resists him and is utterly appalled.  That’s how she should act.  Unlike Sierra & Ramin who are about to just shag each other at any moment.

OOOOHhhhhhhhahhhhh BUT I CAN!!!

A man as hideous as this?!?  You’re fucking gorgeous Ben.  This is so fucking stupid.  Really, we’re supposed to think he’s hideous?

“POTO” Original theme music

… because we can’t use anything original …

I wonder how many drinks Raoul’s had during these two ballads.

Hopefully a lot because this is fucked up.

Insolence!

I’m going to walk around randomly and say, “Insolence!”

OK random cut-off… another strange transition.

FUCK WHY DID YOU JUST THROW BATHING BEAUTY IN MY FACE LIKE THAT.  YOU GOTTA WARN PEOPLE.

I wonder if “go spend some time working with Meg” means more than just that… lol

WTF is that rat… cat… thing… that Gustave’s chasing around.

Meg looks like an ice skater here.

I don’t think they needed to change the lyrics in this song, they were fine before… ?

I do like that they changed Raoul & Mme. Giry’s first noticing eachother, it was SO ANGRY in London, which isn’t really right… they are more civil here.

I need a drink too, Raoul.

I love Raoul in this scene.  So many good zingers.  LOL.  That boy is PISSED

Prima Donna theme?

Also I like that Christine has a costume change here.

Goose-tave

…

…

…

Hmmm

Fucking Gustave

…

Really?  The freaks have to call him “Master”?

I thought ALW said he wanted to “live among the freaks”, not be king of the freaks and keep them in cages….

Creepy.

Bad touch, Ben!  Bad touch!

“Does the young vicomte play?”  PFFFFTTTTT

Creepyness

Although the whole “beautiful beautiful beautiful beautiful” was repetitive in London, it made more sense, because he’s so young.  Whatever he’s saying here is just strange.

HE PLAYS LIKE ME!!!

Way to insult yourself Erik

TENNNNNNNNNNNNN YEARRRSSS OLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLD!!!!!

Oh here it comes…

The line’s coming…

I *need* to show you something… yeah…. … He really needs to see what’s coming next… o_O

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

God I love you Ben.  So fucking hilarious.

Although this is still so much what-the-fuckery, it’s still better than the London version. Especially how Erik isn’t caressing Miss Fleck anymore.

But there’s still some REALLY stupid shit in this scene.

Freaks in cages.  Well, Erik, I’m certainly beguiled by the dangerous and wild.

GOD WHY THE FUCK IS HE SINGING THIS TO A KID?  It is too sexual.

Might you hunger to possess… hunger that you can’t repress….  YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS  o_O

Let’s pick Goose-tave up— wait, nevermind.  JK LOL!

The bald kids… I CANNOT… ROFL

Especially the fact that they’re in his lair… ewwwwww

The skeleton thing is fucking weird.  If you look at it closely, it looks like a dinosaur standing on two feet, and a huge boner in the shape of a human skeleton.  Go and look at it.  I know it’s probably supposed to be A big dinosaur skeleton riding a human (that sounds fucking weird anyway) like riding a horse or something but go look at it.  Dinosaur that can walk and has a HUGE human skeleton boner.

I really dislike this song in this context.

One of the kids looks so fucking bored

God Erik you are so fucking stupid in this show.

You better put some Miderma on that neck scar, Erik.

You’re fucking sick, Gustave.  What the hell is beautiful about freaks trapped in cages?

And you too Erik.

God I fucking hate you both.

The costumes are made of win, tho.  Nice job on those.

YESS

YESS

COME CLOSER

YES

YESSSSSS!

OH MY GOD FUCKING CRAZY EYES BEN

What the actual fuck

Why would Erik even want to show him his face?  Has anyone ever thought of that?  Jesus, he recoils when Christine touches his mask, but then when he’s around Gustave, he’s all like, COME LOOK AT MY FACE SON!!!

I like that Meg is in this scene for the beginning and we can see her reaction to Erik being hurt.

God, if the plot was better, and it wasn’t so OOC, this scene would be so good.  It’s so sad.  Ben’s an excellent actor, until he blubbers out “A SON!” … it’s a little comical.  I could forgive that, but then he does the “crying-laughing” old lady weeping thing, and I lose it.  But then, he brings it back and becomes better again.  I wish he wouldn’t have been so comical, because he’s an excellent actor in this scene.

Have to note that I absolutely agree with the change during this scene from London — how Erik does not want Gustave to know he’s his father.  It’s so sad.  The old version of this scene was just so stupid.  These changes make it so sad.  Finally we can forgive crazy-LND-Erik because we feel bad for him.

Again, I like the blocking so much better here than in London.  The part where Sierra and Noodles are about to kiss is so stupid.  God, it’s not a fucking romance novel.  Do they even know what’s going on in the scene?!

Oh poor Ben.  Let me hug you.

Seriously tho, best thing about this version is Ben.

Except he doesn’t have a deformity.  That’s just lame.

But he shouldn’t underestimate those massive cat scratches, they could get infected, for realz.

Ok crazy-Phantom’s back.

ALL SHALL BE HIS!!!

Well if all the shit you created in this show is any indication of all you’ve created on this earth, I don’t think Gustave’s going to give a flying fuck.

But so sad.  With all its’ faults, I still like this scene.

OOOOH EVIL SUPERVILLAIN GIRY.

This part pisses me off.  Definition of butchering a character.  Jeez.

Really?  All your hopes/dreams were in your grasp?  Not really.

OK at least this Giry doesn’t have that annoying voice of the London Giry.  I couldn’t stand her voice.  

… so random.

Act II

What a boring opener to the second act.

Did he just throw pennies on the table?

This Raoul is so much better.

Barkeep’s like WTF… why you talkin’ to yourself?  LOL

I didn’t like this song too much until this version.  This Raoul puts nice emotional touches in the song and it’s a lot more believable.

One more drink sir.  For me, too, please.

Why don’t you just swig out of the bottle, geez.

Raoul’s costumes have also improved.

Why did she love you?  Because you used to be a respectable character.

Fancy meeting you here?  Where did you expect Raoul to be?

Meg’s costume is 100x improvement.  London was so stupid - like she’d really walk into a bar in her bathing suit.  >_<

I want to hear this girl without autotune.  I think she’d still be very good.

He’s not Mephistopheles, you know!  LOL!  Best Raoul line!

WHOAH DRAMATIC ENTRANCE BEN!  DRAMATIC LIGHTING!  CRAZY EYES!

INSOLANT BOY!

WTF Erik you do not own her.

Devil take the adjectives…

I love Raoul’s confidence in this scene.  It’s a good touch.

JAZZ HAND

These two men are great in this scene.  I wish it just wasn’t so comical.

Oh Ben wiped the spaghetti sauce off, good for him.

Dude Erik is way too good looking.  I might just go to see this if I could get front row and ogle at him.

That was such a sissy “I’m going to strangle you” move.

She SINGSSSSSSSSS…. you leave alone.

Poor Raoul.  Poor fucking Raoul.  I feel so bad for him in this show.

Stupid character butchering.

Again, transitions in this show are weird.  Such a rollercoaster.  SAD HAPPY SAD HAPPY.  Maybe that’s intentional, I don’t know.

I hope the freaks are wearing fake teeth…. 

FUCK.  BATHING BEAUTY.  I’ve already heard this one too many times.

Ooh Meg’s white outfit/dress is very cute tho.

Butt shot.

Oh my fucking god this is horrible.

CAMP.  The definition of CAMP.

Why don’t we just start singing songs from “Hello Dolly” and give a bunch of jazz hands…

CHECKS!

STRIPES!

What the actual fuck.

DOTS! DOTS! DOTS!

What the ACTUAL!

Wearing all of those costumes must be a bitch.

The end is so fucking stupid too.

ZE OOH-LA-LA GALLLL

Just a BIT, well, rather free?

Really?!  REALLY?!  You think Erik was watching you?!  WTF ARE YOU SMOKING

Why you gotta fuck everything up Giry.  Seriously, why would you do this to your daughter?

She’s fucking suffering.  Why would you keep going?

Goose-tave

Anna so purty.

I like her wig in this scene.

Again I like Anna’s touches here with her interaction with Gustave.

Ooh Raoul you lookin’ sharp.

This scene makes me want Christine to just leave with Raoul and Gustave and go away and go back to their NORMAL CHARACTERS.

And lock Erik in a fucking cage for locking others in a cage.

This set is so pretty, by the way.  So much better than the blank stage with one dressing table.

Raoul, maybe if you just told her you and Erik were both asses and made a bet on you, she’d rethink her actions.  If you really wanted her back and were really scared Erik was going to take her away, you would fuck the Phantom’s rules, and do what the fuck you want, and take your woman back.

Creepy Gerik in the mirror.

At least Anna puts some mystery in this scene as to what she’s going to do.  In London we all knew she was just going to dump Raoul.

Oh shit the door’s locked.

MYSTERIOUS MUSIC

PHANTOM MUST BE COMING

Whoah Ben.

Get it Ben.

God, the moment is so ruined by “you’re made of finer stuff”.  If there were any lyrics in the show that needed changing, it was that fucking one.  Maybe they should grab they’re thesaurus from DTTH and think up a new word.

CRAZY EYES

LET ME LURE YOU WITH MY CRAZY EYES

ONCE AGAIN, the blocking is so much better in this show.  They’re not all over eachother.

Whenever a rich guy puts a big ass necklace on you, something is VERY WRONG.  

BEN CRAZY FACE!!!!!!

BTW I love this song, beside that one line, I love the music and the lyrics. Erik is much more eloquent/passionate than Raoul.  I love the indecision Anna gives the scene at the end. If I can just remove myself from the strangeness of the story (i.e. the whole fucking bet thing which is just stupid), I like the scene.

OooooOOOooOOOOoooOOOOOOOOOooohhhhhhh

So annoying.

Goose-tave

Devil took the thesaurus… 

This whole bet thing pisses me off like none other.

Fuck Giry’s back.

Giry is such a fucking bitch in this show.

Let’s just walk around in random areas on the stage in this scene.

CRAZY EYES BEN!!!!

Oh shut up Giry.  You could have left at ANY time.

What a bitch.

Uh-oh, Meg just snatched Goose-tave.

Poor Christine, although she pisses me off sometimes in this sequel, I feel bad for her.  God, I feel bad for all the characters.

Although this peacock dress is a bit nutty, it’s better than the plain pink one in London.

I dislike this song with a passion [LND title song].  It’s probably my 2nd least favorite in the show (besides Bathing Beauty).

The back of her dress is cool.

Poor Raoul.

Poor Christine doesn’t know what the fuck she’s doing.

Can this show end already, ugh.

Can just this SONG end already, BLEGH.

I’m seriously restraining myself from fast forwarding.

Sdfja;lsjfla;jdsfl;jasl;dfjal;sdjf;asdjfjsadljflaskdjfjasldjflsad

So impatient

Hah Erik’s like, “Holy shit, she chose me”

God POOR RAOUL

I can understand Anna better in this song than when Sierra sang it, I think. I feel like Sierra struggles a little bit when she sings.  Anna’s effortless here.

Oh fuck, here comes Ben.

Creepy.

Anna looks like she’s going to vomit.

Creepy Erik smiling.

Keep it in your pants, guys.

Smooch smooch.  Eh, the final lair kiss in the original is much better than this.  

I do like how Ben kisses her hand and how he reacts to her, it’s good - like he hasn’t been kissed in 10 years.

CHRISTINE LOOK BEHIND YOU, RAOUL’S IN THE MIRROR!

Raoul: “So this is what it looks like back here”

Erik: “… … … ” *dramatic gaze*  BITCH YOU’RE IN MY MIRROR

GOOSE-TAVE!!!

That ________ Raoul!  What is he saying here? I’ve never heard of this word before.  I searched the dictionary on my computer and can’t find it.  Pathideus? Pithideus? Pethideus? Pethitius? Pithidius?  I really want to know the definition.  I’m perplexed!

Yep, she is a back-biting snake.

STARE AT HER BEN THAT SCARES HER

She won’t hurt him, my ass.

AND CUE THE RANDOM PEOPLE EVERYWHERE

RUN RUN RUN

RUN RUN RUN

This is reminiscent of Christine in “Masquerade”

Nope, not Gustave, just a little egg child.  Maybe Goose-stave laid him.

The music is really cool in this panic scene though.  Very cool.

The editing of this is cool but I bet it’s a clusterfuck on stage

Raoul’s fucking LOST, lol.  

Meg can you wash this show away from my brain?

WATCH ME NOW, BITCH!  You’re going to hear Bathing Beauty if it’s the last fucking thing I do!

No one forced you, Meg.  Jesus.  Why didn’t you just leave everyone if you were so miserable.

The actress playing Meg does a good job here, regardless of the scene being stupid.

Why don’t you just punjab her, Erik.

OH WATCH OUT BEN SHE TOOK A STEP TOWARD YOU.  Jesus Christ.

Give me the gun Meg?

What.the.fuck.

God Erik you are a total ass.

Whoops!

Technically Erik shot Christine, not really Meg, I mean he tried to pull the gun out of her hand and POINTED IT BACKWARDS at Christine instead of shoving it up towards the sky where it couldn’t hurt anyone.

Ben does well in this scene, Anna DOES NOT.

Seriously if I can just get over the stupidness of this, this scene actually does make me well up.  Poor Erik.  What a rollercoaster.  I hate him for the whole kidnapping Gustave threat, recoil from him for the weird Beauty Underneath thing, then feel so sad for him during the Confrontation at the end of Act I.  Then I’m super pissed at the whole bet thing, and don’t know what to think of the dressing room scenes… and then I feel so bad for him at the end.  And then I remembered everything he did and get pissed again.

What makes me sad is if there had to be a sequel, a much better one could have been written.  I would have liked to see something along the lines of the story focusing on Erik, but Christine and Raoul are not even mentioned.  I think that would be more interesting and not as fucked up.  Create new characters and whatnot.

Hmm Christine’s still not dead yet.  SHE IS NOT. YET. DEAD! *sings Spamalot*

What are you to do, you ask?  Well it doesn’t much matter, because Gustave has been raised by horrible fucking parents, and you don’t know how to be a parent either, so it doesn’t really matter.  Seriously, I wonder how the kid turned out so normal.

Aww so sad.  Poor Erik finally gets the girl and she dies.  (Although I still don’t think they should have gotten together).  Still sad.

LET ME HUG YOU ERIK

X-MEN ORIGINS WOLVERINE “NOOOOOOOOOOO HO HO HO HO!!!!!!!” NOOOOOO!

Goose-tave

Wtf is Gustave doing

Oh shit Raoul’s here

He must have been really lost…

INVISIBLE BULLET WOUND

Awkward Erik

AWK-WARD

WTF why are you singing this to him. Creeeeepy.  Does Gustave even understand what’s going on?  Seriously?  Does a kid that age understand this?

RUN AWAY

Let me hug you, Ben

I don’t like this ending.  I dunno.  The whole Gustave pulling the mask off thing.  It’s just anti-climactic for me. It’s too much like, “let’s rip off the original show’s ending!”.  I think they should have had Gustave hugging him or something rather than CARESSING HIS FACE.  It’s just strange.  And awkward.

Thank God it’s over.

I feel sick.

*applause for the freaks for being freaks and not just wearing strange clothes*

*boo for Giry*

*”Eh, OK” clap for Meg*

*CLAP FOR RAOUL, U SO FUNNY*

Anna’s so gorgeous.

HERE COMES BEN…

I want to know if he was really crying or not.

SERIOUSLY CAN WE GET MORE APPRECIATION FOR BEN IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO DO THOSE CRAZY EYES 

Well, the show’s more *tolerable* than the London version, but I’m still not happy about it. *shrugs* At least they filmed the Aussie version and not the London version.  I’d be ripping that London version apart like none other.  And at least I can drool over Ben.  If Noodles was in this filmed version, seriously, I’d throw something at the TV.  And now you know why I don’t own the 25th anniversary DVD.

All in all, I still don’t like this very much.  It makes me upset.  The score’s so beautiful but the lyrics and plot are a steaming pile of crap.  And the biggest offender is just that it is SO OUT OF CHARACTER for every single character.  As Hal Prince said, “no one would believe it [a sequel].” I honestly wish it had zero connections to Phantom, because I would like it a lot more.  But I can’t appreciate something that butchers the characters I love and just twists them and makes fun of them.

Overall Pro’s 

Mostly a beautiful score

Incredible set, lighting, and costume design

Good actors in the roles

Overall Con’s 

Lyrics are horrible, even after they revise and revise them

The most OUT OF CHARACTER thing I’ve ever seen in my life

Poor plot construction

Some parts of the story and how it is acted is just laughable - and not when it’s supposed to be funny

More people would probably like this if it weren’t POTO-related

………..

There you go, folks.  You didn’t ask for it, but I gave it to you anyway.