Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Is there any cinematic icon more recognizable than the Phantom's mask? Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera opened in London on October 9,1986, and since then there have been more than twenty productions world-wide. In London there has never been a seat unsold. Over 50 million people have seen the show, and the box office gross world-wide stands at nearly $2 billion. So, why not a movie version to capture this wild success, even though a film can never compete with the live show? I love the story line, even though my wife and I differ in our responses to the Phantom, and I like the music. So, even though this film dragged along, and a friend of mine echoed the belief of many when he described the show as "cheesy," I still enjoyed it. With Roger Ebert, I recommend this film even though I really did not think it was a very good film.