The Phantom of the Opera, a story retold countless times, is a love story that captures my ears and heart every time I hear its soundtrack. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical version of the classic novel and 1925 film is, hands down, my favorite musical that I will, probably, ever see. Although the Broadway musical experience is priceless, the Joel Schumacher musical-on-film was disappointing. I was raised to the voice of the musical god, Michael Crawford, who captures the spirit of the tortured genius, Erik, or better known as “the Phantom”. I came to love the voice of Sarah Brightman, the actress portraying Christine, entranced by the Phantoms music and forbidden love. To see Gerard Butler, and Emmy Rossum attempt to lip-sing their way to the same fame that the Broadway gods reside, made me loose respect for this adaptation. Having seen the Broadway musical multiple times, the color and choreography of certain dance scenes were lacking. The masquerade scene was solely black and white, probably to allow the Phantoms red costume to be more outstanding. Even his red costume was dumbed down with a simple skull face-mask, not the terrifying full skull head that the musical AND the original film used to shock the people of the Paris Opera House along with the audience. I may be spoiled from seeing the Broadway musical multiple times, and my opinion reflecting that of such, but in the movies defense, it was an enjoyable movie, a beautiful musical, and did a nice job of keeping to the story and to the original music and lyrics. However, there is an area that movies cannot touch or even begin to do justice, and that is capturing the music, talent, magic that is reserved for the live stage.