#Phantom Of The Opera 25th

[ophelialoveshandsomemen]

Say what you will about Van Helsing 2004; hate it, love it, be indifferent, But the All-Hallow's masquerade ball went sooooo hard and it had zero right to do so! It's a fun, campy, monster mash movie with wonderfully dated ( and expensive) cgi and non-stop action meant to be a popcorn flick one takes out to watch around spooky season. And it has this* chef's kiss* GORGEOUS 6 minute sequence plopped arbitrarily in the second act, which unexpectedly surpasses nearly every other ball in the last 30+ years of film( notable exception being the Cinderella 2015 ball) for literally no reason other than to be dramatic af.

Like feast your eyes on this Gothic masterpiece!!! Who doesn't want to immediately live in this picture?!??

They used those candles with oil in them so that they would have real candles, real string orchestra( I believe), probably around 100 real life extras( something which is tragically absent in modern film), said extras are all in beautiful fully decked-out costumes( which are in luxuriously dark colours, but nearly no fully black, another thing you cannot say for much modern cinema), REAL CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PERFORMERS for all the acrobatics!!!! Hell, instead of filming in a sound stage, where they could control the reverb and the acoustics and the size of the set and the bloody lighting ( they apparently had a heck of a time emulating the firelight for this sequence) and the temperature( it's very cold in stone churches!) better, they filmed in a Baroque church in Prague! As I said, peak dramatic splendour, jfc...

Think about that a second...They filmed a vampire masquerade in a Baroque Catholic Church( St. Nicholas' in Lesser Town, if you were curious) with amazing over-the-top acoustics and marble statues and real, tiled floors and marble pillars and a choir loft which they very much utilized, covered the pipe organ and the altar with a grand brocade curtain so it wouldn't be so obviously a, you know, a church! And there's a gold gilt elevated and canopied pulpit into which they put two vampire kiddies for, again, the sake of being dramatic.

And the costumes! They remind me of the 25th anniversary Phantom of the Opera Masquerade costumes. Same quality, like they're old, well-cared-for costumes pulled out of a warehouse, instead of fast industry churn-outs. With lots of trim and colour and masks and lace and feathers and..just...ugh.. they are all perfect! Just look at all the head pieces on the ladies and the hats on all the gentleman ( save Dracula of course) and the powdered wigs on the musicians. ANNNNDD! The dresses are historically correct!!!!!! It's the 80's bustle era! Nobody does the 80's bustle era in film anymore and it's a bummer. Oh and one other thing! Anna's ( and other women's) hair, at least here in the ball, is also historically accurate because it's all pinned up! None of those fucken modern beachwaves at a ball! Everybody's got updo's!

Gah, I swear, Dracula in his gold cloak really does things to me in this scene!

By the way, the acrobatics are bonkers in here for just background stuff!! Especially the random guys on unicycles and the dude playing the violin whilst standing on a ball...Like....WHAT?

Anyways, all this to say, that this masquerade ball feels sooo real and tangible and because of that it blows every other film out of the water, and no, I will not change my mind!!!!!

Here's a few more gifs, bcuz, why the hell not, this scene is sexy as fuu*ck?

Alright I need to go to bed now.

#van helsing #van helsing 2004 #dracula #count dracula #cinderella 2015 #I'm on a film rant #masquerade ball #vampire #vampire masquerade ball #practical effects #costumes #gorgeous gorgeous set #baroque church #count vladislaus dracula #cirque du soleil #WHY IS THIS SOOO GOOD???????? #princess anna valerious #kate beckinsale #richard roxburgh #phantom of the opera 25th #very phantom of the opera-esque

[faded-florals]

Hello! I am a newcomer to POTO, and was introduced 3 days ago by deciding to randomly watch the 25 RAH. I fell so in love with the 25st cast, but especially and everlastingly with Hadley Fraser as Raoul. It was a little disheartening for me to realise that it wasn't a popular opinion, and when I found your tumblr, it was like finding a kindred spirit and even a wise elder spirit that showed me all the nuances I missed before. I must have read and adored each one of your Raoul posts - thank you.

(My apologies for the delayed response, this time of year is always so busy for me, and I've fallen behind!)

Hello, thank you for sending such a kind and thoughtful message! 🥰 I love to hear about new Phans falling in love with POTO RAH and Hadley's Raoul, and I'm glad my posts have resonated with you. I feel I've analyzed pretty much every moment of his on-stage time in that production, both in writing and in gifs, and you've summarized my thoughts very well here.

I really like how there is a distinct shift in Hadley's Raoul from act I to act II, from speculative but ultimately unbothered to fiercely protective and frustrated, almost in parallel with how we the audience are made aware of the steadily increasing threat the Phantom is becoming. His Raoul is charming but genuine and sweet in his first few scenes, and I agree his mannerisms at the end of the show are quite different from the young man we were introduced to in Little Lotte. His lines in the final lair are soaked in desperation and anger, especially his "Let me see her!" and "Why make her lie to you to save me?"

It's important to remember that the staging/blocking for POTO RAH is very different from the original - I'd argue it's much more organically emotional for all three of the characters. While many of the changes were made out of necessity for how the RAH stage was set up, the impact of the altered staging to the scene is undeniable. Some examples being the Phantom holding Christine by the throat, the prolonged doomed trek that Raoul has to make across the stage to ultimately be caught in the lasso, and the visual of Christine climbing down and back up the stairs of the Phantom's "hell" one last time to say goodbye.

Combine that with the fact that Ramin, Sierra, and Hadley all have very high-strung interpretations of their characters to begin with, it doesn't surprise me that Hadley's Raoul culminated in practically lunging at the Phantom at the end of the final lair. I think a lot of it had to do with Ramin and Hadley's chemistry, too, and while it is very different from most productions I ultimately feel that it works.

I think the point I'm trying to make in all of this is that POTO RAH was a very special production, with a remarkable cast in a unique situation that has left a lasting impression on me and many Phans. I really love to hear how special this production and these actors are to you, thanks for reaching out! 💕

#ask fadedflorals #Phantom Of The Opera #Poto #Raoul De Chagny #hadley fraser #ramin karimloo #sierra boggess #Phantom Of The Opera 25th #long post

[melop-sia]

haven't drawn in a while but recently got into phantom of the opera! so here i offer a hadley raoul doodle!

#phantom of the opera #poto #poto musical #raoul de chagny #hadley fraser #phantom of the opera 25th #poto 25 #phantom of the opera fanart #phanart

[kotaka-kun]

whenever I watch this scene I keep thinking abt that one episode of The Hang With Ramin Karimloo where he and Sierra talked abt the 25th so... here's a cast commentary style edit i guess

#phantom of the opera #poto #poto 25th anniversary #ramin karimloo #sierra boggess #down once more #poto bts #my edit #christine daae #erik #erik the phantom #erik destler

[lavender-rroses]

tremulous and tender

#ermmm yeah #the great ace attorney #dai gyakuten saiban #dgs spoilers #asoryuu #mdryuu #asoryuri #!!! #guys i love phantom sm so this is great for me #25th anniversary on top #sierra boggess…..cries #lavrose art #fanart #dgs fanart #art #ryunosuke naruhodo #kazuma asogi #phantom of the opera #ignore kazuma’s mop hair…i tried

[aanthonyvb]

the more awkward side of ponr

#this is what I see every time I watch the 25th anniversary #ponr #sierra boggess #ramin karimloo #the phantom of the opera #phantom of the opera fanart #phantom #poto #poto fanart #phantom fanart #erik poto #erik phantom #christine daae #point of no return #phanart

[piedalchemist]

Yet in his eyes

All the sadness of the world

Those pleading eyes

That both threaten and adore

#phantom of the opera #poto #poto 1925 #poto 1943 #poto 1962 #poto 1989 #poto 2004 #poto 25th anniversary #poto 1991 #erik #the phantom #erique claudin #professor petrie #erik destler #my post

[tsvitmar]

I love Schmalgauzen sm, I'm happy they finally uploaded this song (Тетяна or Tetyana) so I needed to draw something with it hehe!!

I haven't made any art for the 25th anniversary musical before so here it is. Oh how I wish to punch this Erik tbh 😇

#привид опери #traditional art #art moots #украрт #phantom of the opera art #poto art #poto #phantom of the opera #phantom of the opera musical #25th anniversary phantom of the opera #erik poto #christine daae #ramin karimloo #schmalgauzen

[haredjarris]

this barbie will kill again

#the phantom of the opera #phantom of the opera #poto #poto 25 #phantom of the opera at the albert hall #phantom of the opera 25th anniversary #ramin karimloo #sierra boggess #hadley fraser #erik the phantom #christine daae #raoul de chagny #barbie #barbie movie #barbie movie generator #barbie movie meme #eye contact /

[flea-palace]

#wanted to do this w the 2004 version bc i love 25th carlotta and would never slander her but alas this scene does not exist in the movie #phantom of the opera #poto #christine daae #carlotta giudicelli #raoul de chagny

[littlemissbiatch]

Tell me your favorite musical and I’ll try to rate it and tell you what it says about you.

#theatre #theatre kid #music #musical theatre #musicals #hamilton #six #hadestown #little shop of horrors #Anastasia #heathers #mean girls #legally blonde #phantom of the opera #les miz #les miserables #james and the giant peach #addams family #25th annual putnam county spelling bee #into the woods #urine town

[faded-florals]

The Phantom imitates Raoul

#Phantom Of The Opera #Poto #Raoul De Chagny #Hadley Fraser #Ramin Karimloo #The Phantom #Phantom Of The Opera 25th #Repost

[drawn-and-talk-of-peace]

More of these for @lehetsz-kiraly

#phantom of the opera + onion headlines #phantom of the opera #the phantom of the opera #erik the phantom #raoul de chagny #christine daae #madame giry #phantom 25th anniversary

[darklinaforever]

So, one thing that annoys me in the adaptations of The Phantom of the Opera is that Raoul, in the book, if I'm not mistaken, also abandons something. Christine abandons the opera, but also Raoul abandons his family so that they can both live their love in peace, because Raoul's family would not have agreed. (I read the book a long time ago so correct me if I'm wrong) but this aspect of Raoul completely disappears in the adaptations ! He can marry Christine without problem. And already I'm not a fan of the character, with this aspect of the adaptations it really gives me the impression that Christine simply becomes a trophy wife who abandons everything she is. Her name, her ambition, the singing, etc., to become Raoul's wife... Which is a horrible prospect. From a symbolic point of view, the phantom gave Christine a voice, but the relationship with Raoul takes away this voice. It's not cool.

#phantom of the opera 25th anniversary #phantom of the opera andrew lloyd webber #andrew lloyd webber #gaston leroux #phantom of the opera #le fantome de l'opera #christine daee #erikstine #erik #erik x christine #christine x erik #erik and christine #christine and erik #raoul de chagny #erik/christine

[kotaka-kun]

Hadley talking abt almost forgetting his duet w Sierra is so dear to me...

#poto #phantom of the opera #phantom 25th #poto 25 #hadley fraser #sierra boggess #ramin karimloo #my edit #phantom edit #i remeber seeing an edit where they alluded to this and i just thought they were being silly but no. no hadley said it himself dkfbdkxbskd

[everiistence]

THEY PUT THE FULL 25TH ANNIVERSARY BACK UP ON YOUTUBE!!!

#the phantom of the opera #AUGHH ROYAL ALBERT HALL 25TH ANNIVERSARY ... #sierra boggess ramin karimloo hadley fraser my BELOVEDS #Youtube