Chapter 20, In the Cellars of Opera House

In this chapter the Persian and Raoul venture down into the world of the Opera House’s Cellars, of which there are FIVE! They meet with crazy things like the Rat-Catcher. Which I could never figure out, is it a dude or an invention? I know the Julian Sands version takes this Rat-catcher idea to a WHOLE new level. Another than I think a weird cartoon that was pretty damn accurate had it but no other version.

I really wish this underworld of the Opera was shown more in the movies. Some do it but not within the context of the book. Like for example the Charles Dance version he has little a weird underground forest.

I think Tim Burton should direct a phantom version, if only for this chapter. I think his take on it would be so awesome and I would be totally ok with Johnny Depp playing Erik. Maybe Helena Bonham Carter as La Carlotta. You know a true to form Phantom of the Opera a la Burton.

Chapter 21, Interesting and Instructive Vicissitudes of a Persian in the Cellars of the Opera

In this chapter our friend the Persian tell us stuff from his perceptive. We also learn that he also called Daroga which just mean chief of Police. We also learn a little bit of his past with Erik in India and his favorite weapon of choice the Punjab Lasso, which pretty much a noose. It seen in some movies but never named, and I’m not sure if his time in India is ever mention.

Anyway this chapter is interesting, it back paddle a little bit to get more of a picture of Erik who is crackers.He doesn’t like the Persian Daroga meddling his courting, which is involves kidnapping and filling a young lady with terror and guilt, can’t deny the guy a method. This chapter also explains the Siren trap, which will come up later. Basically it’s just Erik in the lake, singing through a reed till her drown the person trying to cross the lake.

So despite the back tracking it’s a good chapter.

Chapter 22, In the Torture-Chamber

More from Persian Daroga, I do not know what to call him. This one doesn’t backtrack. Persian Daroga and Raoul are in the torture chamber which is akin to the the spinny room in the 2004 movie.

So this chapter, Erik gives Christine an ultimatum the grave or his bed. Wait! That’s not right, I need to calibrate, that was Frollo’s ultimatum, Erik’s one the Wedding mass or the requiem. Basically marry me or everyone in the Opera will die. It’s worse than Frollo’s or was Frollo’s just less grand? We also see Erik use the Siren to kill someone though we don’t know who yet. And Christine tried to commit suicide which is a character trait we don’t see in the movie versions.

Over all I like this chapter, it’s great to see how crazy Erik really is. Also his idea of marriage is so naive for some one is a crazed genius killer, he just wants to take walks on Sundays. Doesn’t sound like sultry guy in the musicals.

Chapter 23, The Tortures Begin

Again more from Persian Daroga, I hope you like this guy because he will be narrorating till the almost end sadly he is like never in the movies.

Erik AGIAN mentions Sunday scrolls with his wife. Really he just wants a cozy normal life, though with his flair for the dramatics I doubt it would be all that normal. Speaking of his flair for drama, the Torture Chamber and no it’s not some bad pop music. Christine tries to get the key from Erik’s bag of life and death, see drama. But she fails and then Erik shows her through a little window the chamber which has an iron tree. Erik says it’s a joke but the torture comes in the form of hear because it’s an African Forest, oh such weird twisted humor.

These chapter were WAY better than the later batch. Without all the mysterious this story is way more interesting but then again everyone knows the story so there is no more mystery which is a little sad stylistically. I still would like a more by the book movie where at least the bulk of Christine’s first kidnapping is told in flashbacks but that is just me, say goes for Frollo’s confession.

Remember you can make suggestions for which movie versions of Pahntom you want to see reviewed, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptations_of_The_Phantom_of_the_Opera#Film otherwise I have to pick myself.

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