Apollo’s Lyre

Why only one chapter this week? Well a few reasons, it’s a very long chapter, it’s a very important chapter and it’s my favorite chapter.

Very simply in this chapter Christine explains the voice, the Opera Ghost, and Erik. How they met and all their interactions. How he loves her and how she pity him, lies to him and horrifies her.

Much like the confession scene or rathe chapter in Hunchback, Christine tells Raoul the story as in flashback. Most movies and stage show just show theses scene as they happen in the narrative. Which isn’t bad at all, I just like the mood it create as a story. Though if I was director or screenwriter, I would present this scene as flashbacks with cut back to Christine telling the story to Raoul on a dark roof with shadow lurking on Apollo Lyre This same goes for Frollo’s confession.

Ok so some points of interests that I don’t believe you see in movie or stage versions, remember how it was mentioned that Erik first took Christine right after the chandelier fell during Faust? This means Christine HAD to have been dresses in her costume which was male. No frilly dressing gown or romantic gown when she was taken underground. Not that I don’t like the dressing Gown of Webber’s show but it’s interest to remember that she was in boy clothes as Siébel. I mean given Christine’s urgency to find the voice after the Chandelier fell I doubt she changed.

Second thing, when Erik grabs Christine she struggles to escape but she says that his hand past over her mouth and she smelled death. Now I was on a forum ages ago and someone suggested that Erik used chloroformed on her. She also mented she felt she under teh influenced of some kind of cordial or alcohol. It’s possible that Gaston Leroux didn’t know what chloroform smelled like and just suggested it smelled like death, from some quick research it seem to smell like acetone but also somewhat sweet and chemically. It’s also possiable that he didn’t but it seems likely given Christine passing out and acting a little drunk/drugged.

Anyway this is my favorite chapter, makes all the build up mystery totally worth. Read it!

Frollo singing Hellfire Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney

As I end discussing the music I want to say ONE thing, in Hunchback of Notre Dame, when the songs differ from the standard Disney format of song-type, the songs were great and when the songs was very formulaic it was bad. I think Disney needs to  pull away from the ridgely formulaic movies and be a little more experimental. I realize the Hunchback wasn’t a great success for them but that’s because they took a book that a) is a piece of literature with a bittersweet ending and b) they muttled the plot so it both be “dark” but also for kids.

 

Tangled Promotion Poster Disney picture image

Tangled Promotion Poster Disney

Snow Queen Concept Art Disney picture image

Snow Queen Concept Art Disney

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know Disney recently has been trying new things, Tangled was CG and more like a Dreamwork movie but it was still a princess movie and I was going to mention Snow Queen but that’s in development limbo right now. But maybe Disney should take what was so great about the Hunchback of Notre Dame (the dark elements) and make a dark animated movie. Let’s what would be good, mmm how about Faust:, everyone loves Faust. Or the The Monk , no that’s too dark, lots of sex and satan (but then again the main character is like a Frollo prototype). I think there was talk about doing Disney doing The Ramayana which isn’t dark but Ravana is demon king and I think it would make a great Disney movie especially if they did really cool animation. I guess either Faust alter to scew younger or the Ramayana which would need very little altering would be great.

Night on Bald Mountain Disney Fantasia  picture image

Night on Bald Mountain Disney Fantasia

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

In conclusion Disney, you love Night on Bald Mountain, you love Hellfire, just make a dark movie and don’t market it for kids who know maybe that’s the shot in the arm your company needs; making a good film that people want to watch, and the people like Dark.

Next Time – It’s Fan Art Friday  Can I get a Yay?