单选题 More Information on The Phantom of the Opera 1. The Phantom of the Opera is a 2004 Joel Schumacher directed film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart's internationally successful 1986 stage musical, which is based on the novel of the samename by Gaston Leroux. The screen play was written by Schumacher and Webber and Webber produced the film. The cast includes Gerard Butler as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum as Christine Daaé, Patrick Wilson as Raoul. 2. The film was a USA-UK co-production that had various distributors vorldwide. For example, Warner Bros. distributed the film in the USA, and Universal Pictures released the film in Latin America and Australia. Casting the Film 3. The casting for the two leading roles was a rather lengthy process. Patrick Wilson, who later got the part of Raoul, had initially auditioned for the title role of the Phantom. The director later felt he was better to play Raoul because his voice matched the character better. Several actors were considered to play the title role including John Travolta and Antonio Banderas. Originally offered the role, Travolta turned it down because he felt the film wouldn't work, while Banderas, a skilled singer, took several months off from acting to be trained for the part before he was turned down. Gerard Butler finally won the role after several intense screen tests. 4. Casting for the role of Christine Daaé took longer. Many famous actresses were in the running(在主要竞争之列). Reportedly Katie Holmes impressed the director with her voice but she was refused because of her age. Anne Hathaway was a soprano singer in New York, and she was praised for her voice; she auditioned several times and almost got the part, but just as the contract was sent to her, she was forced to decline because of the overlapping schedules with the Princess Diaries(公主日记) sequel, although she tried to make it work. Emmy Rossum won the part. Stage Version vs. Film Version 5. While the film remained somewhat faithful to the original libretto of the stage show, many changes were made. Some scenes were added; others were deleted; some songs were shortened or deleted; some lines that were sung on stage were spoken in the movie, as well as minor changes in the lyrics to suit the scenes. In addition, several changes were made to the story. 6The famous chandelier crash—used to close Act One on stage — was moved to the film's climax after the song "The Point of No Return", and becomes a crucial plot point in that it explains the destruction of the opera house, which is set on fire as a result of the crash. This, as well as some other changes, was kept for Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular, amodified stage production modelled mostly after (模仿) the film. The chandelier(枝形吊灯) crash also received computer-generated imagery alterations. For example, before reaching the floor, the chandelier's cables rip(裂开) through the ceiling of the opera house where this would be all but (几乎) impossible on alive stage. 7. Changes were also made to some of the characters and their backgrounds. In the film, Madame Giry first meets the Phantom whenthey are both children and helps him escape from imprisonment in a carnival (狂欢节), after which he spends his entire life living at the Opera. In both the original book and the stage adaptation, the Phantom winds up (达到) in the carnival as an adult after travelling the world and spending time in Persia. Also, during the film scene in which Christine visits her father'sgrave, a sword-fight ensues(接着发生) between Raoul and the Phantom. In the stage production, the Phantom stands upon the grave and atacks the couple with small blasts (爆炸) of fire from his torch. The Phantom's makeup for the film was changed from the stage and made much more subtle and natural. The searred face that ultimately was revealed proved to be far less horrific than one would have anticipated given the character's angst(焦虑), and proved to be a bone of contention (争议点) with many critics. 8. Furthermore, there was a noticeable increase in the action and drama of the film, including the various sword-fighting sequences absent from the stage version. The Phantom's underground lair was enlargedand given various new furnishings including candles that lit themselves automatically. 9. The ending of the movie was also very different from the play. The movie ends with the Phantom smashing all of the mirrors and walking through a passage behind one of them. There is also an added scene at the end which takes place after the auction at the opera house in 1919. The elderly Raoul visits the cemetery and places the monkey music box on Christine's grave. There he finds a rose tied with a black ribbon and the ring, which indicates that the Phantom is still alive at this time. The play, however, ends just after Christine and Raoul leave the lair in the boat; the Phantom notes of Christine that "you alone can make my song take flight; it's over now, the music of the night!" He sits in a large throne and covers himself in his cape (斗篷). When Meg and the mob(众人) enter, she lifts the cape only to find the Phantom's white mask. 10. Most fans or "phans" feel that the stage version is vastly superior to the movie version小题:What can we infer according to the passage