Comparison of The Phantom of the Opera and Metropolis

The quality of a film is denoted by the extent to which it captivates viewers. Some pieces may work better when performed on stage than when presented in the form of motion pictures. In contrast, some works are picture-perfect when offered as movies unlike when performed in theatre. Good characters, a simple plot, relevant themes, attention to details, and a decent ending characterize an excellent piece of art. The Phantom of the Opera, which was released in 2004, is a British-American musical film that was inspired by a novel written in 1909 by Gaston Leroux. The film captures the happenings of a love triangle involving the Phantom, Christine, and Raoul. Although it displays spectacular musical performances, the movie fails to showcase the themes of romance and horror effectively. For this reason, the musical could be more captivating if it is performed on stage. In contrast, Metropolis is a 1927 German science-fiction movie that focuses on the theme of inequality in a futuristic city. The motion picture demonstrating the unification of the upper city and the underworld was excellently produced. As such, the piece of work would not fit well if acted on stage. The Phantom of the Opera and Metropolis demonstrate very well how one piece might work better on stage and why another item suits a motion picture form of art.

Variations in Plot Settings

The filming location of The Phantom of the Opera is entirely situated at the Paris Opera House. The object of art may work better if it is performed on stage given that the Paris Opera House is a theatre itself. Provided that almost all the scenes captured in the film revolve around the theatre, staging a theatrical performance of the piece could result in impressive outcomes in relation to the case of a film presentation. The motion picture reveals that people would subscribe to at least three performances weekly to assemble on the foyer of the Paris Opera House. A chandelier lights the foyer to enhance the aesthetic aspects of the theatre. A similar visual display could be easily achieved in a theatre setting, facilitating the performance of the art piece. Furthermore, the plot setting is generally unfolded within the theatre building, which makes it reasonable to execute the work of art on stage.

The film starts with the scene of an auction conducted in the Paris Opera House before viewers are taken back to 1870 where rehearsals for a performance of Hannibal by Chalemau occur. Notably, a series of events, including the replacement of Carlotta by Christine as the lead diva, musical performances, arrival of Raoul, and the capture of both Christine and Raoul take place within the Paris Opera House. Besides the plot setting fascinating viewers with excellent musical performances inspired by the Phantom, the absence of diverse plot settings contributes to the dullness of the film. In other words, the work of art appears more like a stage performance than an actual movie owing to the lack of richness in terms of diverse scenes. As such, the limited plot sceneries involved in The Phantom of the Opera makes it suitable for stage presentation.

On the contrary, the plot settings captured in Metropolis suit a typical science-fiction picture show created in the late 1920s. The filming locations of the movie capture economic inequalities in the upper city and underground worlds of a modern city-state in the year 2026. The plot of the movie shifts from one setting to another as Maria tries to reunite the exploited underworld workers with the thinkers and planners, who enjoy luxuries in the world above the surface of the Earth. The scene where Freder accompanies Maria to the underworld to obtain first-hand experience of the adversities facing workers aids viewers in developing a picture-perfect idea of the rift between the two halves of the Metropolis society.

The plot settings in the Metropolis, which is a silent film, permit the audience to obtain a clear understanding of the characteristics of a modern city. Notably, the movie displays scenes that represent a typical metropolitan environment by showcasing events in the entertainment district and the area along cathedrals. The illustration of such scenes on stage could be challenging given that the piece of work is categorized as a science-fiction movie. Therefore, besides both object of work displaying events above the surface of the Earth and beneath it, Metropolis involves varied plot sites that make the movie appealing, unlike the limited filming locations in The Phantom of the Opera.

Expression of the Main Characters’ Qualities

The main character should demonstrate the qualities that make him or her outstanding. In The Phantom of the Opera, the character playing the title role displays the quality of a musical genius. The Phantom sings several records, including “Music of the Night’ and “Stranger Than You Dreamt It”, with an amazingly rich voice as he tries to convince Christine to stay with him. Additionally, the Phantom’s musical prowess is confirmed in the scene where he guides Christine to take up the lead role of a forthcoming opera II Muto. Furthermore, the Phantom expresses his deep love for Christine when he overwhelms the audience by singing “Down Once More”. Undeniably, the main character is a talented singer and musician who played his role impeccably.

The musical performances dominating the piece would attract an astonishing reception from the audience when performed on stage. The musical genius would easily get people on their feet whenever he performs a song on stage. A theatrical performance of the original book would not only enhance the entertainment aspect of the musical object of art but also evoke romantic emotions in the audience. Thus, the musical aspect of the piece of work, as well as the Phantom's amazing voice, make it suit a stage performance better than a motion picture presentation.

On the other hand, Maria demonstrates the quality of a dedicated advocate seeking to unite the rich planners in the upper city with the neglected workers in the underworld. Maria denotes the quality of advocate of the oppressed workers by convincing them to wait for the coming of “The Mediator” instead of engaging in a violent revolution. The angry workers listen to Maria as they hope for changes that would improve their welfare. Additionally, Maria expresses the quality of a human rights advocate in the scene where she convinces Freder, the son of Fredersen, to follower her to the underworld. In so doing, Maria prepared Freder for the role of a mediator who would facilitate the unification of the two halves of the Metropolis society.

Metropolis is better presented in the form of a motion picture than a stage performance since Maria expresses her evangelical qualities perfectly as a lead character. Maria is enthusiastic about helping the workers raise their living standards despite being imprisoned in Rotwang’s house located in the upper city. In another scene, Maria effortlessly reveals her divine attribute by ensuring that Freder mediates the unity pact between his father and Grot. Overall, Maria does not disappoint in playing her role as the main character provided that she uses her strong qualities to influence the harmonious coexistence of the people in Metropolis’ underworld and upper city.

Suitability of the Film Genres

Metropolis is an object of art that is classified as science fiction. The technical aspects of presenting the piece may not be appropriate for a stage performance. Arguably, Metropolis is one of the pioneering science-fiction films given that it was released in 1927. Despite the lack of advanced technology such as computer-generated imagery and graphics during the time when the work was filmed, it showcases an ideal futuristic world. As the film commences, viewers are presented with sites of a corporate city-state characterized by Gothic skyscrapers in the year 2026. Indeed, the scenes in the piece match the ones in a typical modern city as denoted by the numerous skyscrapers that are very common in big cities. The sites and scenes of a modern world typified by infrastructure development and economic equalities imply that the artists behind the science-fiction work did a commendable job.

The concept of robotics as captured in Metropolis is another aspect that makes the piece more interesting in a movie form. In the film, Rotwang develops a robot that resembles Maria, which Fredersen uses to reinforce his authority and control over the workers. People who viewed the movie before robots became popular could have easily formed imaginations of a world where computerized systems perform human functions. An illustration of how technology systems would influence processes and relationships in the future corporate world would not have been clearer if the story was presented on stage because of the obvious restrictions of a scene production.

On the other hand, The Phantom of the Opera is a musical work, which could be excellently performed in a theatre. The Phantom executes electrifying musical acts that would only sound better when acted live on stage than when presented in a film. The various occasions in which the Phantom sings for Christine could be executed exceptionally well on stage apart from creating an emotional connection with the audience. The participation of the audience in the theatrical performance would also add flavor to the story and, thus, help the audiences to ignore and overlook the uninteresting parts of the show and feel like the actual listeners to the tale told.

Conclusion

The Phantom of the Opera is a piece that may be better when performed onstage than when being presented as a motion picture. Conversely, presenting Metropolis as a film is much better than staging a performance in a theatre. The comparison of the two objects of art is based on many factors, such as plot settings, the main characters' expression of qualities, and suitability of the film genres. In The Phantom of the Opera, the plot setting primarily revolves around the Paris Opera House, which allows the act to be performed on stage without much difficulty. Metropolis, however, incorporates multiple filming locations, which makes the work tedious and complex to present on stage. The Phantom has the quality of a musical genius, which a quality he could express better on stage and gives audiences a feeling of actually being there. On the other hand, Maria superbly demonstrates her advocacy and evangelical qualities throughout the Metropolis, which makes the motion picture more appealing. Moreover, the musical work could evoke better reactions from the audience than when performed on stage, owing to the character’s capabilities. Conversely, presenting Metropolis on stage is considerably difficult since it is a science-fiction piece of work.