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Good Will Hunting (Miramax Collector's Series)
Starring: Robin Williams , Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , Stellan Skarsgård , and Minnie Driver Director: Gus Van Sant Manufacturer: Miramax ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: 6305216088 Release Date: 1998-12-08 |
Amazon.com essential video
Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck nabbed one for Best Original Screenplay, but the feel-good hit <I>Good Will Hunting</I> triumphs because of its gifted director, Gus Van Sant. The unconventional director (<I>My Own Private Idaho</I>, <I>Drugstore Cowboy</I>) saves a script marred by vanity and clunky character development by yanking soulful, touching performances out of his entire cast (amazingly, even one by Williams that's relatively schtick-free). Van Sant pulls off the equivalent of what George Cukor accomplished for women's melodrama in the '30s and '40s: He's crafted an intelligent, unabashedly emotional male weepie about men trying to find inner-wisdom.Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting, a closet math genius who ignores his gift in favor of nightly boozing and fighting with South Boston buddies (co-writer Ben Affleck among them). While working as a university janitor, he solves an impossible calculus problem scribbled on a hallway blackboard and reluctantly becomes the prodigy of an arrogant MIT professor (Stellan Skarsgård). Damon only avoids prison by agreeing to see psychiatrists, all of whom he mocks or psychologically destroys until he meets his match in the professor's former childhood friend, played by Williams. Both doctor and patient are haunted by the past, and as mutual respect develops, the healing process begins. The film's beauty lies not with grand climaxes, but with small, quiet moments. Scenes such as Affleck's clumsy pep talk to Damon while they drink beer after work, or any number of therapy session between Williams and Damon offer poignant looks at the awkward ways men show affection and feeling for one another. <I>--Dave McCoy</I>
Description
A true motion picture phenomenon, this triumphant story was nominated for 9 Academy Awards(R) -- winning Oscars for Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor) and hot newcomers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (Best Original Screenplay). The most brilliant mind at America's top university isn't a student ... he's the kid who cleans the floors! Will Hunting (Damon) is a headstrong, working-class genius who's failing the lessons of life. After one too many run-ins with the law, Will's last chance is a psychology professor (Williams), who might be the only man who can reach him! With acclaimed performances from Academy Award(R)-nominee Minnie Driver (GROSSE POINTE BLANK) and Ben Affleck (ARMAGEDDON) -- you'll find GOOD WILL HUNTING a powerful and unforgettable movie experience!Customer Reviews:
Could've been better with different cast.......2007-05-30
Among the Best Films EVER........2007-05-21
Not very realistic, but very idealistic.......2007-05-19
WOW DANG ONE OF THE BEST TV DVD-MOVE FOR SHORE EVER DONE.......2007-05-08
Excellent on so many levels!.......2007-04-18
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Princess Mononoke
Starring: Hisaya Morishige , Jada Pinkett Smith , Billy Bob Thornton , Yuko Tanaka , and Yoji Matsuda Director: Hayao Miyazaki Manufacturer: Miramax ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
Accessories:
ASIN: B00003CXBK Release Date: 2000-12-19 |
Amazon.com essential video
This epic, animated 1997 fantasy has already made history as the top-grossing domestic feature ever released in Japan, where its combination of mythic themes, mystical forces, and ravishing visuals tapped deeply into cultural identity and contemporary, ecological anxieties. For international animation and <I>anime</I> fans, <I>Princess Mononoke</I> represents an auspicious next step for its revered creator, Hayao Miyazaki (<I>My Neighbor Totoro</I>, <I>Kiki's Delivery Service</I>), an acknowledged <I>anime</I> pioneer, whose painterly style, vivid character design, and stylized approach to storytelling take ambitious, evolutionary steps here.Set in medieval Japan, Miyazaki's original story envisions a struggle between nature and man. The march of technology, embodied in the dark iron forges of the ambitious Tatara clan, threatens the natural forces explicit in the benevolent Great God of the Forest and the wide-eyed, spectral spirits he protects. When Ashitaka, a young warrior from a remote, and endangered, village clan, kills a ravenous, boar-like monster, he discovers the beast is in fact an infectious "demon god," transformed by human anger. Ashitaka's quest to solve the beast's fatal curse brings him into the midst of human political intrigues as well as the more crucial battle between man and nature.
Miyazaki's convoluted fable is clearly not the stuff of kiddie matinees, nor is the often graphic violence depicted during the battles that ensue. If some younger viewers (or less attentive older ones) will wish for a diagram to sort out the players, Miyazaki's atmospheric world and its lush visual design are reasons enough to watch. For the English-language version, Miramax assembled an impressive vocal cast including Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup (as Ashitaka), Claire Danes (as San), Minnie Driver (as Lady Eboshi), Billy Bob Thornton, and Jada Pinkett Smith. They bring added nuance to a very different kind of magic kingdom. Recommended for ages 12 and older. <I>--Sam Sutherland</I>
Description
Claire Danes (THE MOD SQUAD), Minnie Driver (GOOD WILL HUNTING), and Billy Bob Thornton (ARMAGEDDON, SLING BLADE) head a cast of hot Hollywood stars who lend their talents to this exquisitely animated, overwhelmingly acclaimed adventure epic! Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior named Ashitaka (Billy Crudup -- WITHOUT LIMITS) sets out for the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi (Driver) and a proud clan of humans against the forest's animal gods, who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke (Danes), a young woman raised by wolves! Also starring Gillian Anderson (THE X-FILES) and Jada Pinkett Smith (SCREAM 2), this monumental struggle between man and nature will have you transfixed as stunning artistry blends with epic storytelling to create a uniquely entertaining motion picture!Customer Reviews:
A thousand carats gem!.......2007-06-19
One of the best movies ever made.......2007-05-31
Argueably the best anime I've ever seen........2007-05-23
Must See.......2007-05-14
Excellent movie.......2007-05-13
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Sleepers
Starring: Kevin Bacon , Billy Crudup , Robert De Niro , Vittorio Gassman , and Minnie Driver Director: Barry Levinson Manufacturer: Warner Home Video ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: 0790729393 Release Date: 1997-04-01 |
Product Description
The judicial system is supposed to protect them. But when a youthful prank in New Yorks Hells Kitchen spins out of control, the punishment does not fit the crime. Sentenced to the Wilkinson School for Boys, four pals are mistreated at will by a cadre of sadistic guards. Now, 15 years later, they have an unexpected opportunity to use that system-for revenge. Friendship. Loyalty. Retribution. From its telltale opening lines to its stunning courtroom climax, Sleepers is spellbinding entertainment. With a vengeance.Amazon.com
The first thing you need to know about <I>Sleepers</I> is that it's based on a novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra that was allegedly based on a true story. The movie repeats this bogus claim, which was attacked and determined by a wide majority to be misleading. Knowing this, <I>Sleepers</I> can be a problematic movie because it's too neat, too clean, too manipulative in terms of legal justice and dramatic impact to be truly convincing. And yet, with its stellar cast directed by Barry Levinson, the movie succeeds as gripping entertainment, and its tale of complex morality--despite a dubious emphasis on homophobic revenge--is sufficiently provocative. It's about four boys in New York's Hell's Kitchen district who are sent to reform school, where they must endure routine sexual assaults by the sadistic guards. Years after their release, the opportunity for revenge proves irresistible for two of the young men, who must then rely on the other pair of friends (Brad Pitt, Jason Patric), a loyal priest (Robert De Niro), and a shabby lawyer (Dustin Hoffman) to defend them in court. Despite the compelling ambiguities of the story, there's never any doubt about how we're supposed to feel, and the screenplay glosses over the story's most difficult moral dilemmas. And yet, <I>Sleepers</I> grabs your attention and pulls you into its intense story of friendship and the price of loyalty under extreme conditions. The movie's New York settings are vividly authentic, and Minnie Driver makes a strong impression as a long-time friend of the loyal group of guys. <I>--Jeff Shannon</I>Customer Reviews:
WHAT A CRAZY TWIST!.......2007-03-26
So many missteps.......2007-03-14
Sleeper.......2007-01-12
A feel good movie........2007-01-12
Entertaining well made film about a difficult subject.......2006-11-28
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The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Gerard Butler , Emmy Rossum , Patrick Wilson , Miranda Richardson , and Minnie Driver Director: Joel Schumacher Manufacturer: Warner Home Video ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0007TKNL0 Release Date: 2005-05-03 |
Amazon.com
Although it's not as bold as Oscar darling Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera continues the resuscitation of the movie musical with a faithful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage musical. Emmy Rossum glows in a breakout role as opera ingénue Christine Daae, and if phantom Gerard Butler isn't Rossum's match vocally, he does convey menace and sensuality in such numbers as "The Music of the Night." The most experienced musical theater veteran in the cast, romantic lead Patrick Wilson, sings sweetly but seems wooden. The biggest name in the cast, Minnie Driver, hams it up as diva Carlotta, and she's the only principal whose voice was dubbed (though she does sing the closing-credit number, "Learn to Be Lonely," which is also the only new song).Director Joel Schumacher, no stranger to visual spectacle, seems to have found a good match in Lloyd Webber's larger-than-life vision of Gaston LeRoux's Gothic horror-romance. His weakness is cuing too many audience-reaction shots and showing too much of the lurking Phantom, but when he calms down and lets Rossum sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" alone in a silent graveyard, it's exquisite.
<table align=left bgcolor=F4A460 cellpadding=4> <tr> <td align=center valign=center> <font face=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif size=-1 color=FFFFFF> <b>Read our CD buying guide</b>
</font></td></tr></table> Those who consider the stage musical shallow and overblown probably won't have their minds changed by the movie, and devotees will forever rue that the movie took the better part of two decades to develop, which prevented the casting of original principals Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. Still, The Phantom of the Opera is a welcome exception to the long line of ill-conceived Broadway-to-movie travesties.
<b>DVD Features</b>
The special edition of <I>The Phantom of the Opera</I> has two major extras. "Behind the Mask: The Story of <I>The Phantom of the Opera</I>" is an hourlong documentary tracing the genesis of the stage show, with interviews of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Harold Prince, producer Cameron Macintosh, lyricists Richard Stilgoe and Charles Hart, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and others. Conspicuously absent are stars Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. Both do appear in video clips, including Brightman performing with Colm Wilkinson at an early workshop, and Crawford is the subject of a casting segment. Other brief scenes from the show are represented by a 2001 production. The other major feature is the 45-minute making-of focusing on the movie, including casting and the selection of director Joel Schumacher Both are well-done productions by Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.
The deleted scene is a new song written by Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, "No One Would Listen," sung by the Phantom toward the end of the movie. It's a beautiful song that, along with Madame Giry's story, makes him a more sympathetic character. But because that bit of backstory already slowed down the ending, it was probably a good move to cut the song. --David Horiuchi
<span class="h1"><strong>More on The Phantom of the Opera </strong></span> <table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="4">
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<I>The Phantom of the Opera</I> (Special Extended Edition Soundtrack) (CD)</td>
<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000654YWY.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
<I> The Phantom of the Opera</I> (2004 Movie Soundtrack) (CD) </td>
<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004YTY2.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast) (CD) </td> </tr>
<tr class="tiny" valign="top" align="center"> <td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6304806418.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
<I>Evita</I> (DVD)</td>
<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005NGAE.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
Andrew Lloyd Weber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration </I> (DVD)</td>
<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000EDWLU0.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
More Broadway DVDs</td> </tr> </table>
Description
Musical Drama based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's celebrated musical phenomenon. The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius (Gerard Butler) who haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, waging a reign of terror over its occupants. When he falls fatally in love with the lovely Christine (Emmy Rossum), the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star for the Opera, exerting a strange sense of control over the young soprano as he nurtures her extraordinary talents.<P><b>DVD Features:</b>Customer Reviews:
Magical Enchantment!!!.......2007-06-20
Film.......2007-06-11
Good service.......2007-06-08
Cinematic version of Broadway musical is visually stunning and highly satisfactory..........2007-06-08
Well that was horrible.......2007-06-08
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Grosse Pointe Blank
Starring: John Cusack , Minnie Driver , Alan Arkin , Dan Aykroyd , and Joan Cusack Director: George Armitage Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: 1558908382 Release Date: 1998-05-19 |
Amazon.com
Hit man Martin Q. Blank (John Cusack) is in an awkward situation. Several of them, actually. He's attending his high school reunion on an assignment; he's got a rival hit man (Dan Aykroyd) on his tail; and he's going to have to explain to his old girlfriend (Minnie Driver) why he stood her up on prom night. This amiable black comedy, cowritten by Cusack and directed by Jonathan Demme protégé George Armitage (<I>Miami Blues</I>), has the feel of Demme's <I>Something Wild</I> and <I>Married to the Mob</I>--which is to say its humor is dark and brightly colored at the same time. Cusack and Driver are utterly charming--as is the leading man's sister, Joan, who plays his secretary. (Ms. Cusack received an Oscar nomination for her next role, in <I>In & Out.) Alan Arkin is also very funny as Martin's psychiatrist. <I>--Jim Emerson</I>Description
Here's the killer comedy hit that's loaded with outrageous fun! For Martin Blank (John Cusack -- HIGH FIDELITY, SERENDIPITY), a hit man stuck in a career rut, attending his 10-year high school reunion is about the last thing he's in the mood for! But when the prospects of rekindling an old flame (Minnie Driver -- GOOD WILL HUNTING) and pulling off one final job convince him to go, things are looking up ... that is, until Martin's arch rival (Dan Aykroyd) shows up aiming to blow the competition away! For hilarious comedy entertainment that's packed with action, GROSSE POINTE BLANK is a surefire knockout!Customer Reviews:
Grosse Pointe Blank..........2007-02-04
Were you in high school in the 80s? .......2007-01-12
Grosse Pointe Blank.......2006-11-06
Grosse Pointe Blank.......2006-11-04
No shooting blanks, this hits the mark!.......2006-10-05
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Return to Me
Starring: Chris Barnes (IX) , James Belushi , William Bronder , Dick Cusack , and Minnie Driver Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD) ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: 6306012419 Release Date: 2000-10-31 |
Amazon.com
Bob Rueland (David Duchovny) and Grace Briggs (Minnie Driver) have very little in common. Granted, they both live in Chicago and they're both a bit lovelorn, but that's about it. Still, fate has something in mind for these two somewhat-depressed souls (a construction worker and budding artist, respectively), who've both recently had brushes with death--he's a recent widower, she's just recovered from a heart transplant--and are a little more serious than their friends and relatives. After a series of misbegotten blind dates and almost-meetings, though, these two finally get together, and find that they fit seamlessly with each other. Despite their differences, they have a lot in common--in fact, <I>quite</I> a lot. It seems that the heart that now beats inside Grace's chest once belonged to Bob's wife (Joely Richardson), who died in a car crash. Coincidence? We think not.A gentle, pleasing romantic comedy, <I>Return to Me</I> marks the directorial debut of Bonnie Hunt, an acclaimed actress known most famously for her role as Renee Zellweger's sister in <I>Jerry Maguire</I>. A shining, happy bright spot in whatever role she's in, Hunt has also invested the film with her trademark brand of humor: dry but sincere, sarcastic but not caustic, and with a deep current of humanity and romance. In the midst of all the permutations that fate surrounds them with, Driver and Duchovny make a pleasantly low-key couple; the triumph of the film is that despite all the contrived angst, the romance is never overly saccharine. They provide a quiet center in a film that has a fair amount of chaos in it, particularly due to Driver's extended family of Irish <I>and</I> Italian relatives (which occasionally tips the film into cutesy territory) and most hilariously to Driver's best friend, played by director Hunt . As a harried mother with innumerable kids and a likable oaf of a husband (James Belushi), Hunt again steals scenes effortlessly; Belushi is a comic revelation, better than he's been in years. You'll have the pleasant memories of both of these couples--one falling in love, one together for years--with you a long while after seeing this film. <I>--Mark Englehart</I>
Description
Who knew that when he ordered the special, he d get the dish of his life? David Duchovny ('the X-Files ) and Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) ignite sparks in this warm-hearted winner (JeffCraig, 'sixty Second Preview ) about a widower and a waitress who meet and fall in love. Featuring an incredible all-star cast, this hilarious romantic comedy delivers a lot of laughs, tears and joysthat will make your spirits soar. It took a lot of cajoling to get Bob (Duchovny), a recently widowed architect, to go on a blind date at a quirky Irish-Italian eatery. Once there, he's smitten instantly not with his date but with the sharp-witted waitress, Grace (Driver). With unsolicitedhelp from Grace's matchmaking grandfather (Carroll O Connor), Bob asks her out. And as their relationship blossoms, everything seems to be going great, until an unbelievable truth is revealed one that could easily break both of their hearts for good.Customer Reviews:
Finally, A Refreshing Movie for Everyone.......2007-05-25
Nice couple-in-love or family flick.......2007-05-19
Very romantic... Interestingly modern moral dilemma.......2007-05-12
CUTE AND TYPICAL OF SOME FAMILIES.......2007-05-02
Very good romantic comedy.......2007-02-18
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Tarzan (Special Edition)
Starring: Tony Goldwyn , Minnie Driver , Glenn Close , Brian Blessed , and Nigel Hawthorne Director: Chris Buck (II) , and Kevin Lima Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000AAF1TU Release Date: 2005-10-18 |
Amazon.com
After viewing <I>Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs</I>, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote to Walt Disney about adapting his novel of an ape-man into a feature animated cartoon. Sixtysome years later, the tale is finally told with brilliant design work that looks unlike any previous animated film. The story is a natural for Disney since the themes of misunderstood central figures have been at the heart of its recent hits. Disney's <I>Tarzan</I> doesn't wander far from the familiar story of a shipwrecked baby who is brought up by apes in Africa. What gives the film its zing is its clever use of music (the songs are sung by Phil Collins himself rather than onscreen characters) and the remarkable animation. Deep Canvas, a 3-D technology, was developed for the film, creating a jungle that comes alive as Tarzan swings through the trees, often looking like a modern skateboarder racing down giant tree limbs. The usual foray of sidekicks, including a rambunctious ape voiced by Rosie O'Donnell, should keep the little ones aptly entertained. The two lead voices, Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan and Minnie Driver as Jane, are inspired choices. Their chemistry helps the story through the weakest points (the last third) and makes Tarzan's initial connection with all things human (including Jane) delicious entertainment. Disney still is not taking risks in its animated films, but as cookie-cutter entertainment, <I>Tarzan</I> makes a pretty good treat. (Ages 5 and up) <I>--Doug Thomas</I>Description
Swing into action and adventure with Disney's original classic, TARZAN(R), packed with fun-filled bonus features and award-winning music such as the memorable "You'll Be In My Heart" and "Trashin' The Camp." Disney's magnificent animated adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough's story of the ape man begins deep within the jungle when baby Tarzan is adopted by a family of gorillas. Even though he is shunned as a "hairless wonder" by their leader, Tarzan is accepted by the gorillas and raised as one of their own. Together with his wisecracking ape buddy Terk and neurotic elephant pal Tantor, Tarzan learns how to "surf" and swing through the trees and survive in the animal kingdom. His "Two Worlds" collide with the arrival of humans, forcing Tarzan to choose between a "civilized" life with the beautiful Jane and the life he knows and loves with his gorilla family. Filled with humor, heart, and hilarious fun, TARZAN is an unforgettable adventure you'll watch again and again.~~TARZAN(R) Owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. And Used by Permission. TARZAN (C) Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. and Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Customer Reviews:
Tarzan.......2007-05-14
My kids love this movie.......2007-05-07
Borken when I got it........2007-02-12
Tarzan.......2007-01-09
A schmaltzy, misguided version of the Tarzan legend........2006-12-22
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The Phantom of the Opera (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Gerard Butler , Emmy Rossum , Patrick Wilson , Miranda Richardson , and Minnie Driver Director: Joel Schumacher Manufacturer: Warner Home Video ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0007TKNIS Release Date: 2005-05-03 |
Amazon.com
Although it's not as bold as Oscar darling <I>Chicago</I>, <I>The Phantom of the Opera</I> continues the resuscitation of the movie musical with a faithful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage musical. Emmy Rossum glows in a breakout role as opera ingénue Christine Daae, and if phantom Gerard Butler isn't Rossum's match vocally, he does convey menace and sensuality in such numbers as "The Music of the Night." The most experienced musical theater veteran in the cast, romantic lead Patrick Wilson, sings sweetly but seems wooden. The biggest name in the cast, Minnie Driver, hams it up as diva Carlotta, and she's the only principal whose voice was dubbed (though she does sing the closing-credit number, "Learn to Be Lonely," which is also the only new song). Director Joel Schumacher, no stranger to visual spectacle, seems to have found a good match in Lloyd Webber's larger-than-life vision of Gaston LeRoux's Gothic horror-romance. His weakness is cuing too many audience-reaction shots and showing too much of the lurking Phantom, but when he calms down and lets Rossum sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" alone in a silent graveyard, it's exquisite.
Those who consider the stage musical shallow and overblown probably won't have their minds changed by the movie, and devotees will forever rue that the movie took the better part of two decades to develop, which prevented the casting of original principals Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. Still, <I>The Phantom of the Opera</I> is a welcome exception to the long line of ill-conceived Broadway-to-movie travesties. <I>--David Horiuchi</I>
Description
Musical Drama based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's celebrated musical phenomenon. The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius (Gerard Butler) who haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, waging a reign of terror over its occupants. When he falls fatally in love with the lovely Christine (Emmy Rossum), the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star for the Opera, exerting a strange sense of control over the young soprano as he nurtures her extraordinary talents.Customer Reviews:
Magical Enchantment!!!.......2007-06-20