A suggestion
Jul. 1st, 2017 12:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
betweensunandmoon posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
vicomte_de_chagnyI hate Raoul-bashing. That's why I created this community in the first place. I look at all the Raoul-hating E/C shippers out there and sigh sadly.
But the thing is...I can't blame most of them.
Take your average phangirl. She's probably never even heard the name Gaston Leroux. She's likely only ever seen the 2004 movie or the musical. And that musical is heavily skewed in the Phantom's favor. Though he still does terrible things, the nastier aspects of Erik's character are somewhat toned down, while Raoul seems to be suffering a slight personality deficiency. Who's Average Phangirl going to root for: the tortured, misunderstood genius who just needs love, or the generically nice hero figure?
(Don't get me wrong. I love the musical. I just prefer Leroux's original versions of the characters, that's all.)
I believe there is a way to try and fix this. I can't guarantee it'll work, but it might serve to balance the scales a little more evenly.
Let's look at the other film adaptation of a popular Broadway musical which got flack for casting a non-singer in the lead role (though he did an infinitely better job than Gerard Butler): Guys and Dolls.
The song "Adelaide" was written for the movie just to give Frank Sinatra something else to sing, but it worked. My point is, if Nathan could get a whole new song all to himself that served to expand his character, why can't Raoul?
If they ever remake the 2004 movie with a Phantom who can actually sing, something along those lines would be nice.
But the thing is...I can't blame most of them.
Take your average phangirl. She's probably never even heard the name Gaston Leroux. She's likely only ever seen the 2004 movie or the musical. And that musical is heavily skewed in the Phantom's favor. Though he still does terrible things, the nastier aspects of Erik's character are somewhat toned down, while Raoul seems to be suffering a slight personality deficiency. Who's Average Phangirl going to root for: the tortured, misunderstood genius who just needs love, or the generically nice hero figure?
(Don't get me wrong. I love the musical. I just prefer Leroux's original versions of the characters, that's all.)
I believe there is a way to try and fix this. I can't guarantee it'll work, but it might serve to balance the scales a little more evenly.
Let's look at the other film adaptation of a popular Broadway musical which got flack for casting a non-singer in the lead role (though he did an infinitely better job than Gerard Butler): Guys and Dolls.
The song "Adelaide" was written for the movie just to give Frank Sinatra something else to sing, but it worked. My point is, if Nathan could get a whole new song all to himself that served to expand his character, why can't Raoul?
If they ever remake the 2004 movie with a Phantom who can actually sing, something along those lines would be nice.
