Movie Couples Therapy: The Phantom of the Opera - VoiceTube: Learn English through videos!

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Jono: This is very much a lust versus love,
selfish possessiveness versus selfless togetherness.
Lust can have a place in love. I mean, lust is just intense physical attraction.
But in and of itself, it isn't love.
It's not something you can build a relationship on.
And especially if that relationship is controlling or consuming or obsessive.
Love is not possessive.
Love is, I want you to be happy, whatever that means.
You need to let them have a choice. Like, an actual choice.
And what's beautiful about the Phantom's arc is he doesn't love Christine here,
but when she shows him actual genuine love and compassion,
then he shows her love in return.
Phantom: ♬♬ Christine, I love you ♬♬
Jono: People just need love.
Even though we're responsible for our choices, at the same time, we influence each other.
A lot of times the monsters that we're scared of, are the ones that we create by our lack of compassion.
Alan: Hello and welcome to Cinema Therapy.
I am Alan Seawright, professional filmmaker who needs therapy, and that is...
Jono: Jonathan Decker, licensed therapist who loves movies.
What are we doing today?
Alan: Well, I would like you to react to a film,
that is one of, I think, a...
Maybe beloved by you. Jono: Yes.
Alan: I had never seen it.
Jono: Xanadu.
♬♬ They call it Xanadu-u-u ♬♬
Alan: Yes. We're watching Xanadu.
No, we're watching an equally excellent, exceptional film that I have no qualms with.
No quibbles, no problems.
Phantom of the Opera.
Jono: Alan and I don't share the same opinion on this movie.
I'm a huge fan.
Alan: I am not.
Jono: I think 'detest' was the word you were using.
Alan: I didn't detest everything about it.
Jono: For example, Minnie Driver is delightful.
Alan: She's great in this. You kidding me?
Carlotta: 'These things do happen'!
Jono: I was Phantom of the Opera one year for Halloween,
and I didn't have anything to get the mask to stay on my face.
And I didn't want the strap, because in the movie there's no strap. Alan: Yeah, there's no strap.
Jono: So I use gorilla glue for our Halloween party. Alan: [ppffftttsss]
Alan: You got me to do an actual spit take.
Jono: We're going to do some Movie Couples Therapy, but for two separate couples in the same movie.
Alan: Whoa.
Jono: And one person is part of both couples.
We've gotten a lot of requests for Phantom of the Opera,
largely due to the really problematic, interesting nature of the relationships.
And I would make the argument that, in many ways,
it's not about where the film starts and the characters start, but where it's going.
Because these relationships are toxic as hell. Alan: Yeah, real bad.
Jono: And very much romanticized. But then that's kind of the point.
Alan: Mm... hmm?
Jono: So let's... let's dive in, shall we?
I'm so excited to hear your thoughts.
Alan: I'm so excited to hear yours.
Christine: When your mother brought me here to live.
Whenever I come down here alone.
Jono: Ah, it's Rita Skeeter
Christine: To light a candle for my father.
Jono: It is. So for those who haven't seen the film, Christine Daaé. Her father was a famous violinist.
He dies and he promises that he'll send the Angel of Music to watch after her.
Christine: He was always there.
Jono: So here's what's creepy. Alan: Hmm.
Jono: Phantom's already talking to her when she's a child. Alan: Yeah.
Christine: When my father lay dying.
Jono: That's not good.
Alan: Is this grooming? Christine: ...protected by an angel.
Jono: It is. Alan: Okay.
Jono: And that's part of the point of the story. I mean, it's...
At first it's very romanticized, her relationship with the Phantom. Alan: Sure.
Meg: Do you believe?
Jono: But then it's meant to show you, Oh, you're dealing with a predator. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: They're going to make it romantic or sensual or whatever.
But this is really taking advantage.
So a lot has been made that Gerard Butler was 34 when they made this,
and Emmy Rossum was 17.
Jono: It actually works really well for the characters. Alan: Oh yeah, totally.
Jono: Because I've seen on stage when they're about the same age
and I'm like, How is Christine this dumb?
Alan: Yeah, how is this 30-year-old woman such a freaking idiot.
Jono: But here, she believes in angels and all these things,
and so that's something you can use against her.
Jono: Also her grief. Alan: Sure.
Jono: You know, and she's very young and she's very naive.
So he's going to... He's going to take advantage of that.
And yes, it is grooming behavior. It's predatory grooming behavior.
Which, again, if you think Christine and Phantom are romantic...
Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Alan: That you're just... You're wrong. You're wrong.
You're wrong and bad?
Jono: You're not bad, because the story, on stage and on screen,
goes out of its way to portray it as romantic. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: Which on the surface seems like, Well, that's a really icky, terrible thing to do.
It is only if you stay there. Oh...
Carlotta: Whoa!
Jono: We would like to announce that Sophie will be joining as Alan's co-host,
and Jono will be playing the role of the page boy.
Carlotta: Your part is silent, little toad.
Tee hee hee
Jono: But that's the point of the story, is it's not where it starts.
It's where it's where it ends.
And this is very much a lust versus love,
selfish possessiveness versus selfless togetherness.
As she finds Raoul, we can forgive the mullet.
Alan: Do we even have to forgive it? I mean, come on...
Jono: Is that a mullet in your case, though?
Alan: I don't know, because it's not part... Like, business up front, party in the back.
It's just party everywhere.
Jono: Yeah, it's just party everywhere. So I see this more of a mane.
There's a bit of Aslan.
Alan: I'll take it.
Jono: Or, as they say in the films, As-lan
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Jono: I did. Did you know that they have a rotating menu of 25+ meal options plus Factor add-ons, yo, like...
Alan: Smoothies, smoothies! Jono: Hook a brother up.
Alan: What do you have? Jono: Tropical fruit smoothie.
Alan: Oh, I got strawberry banana. Try a sip of that.
Jono: I just got mono. Totally worth it.
Alan: That was the tastiest mono Jono's ever got.
So you can choose your own meals or let Factor choose for you
based on your preferences and meal history, which is what I like to do.
Because choices is hard.
Jono: And I'm a fan, because it helps me with my clean eating goals.
It takes the guesswork out of it, you know, because I actually wouldn't prepare vegetables for myself.
Jono: In fact, there's like... Alan: You too?!
Jono: Here's vegetables, they're here for you.
And I... legitimately, I've never had microwaved broccoli that was any good.
Alan: And it's a really good. Jono: Yes, it's amazing.
Gosh, that's really good.
Alan: That's excellent.
The copy I'm reading says that with Factor there is no prep and no mess. And that is a huge lie.
There's a ton of prep. Watch.
You have to poke holes in a thing,
Put it in a microwave,
And press a button.
Jono: It took me less time to do that than it took for Alan to get us fired by Factor.
Factor cuts out Stressful meal planning and meals are ready in less than 2 minutes.
Alan: It is faster than ordering in takeout...
Jono: Not even for the takeout to arrive. It's faster than placing the order.
Alan: Placing the order because I'm that guy that always calls and, like, Duh, I'll have a...
Wait a minute. What's on your menu? Are there specials...? I'm the worst!
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Alan: Shlerpy...? Jono: Yeah.
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Jono: Factor! You're the best.
Raoul: Little Lotte.
Let her mind wander.
Jono: So here's Raoul, her childhood bestie.
Raoul: Little Lotte thought, 'Am I my fonder of dolls or...'
Jono: Who, of course, is made of money and is now a patron of the arts.
Raoul: 'Or of riddles or frocks?'
Jono: I don't know. Maybe he's party all the time.
You know why it doesn't work? It's because he's clean shaven.
Alan: Yeah, He needs a beard.
Christine: ...father playing the violin.
Raoul: As we read to each other.
Alan: Also, the fact that it's, like, swooping.
Jono: Swooping forward. Alan: It's the swoop.
The forward swoop does that.
Christine: ...is when I'm asleep in my bed.
♬♬ And the Angel of Music sings songs in my head ♬♬
Jono: I think she's a great Christine.
Alan: Oh, she's so good.
He's a very good Raoul, like...
Jono: He is.
Patrick Wilson.
Alan: Patrick Wil-- Yeah, no. Patrick Wilson is a very good Raoul.
Emmy Rossum is a revelation in this movie. She's so good.
Christine: Father said, 'When I'm in heaven, child,
I will send the Angel of music to you'.
Jono: Again, though, I do like that he's...
Jono: I don't like that he's twice her age, Phantom. I do like it for the character dynamics. Alan: Yeah, yeah.
Raoul: Oh, no doubt of it.
Jono: So, here we have... Raoul is...
Christine: The Angel of Music is very strict.
Raoul: Well, I shan't keep you up late.
Jono: ...not really listening.
She's saying, I can't come. And he's like, Yeah, you will.
Raoul: ...my carriage. Two minutes.
Jono: Like, he means well.
Christine: Raoul, wait.
Jono: But he's got the same problem Phantom has at this point in the story, which is...
Jono: I'm the guy. Alan: I get what I want.
Jono: And, yeah.
Alan: Also, he's a rich guy. I mean, this is kind of a thing.
Jono: Megan, our producer, was pointing out, like, there's some major issues with Madam Giry in the story
because she knows he's dangerous and this is her daughter.
But she wants to keep the peace. So she's just...
Alan: Just kinda... okay with it.
Surrogate daughter, not... Jono: Yeah, her surrogate daughter.
She has a daughter-daughter. But...
Phantom: ♬♬ Insulent boy, this slave... ♬♬
Jono: I like the direction on, um, all the lights going out.
Alan: There are a lot of directorial flourishes that I really appreciated in this movie.
Overall, there's some weird stuff.
The biggest thing, where the direction fell down,
is the casting of Gerard Butler as the Phantom. Jono: Why is that?
Alan: This is...
I don't know if it's a controversial topic.
I think you have the controversial opinion on this one.
Alan: The entire point of the Phantom is he's the Angel of Music. Jono: Yes.
Alan: He must, must, must, it is in the text of the film, be a musical genius. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: Who can teach her to sing.
Jono: Yes, he's her tutor. And...
Alan: Gerard Butler is a mediocre singer.
He's not terrible. I will not say that he's terrible. And I will argue with you that he's not.
Jono: He is better than you would expect Gerard Butler to be.
Alan: Yes, 100%.
Jono: He's, like, 25% awful, 50% decent.
And there's 25%, in my opinion, where I'm like, Oh, wow, he nailed that note.
Alan: Look, he's got about an octave and a half range where he's really, really good. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: Like, legitimately there's... he's performing it well.
Alan: He's singing it well. It's just solid. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: In that octave and a half.
Alan: Unfortunately, the Phantom's range in this movie is, I want to say, like, 4 octaves, isn't it? Jono: Yeah.
Alan: It's like huge. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: And when he's going too high, he pushes really, really hard and it just... it doesn't...
Jono: And when he's going too low, he does sound like Leonidas. He does.
Leonidas: This is Sparta!
Jono: I saw Phantom recently in Sydney with my wife, and Phantom was the best vocalist in the cast,
and I kid you not, when he did Music of the Night, and he hit the big note,
I was sitting there and I thought, I think I just impregnated myself
and I'm not even sure that's possible.
Alan: That's not physically possible, but here we are.
Yeah, no. It's... And that's what it should be, right?
Alan: That's what the Phantom is. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: And the biggest, biggest issue with this film is you cast Gerard Butler,
who did a credible job in the performance, and in those sections where he could hit it - did well.
But Hugh Jackman was right there!
Right freaking there at the height of his powers.
Jono: 2004 Hugh Jackman...
Hugh: Go [beep] yourself.
Jono: So back to the scene, though. She's not a couple with anybody yet. Alan: Right.
Jono: But she spoke to another man.
He came... Raoul came to her dressing room. She spoke to him. Now, Phantom is really pissed off.
How dare he come and share in... and share in this moment of my triumph?
And then Christine is apologetic to the Phantom.
Alan: Ooohhhmmmm... Is this, just like, abuse? Like, what is... what's going on here?
Jono: It's definitely control. Alan: Right.
Jono: And I mean, does it qualify as abuse? But... Yes, but it's not it's not sexual, verbal...
It's emotional abuse. Or physical, but it is emotional abuse at this point,
because he's controlling her and she wants to placate him to bring his anger down.
And then she does. And he says, Flattering child, you shall know me. Right?
And he... and he backs off, because she understands she is mine.
It looks questionable to me.
Phantom: ♬♬ Sing once again with me ♬♬
Jono: Yeah. So he has no strap, which is why I used the glue.
To... I mean, you have to.
Phantom: ♬♬ ...my power over you... ♬♬
Alan: Because you didn't have a makeup team to put it on there.
Jono: So, My power over you grows stronger yet. I mean, the words that he always uses are very possessive.
And we learned later on a bit of his story that he's... he's lonely and he's persecuted. And...
I mean, and a lot of people who grow possessive is because they feel like they're entitled to love
or they deserve something that other people got that they didn't get.
And there's a difference between 'my story is sad' and 'now I get to be awful'.
Alan: It's basically Nice Guy Syndrome, right?
Jono: Yeah, except for this is Bad Boy Syndrome. Alan: Sure.
Jono: I mean, if we're overthinking it and Phantom is a master of theater,
then he knows the trope of bad boy with a heart of gold.
And he's playing the part. Alan: Right.
Jono: I'm going to show her the danger, and then I'm going to show her the softness,
and then I'm going to lure her in.
Phantom: ♬♬ You have come here ♬♬
♬♬ For one purpose and one alone ♬♬
Alan: And the production design in this set is bananas, but mostly in a good way.
Phantom: ♬♬ I have needed you with me ♬♬
Jono: Honestly, even if you dislike the film, the production design in so much of it is...
Alan: Pretty freaking great.
Phantom: ♬♬ My music ♬♬
Jono: So then he goes into Music of the Night, which is, like, the ultimate seduction song.
Jono: And the lyrics of that song are all about surrendering. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: And giving in. Alan: Giving me control and... Yeah.
Jono: Yeah, yield it and yield it willingly and yield it willfully. And...
And in fairness, it's an iconic song for a reason, you know?
Phantom: ♬♬ ...you long to be ♬♬
Jono: He's got a mannequin of her in a wedding dress. Not creepy.
Alan: Got a shrine to her.
Jono: What bothers me a tad, as much as I enjoy the film,
is she wakes up and then instead of, like...
Alan: Bolting out of there. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: She's just like, Oh, I guess I'm going to look all dreamy and in soft focus in lingerie.
Jono: Yeah. Well, that's... that's Joel Schumacher. Remember Batman Forever?
Alan: Dude, why is this gay man always putting his damsels in lingerie? Like I...
What are you getting out of it, Joel?
Jono: But so she wakes up in lingerie, like, wedding night lingerie,
and then he's composing and she's curious, and she takes the mask off and he loses it.
Phantom: You little prying Pandora!
Jono: Because she dares to expose his vulnerabilities
and the things that he's insecure about.
And he screams at her and he calls her a,
Phantom: You little lying Delilah!
Jono: Yeah. And like, all these terrible things. And this is her first indication that...
Alan: Maybe it's not all... super great in Phantom Land.
Jono: Yeah, but the idea that he is the angel sent by her father,
I think, starts to crumble down here.
And the real world parallel is the bad boy that you are going after,
or thinking that you could change him or that he had a softer side.
Jono: Well, it turns out the bad side is the dominant side. Alan: Right.
Jono: And so she's not super keen on him from this point on to her credit. Alan: Yep.
Phantom: ♬♬ Stranger than you dreamt it ♬♬
♬♬ Can you even dare to look ♬♬
♬♬ Or bear to think of me ♬♬
♬♬ this loathsome gargoyle who burns in hell but secretly... ♬♬
Jono: The thing I like about the choices made in this...
in this film versus the stage version
is she's clearly more afraid of his anger than his appearance. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: We see that here and we see that at the end, I mean, that's always been an important plot point.
Phantom: ♬♬ You learn to see, to find the man behind... ♬♬
Jono: But he's basically saying, You'll learn to love me.
Jono: And there's a beautiful thing here with Christine, which is there's a sincere pity and empathy for him. Alan: Sure.
Jono: But she's awake now. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: And she doesn't conflate pity and empathy with I'm going to be with you. Alan: With love and affection.
Jono: Yeah. And even though she's clearly very drawn to him and there's a lot of,
like, you know, the forbidden sensual aspect of it.
From this moment on, and it's fairly early in the story...
Alan: It's... Yeah, I mean we're only, what, 25, 30 minutes into the movie.
Jono: She's no longer digging this as a romantic prospect.
She's, like, he lost it on her. He was controlling and terrifying.
And to Christine's credit, even though there are moments
where she's drawn by his seductiveness because Gerard Butler.
That's brilliant.
It's wonderful.
Jono: She's not really going that direction anymore. And I do like that. Alan: Yeah.
♬♬ Share each day with me, each night ♬♬
Alan: I'm sure you're going to get into this, but contrasting his...
Alan: Like, the Phantoms control, submit, whatever. And this is - share. Jono: Yeah.
Jono: Share, wWalk beside me instead of...
Jono: And... Whereas heard, you know, the Phantom, Music of the Night. It's a solo. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: And it's very sensual and it's very him casting a spell over her.
Whereas this is much more tender
and much more... We're a pair.
Jono: And... well, there was tongue there. That was definitely tongue. Alan: Mm hmm.
Jono: All right. I mean, again, though, Patrick Wilson. Alan: Patrick Wilson.
I'd slip him a little tongue.
Jono: Just... just the tip. Sorry.
Alan: Whoa, whoa!
Family show. Kind of. Sort of.
Jono: I'm so sorry, everybody...
So he's a good singer.
Alan: He's great. These two together, like...
Alan: Emmy Rossum is unqualified fantastic. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: Patrick Wilson is quite good.
Alan: Together this duet is... just lovely. Jono: Yeah.
Jono: And I dig that the Phantom is... Alan: That's so pretty. Look at them!
Jono: Well, there's a real beauty to this song because this has come...
Jono: Phantom's just killed somebody. Alan: Right.
And this comes right on the heels of a lot of terror and fear.
And so this song where he's talking about that no harm is going to come to her,
like, he's going to look out for her.
Phantom: ♬♬ I gave you my music ♬♬
Jono: So this is the same music, like, from All I Ask of You,
except for it's a different key.
And is dark and menacing.
Phantom: ♬♬ And now how you've repaid me, denied me... ♬♬
Jono: Well, it's interesting because it's dark and menacing,
but it's also heartbreaking. You know, the...
♬♬ Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime ♬♬
So I made this point on the show before.
Jono: But love is not possessive. Alan: Right.
Jono: Love is, I want you to be happy, whatever that means.
And at this point, Christine is happy.
And if Phantom actually... if it were actually love.
Then... I wouldn't go so far as to say he's happy for her. He can still be heartbroken.
But he wouldn't be this.
Phantom: ♬♬ You will curse the day you did not do ♬♬
Jono: You'll curse the day you did not do...
all that the Phantom asked of you.
But see, this is baked into the story, like, it's portraying unhealthy behavior as unhealthy.
It's not romanticized.
And I will say I was so excited for this film to come out
that I bought the album before the movie came out.
And I listened to it in my car and I was really into it
until Gerard Butler started singing. And I'm like, What is this?
Alan: What are we listening to?
Jono: But in my case, when I saw the film, I did a flip because of his performance. Alan: Sure.
Jono: But I will concede.
Alan: It doesn't sound great.
Alan: In that little piece right there he's missing a bunch of notes. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: That is the one scene where I will actually forgive it,
because his performance, again, is so strong.
And it makes sense in that moment where he's not trying to seduce Christine
and he's not being the Angel of Music. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: That he's just...
Jono: He's just a rage. Alan: He's just sort of wraaarrr!
And, like, you lose tonal quality when you do that, when you sing.
And it actually works for me there.
And, again, I have some issues with the way the film is shot and edited and some other things.
Those shots in that sequence, particularly that big pull up him on the gargoyle,
like, the pose, the lighting. Mmm. Mmm! Jono: Yeah.
Well, there are moments in this film where they're saying, Here's something you can't see on stage.
Alan: Yeah. Remember how this is a movie? It's a movie.
Jono: Where they go from black and white to color, and all the lanterns light up in color.
Jono: Like, that's so cool! Alan: It's fun.
Jono: He says there, I gave you my music, made your song Take Wing. And now how you've...
Alan: Repaid me.
Jono: You've denied me and betrayed me.
Alan: Because you owe me something.
Alan: Denying me is not a willful act of yours. It's... Jono: Yeah.
Alan: It's taking something that's mine away. Gah!
Well, this is where Nice Guy Syndrome and Bad Boy Syndrome merge.
Jono: Transactional nature of it. Alan: Ah.
Jono: Right? So whether I'm a bad boy and I'm luring you in with my badness,
then I've got the heart of gold. Or whether I'm showing up as a nice guy,
it still comes down to, I want your affections.
Alan: I'm doing these things to get what's mine. Jono: Right.
Alan: Which is you.
Jono: And what's beautiful about the Phantom's arc is he doesn't love Christine here,
but when she shows him actual genuine love and compassion,
then he shows her love in return and we'll touch on that.
Christine: ♬♬ Past the point... ♬♬
Jono: Okay. Say what you will.
I love the direction of this scene with the dancers and the fire. And...
Alan: It is... Look, it's a lot.
A lot, but it works in this case.
Like, a lot is not always a bad thing.
When everything's a lot, it's a bad thing. This is just fun.
Jono: Because you have, I mean, the dancers...
Jono: So the whole scene here is he has crashed a play that he wrote. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: Raoul's in the audience with the police, expecting him to show up,
but not to show up on stage. Alan: Right.
Jono: And to capture him because he's a murderer.
And he has killed the other actor, replaced him on stage.
Christine knows she's in danger. Raoul sees...
Raoul from the distance can't tell it's Phantom,
until about at some point in here he's like, Wait a second...
And she completely, like... The notes that she hits here are so good.
But I love the song is about giving in to lust.
And so, like the fires of hell and temptation.
♬♬ The bridge is crossed so stand and watch... ♬♬
Alan: And they both play it well.
And obviously the costume design is helping things out a little bit.
Jono: And then the question for Christine here is,
how much of this is performance to lure him in for capture,
And how much is the fact that the Phantom does have a spell on her.
Because you've had that in life, people you know are bad for you.
Alan: Oh, and you still are drawn to them. Yeah, absolutely.
And he's questioning is this performance or is it real?
Yeah. And then Raoul, like you see, like his eyes watering a little bit,
Jono: The police on the side. I... I... Again...
Alan: It's a well done scene.
Jono: I agree with you. The movie as a whole, there are direction issues, but nails it here. Alan: Yep.
Jono: And so then he goes into her and Raoul song and that's one note that he really does hit
when he hits the 'Anywhere you go, let me go to right here'.
Like, that Gerard Butler, I was like, Wow.
Alan: Where have you been the rest of the movie?
Jono: But so of course he takes her captive because of course. That's what he does.
But that's the escalation is, If you're not going to choose me,
then I'll make you choose me. Alan: Right.
Jono: Right? And so he kidnaps her.
But he does the classic, Stay with me or I'll kill your boyfriend.
Alan: Classic. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: Who hasn't done that?
Jono: But what's so powerful to me is that Phantom's being awful.
Jono: Raoul is saying, let me die and be free because Raoul actually loves her. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: One thing that's a change for the movie that I'm of two minds about is the flashback.
Alan: Yeah... I don't know that I care for it. Jono: Why?
Alan: Humanizes him, which is fine.
Alan: Like having a humanized villain is usually a good thing. Jono: Yeah.
Alan: What it does is make Madam Giry an accomplice.
A knowing happy accomplice.
Jono: Well, she rescues him as a child, which is great, but they're about the same age.
Jono: So now she's letting a man her age go after her surrogate daughter. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: And just put a lot of ballerinas at risk and a lot of people at risk. And...
Alan: She also knows he's a murderer.
Jono: And she's... and she's his messenger, you know, she's his enabler. Yeah. It's not great.
Why I like it for Phantom is because in the stage play,
one of the weaknesses is ultimately the message of compassion shines through.
But there's still kind of an underlying, like, disfigurement is scary.
Alan: Disfigurement means you are bad.
Jono: Yeah. And in the film you're clearly meant to empathize with him,
whereas the people who are mocking him and mistreating him are obviously the the villains.
Alan: Yeah. The reason that he's a villain is not because he's disfigured.
It's because people have treated him like he's disfigured.
So he's like, Cool, I'll just own it then.
Jono: And that's in the play. But they lean into it more in the movie.
And I actually really like that.
And I love this where he's basically saying, Stay with me forever, I'll kill your boyfriend.
And instead of... Like, she chews him out, and they have this big musical argument.
Like, this three way musical fight. But what she lands on is this.
Carlotta: ♬♬ Pitiful creature of darkness ♬♬
♬♬ What kind of life have you known ♬♬
♬♬ God give me courage to show you ♬♬
♬♬ You are not alone ♬♬
Alan: And Emmy Rossum's got pipes. Jono: Yeah.
Jono: So he's never had kindness. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: And he sells it. Come on. Again.
Alan: When he's not singing, he's great. Great!
I love you, Gerard Butler. Seriously, man. really impressed.
Jono: No, honestly, it's a great performance.
Jono: Whatever you think of the singing, he does great. Alan: He's really good.
Jono: So she's willing to spend her life with him.
And it's not to save her boyfriend at this point.
It's really because she pities him.
Jono: Now, it's beautiful for the story that this breaks him. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: And he... Alan: Seems implausible in real life. But, you know.
Jono: It's beautiful for the story that this breaks him. And now he really loves her.
Jono: Like, actually loves her, wants her to be happy, and he sets her free. Alan: Right.
Phantom: Take a look at me. Look at all of this.
Jono: In real life, he'd probably cling to her like a life preserver. Alan: Oh, yeah.
Jono: Like, she finally came around. And this is what love and compassion feels like.
And she choo-choo-chooses me.
Alan: She kissed me, like, that was nice.
Jono: And... and it was a kiss. Alan: Mm hmm.
Phantom: ♬♬ The secrets you know of the Angel in Hell ♬♬
The mob: ♬♬ The Phantom of the Opera is there deep down below ♬♬
Phantom: ♬♬ Go now. Go now and leave me ♬♬
Jono: So, what you guys still doing here?
Alan: Seriously, Get out of my house.
It's over.
Go home.
Jono: So love versus lust
And... Look, and lust can have a place in love. I mean, lust is just intense physical attraction.
Alan: Sure, that's fun.
Jono: But in and of itself, it isn't love. Alan: Right.
Jono: In and of itself it's not something you can build a relationship on.
And especially if that relationship is controlling or consuming or obsessive.
If you love somebody, you need to let them have a choice.
Like, an actual choice.
The overall message is that people just need love.
And that even though we're responsible for our choices,
at the same time we influence each other.
And a lot of times the monsters that we're scared of,
are the ones that we create by our lack of compassion. Alan: Yeah.
Jono: So until next time...
♬♬ Close your eyes, let your spirit start... ♬♬
♬♬ To soar ♬♬
Alan: ♬♬ You will curse the day you did not dooooo... ♬♬
Jono: Sounds like you're pinching one out.
Internet Dads: And... watch movies!
Jono: Oh gosh...
Tonight we dine in hell!
This is Sparta!
Alan: That's the same thing.
Jono: Yeah, that's the... Yeah. Alan: That's it.
♬♬ Masquerade Burning glances turning red ♬♬
♬♬ Masquerade, stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you ♬♬