Erik (The Phantom of the Opera) In the 2004 film adaptation of the musical, Erik's makeup was made to look much less gruesome than previous adaptations of the story. Instead of a skull-like face, his disfigurement resembles that of a mildly malformed face, which he covers with the mask. Film critic Roger Ebert noted that Butler was more "conventionally handsome" than his predecessors "in a GQ kind of way". Onscreen, Erik has often been cast as a tragic hero but also a tragic villain, depending on the film's point of view. "See main list: The Phantom of the Opera" Erik (The Phantom of the Opera) Erik
The Phantom of the Opera (1989 film) is Segal's rendition of the Phantom's opera composition 'Don Juan Triumphant', with the Phantom on the organ and Christine singing. "The Phantom of the Opera" opened theatrically on November 3, 1989 in 1,468 venues, ranking sixth at the domestic box office, with $2,050,000 in its first weekend. The film closed three weeks later, having grossed $3,953,745. The film received negative reviews from critics. Caryn James of "The New York Times" wrote, "This 'Phantom' is not lively enough to be kitschy, or original enough in its badness to be funny." "Variety" called the film "competent but flatly directed," adding that "Englund