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Mystery Angel
Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:05 am
~
The 
Hidden Plot ****SUMMARY OF THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT****
Paragraph summary: Clues from symbolism used in this scene points to them being royalty, Erik, King, and Christine his Queen (in spirit if not in body yet), but we also see more evidence of a Phantom spirit spying on/influencing them. We see clues of who Erik is out in the real world - his ancestry - and also who Raoul is. Erik shows Christine his kingdom, asking her to come and be a part of it with him. He always gives her a choice, but has been deceived, just as she has, into thinking he is trapped in darkness - the music of the night - and can never leave, so he tries to make it sound beautiful to her ...
Christine now has dark eye shadow and wild hair - which became that way when she was in the corridor with the horse. Her hair is no longer neat and back, as it was in the mirror, showing two things: how she feels when she’s with Erik (like a woman) and also that she's entered his world. Her gown/robe has gone through a dramatic change. More on that in a bit.
Phantom twirls “king’s cape” off then sings in a haunting, strange way:
"I have brought you,
To the seat of sweet music's throne."
This is sung in 3rd person - Erik is king - he IS music as many clues show. Phantom, who serves the king - though falsely - as his manservant, would collect and deliver the queen to him, also telling Christine about her king. That is how things are done for royalty. Another clue that Erik is king. So it's as if the Phantom is singing through Erik here.
"To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music, music." (again, third person, saying all must pay homage to music, not to "me". All must honor/respect/worship music)
In subtitles:
he sings: "To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music”
next line shows:
“Music, you have come here ...” as if in direct address —like he’s talking to her ... see pic below:
Why separate words that clearly go together?? Why start new subtitle with ending word of last sentence, show a comma as you would in direct address and go into next sentence? It would have been more logical to write: "To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music, music”And start next line with:
“You have come here”
They capitalize first letter of beginning of all subtitles, but it’s odd to separate that sentence when they didn't do it in similar situations. I haven't seen any phrases done like that in film, especially ones that have a comma separating them. It's not as if they didn't have enough room to fit the word "music" there - they often used longer subtitle lines. I've also seen where they go right into a line they sing, and switch it fast with subtitles, so it's not about him immediately singing the next phrase either.
It's as if he's calling her "Music" and I feel it’s another clue that she is also Music. They are both Music in this allegory. He created her into it, since it’s all she ever wanted (why Raoul called her Little Lotte). But Christine is of the light (and is a bringer of it), while Erik is trapped inside darkness. Since she is also Music, all in the opera house must pay homage to her, as well - and Raoul does kneel before her after ascending two "invisible" stairs (like a throne) in Little Lotte. (They never show stairs, which is odd, because you would think you could see evidence of them in the mirror or in the longshot.)
He continues singing: “You have come here,
For one purpose and one alone . . .”
As he sings the first this is where he appears to switch back to full control of himself -her Angel/Erik. Not only does his tone of voice change (no longer sounding a bit creepy), but at organ he turns his back to her, as if suddenly realizing what he’s doing. His expression is troubled, uncertain, as he grips the organ, before he turns to face her again. He pauses a moment, as if thinking ... the gate is down, and you can see the light trapped behind it, but there is white clouds/mist above the water in the liar itself. Behind the organ, we see white light too - but it looks as if it’s trapped behind the rocks.
White light trapped behind portcullis:
ERIK: “Since the moment I first heard you sing, [b]I have needed you with me to serve me to sing, for my music, my music”
Erik is king of music. This is his kingdom. He wants her to serve him as his queen, to sing for him, and he uses "me" - first person - showing Phantom is gone. Also, earlier he sang, "where all must pay homage to music" - to serve is another way of paying homage.
ERIK: ”Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation,
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination,
Silently the senses abandon their defenses ...
In an alternate version of lyrics he sings in beginning verse:
"Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness wakes and stirs imagination
Silently the senses, abandon their defenses
Helpless to resist the notes I write
For I compose the Music of the Night."
(in the movie and most recordings, these last two lines have no words, music only)
One sleuther said it this way: “He says since he composes 'the music of the night' he can't control himself and is 'overpowered' by the notes he writes. This again would show he is Angel/Phantom.” From me: added to say that Erik is also under the Phantom’s curse, feeling compelled to write that music, as if he cannot stop it or control it. “Helpless to resist” does not sound like something he wants to do.
When he goes to her in boat and helps her out, a long ray of blue light runs across her head, followed by another blue ray of light running through his middle - his heart (spirit). (This isn't just about being a reflection from the light - because if it were it should logically have happened all the times they showed white light, and didn’t. It happens a few other times in story, and always in the same places on their bodies, sometimes without any light showing.) Also, as he sings to her "Turn your face away from the garish light of day" - we see another blue line of light going across his back (his middle, where his heart would be).
Here’s where she steps out of boat, and below that is second time in this scene the blue light goes across his heart:
sneak peek: The reason this is all important - in DOM, when he sings “It’s over now the music of the night” - ONLY when he sings “music” a shorter blue ray of light goes across his heart/shoulders as he bends down - heavy and thick - like a music staff. But there is no white light when this happens. We believe this is another clue showing he IS Music, the spirit of it.
In TOM this also happened when she sang. First a line of blue light went through her head when she transformed into Elisabeth gown, then another went through her heart right before she sang the foreshadowing verse directed to Erik. (I believe that when the line is through her head, it's symbolic of her being Music - when it's through the heart, it's symbolic of him. He is in her mind, making her Music now also, but He is the heart of Music. Whenever we see the blue ray of light on him - it shows across his heart. With her, it’s across her head. And when they're together, as one - the line changes yet again. More on that later.)
The color “blue” is symbolic of “divinity” and “heaven" - and the light being blue could be another clue that they are both royal. Also, I found a definition on a website that a line(s) of light is indicative of their personal “spiritual energy” or “aura” (personal atmosphere) - since it’s only about them, this fits. Again showing they are one spirit. Music. Blue also means “truth.”
ERIK: ”Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Turn your face away from the garish light of day,
Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light,
And listen to the Music of the Night.”
We see a drawing on the wall (which appears at a different place later in the story) - and on researching seems to be a festival in Seville, Spain called La Feria. (More later) ... also, notice the Christine doll on mini stage wears a white dress -suggesting Erik must have arranged for her to wear the EMPRESS Elisabeth dress, again showing how he treats her as royalty, his intended queen. We see a drawing of her in the dress - showing he designed it. (This is the same night as her performance. He couldn't have known about the dress unless he'd arranged it, since Carlotta's wasn't finished in time.) A red rose lies on top of the drawing of her -perhaps showing she is symbolized as the rose - and it has a black ribbon around it. She looks down and sees. He looks to the left then the right as he sings, “Turn your thoughts away...” - that he looks left first (at what?) could be a hint he is king (Erik) now (and not controlled by Phantom) - and we immediately see a statue with its LEFT arm raised and holding a lit candle, which I believe also is a clue to this (because of something that happens in later scenes.)
ERIK: ”Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams,
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before,
Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar,
And you’ll live as you’ve never lived before. . .”
She smiles, thoroughly captivated by him; she does not act like anyone in a trance, from POTO on thru MOTN.
ERIK: ”Softly, deftly, music shall caress you,
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you,
Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind,
In this darkness that you know you cannot fight,
The darkness of the music of the night.
As he gets closer to her and moves away, she looks him up and down with a look of intense desire - she is not in any trance. People in mindless trances don’t act the way she is acting ... Also, the lantern by bird statue is lit in this scene.
ERIK: ”Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world,
Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before,
Let your soul take you where you want to be,
Only then can you belong to me ...”
He can’t have her if she doesn’t agree to come into the darkness with him, because he is chained to it, a prisoner of it.
ERIK: ”Floating, falling, sweet intoxication,
Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation,
Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in,
To the power of the music that I write,
The power of the music of the night ...”
When he smooths his hand down her bodice, it sparkles white everywhere - even in the lace below, where it never sparkled before, and this is not just because of lighting, because they were in a well-lit hallway after mirror scene, when it should have sparkled just as much. Gown/robe has changed looking like something a queen would wear. Even her skin sparkles ...
So as to compare, the first shot shows her with the flames still lit in her room - no sparkles on the corset/bed gown, but pink rosebuds and what looks like a pink ribbon are at the top of the bodice. Second shot - after the candles all went out (I brightened pictures so details could be seen) - rosebuds go all along the collar. Also her sleeves look as if they are only gauze - not lacy, as they appeared in MOTN. The cuffs also weren’t as flamboyant or sparkly as they were in MOTN. She didn’t start to “sparkle” until after she went through the mirror, a little bit at a time, starting in places the rosebuds were. When they went down the spiral staircase, her bodice was a flat white - no sparkle to it at all, though other parts of her gown sparkled, and then in next scene we start to see a bit of sparkle in bodice too. By the time he takes her to the mannequin, the gown has undergone a remarkable change. See pics below:
She is intensely moved by him and desires him - you can tell this from her body language and the way she rolls her eyes up to him, etc. She turns as if to kiss him, but he moves away and tells her to “savor each sensation.” As he pulls her away from organ, the bust on his organ changes - the head with the half mask like his - and the black ribbon holding it in place is now thin where a second before it was thick. Also the overall appearance of the statue appears to change: it seems more alert, not slumped over as it was. (I feel since it’s wearing the mask, which is symbolic of the evil spirit (Phantom), the spirit could be temporarily residing in it - and now Phantom (in statue) is alert because Erik is moving too fast. In next scene this proves true - she faints when coming face-to-face with her image in veil and dress. Also, the lantern is no longer lit, but goes lit again when he takes her up the stairs. (more on this later.)
Here are the pictures before and after:
Before:
After:
Another change in lyrics goes like this:
"Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Hearing is believing, music is deceiving,
Hard as lightning, soft as candlelight,
Dare you trust the Music of the Night?
Close your eyes
For your eyes
Will only tell the truth
And the truth
Isn’t what you want to see
In the dark
It is easy to pretend
That the truth
Is what it ought to be"
From these alternate lyrics of MOTN, it sounds as if deep down Erik knows what he's trying to sell her - living a life in darkness - isn't something she would want. And also, something he doesn't want for himself either. But he's so desperate to be with her, yet fearful of the light and coming out of darkness, so he's trying to make it sound as if living in the darkness - away from light - will be a great thing. Thus, he is deceiving her into believing a lie. Others think Phantom is trying to deceive him into believing the lie as he sings this.
Also this idea of closing ones eyes to the truth of how things really are fits with all the blindfolded statues, and with the admonition to be “silent” - repeated many times in the movie, which has the theme of “true is false.” (More on that later.)
In POTO mannequin wasn’t wearing veil as they approached lair. I believe when we see the real image of Christine through their eyes, it symbolizes what both of them want. Christine as his bride. Depending upon whose POV (point of view) we see it through determines what they are feeling at the time - and this is important to note for later scene. When we see it as is - a doll - and they are not concentrating on it, it's still symbolic of her.)
Candle behind Christine goes out. She is of the light and bringer of it. One member said, “When candlelight goes out could mean something, like she 'went out' temporarily when she fainted.” In the symbol book, “unconsciousness” is a sign of death. So perhaps here a part of her old self was dying to be spiritually reborn in STYDI and that fits with what's coming - (as shown in next scene) Since it’s ONE candle, and it was in front of the Christine mannequin chamber, I feel it symbolizes her.
Below: Lantern - far left - is lit again. Her gown sparkles even though it's dark.
When he picks her up, her right arm is trapped against him. Next shot, we see her arm swinging free. (They have hinted that “right” is false in this movie, because it symbolizes the Phantom spirit.) Her gown sparkles all over the bodice and in the lace as he takes her up the stairs, even though they are in the dark - no candles to shine on it. Which makes it look as if this is a different gown than what she wore at the mirror scene.
In Erik’s bedroom, if you pause and zoom, to the left in shadow is a statue of a woman with what appears to be a serpent tail, a trunk with things on top of it, and a feminine chair with a red drape on seat. To the right is something hidden behind a black curtain - it could be a sarcophagus (coffin for a king). If so, this might be a bit JS took from G.L. novel where that Phantom slept in coffin because he felt dead, as if he were in hell. Not sure about this though - it also resembles a tabernacle. But in his bedroom, the former would make more sense. Also, we see a secret passage they show in DOM (final lair scene) now covered.
He carries her to the "swan bed" (in movie companion book it is called - a "black swan" bed) - but it is a Phoenix. From my World Book (1973) encyclopedia: a Phoenix is “A fabled bird of Greek mythology ... it is always male. It had brilliant gold and reddish-purple feathers and was large or larger than an eagle. The long life of the phoenix, and its dramatic rebirth from its own ashes made it a symbol of immortality and spiritual rebirth.” Colors for Phoenix match the décor of his bed - red and purple. Also a sprig of green is near its head. Phoenixes make their nest in myrrh - and I feel that the sprig is myrrh in this scene only - since the green looks different, like a rose in the next scene. The bed itself is a silver clam shell - in next scene I’ll show why we think that is. Phoenixes are royal; in Egyptian mythology a Phoenix was known as the “sun god.” (I believe this is one of many clues that Erik is king of opera house and is considered royalty.)
In Hans Christian Anderson poem, “The Phoenix” it says: “Beneath the tree of knowledge in the garden of paradise stood a rosebush. And here, in the first rose, a bird was born.(Erik sings to Christine, who he thinks of and who symbolizes the rose, “you along can make my song take flight. . .”) His plumage was beautiful, his song glorious, and his flight was like the flashing of light. . .Phoenix bird! Don't you know him? The bird of paradise, the holy swan of song. . .?
The rose was first created (in mythology) for Venus (Aphrodite), goddess of love and beauty (in upcoming scene Christine takes on the role of Venus and they show symbolic props in movie relating Venus to Christine, even statues of Venus herself. More on that soon.)
ERIK: ”You alone can make my soul take flight,
Help me make the music of the night.”
He gently sets her down, touches her with tenderness, and lowers the black mesh curtain around her. By doing this, and also showing him move away when she turned to kiss him earlier, they show him as a gentleman who honored her and treated her like a lady, (a queen) protecting her honor, as was important in that time period especially.
Notice the red and purple sheets –the other two colors of the phoenix, besides gold
The “Music of the Night” is Erik’s domain. Where he lives, what he writes, who he is. (Music) And he wants to share that and his love with Christine, who is, in this allegory, also Music - but she is from the light. He refers to her as HIS "Angel of Music" many times throughout the movie. However she's still in training from her Master. (There's usually white light around her somehow when she's with him, light that she brings and that realistically wouldn't be in the scene, as well as what happened in the chapel scene in AOM, etc.) They are both Music, but cannot live together because one is in darkness, and one is in light. He wants her to come into his dark world. But she cannot live in the darkness (which we see later). So she must bring him to the light and calls him into it in Spanish translations.
The “darkness” is the Phantom spirit that sometimes influences him and he's allowed to influence him through evil actions. (murder, for instance)
Also the darkness is the place where Erik lives below the earth and under the opera house, which he considers a prison by his own words, and one in which he really would like to be freed from, but because of the way people have treated him, coupled with his fear of going into the light to live there, he feels he's forever chained to his lair. This is shown in STYDI and first part of DOM.
Here are some of the clues they laid out in this scene, and a picture to help:
* Feng Huang (the bird statue they pass when going to the Christine mannequin)- is a Chinese Phoenix. Most tales say that its head and body is that of a pheasant, and it's feathers are like a peacock. . . .with the body of a tortoise. . .and that fits the appearance of this bird.
From a website: “Feng Huang ruled over the southern quadrant of heaven, which represented summer, and hence the sun. Feng Huang is also called the emperor of birds because all the other birds of the sky would follow it in flight in homage to it. Feng Huang is in fact two birds. Many Chinese names for a creature are the combination of the male name and female name. Feng is the male bird and Huang is the female bird. The male is the yang and represents the solar cycle and summer, while the female is the yin, the lunar cycle, (moon) and a symbol of the Chinese empresses. . .Another difference between Feng Huang and the Phoenix is that Feng Huang is a true immortal bird; it does not grow old and die to be reborn again, like the Phoenix. Pictures depicting both male and female birds together are symbolic of immortal love. . .The Feng Huang is both a symbol of peace (when it appears) and a symbol of disharmony (when it disappears). . . (the statue is there in MOTN- but it has disappeared in final lair scene.)
“On Earth the Feng Huang nests far away from humankind in the K'unlun mountains, in wu t'ung trees. It is believed that if one plays a musical instrument while sitting under such a tree, the Feng Huang will bless the musician by adding its own sweet melody to the music.”
Also another phan who helped us said this, “Chinese is written in characters, which represent ideas. So, "huang" is a single character which means "female phoenix." In Chinese, two characters will be put together to create different words. When I scanned the Chinese dictionary for "huang," there were very few word permutations listed and "ch'iu" (a separate character) when combined with "huang" means to "seek a wife." The character for "phoenix" in Chinese also means in this combination/context: "wife."
I bolded all the things above that seem to relate to POTO—they showed symbolism with Erik/ (sun god -royal), and Christine (as moon) and notice the Fen Huang is also a royal bird: Phoenix was symbolic of Erik, but also Christine when paired in the Feng Huang—King and Queen of opera kingdom—if not yet in marriage, in intent. And he sought her as his wife.)
Drapes of red and gold—colors of the kingdom—seem to show who is royal here—they only adorn her mannequin chamber, like a shrine (queen), are draped below the organ area where he composes and where the crests sit (king), and are draped in the area above her pictures (queen), as well as showing above the final mirror -but ONLY when he exits in DOM scene. The red and gold curtain is NOT over or above that last mirror in this scene, and the mirror is leaning to the side, part of it exposed. I’m not totally sure what this all means yet, unless it’s to draw our attention to it because it is changed later. That he walks through the mirror with the red and gold curtain only in final scene could be another clue pointing to him as king there - and that was the king's secret exit. Red and gold tapestries are behind the crests, BUT where the white horse is —symbolic or Raoul —there is a black cloth draped behind it. from masquerade song: “green and black, queen and priest”—I believe this could be a clue showing he is the priest in this hidden plot, priest meaning a messenger/server of the light and a priest (confidante) to the queen. (Not a priest in the biblical sense.)
*Two crests lie against the rock in front of organ; upon researching them for hours -using my Complete Book of Heraldry to do it -I found that one is a family coat of arms pointing to Erik as the firstborn son of a French count. The other shield shows that he holds the office of a count. Both of these shields are on red/gold backgrounds- the colors of the king- Erik. Signifying these crests are his. That there is a white horse next to the shields is symbolic of Raoul, who is constantly referred to as having “fine horses” and who we see riding a white horse (in companion book, the words WHITE STALLION are capped and underlined when Raoul jumps bareback onto it.)
Because the white horse is symbolic of Raoul and is NEXT to the family crests in Erik’s lair - but with a different color backdrop than the crests have- I believe is a clue showing Raoul is a relation (perhaps a brother or cousin), and that Erik is a de Chagny. Count de Chagny to be exact. More in a bit ...
*The crest (design) on the organ pipes are similar to the ones shown on boat
*The bust on top of organ with the white mask changes many times throughout the movie. When he sings “Close your eyes. . .” it appears to have an eyeball in it. Next shot, it doesn’t. It changes throughout the whole song - even its black headband is sometimes thin, sometimes thick. See pics below (note -in zooming I lost some clarity -you can see this better on your own movie, by either step-by-stepping it or slow motion. Still, here's an idea of when to look. Also, the last picture -the bust looks different with different hair.):
eyeball—
eye closed:
thin band, more alert -not as slouched over -as if it's changed from position it was in last:
eye looking through mask (in STYDI):
There is a smaller bust next to it—perhaps symbolizing Christine since a red rose is right next to it—that is both blindfolded AND veiled. (she cannot see the truth of the darkness yet)
There is also a bust in the red curtains when he leads her out of boat—when zoomed, it looks as if it has horns, pointed beard, mustache, evil eye, etc—and resembles the devil. And it looks different in NOWL. Could be linking Phantom spirit to the one really in control, since the statue has a white mask on right side, symbolic of Phantom spirit. There are other statues here that we feel are important, but haven't yet discovered what they are--such as a gold statue of a woman inside the mannequin's chamber that we never see again. Also they show other things in his lair that disappear later.
Most of the statuary that wears masks “changes” in appearance in this movie, often within a scene. I strongly feel that it could be showing that the Phantom spirit -(or other evil spirits -his minions) -are inside these statues spying on the people, since research shows that spirits can inhabit any material thing with eyes, especially if it is hollow. And they made their own statuary at opera house, as shown in POTO intro. Since Phantom spirit has opera house "chained" and under his control, it makes sense that the statues made there are used for evil spirit(s) to spy.
Back to AOM for a moment, when Christine begin to sing about being frightened to Meg -all during that time and only during that time, a gold statue was visible behind the black curtain next to Christine. Also the possible appearance of the white mask or face.
**COMPANION BOOK CLUES**
p. 86: "...It is dominated by a huge bed in the shape of a black swan." (reference to black could be related to phantom, but what they used wasn’t a swan, but a phoenix. However, a phoenix is also called "a holy swan of song.")
p. 87 of companion book, we see a picture of MOTN, and above in the rock wall what appears to be a black demonic face(s) above them.
This entire scene was done much differently than in the movie, with the Phantom pulling her around in a boat, him lighting candles as he sang, then carrying her up the staircase to his lair before she faints when she sees the mannequin. It was much more sexual in the book, and they made her much more trance-like than the Christine of the movie.
**More Clue Pictures**
Thanks to one of our sleuthers and her daughter for catching this: Erik's glove shows four red "dots" in above picture and below - holes cut out of his gloves- the number 4 and the color red both having been shown throughout movie and companion book as being symbolic of him in figuring out the Hidden plot.
will replace pictures soon- sorry
**THE CRESTS**
The details: from my "The Complete Book of Heraldry" (by Stephen Slater):
First, I was having trouble because the Napoleonic shields -both shape of shield and way symbols were positioned -were not matching up to Erik's shields in his lair. So I went back through my book and studied and studied. And I hit paydirt.
I found that his shields - both the family coat of arms and the crest of office Erik has in his lair -are in the shape of the French ones used in the 17th century, right down to the fancy oval scripted gold frame and crown on top - and THAT is one reason his and Raoul's don't match. Even the method used -and I looked at French shields of that time period -was different in placements. Which suggests to me the family title of de Chagny has long been in the family.
First, the shield on the right: the "chief" or blue bar at the top of shield with the three symbols in it denotes a nobleman of rank. Crosses, such as the one below his shield, were common symbols to use, and there was supposedly a great variation of crosses to use. In the case of Erik, his is red. As most appeared to be. (for the hidden plot it can also signify him, since his color is red in this movie.)
There is a picture in the book of a 17th century French "comte's" shield and it has the bar across the top with the three symbols, then one symbol below it. (The symbols themselves don't appear to be that important -it's just a matter of family choice, etc.) It's the POSITIONING of these symbols and bars that’s important.
Blue from what I've seen and read signifies the office of a count in France. So that coat of arms with the blue bar in the chief and the cross below it signifies the bearer of this shield has the office of a count.
Now, for Erik’s family coat of arms: I studied how these were quartered (divided) and what this shows me, because of shape of shield and way it is divided -is that the bearer of this shield is the firstborn son of a count.
The bottom left and upper right diagonal of the red chevron shows the mother's side of family because the woman's side is always in that position. The bottom right and diagonal -with the blue bar -shows the father's side and that he is a count (also note it matches the chief {blue bar across top} in crest of office described above.) Because there is no smaller shield in the middle of this quartered shield (like Raoul's), but it is only in four sections -or quarters -(each part diagonal to the other) -is what is described and pictured in heraldry book as a shield belonging to a firstborn son, and because of the symbols used on the father's side -the bearer of this shield is the firstborn son of a count. This is Erik's shield on the left.
As I said before, the white horse/rider seems to symbolize Raoul, due to the many references of white horses and fine horses. Also in companion book there is a clue that the white horse is symbolic of him, which I will show when we reach that scene. Because it is right next to Erik's shield - (why have anything symbolic of Raoul in Erik's lair?)- seems like a clue that the bearer of these arms - Erik - is related to Raoul (especially since this statuette of white horse and rider is only in this first part of movie and is missing in final lair scene. One of those -"Now you see it, did you catch it?" clues - and there are a lot of those in this movie.)
A 17th century shield would contain much fewer symbols than a 19th century one--because as people marry and generations are added, the shields changed and the quartering became extensive -almost hard to tell it was from the same family. Also the way they showed a count's office on Raoul's FATHER'S 19th century coat of arms changed. A blue canton (square) in chief dexter (left hand side of top) bearing a sword. As Raoul's family coat of arms showed. Again, belonging to his father -and I'll show why when we reach that scene.
The crown on top is hard to make out on Erik's shield, but upon studying it closely and the specific crowns for each member of the nobility, it does resemble the crown showing the rank of a count.
I feel these shields were there only to show us that Erik is the firstborn son of a count. AND that he now holds that position or soon will -due to the crest of office (the one with the red cross.) A clue stuck there for the viewer -nothing else. That these were in Erik's lair with his things shows me that this is the truth of who he was in the "real world"- outside of the opera house kingdom.
As for the positioning they used: Since the white horse and rider (symbolizing Raoul) was to the RIGHT of the shield of office showing a count, this could also be a clue showing that he is not a count, nor will he be one. And that Erik's family coat of arms was to the LEFT of the shield of office, could be showing that he was the true count. In this movie, left is true and right is false (deceitful- Phantom spirit), as is shown many, many times. . .
That they used French 17th century shields for Erik's crests could have also been a bit of sneakiness on ALW and JS’s part, to make the hunt a little harder. Had they shown a shield similar to Raoul's, it would have been a dead giveaway.
So, all that to say these clues of the two crests and white horse/rider symbolize that Erik was the firstborn son of a Count, and he was related to Raoul. Therefore, Erik was a de Chagny. Count de Changy. (And Countess was inscribed on Christine's gravestone - though Raoul was still a Vicomte and called that in auction and in screenplay of black and white scenes. His wife would have been lower in rank than a Countess and held a title depicting that- she would have been a Vicomtesse, or using the English- A Viscountess. But Christine's gravestone showed that she married a Count and had children with him. Not with a Vicomte.)
Here are two pics -(the one I gleaned above info from was in companion book and was easier to see - also I used a magnifying glass and picture was sharper and easier to see than the zoomed ones here, which lose resolution when doing that) -but anyway, this shows that each of the crests are to the LEFT of FOUR lit candlesticks and the horse/rider. Left is true- Erik. Four is also his number. The candlesticks are LIT -illumination. They are casting light on the truth of the matter regarding him. This is the only time we see the crests in this position -each one to the left of a lit candlestick. Later, the candles are not lit and the crests are to the right, horse is missing, etc. Here in MOTN white horse/rider -signifying Raoul - with all I've shown above is a clue showing he was never a count; therefore Christine was never HIS countess.
In the film companion book (p.16), they wrote that the original POTO book by Gaston Leroux was called “faction” a blend of fiction and facts—because it’s based on REAL characters. Something never proven, but long assumed by many because of the startling evidence shown. Yet in the companion book they make it sound like fact. As if to say -"find out who these people are." When you do, you discover the De Changy family -and that there was a man named Raoul and one named Eric -both of them related. The true Eric, by the way, was the firstborn and only son of a Count.
**SPANISH TRANSLATIONS by PMA and PM**
MOTN
You have come here
To this place of blessing
To this special kingdom, my homage to music
Music has come. You have come for my own claim.
In the moment that I first heard you
I wanted you with me to serve me like that
With my music, my music.
Nighttime that opens so many sensations
We bring strange temptations
Although you don’t understand it
Yet you see, you don’t defend yourself
Eternal night, this is the moment
You change, you feel, you know that I’m not lying
No longer do you have to search
Daylight is so vulgar
Remember no more the cold clarity
The night gives you new music
In your dark dreams, abandon yourself and surrender
And now, forget the past
Please, fly now in freedom
And without pain, live here
It is your life, and it is better
I caress you (original line was MUSIC shall caress you)
You are fragile, I will protect you
We will make music, we are in your mind
Don't reject now, not you, this darkness
the night
The night gives you new music
In your mind, there is hidden a world of splendor
See it, and forget the past, please
See the place that I opened for you in your dreams
And then you will belong to me
Floating, sleeping, sweet is the poison
Give me your soul, don’t stop me.
Let me enter finally
Your secret in my garden
And the magic of my music will be heard
The magic that the music gives you
Only you inspire me, it is the truth
Music sounds in the night.
*note from honey—the line "We bring strange temptations" and “we are in your mind” are more clues showing that there are two—a phantom spirit and Erik. The lines “Music has come. You have come for my own claim”—is another clue showing that Christine is also the embodiment of music, since he is calling her music here, as if it was her name.
update: (10/09) The French translations aren't up yet, though I have them now - but they are very passionate/steamy, showing E/C attraction, so be prepared. lol Very sexual... I'll get them up soon.
**SIMILARITIES IN SOUND by Redrose**
Unique except title segment is shared with title segment of AIAOY
**MUSICAL TRANSLATION by Phantoms Star**
Note: I think this is what the sounds stand for.
Flute: a calling
Harp: thinking of Angel (Angel of Music)
Cymbals: Angel is there, or near (brush of cymbals)—loud crash—he is fully there.
1.) Harp – We hear the brushing of the strings of the harp right after he says, “Music” (referring to her) and before he says “You have come here.” I think this shows Christine is thinking of her Angel and his music and nothing else.
2.) Flute – As Angel sings, “For one purpose and one alone,” we hear a very high sound of a flute on the words “one alone.” (or maybe it’s a bell?) But if it is a flute, I think Christine is calling to Angel because as we’ve said, this seems to be the part where Angel comes back based on the lyrics.
3.) Harp – We begin to hear the harp as Angel is singing MOTN. It starts on “heightens each sensation” and continues as he is walking toward Christine to help her out of the boat. (It sounds so soft and angelic to me.)
4.) Flute – as Christine stands up and takes Angel’s hand, we hear the flute play on the tune which sounds like “you alone can make my song take flight.” I think Angel is now calling to Christine, in a sweet romantic way.
5.) As Angel starts to sing, we hear the harp throughout the song, usually at the end of the lines. The whole time, Christine is thinking of Angel and focused only on him.
6.) Flute – “Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender.” “And listen to the music of the night.” Angel is calling to Christine to listen to the music of the night.
7.) Flute – “Softy, deftly, music shall caress you.” Christine takes Angel’s hand again here. He is again calling her to listen to the music of the night. (The harp begins again after this point)
8.) After Angel sings, “The darkness of the music of the night,” we hear a soft crash of the cymbals, and again as he sings “Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world (specifically on the word “mind”). I think this shows Angel is there as he walks behind the organ, but now using some of the Phantom’s spirit to give him the confidence to tell Christine what he really wants her to do, which is join him in his world of darkness.
9.) Flute – “Leave all thoughts of the life you new before.” I think we hear a high sound of the flute on the word “before”. Again, Angel is calling Christine to join him. But I also think this could refer to Christine calling back to Angel (since the shot is on her) and for him to not use the Phantom’s spirit. We then hear one note of the flute as he begins to sing “Floating, falling”. Was Christine going to try and call to him again, but Angel suddenly caressed her and she felt it was ok? (thoughts from anyone)
10.) “The power of the music of the night.” We hear the crashing cymbals after this line. We also hear them again when Christine looks at the mannequin. I think it’s all Angel here. She got what she was calling for (maybe a bit too much since she fainted.) As Angel picks her up after she fainted, we hear the brushing of the cymbals followed by two brushing of the strings on the harp. Angel is there, but not completely (meaning not fully redeemed) since he wants her to join him in his darkness.
11.) Harp – “Help me make the music of the night.” I think this could mean two things. Christine is thinking of her Angel (maybe will dream of him as she sleeps), and also Angel is thinking of Christine since she is his Angel of Music.
12.) As Angel goes to close the curtain, we hear slight brushing of the cymbals that sound very soft and soothing. The very last brushing cymbals sound soft, and slightly rattle a bit too. I think this shows Angel is there but still will rely on the Phantom’s spirit even after he sang this beautiful song to Christine. (Remember this as we approach future scenes.)
Link to Meg in Dressing Room & "Magical Lasso":
viewtopic.php?p=172301#172301
Last edited by honeyphan on Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:25 am, edited 6 times in total.
Music brought them together...One kiss bound them for life...
And two hearts were entwined for all eternity
*Thanks nightsmusic for avatar! *E/C Banner/manip made by me (from The Treasure)
*More full E/C manip/paintings in my album
~ *Captain of the Hidden Plotters ...Is there a "Hidden Plot" in 2004 POTO movie? You decide!
The Hidden Plot (HP)
E/C Phanphics (more to come soon) THE QUEST (HP-bk.1) THE TREASURE (HP-bk. 2 - adult) REFLECTIONS of the SOUL A PHANTOM CHRISTMAS CAROL SYMPHONY in the TWILIGHT - adult -click links to read
And two hearts were entwined for all eternity
*Thanks nightsmusic for avatar! *E/C Banner/manip made by me (from The Treasure)
*More full E/C manip/paintings in my album
~ *Captain of the Hidden Plotters ...Is there a "Hidden Plot" in 2004 POTO movie? You decide!
The Hidden Plot (HP)
E/C Phanphics (more to come soon) THE QUEST (HP-bk.1)
THE TREASURE (HP-bk. 2 - adult) REFLECTIONS of the SOUL A PHANTOM CHRISTMAS CAROL SYMPHONY in the TWILIGHT - adult -click links to read
