9) Meg in Dressing Room & "Magical Lasso" -- scene summary

[honeyphan]

The Hidden Plot


*****SUMMARY OF MEG IN DRESSING ROOM & MAGICAL LASSO*****

paragraph summary—More clues are given as to there being two and not one; clues show Christine’s feelings and that Phantom is about to strike...as a servant/priestess to both king and Phantom spirit, M. Giry prophesies JB’s death to him.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyaoLBJaRAI


Meg enters the locked dressing room with a skeleton key. She looks for Christine, just like in AOM, as if watching out for her. But since she’s wearing blue, the question is - who is she really in this story? (Something we don't discover ’til the end. “thigh of blue, who is who?”—from masquerade, I think, has a few meanings.)

This is the same dressing room Christine was in, because of the four paintings on the walls -but look at the walls! The flowered wallpaper has changed color and is darkening to black. This isn't a trick of the lighting. Look to the far right corner of wall as she walks in--there's still a small section of the red wallpaper that was in Little Lotte scene showing there. It’s like the black is slowly taking over the walls. Perhaps it's because there is light behind the screen that appears to be cast over two paintings, which might mean that symbolically they are important to draw our attention to them like that. That light wasn't there when Christine was in the room. And the door has been locked.

Now, look over at the chair and table that once held the books, lamp, etc -the chair is back, but not only is it a different color (a different chair?), it has a homey crocheted slipcover over the top (same one vase in Mirror scene sat on) red and green (king {Erik} and queen's {Christine's} colors) -and a small pillow is on top of the cushion. The table is gone.

I left the last picture dark, the way it was in film and lightened the first one considerably so things could be seen well. But what I find interesting is that this room was all in darkness—all the flames blew out—and the door has been locked.





The only light appears to be coming from behind the dressing area, but the question is why is it there? It brings that oval picture into sharp focus—and I think, but am not sure, I have seen a similar picture of this regarding an actual photo of the Empress Elisabeth (TOM dress). I’ll check into that—but for whatever reason, they seem to want to bring that picture into focus. Also, with the way the shadow of that picture casts on the wall—but then the light shows on one side of the picture and darkness on the other side—same wall—seems to be symbolic of the darkness crowding around Christine. The fringed drape hanging over the dressing screen is the same one Christine is suddenly wearing cemetery morning—more on that later...

Because I feel the way the room "responds"—shown by changes in table, walls—relates to how Christine feels, I think the homey chair shows she’s comfortable with Erik, since she's with him now. But the walls are starting to darken as a portent of the problems that happen in next scene and continue happening throughout movie. There is now pink in what used to be totally white roses near the mirror, when Erik came for her. Pride is starting to get to Christine again, or soon will, and the Phantom spirit is about to mess things up for both E & C.

The room itself has become a mask hidden within a masquerade -changing three times, as if it’s enchanted. From M. Giry’s scene, to Raoul’s, and now this. Again, I feel the room changes signify the owner’s feelings at the time. Since Carlotta has left, the dressing room is considered Christine’s. The flowers Meg walks by are different than ones that were there in mirror scene, too. In fact, some red flowers (Erik's color) are in the midst of pink ones now. There are no white roses showing, like it did when Christine went through the mirror. ALL the roses are now pink.



Meg takes two steps up (on stairs they never show as being there) as if she’s ascending a throne. This mirror is Christine (the Queen's) doorway to the heart of Erik’s kingdom, where the King resides. Meg then puts the keys on the dressing table. Hearing faraway organ music, she steps through the open mirror. We see a zoom-in of the Phantom’s rose on the floor. Never mind how it got there since Christine never had it in her hand when she went through the mirror -things are disappearing and reappearing in this room right and left -but do a zoom on that flower and take a look at the petals. THREE places have turned black. (In Erik's mind, the rose is Christine -from the way he sings to it on rooftop, puts it against his mouth and looks at it in NOWL, etc, and red is Erik's color. The red is fading, a foreshadowing that their relationship is about to have some big problems, as happens in next scene...



“3” is the Phantom spirit’s number, so it appears he will be the one responsible since three places on the rose are black. Black in the rose—symbolically (from symbols website)—means death. And the phantom spirit is symbolic of the Angel of Death.

Red rose and ribbon = Christine and Erik and their relationship. A black ribbon, I have found, means “master” in "flower language," when tied around a rose. The one who gave the rose is the master to the one who receives it. Christine was symbolized as the rose, Erik the red in the rose, and the black ribbon shows himself wrapped around her -he was master over her.

Since this is important here, I’m putting this companion book clue here instead of at the end in its own section. In companion book the room is lit and the lights go out (like they did for Christine) only when Meg comes into room.

Companion book says: Startled, she turns to the mirror and glimpses a shadow behind her reflection. Her hand reaches up, she steps to one side and suddenly the panel NEXT to the mirror swivels silently and gathers her through to the other side.

Next is underlined and capped- a clue that this is important. And one of our sleuthers found out why (though they directed this scene differently than the book showed).

Also that she saw a "shadow" behind her reflection gives a hint to a spirit spying on her ("phantom" and "shadow" have the same meaning in the dictionary - ghost, spirit)

Meg goes through the mirror and if you look at the edge of the mirror while she’s inside the corridor, there’s a white profile of the LEFT side of a man’s face, with the RIGHT side of a black evil looking face superimposed on top of it. Zoom to see and pause -the outline is a perfect face, statuesque, and then there is that black face. She turns her face at the same angle for a short time, standing at the same height as that black face, and the shape of face is the same as hers. Not meaning it is hers, but rather that you can clearly see what looks like an outline of a face (because of the way the right side of her face is turned and so close to it.) I think this was done purposely so we would make that connection and see the faces in the mirror. An eye is in the black face, and it's as if this black face is staring our way.

White face of man = Erik
Black face of demon = Phantom spirit
White = good
Black = bad
Left is true, good. left = Erik (they show the LEFT profile of the white face)
Right is false, bad. right = phantom (they show the RIGHT side of the black evil face) See pic below. note: When you click on any picture with blue dots surrounding it -it will take you to a bigger picture. So if you click on this, you'll get a bigger picture, and in it the nose and the slope of the forehead can be seen better -it's more solid white in these areas:



in the picture both above and below—look at the slope of Meg’s nose and lips from her left profile—she is at the same angle as the white face, though her head is a little lower—and the light hits her nose and lips the same way it does the white face in the mirror. The forehead and chin of white face are cloudier and blur a little:




in the next picture, look at the shape of the right side of her face—the slope of her cheek and jaw and the positioning of her eye—matches with the black demon face with horn in the mirror:




Again, I feel this is one main reason they had her turn at both these angles—so it would be easier to compare/see the faces in the mirror and know they are there, so as to figure out why.

"Left is true and right is false" is something they show a lot of in this movie...because what is true -IOW, what is really happening inside that opera house -is false. "False" meaning bad - and the bad is the Phantom spirit who's cursed the place and is in true control, and is really using/deceiving the king (Erik). (In upcoming scenes you'll see much more proof of a Phantom spirit. This black face is just one of many.)

Since the evil black face is superimposed over the white man's profile, it’s another clue showing that the evil spirit is in connection to Erik, though there are two beings here. One a man (Erik—or another name for him—King Music), one an evil spirit who pretends to serve Erik as a companion and priest would a king -but really controls him and works through him for power.

Meg walks through the obviously changed creepy corridor, in its true form, complete with rats. M. Giry stops her, looks at her in a chastising way, and pulls her back to the dressing room. Here is more proof that M. Giry isn’t one bit afraid for Christine’s safety and trusts Erik, who she KNOWS is Music and king, which we see later. She’s very protective of her girls, and by her own admission in Hannibal, she said she’s “come to think of Christine like a daughter.” She is a priest(ess) to the king—she has helped him in getting Christine to his lair, giving him the key to lock Christine in her room earlier, (or maybe it was his since it had a red, gold, and green tassel) and watching as he did it, etc., and she knew about the hidden passage behind the mirror. I feel she did all this because the marriage was arranged from the beginning—her good friend, Christine’s father, told his daughter on his deathbed that he would send her Erik, the AOM, and M. Giry was there, by his deathbed, and knows it is meant to be. She understands that the king has chosen his queen, and since M. Giry is his servant—his priest(ess)—she helps him. Later, the king makes the announcement public. More on that soon...


**************MAGICAL LASSO*************




FOUR times he makes the girls scream- "4" is Erik's number and this song is describing him (though not very well. lol)

BUQUET: "Like yellow parchment is his skin,
A great black hole serves as the nose which never grew,"

This was how G.L described him in his novel, more proof that JS/ALW took a few small ideas from the original novel, since this is NOT how movie Erik looked. . .we think the yellow skin might be related to the “grinning yellows, spinning reds” in masquerade song, but aren't sure on that one yet.

BUQUET: "You must be always on your guard,
Or he will catch you with his magical lasso!"

That he knows about the magical lasso doesn't make sense since Phantom/Angel hasn't killed anyone at the opera house yet. Therefore, we feel JB was there when the Phantom/Angel as a boy killed the gypsy, and JB heard about his disappearance and made a ghost story out of it. Still, I feel there's more, and will come edit this paragraph when I find out just what it is.

Madame Giry quickly approaches and takes the lasso off the girl. Again they show her in a protective role to her girls, and since she thinks of Christine as a daughter, she would be even more protective of her.

MME GIRY: "Those who speak of what they know,
Find too late that prudent silence is wise,"

Here they use the word “silence” again--because in this opera house kingdom the unspoken rule is to stay silent, do not speak the truth of what you see or know. Keep your hand at the level of your eyes and do not look too closely--As shown in alternate MOTN lyrics, as well as in future scenes.

MME. GIRY: “Joseph Buquet hold your tongue!” (Slaps him)

He is disobeying the rule of the kingdom.

(She ties the rope around Buquet's neck and chokes him)

MME. GIRY: “Keep your hand at the level of your eyes!”

This refers not only to protecting oneself from the lasso--but symbolically we discovers it also means to partially shield the eyes and stay silent. To pretend you do not see what is really there. For in this opera house what’s true is really what's false--and false is the Phantom spirit.

Again M. Giry shows a protective role toward her girls, also serving her Master, the King (Erik). She reminds Joseph to be silent, and the threatening actions she uses with the rope are as if warning him what WILL happen, and to be prepared. It’s as if she’s prophesying his death.
Here she looks almost evil—when she tells him he will die by strangling him with the rope. Since she works for the Phantom spirit as well as the king, this makes sense, since one of the duties of a priest and or prophet, whether false or true, is to speak the message of the truth they uphold, and/or prophesy future events:



This is a picture in the trailer—in this, they show her looking at HIM and doing her song—then all of them turn their heads sharply to the right (of screen) as if shocked or scared. As if they see someone or something that has entered the room. I feel it’s a clue as to the Phantom spirit and his existence there, since they all—JB, M. Giry, even the ballet girls in the back — suddenly look to the right of screen at this point - all of them in fear. (right = phantom spirit)




In this trailer scene - look at Joseph Buquet's hand - his right hand is at the level of his eyes. But it wasn't in movie. So if to keep one's hand at the level of one's eyes means to catch the punjab before it strangles you--it is clearly showing it doesn't work. Which is why I think it must mean more than just catching the rope. And since he has his right hand raised, and they are suddenly all looking to the right - that could be a clue that it was the Phantom spirit responsible for JB's death, and not Erik. (though the P. spirit used him to do it.) Oh, and there are many more clues in the trailer- i.e. notice Erik's mask is sometimes on the wrong side of his face, as it was in companion book, as it was in some posters ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44w6elsJr_I


**SPANISH TRANSLATIONS by Phantommyangel & Promiseme
Magical Lasso


“It is ugly and pale, his skin. There is a hole where his nose never grew. Shudder, and guard yourselves. He will hunt you all with the magical lasso that he used.”

"They that explain such a lesson lack prudence. They speak of more.”
“Keep your mouth shut, you lazy idler. And keep the hands well back/behind.”

from honey: I find it interesting that they say to keep the hands BEHIND. If they are behind, he cannot defend himself. I feel this is important, as a way of showing that the hand at the level of your eyes symbolically means more than it sounds, and also this is showing that JB will die. And she is telling him so.


**SIMILARITIES IN SOUND by Redrose**

Magical Lasso
is “I Remember” throughout

from honey: The first part of "I remember," as you will see in next scene--deals with the man, Erik. The second part deals with the Phantom spirit--so perhaps the "magical lasso" is also something related to the Phantom only.

**MUSICAL ANALYSIS by Phantom’s 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.


Magical Lasso

1.) Harp – After JB scares the girls for the first time, we hear harp play along with an odd arrangement of instruments. It’s like the harp is being overlooked for what it truly sounds like, which is beautiful and angelic. Because this scene is about JB describing Angel/Phantom and he doesn’t know who Angel truly his, I think that is why the harp sounds very different.

2.) Flute:
Like yellow parchment is his skin
A great black hole serves as the nose that never grew
You must be always on your guard
Or he will catch you with his magical lasso

The flute (low notes) is played with the melody as JB talks to the girls. I think he is calling to the girls to listen to his tale.


**LINK TO I REMEMBER & STYDI **

viewtopic.php?p=176966#176966

[lefantomdeloper]

Your descriptions are so interesting. While reading, I came up with some things that may help, or may not.

You mentioned left is true/good and right is bad/false. When Joseph Buquet uses his RIGHT hand to guard, could this mean something? Like he was on the bad side of the Phantom spirit/King?

You also said there are two sides of Erik: the Angel and the Phantom. Do you notice when he is masked as the Phantom, he acts as a completely different being rather when he is unmasked?

When masked, his posture is straight which could signal pride and self confidence. When walking down the golden hall at the beginning of 'Phantom of the Opera', the entire time he has this satisfied, mischevious expression. When masked, he always seems to remain in control and retain his sensuality.

When unmasked, he is a mess and curbs on the brink of insanity. His posture is slouched as if weary, and he suddenly acts and looks so vulnerable. His graceful agility is gone and often staggers or drags his feet.

It's like when he puts the mask on, he's fooling himself. He's eventually convinced by this "spirit" that without it, he's nothing and has no control. The mask could be like a drug. It clouds your state of mind, and eventually, it turns you into a different person. By the end, the Phantom spirit had taken complete control over his mind, and with or without it, he was insane.

When Christine kissed him at the end of 'Down Once More', it was like she had crushed this evil barrier and freed the real Erik/the King.

You could also relate the mask to a drug because it's like a lure for comfort and a escape from reality. Drugs wear this mask that outwardly portrays it as cool and wonderful. But once people succumb and are sucked into that world, their lives are destroyed.

It was the same with the mask. Erik fled to it for shelter from pain and reality, yet it eventually turned him into the monster everyone believed him to be.

Okay, sorry, I was rambling. I am very tired and I'm not sure if anything makes sense, but I felt very smart writing it! Please reply if you think any of my theories are helpful or interesting.

[honeyphan]

Are you kidding? that was wonderful, lefantomdeloper!! Thank you so much for sharing that!!
And welcome to the board and to the HP!

I found this when googling masks (history of masks) which really underscores everything you said:

. . .Masks with human features are classified as anthropomorphic and those with animal characteristics as theriomorphic. In some instances, the mask form is a replication of natural features or closely follows the lineaments of reality, and in other instances it is an abstraction. Masks usually represent supernatural beings, ancestors, and fanciful or imagined figures and can also be portraits. The localization of a particular spirit in a specific mask must be considered a highly significant reason for its existence. . . .


When he is attired in the mask, there is a loss of his previous identity and the assuming of a new one. Upon donning the mask, the wearer sometimes undergoes a psychic change and as in a trance assumes the spirit character depicted by the mask.

Usually, however, the wearer skillfully becomes a “partner” of the character he is impersonating, giving to the mask not only an important spark of vitality by the light flashing from his own eyes but also bringing it alive by his movements and poses. But it would seem that the wearer often becomes psychologically completely attached to the character he is helping to create. He loses his own identity and becomes like an automaton, without his own will, which has become subservient to that of the personage of the mask. It appears, however, that at all times there remains some important, even if sub rosa, association between the mask and its wearer.

(when talking Japanese masks--and they showed hints of Japan in this too--M. Giry was dressed Japanese at ball) --White is used to characterize a corrupt ruler; red signifies a righteous man; a black mask is worn by the villain, who epitomizes violence and brutality.

There's a lot more on it here--

http://maskstore.stores.yahoo.net/historyofmask.html

Really fascinating.

I have often wondered if JB was working for the Phantom, but was not a faithful, loyal worker--he was lazy and too curious--but I think everyone there was in a sense working for him --whether willingly or unwlilingly just because they were all subjects of the kingdom.
When right hands are raised--in statues, dolls, etc--it seems to mean that the phantom spirit is the one in control at the time.
When the left hand is raised--in those objects, etc,--it's Erik who seems in possession of himself with the Phantom spirit away from him during those times.

[lefantomdeloper]

Thanks, well if you need any help or another person for this hidden plot, I would love to offer some info. I love knowing I understand the story when I've figured some things out myself, instead of going by what other people discover.

Additional comment:

This could retain no importance, but I noted when you characterized the colors white, red, and black.

Well, Erik comes to the Masquerade clothed in all those colors. Could this mean something? The red suit could symbolize he was a righteous man, and the white mask shows he was a ruler, yet corrupted by the Phantom spirit (the black boots).

And I must note, Erik was the ONLY one wearing these three colors alone. It was like he was the King of the Opera and he was distinguishing himself as a ruler from all the rest, who were dressed the same.

Christine wasn't dressed as the others, either, for she wore an all pink gown and white gloves. I don't know what pink stands for, but Christine could have been distinguishing herself as Erik's queen. The white gloves could symbolize that she was meant to share the throne to the Opera, yet she was pulling away. That fits in with the "corrupt ruler."

The theme of the masked ball was also black and white, silver and gold. I don't know what the silver and gold stand for, but I'll look more into it. All the other people besides Erik and Christine could be viewed as the commoners in this Kingdom. The black and white on the outfits could symbolize that the Phantom spirit is slowly taking over the kindom, the people, and the rulers. They are being trapped by the Phantom's curse.

I'll look more into the color thing and get back to you tonight.

[desidero]

Dear Honeyphan, While browsing around I came upon The Hidden Plot. I am still in awe of all that I have read so far. I can't believe that I missed all of this information. I was really not aware of The Phantom controlling Erik until I read "The Quest" and "The Treasure" and realized his transition from darkness to the light though Christine. I shall play my cd over again and really notice a lot of things that I missed especially the scene where Christine removed Erik's mask and he transended to the Phantom Spirit. Because of you I now see Erik in a new light. Thanks for enlightening me. I guess I was so busy looking at Gerry that I missed many things. Desidero

[honeyphan]

Dear Honeyphan, While browsing around I came upon The Hidden Plot. I am still in awe of all that I have read so far. I can't believe that I missed all of this information. I was really not aware of The Phantom controlling Erik until I read "The Quest" and "The Treasure" and realized his transition from darkness to the light though Christine. I shall play my cd over again and really notice a lot of things that I missed especially the scene where Christine removed Erik's mask and he transended to the Phantom Spirit. Because of you I now see Erik in a new light. Thanks for enlightening me. I guess I was so busy looking at Gerry that I missed many things. Desidero

I guess a lot of us were guilty of that!

Thanks for posting!

I'm slowly but surely finishing the revisions and "reconstructions" of all the scene summaries (I can't believe so many pictures are missing! grrr) I'm halfway done with MOTN, and once it is all done, with vids added, I'll go back to doing the groupings of the symbolism lists.
Good thing I love this story so much, as much time as I spend with it!