Favorite Scene?

Leroux's novel is filled with memorable moments. I have a number of favorite scenes, but this particular moment is so visceral, it's one that always sticks in my mind:

"Then he said to me, 'What? You're afraid of me? Is it possible that... Do you think I'm still wearing a mask? Well then,' he bellowed, 'pull it off, the way you did the other one! Come, pull it off! I want you to! Your hands, give me your hands! If they can't do it themselves, I'll lend you mine and we'll pull the mask off together.'
"I tried to roll away from him on the floor but he took hold of my hands and plunged them into the horror of his face. With my fingernails he lacerated his flesh, his ghastly dead flesh!"

A genuinely frightening moment.

Anyone else have a favorite scene?

R.

Two scenes for me...the violin in the graveyard and the point where he admits to Christine that he is not an angel, but only Erik.

A couple of mine, from the Wolf translation:

The bodiless voice resumed its song, and Raoul, certainly, had never heard anything in the world like it. A voice which, at the same time, and in the same breath, united all the extremes: broadly and historically smooth, victoriously insidious, delicately strong and strongly delicate, and finally, irresistibly triumphant.

Erik's voice and the effect it has on people is one of the most fascinating aspects of his character for me, so this scene has a particular appeal to me. I judge Phantom actor's voices by how well they can embody Leroux's description here.

"Oh, her tears on me. Listen, daroga, hear what I did. I tore away my mask so as not to lose a single tear. And she did not run away. She did not die. She stayed. Alive and weeping. Over me. With me. We wept together. God in Heaven! You have given me all the happiness in the world."

What can I say? I get misty eyed every time I read this part. The most concise and moving depiction of Erik's ultimate redemption anywhere.

~LCD

I don't have my copy at my side to quote from, but among my favorite scenes is when Christine and Raoul are on the rooftop...and Raoul asks her if Erik were handsome, would she love him. And he accuses her of feeling love of the most exquisite kind!

To me, there are two scenes that stick out most to me:

The Apollo's Lyre Scene [where my original copy opens flat]

And, the scene in which Raoul visits Mama Valarius and Christine. [I always feel a strong pride when Raoul and Christine are together.]

The Apollo's Lyre Scene. The Unmasking, Erik's Monologue (which I recorded if anyone is interested)Here

LadyCDaae wrote:A couple of mine, from the Wolf translation:

The bodiless voice resumed its song, and Raoul, certainly, had never heard anything in the world like it. A voice which, at the same time, and in the same breath, united all the extremes: broadly and historically smooth, victoriously insidious, delicately strong and strongly delicate, and finally, irresistibly triumphant.

Erik's voice and the effect it has on people is one of the most fascinating aspects of his character for me, so this scene has a particular appeal to me. I judge Phantom actor's voices by how well they can embody Leroux's description here.

I agree! I love reading his descriptions of what the Phantoms sounds like, in his various moods. It's such a fascinating read!

Graveyard. I love the Gothic, Romantic stuff.

I particularly love "The Enchanted Violin". There's something so innocent about it (aside from when "Raoul sees the death's head at Perros" and a small amount of hell breaks loose) that I can't help but love it. I love how their childhoods are described, and I can always picture so clearly Raoul running into the sea for Christine's scarf. I love them sitting on the moors and Christine beginning to bring him into her confidence. It's just such a...nice chapter. Hope I haven't bothered anyone by my unabashed R/C-ness.

That being said, I also love "Apollo's Lyre" for Christine's description of what had been happening to her and for Erik's wounded sighs in the night. And of course there's "The End of the Ghost's Love Story" which is completely heart-breaking.

*awkward wave* hello... I'm new here (used to be a member of PFN and stumbled across this forum to quite a shock...). First post!

Anyway, I's love to add my two cents to this topic...

One reasons I love the book so much is because there are so many scenes that I like from it. A lot of great Christine/Raoul moments and some really telling moments from Christine's narrative between her and Erik.

One part that I LOVE is the Above the Trapdoors scene. I like how Christine and Raoul play at being married and their interactions with everything they believe to be Erik watching them. Not so many memorable quotes or lines from this section, but the giddiness and playful attitude between the couple is adorable, as well as how they are further portrayed.

"This," she said, "is a happiness that will harm no one" really sums up the section for me... sure, it's not necessarily true in Erik's perspective especially, but it shows their innocent intentions behind it all.

I also love the "You Must Forget the Name of the Voice," scene. I like this Christine because despite her moments of being a victim character, this is a scene where she lays it straight with Raoul. I've always had a soft spot for mama Valerius and love her reactions in this scene, as well as Christine and Raoul's. I also like the mystery behind it with the ring, Christine's behavior and whatnot.

I think it's time for another re-read of this book...


- Phantom's angel

Hi Phantom's angel. Glad to have you with us Feel free to re-introduce yourself in the "Fondest Greetings" thread in the Land of Random subforum. I believe we have a number of former PFN and POL members here, so you might run into a familiar face.

I was just thumbing through the book today and got a laugh out of the moment in Christine's room when she slams the door in Erik's face.

TAFKaR