This is one beautifully executed film. I expected this to be a silly, trite and campy film, based on the title. I was happily surprised to discover it is a very well made musical film about a ghost or 'phantom' who inhabits a gay sauna in Madrid.
While the film has a 'light on its toes' patina, with a Greek chorus of 3 very interesting and imaginative muses (Love, Lust, and Regret), and some rather funny conceits, it is actually a love story, that while having fun with a riff on Phantom of the Opera, also has the depth of Romeo and Juliet. The humor is very nicely balanced with the more serious undertones of the story.
The acting is excellent. Like the film, funny, and serious at the same time. But you can see the actors and the director took the project seriously. In fact, nothing in the movie gives the sense of a cheaply made film.
The musical numbers are really great, floating seamlessly into the action. I found them very pleasantly surprising in the context of the film. There are some very cute campy songs, and some very earnest ballads. They're all nicely done, and work well in the film.
The clientele of the sauna are very nicely and cleverly worked into the film, and add some extra, but well-measured visual interest.
This is a Spanish language film with English subtitles. I'm glad to report that the subtitles are on the screen long enough to be read (and enjoyed), while still giving you a chance to watch the film itself. I have seen some movies where the titles flash up so quickly and are gone that you might as well be trying to read the book.
Frankly, I was surprised that this movie didn't have a higher rating on imdb. I think it's a 10, and plan to watch this again.
