Someone who claims to have read a copy of the script of the "Phantom of the Opera" movie has posted some interesting rumors over at TPOTOM and talked in detail about the changes between the film and the musical:
"I suppose the thing people most want to know about is the new song - well it's to take place in the Phantom's lair following Madame Giry's recount to Raoul how she first met Erik and how he came to be at the Opera. The lyrics and name of the song are NOT included in the script - script simply says "Surrounded by drawings and paintings of Christine, the Phantom sings of loneliness and unrequited love. The auction takes place in 1919, and Raoul's visit to the auction and the journey through Paris to the cemetery at the end of the film intermingle with Raoul's recollection of what happened previously in 1870. The 1919 settings are all suppose to be in black and white (except for one special piece) and the 1870 scenes in technicolor. Through info in the script: Madame Giry is 15 years older than Raoul. Madame Giry was 12 years old when she first sees Erik at the fair when Erik is then a boy of nine and at the time he was creating the monkey music box. Madame Giry helped Erik hide from the authorities after he murdered his "owner" who kept him in a cage, and from then on he lives in the Opera. So no past history of Erik like in the novel. Raoul is in his early 20's in 1870, thus Erik at 12 years older would be mid 30's at most. Christine is 7 years old when her father dies and she comes to live at the opera, so the scarf in the sea meeting with Raoul happens before this There is snow in All I ask of You scene (and also in Wishing in the cemetery) and Masquerade in now three months later but still set as the new year. Script is unclear on how the lyrics will change for the move of the falling chandelier to end of Point of No Return. Apart from the chandelier no longer falling at the end of All I ask of You; the script of the Act One portion of the film is fairly faithful to what is seen on stage, it is the second act that has been changed around with the chandelier being moved. What I consider the most significant change which I haven't seen written elsewhere on the web to date, is the managers second act Notes scene no longer exists. What was in the Phantom's notes in that scene, is now dialogue spoken by the Phantom as Red Death at the end of Masquerade. That is followed by Madame Giry's recount of the fair. The apparent obsession with youth is evident of the director: there are numerous references to two ballet girls as being tartish sex objects. The youth and lack of past history of the Phantom between the fair and going to the opera, and being only thirtyish. Phantom looking "sexual", mention numerous times in the script". For heaps more details, click here. Thanks to 'Leonardo'
