Because that film was my first touch with PotO, as in I didn't know the fandom before this film.

Someone said that this film made them R/C shipper because Erik is a creepy pedophile. o.O I don't think the film at any point claimed that Erik had FELT the same way about Christine all those 7-8 years he'd hung around her. I always interpret is so that he took the place as the "Angel of Music" to bring comfort for her in her sorrow and loneliness, which he could relate to. As in, was a compassionate mentor/friend to her. And only when she grew into a young woman and their bond grew stronger, his feelings may have changed. The film doesn't even state if its Christine is 16 or a bit older. And the film's Erik is no worse than the managers in this film. Actually, he's less bad because he never really intended to DO anything, at least not without her permission or with assumptions that she'd gladly sleep around unlike SOME OTHERS... :P

So I never got any creepy feeling of that sort, from this film, when it came to Erik/Christine. (: I just totally fell in love with the ship.

^ I totally agree with that!! Erik was only trying to comfort her in her loneliness because that's what he would have wanted someone to have done for him. He's not a pedo -_-

Anyways, the only reasons I was a E/C Shipper before I saw the movie was because my sister had seen the original musical on DvD once and she had told me all about it, and both then and now I always say "Raoul is just some weird dude with long hair. Erik is MYSTERIOUS and shit." So... yeah XD

Shipping E/C since...hm...probably about the early 90s. Technically probably before since when I was 3 I really and truly thought that Christine stayed with the Phantom at the end of the ALW musical. (Ahh the strange things that come into your head when you're wee tiny and only have the cast album to go off of)
Honestly, I don't like the movie. It's great if you do, but I just really can't stand the bad singing, so I have no real interest in trying to reconcile any of the other weirdness in my head. However, since I am a Poe fan as well and he married his cousin when she was 13 and he was 27, historical precident means that I can't really go o_0 too hard.

Wow, you've been a PotO fan almost all your life then. You lucky bastard, you. ;D

Heh. I don't think the sining is bad. I'd say "ok". Well, ok, relatively it is bad seeing to how devinely the characters were supposed to sing but I can't let something like that ruin the enjoyability of the entire film. (:

Lifelong Phans FTW! I'm actually not an E/C shipper. But that probably has more to do with 'sucky translation of the novel' than '2004 musical movie'. But I showed my friend the 2004 movie and she thought Gerrik was a pathetic stalker. I'm waiting for her to finish my (sucky) copy of the novel. Actually, nevermind, I was an Erik/Christine shipper at one point-- due to the Charles Dance miniseries, not the movie. So, nope, no influence by the 2004 movie on my shipping tendencies.

I wasn't into the POTO before the movie. The movie made me love the whole thing and I fell in love with Erik/Christine :-)

yes i was brtought up with the musical we had an orginal cast rdecording on record ande it wouod be played constantly since i was a bub!!!!!!!

Oh yeah, I was doomed from the start. Raised in theatre, all sorts of other nonsense cemented Phantom into my brain. Honestly Erik is probably the only reason I made it into adulthood without killing someone (including myself). So, I think I'm stuck being a phan for life.

Well, I'm not really a big E/C shipper now, but I do think the '04 movie turned me into one. Then certain other versions turned me in a big R/C shipper (not exactly sure which... *shrug*).

nooo i saw the movie first

I saw the play when I was really young and I'm ashamed to say I was too rediculously hyper to pay attention to anything that happened. The last thing I remember was watching Christine (I don't even remember WHICH Christine or version it was) sing to her walls before I ran off screaming 'SIMBA ISN'T IN THIS MOVIE'. The next time I heard of the Phantom of the Opera my music teacher in 6th grade was talking about the great acting and powerful singing in the movie (she wasn't a very GOOD music teacher). So me and a girlfriend popped it in. As always I voted for the underdog and immediately loved the Phantom and was screaming mean names at Christine and throwing popcorn at the screen by the end of the film. I DO think I would have always been a E/C fan though, Erik is the type of character I always seem to get wrapped up in.

Unfortunately not, but I'm glad I became a shipper since I saw the movie from 2004. Erik and Christine do really fit perfect together. Because they can fill each other with music, love and they do also support each other. Well, That's my opinion about them. :-)

No. but the only reason is that i watched the Claude Rains version first and having 3 love interests was just too much for me and i didnt ship her with anyone. but once i saw his sexiness in the musical i shipped it. And because of Geriks over the top sexiness and Raoul's stupid completion i was yelling at Christine for her choice. But i fell in love with the ship more when i heard Ramin sing...ohhhh the pleasant ear gasms.

I wasn't even a Phan before watching the 2004 film.