Banderas as the Phantom? One Fan Just Can’t See It

Diane Flogerzi advises me to get the story out quickly. I’m typing as fast as I can.

“Let me tell you one thing about this,” she says. “There are a lot of people involved, and a lot of connections everywhere.”

With that, she explains the mission. And make no mistake, it is a mission. One fraught with urgency. A huge mistake is about to be made, she says. It could affect generations to come. Time is critical. People must act.

The problem? Antonio Banderas may get the coveted lead role in the movie version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera.”

For fans of Michael Crawford, the British singer-actor who created the Phantom role on the stage and played it to packed houses in Los Angeles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, there is only one Phantom. And his name isn’t Banderas.

The thought of anyone else playing the movie role sends a shudder through Flogerzi.

She wants the public to thwart the casting of Banderas. That means putting pressure on Warner Bros., which has the film rights, as well as on Lloyd Webber and his production company.

On her personal Web site, Flogerzi explains the urgency: “Most of us ‘Phantom’ fans had been led to believe that when the movie was filmed, it would star [Crawford]. I know that was what I personally was waiting for these past eight years. Now, the latest rumor is that Antonio Banderas may be donning the mask. . . . “

Not knowing what to do, she writes, “I began my search for some way to help, even though I am but a small voice out here in what is a very large world. . . . “

Fueling Flogerzi’s fear was a recent item in the New York Times, in which reporter Bernard Weinraub noted that Banderas had “aggressively pursued the part” and that the film “seems to be on the fast track at Warner Bros.” The article noted that John Travolta had been approached earlier for the role, but didn’t convey “the right amount of enthusiasm,” according to an unnamed Warner’s exec.

The gist of that article surfaced a few days ago on the Internet, which only heightened Flogerzi’s already building anxiety. She had heard the Travolta rumors in February.

Flogerzi, who lives in Palmdale, is a program analyst with the Federal Aviation Administration. A wife and mother of a 12-year-old son, she insists she’s normal in all aspects of her life, except for this particular subject. “I’ve never done anything like this in my life before,” she says.

What’s wrong with Antonio Banderas, I ask.

“He is totally unacceptable,” she says. “Can you imagine doing that movie without Michael Crawford? Can you imagine how that man is feeling right now? What I’m trying to do is get the news out to the general public before they sign Banderas. I can’t accept that. I’m sick to my heart.”

While many “Phantom” fanatics saw the Los Angeles production dozens of times, Flogerzi says she saw it only 10 or so. She admits to difficulty putting her passion into words. “He [Crawford] created that part. He is the phantom. The elegance of his performance--I am sick about this. It’s not like I’ve gone a billion times. But I was looking forward to--OK, this is how I feel about it: Yul Brynner in ‘The King and I.’ I feel the same way about that. There’s only one king. There’s only one phantom. We’d be missing that opportunity to capture that for future generations [in a film].”

I remind her that Banderas is a big star. After all, he played the role of Che in the musical movie version of “Evita,” another Lloyd Webber creation.

“I know that, but gimme a break,” Flogerzi says.

How about Travolta?

“Gimme another one.”

I phoned Warner Bros. but reached a semi-mysterious figure. The person who answered the phone didn’t want to be identified but said she “called a couple of our creative execs and they said [the movie] wasn’t anything they were familiar with.”

Moments later, she spoke to another person who confirmed that Warner owns the film rights, “so it’s something we could do,” she said, but she didn’t know any more than that. “The only safe thing to say is that we own the rights,” the phone-answerer said. “I mean, honestly, maybe it’s on a fast track somewhere that I or other people don’t know about.”

That’s the kind of response that makes Flogerzi nervous.

“I’m hoping that Warner Bros. and Andrew Lloyd Webber will listen to their fans,” she says, fearful that the fix is in for Banderas.

I ask if she thinks a “Phantom” movie starring Banderas would do well.

“The unknowing masses would go, but the true ‘Phantom’ fans are going to be outraged.”

I cannot lie. Like Flogerzi, I’m a huge Crawford-as-Phantom fan. I tell her I’ll do what I can to help.

“Thank you so much,” she says. “I so much appreciate it. With all my heart.”

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Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Parsons by calling (714) 966-7821 or by writing to him at the Times Orange County Edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or by e-mail to dana.parsons@latimes.com