The Phantom of the Opera

Rating:
Summary: In The Grand Manner
Review: Lon Chaney's 1925 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has always been more of a popular than a critical favorite, and this may account for the fact that it has never really been restored and preserved as well as one might hope. Over the years dozens of companies have released versions of the film on VHS and DVD to the home market, and some have been quite bizarre. I have encountered more than one video tape release without any score at all; a visually impressive 1993 video release by Video Treasures had an incredibly unsuitable pseudo-rock score by Rick Wakeman of the band Yes; the usually expert Kino actually includes a number of superfluious scenes added in 1929 for a semi-sound re-release. So any purchase of this film is a very hit or miss affair, and I recommend that you borrow, rent, and seek the advice of friends before you actually purchase any particular copy.

That said, the silent version of THE PHANTOM is very much in the "grand manner"--which is precisely why audiences love it and critics tend to dismiss it. Everything about the film is larger than life just a bit campy. The sets are enormous and frequently bizarre, the costumes are outrageous, and the entire cast plays in a very grand manner: Chaney is very, very broad here, and his make-up is justly famous; Mary Philbin totters improbably with horror in virtually every scene; Arthur Edmund Carewe has some of the weirdest eye make-up you'll ever see on screen. Chandeliers crash, ballerinas twirl in terror, mirrors open, lakes drain, audiences panic, horses run away with carriages, peasants riot in the street, and there's even (in a good print) a very early color photography sequence.

It is all a TREMENDOUS amount of fun, and while I wouldn't class it with the truly great Chaney films (such as X--THE UNKNOWN, to name but one) it is still the best film version of the famous story to date. Of all the films made of the Leroux novel, this one is easily the best--and, interestingly, is really closer to the novel's spirit than later adaptations, which tend to romanticize the Phantom. A must have for any fan of silent film, and well worth the hunt for a really good print.

Rating:
Summary: the phantom of the opera
Review: I watched the 1925 version and the new version and I must say that the original show is the best there is. I wanted to share the movie with my daughters and they watched the new version and said it was not as good as i have talked to them about it, but we love the store and the music to this day and my children range from 22 to 13 and there are five of them and I am 42. I will never forget the first time I watched the movie it was the best there ever was

Rating:
Summary: Long Live The Man Of A Thousand Faces!
Review: Once again Chaney proves that he was the King of silent cinema and more. A very interesting fact about this film is that its quality is almost entirely the result of the consistent refusal of Lon Chaney (the Phantom)to cooperate with the director, Rupert Julian. Chaney felt that Rupert was an ignorant hack and feared that he would ruin the film if left on his own. At a certain point in the filming Chaney refused to even speak any further with Julian. The undeniable power of this film, in spite of certain structural and acting weaknesses, comes from Chaney's insistence on doing his part and some entire scenes according to his own vision of what the film should be. Note also the extreme contrast between the superior acting of Chaney whose every gesture of face and body are truly thrilling with the very poor acting of Mary Philbin (Christine) who is often simply laughable. It is important for viewers who are not familiar with silent acting to know that it is not all the same. Philbin's inferior performance has been recognized as such since the release of the film and Chaney saw it from the beginning. Contrast this with how well Chaney's great performance in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame is balanced by the performance of Ruth Patsy Miller as Esmerelda. Chaney worked very closely with Miller in that film and the difference is immense. Chaney was not an egotist, unlike many stars then and now, and he cared deeply about the quality of the entire film. I can only imagine what films we would have if Chaney had been allowed to direct his films. Also Chaney was not simply a 'horror actor', he was a complete and consumate dramatic artist. It is very unfortunate that what was probably his greatest filmed performance in the silent non-horror drama, He Who Gets Slapped, is not available in any format. In fact, Chaney did several great performances that are not available. I believe that that Chaney was the greatest of all American screen actors and his complete work should be made available to interested viewers. I hope for the best. Long live the man of a thousand faces!

Rating:
Summary: Very good within its limitations
Review: This is a silent movie, and that's both strength and weakness. The strength is great visuals, from Chaney's superb makeup to the underground lake to the masked ball to the mob pursuit through Paris. All wonderful.

The weakness is the lack of plot and character development. The movie starts the story in the middle, and you never learned how Erik became the Phantom, or of his mentor/pupil relationship with Christine and why she went with him into the catacombs. If you don't already know the story, that part of the film doesn't make sense. I guess someone decided they couldn't do adequate singing lessons in a silent movie.

Still, I do recommend it. I just wish they'd done the parts they left out.

Rating:
Summary: The Phantom Lives!
Review: Lon Chaney is nothing less than spectacular in this original, silent version of the much-remade classic. This is definitely a Phantom with soul, as horrific as Chaney's appearance is. The cinematography, lighting and sets are all eye-popping, and there are dozens of images and scenes that will stay in your memory long after you see them. I did have to subtract one star because sadly, this classic silent has not been restored as well as some others from this time period. Silents are daunting to some people anyway, and unrestored silents are even more work for the viewer. Still and all, until a digitally restored version is made available, this is by far the best version of this seminal horror film you can get, and any serious film or horror collector will have a big hole in their collection 'til they get it!

Rating:
Summary: Good DVD transfer
Review: This title is a good buy for all fans. The correction of adapting to the origianl frame rate of 20fps helps the film not look so "comical" or "Keystone Cops" like. The movment of characters onscreen actually looks 'natural' for the first time since the film was probably made (although there still are some speeded-up sequences here and there). The score, while not fabulous, works overall and does not distract the viewer at all. This version is color tinted throughout and the ballroom scene has been fully colorized. But you can always switch your DVD player to black and white mode if it bugs you too much. Don't expect any transfer miracles in picture-quality, but it's an improvment over all VHS versions that I've seen. There's a nice "making-of" story on the jacket and some behind the scenes images on disk, but no other extras. A commentary would have been nice. But for 1925, this film really holds-up well.

Rating:
Summary: It'll Stay Silent, You Won't
Review: How old was I when I first saw this film? 7? 8? One thing's for sure, it was horrifying then, and it's darned creepy now. Black and white does something for this film that color wouldn't and can't. Watching this film with the television as you your only light source will immerse you into the Phantom's tragedy in such a way that you cannot help but be taken in by the horror! Forget renting it, BUY IT! YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!

Rating:
Summary: Lon Chaney stars in the first great American horror film
Review: It is a shame that in the popular imagination the classic 1925 silent version of "The Phantom of the Opera" has been reduced to the scene where Christine (Mary Philbin) unmasks the Phantom and reveals Lon Chaney's stunning make-up job. Because there is much more to this film than that sequence and the camera being out of focus as the Phantom moves towards Christine really bugs me. The visuals in this film are stunning, from the cavernous world below the Paris Opera house to the Phantom's entrance as the Red Death during the Masqurade Ball (filmed in Technicolor). For me the most memorable moment and Chaney's best scene comes at the end, when the Phantom is able to hold the mob that has hunted him down at bay because of the threat of what he holds in his hand. Then he starts to laugh at the fools, finally opening his hand to show it is empty and giving himself over to the violence of the mob. The scene is not in Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, which relates how the bones of Erik were found years after the events told in this story, but it is a worthy addition to the tale. In regards to the famous unmasking scene, I do want to add that Rupert Julian's staging of the scene is really as impressive as the make-up, because the audience gets to see the face of the Phantom before Christine is presented with that horrible visage. I have always thought that Chaney's performance was so indelible that it was the reason that the Claude Reins and Herbert Lom remakes concocted an entirely new story, although it does make sense that when you add sound to the Phantom that you would take full advantage of the opera setting. Final note: When I got to see Michael Crawford perform as the Phantom in the Lloyd-Webber musical, I was not surprised that his outfit as the Red Death was clearly modeled on what Chaney wore in this film.

Rating:
Summary: A really good film.
Review: I highly recommend this film. Lon Chaney is great as the Phantom of the Opera.

Rating:
Summary: Lon Chaney (Man of a 1000 Faces) Greatest role now on DVD!
Review: Lon Chaney made over 150 films!! 99.9% of which were silent ones. Chaney was born to deaf parents, which proved to be a great contributing factor to his acting genious of the silent screen! Father of Lon Chaney Jr. (1941 Wolfman fame). He died in 1930!

The "Man of a Thousand Faces" a nick name he received because of his unbelievable ability to be the master of disguise (both facial and body contortion wise).

This "Phantom of the Opera" (1925/this is the 1929 re-released 35mm version) DVD has recaptured the unique splendor of Gaston Leroux's famous novel of the same name and the genius of the Greatest Make-up and Acting genius of the Silent Screen, Lon Chaney.

Perfectly digitally remastered the Full Screen presentation is excellent with the original 2/color Technicolor "Bal Masque" scene and Technicolor hues to enhance this visual silent classic. (Hue examples; Blue - Outside Sequences, Yellow - Inside the Opera House, Green - Opera House Cellar, Orange - Phantoms Catacombs, Red - The fire sequences).

A new Sychronized digital stereophonic orchestral score (by Gabriel Thibaudoux), to include operatic voice sequences, enhances the entertainment value of this great story.

Summary: The masked Phantom (Lon Chaney), Erik horribly disfigured lives in the Catacombs beneath the Opera House in 19th Century Paris. He falls in love with a young operatic understudy Christine (Mary Philbin a real life ballerina). Kidnaps and holds her hostage in his Catacomb lair. Cristene's boyfriend Raoul (Norman Kerry) pursue the Phantom into the dark world below. The Phantoms famous "Bal Masque" and the "Unmasking" scenes high-light this Classic Silent Film.

This is considered by Hollywood to be the first great horror film and best of the silent era.

Extras: includes many stills with the construction of the Paris Opera House on Universal's backlot (today it stills stands as Stage 28. Imagine that!)

The life of Lon Chaney can be enjoyed by the 1957 screen bio film "Man of a Thousand Faces" starring James Cagney as Lon. (see my review)

This is the best of Lon Chaney and a the taste of his and Hollywoods genius during the Silent years of Hollywood. Enjoy!