Phantom of the Opera (1925) - dir. Rupert Julian et al.
It’s the 100th anniversary of what film folks consider the first great American horror film. Previous efforts like The Golem, Nosferatu, and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari were German efforts, and the expressionist photography would influence film forever going forward.
Phamtomwas the follow-up to Hunchback of Notre Dame, also starring Lon Chaney. The film went through tons of revisions, with Chaney himself even directing some scenes, including the most famous, where the Phantom’s mask is pulled off and his face is revealed.
Chaney’s makeup work still shocks and fascinates a century later, and along with his performance, it’s one of the best examples still existing of his work. The film clips along quite nicely, though it differs from its book origin in several important ways that were changed due to crowd reactions (yes, right from the start, studios were using focus groups).
The version currently on Shudder is the Kino Lorber restoration, which includes a new score and in tact color tinting and even early technicolor sequences.
It’s part of this season’s The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs, and I’d encourage you to watch his segments on the film. He goes in depth on the history of the film and the performers.
4/5 labyrinthine lairs beneath the opera house.
