Phantom of the Opera

Some have criticized this for not following the Gaston LeRoux plot that we are so familiar with. The musical has jaded us a bit. But we still have the plot of the man who was a star of the opera, who has his face deformed with acid. He becomes mentally unbalanced from the shocking events and decides someone is going to pay for his deformity. So he hides in the Paris Opera House and wreaks havoc on the people. Rains is excellent, as he almost always is, hamming it up a bit, but ultimately setting aside his conscience. He also is in need of the love he will never have because of his ugliness. The mask is still there, but he knows he can only live by taking, not from loving. I love to compare these classic works of fiction in their other manifestations, and this movie does a good job of creating its own unforgettable character.

I'd never watched this Universal horror effort before now, when I bought it as part of the Universal monsters box set. I'd heard that it was a bit tame and disappointing compared to their better known efforts, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Sure, the horror content is limited - this is far more of a tragedy than anything else - but the production values are so good and the music and opera scenes so sumptuous that you can't help but be impressed. Claude Rains brings the same level of quiet intensity to the role as he did in THE INVISIBLE MAN, while the rest of the cast are very good too. The Technicolor is gorgeous, the sets thoroughly impressive, and the story immersive, with finely-judged humour laced throughout adding to the fun.

Of the Phantom of the Opera films this is my second favorite. The 1925 silent version being first. But this one presents the Phantom in a much more sympathetic light and it is very hard to see him as the total monster or villain that he is supposed to be. Nelson Eddie was added for a big name lead in the film, a Technicolor masterpiece. But it is Claude Rains in perhaps his finest performance of his career that makes this feature stand out. The music, and in particular the Phantom's composition based on a country folk melody steal the heart. Although the movie can have only one conclusion, it almost breaks your heart to see that conclusion. A great unrequited love story, as tragic as it is beautiful.

This 1943 version is a remake of the 1925 version from the same studio (Universal). Probably the most vivid and effective use of Technicolor I have seen. Lush photography, great crane shots and an impressive Paris Opera House! The operatic scenes are very well done--and they are important to the story line. Very entertaining, especially since there is no graphic violence or gore--except the Phantom's face. Nelson Eddy is in top voice. One of Hollywood's most versatile actors, Claude Rains is remarkable in the lead role. Just the year before he was the memorable Prefect of Police in "Casablanca." This production is mounted first class in every way. The DVD release is a fantastic transfer from an original old Technicolor master.

The splendor of Technicolor and the lavish opera sequences distinguish this version of the famous story. While this version bears little resemblance to the original, it does feature a first-rate performance by Claude Rains, in the title role. It certainly employs the best production values of any filmed version, and provides for high entertainment. Recommended.

Anybody approaching 'Phantom Of The Opera' as a horror movie will probably be disappointed, but if you look upon it as a romantic melodrama it's pretty entertaining. The sets (mostly recycled from the twenties version) are lavish, the music is strong and the performances are good, especially the wonderful Claude Rains ('The Invisible Man', 'Casablanca', 'Notorious') who is excellent (as always). The rest of the cast includes songbirds Nelson Eddy and Susanna Foster, the late Hume Cronyn in a bit part, and a nice cameo from Fritz Leiber (the father of the famous science fiction and fantasy writer Fritz Leiber, Jr) as Franz Liszt. 'Phantom Of The Opera' is far from my favourite Universal horror movie but I still enjoyed it and it's worth watching, though I think in many ways the Hammer remake in the 1960s starring Herbert Lom is a better movie.

It's perfectly true that this version isn't Lon Chaney and is watered-down Leroux, but it still has excellent performances and - this was during WW II remember - extraordinarily beautiful production values which resulted in Oscars for Color Cinematography and Art/Set Decoration. I've loved this film since I was a kid, even though back then I had to endure black-and-white telecasts because the local CBS affiliate was unable to obtain a color print that was up to their standards - years later I was lucky enough to see it - twice! in a theatre - as gorgeous as the color is on the DVD, it was even more breathtaking on the big screen. The extra features (the documentary "Phantom Unmasked", which includes a rare interview with the elusive Susannah Foster, and the audio commentary) have only increased my pleasure in watching this film over and over again.