By Steve D. Stones
The Phantom of The Opera may be the most remade and referenced film in
cinema history. The late film historian and archivist Forrest J. Ackerman lists
it as one of his all time favorite films. The scene of Mary Philbin removing
the mask of Eric the Phantom (Lon Chaney) still packs a punch nine decades
later.
Many accounts suggest that sound was added to the original 1925 film with
the start of the talkie era in the 1930s. Some prints even have a color
sequence added to the Bal Masque scene about fifty-five minutes into the film.
Lon Chaney was no stranger to playing the face of bizarre, grotesque
characters. In fact, he is rightfully labeled "the man of a thousand
faces" because of his great talent in playing a variety of strange
characters. Chaney was the son of deaf-mute theater performers and learned to
apply his own make-up, which is unheard of in today's Hollywood film industry.
Chaney's character is the tortured composer - Erik the Phantom - master of
the black arts who lives deep below the Paris opera house in the catacombs. He
is infatuated with an opera singer named Christine Daae - played by Mary
Philbin.
Erik wishes to possess Christine and control her every move by his
expression of love and devotion to her. He orders the opera house to give her
the lead singing role. By disobeying this request, Erik brings down the giant
chandeler ontop of the opera patrons in one of the most famous scenes in the
film. While chaos ensues, Erik is able
to lure Christine into his lair. (While there she sees his face; watch above the scene. It's perhaps the greatest unmasking scene).
Erik releases Christine from the catacombs - on the condition that she not
see her fiance Raoul ever again. Raoul and Christine betray Erik and try to
flee to London. Christine warns Raoul that Erik watches over them and knows
their every move.
The ending of the film may be a blueprint for monster movies to come.
Townspeople chase after Erik as he tries to get away in a coach. He drowns
himself in a nearby river. James Whale's 1931 Frankenstein film ends with a
similar sequence of villagers chasing after the Frankenstein monster with
torches.
Of the nearly dozen remakes of The Phantom of The Opera that have been made
since the original, this 1925 silent era version remains the best - and the
classic by which all following versions aspire to. No one can top the
performance of Lon Chaney. His make-up and appearance have become iconic in
film and popular culture. Chaney's image of Erik the Phantom can be found in
comic books, monster movie magazines, coffee mugs, Halloween masks, posters,
t-shirts and just about any printed media you can think of.
Happy viewing.
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