Review of The Phantom of the Opera (1925) by Michael D — 28 Feb 2011

Lon Chaney's performance as the Phantom -- otherwise known as Erik -- is the selling point of the movie. Each time Erik is on-screen, he steals the show. The makeup that Lon Chaney designed for the role is also incredibly done, and the closest any actor has ever come to portraying what Gaston Leroux described in the novel.

The music is also excellent, the cinematography is gorgeous, the acting is... well, what you'd expect from a silent film, and the whole thing is incredibly memorable. One problem I had with the movie, though, was the ending -- though it's more like a nitpick than anything else.

Granted, it was a good ending, but I would have preferred to see something that stuck closer to the novel, like the alternate ending where Christine kisses Erik, who dies of a broken heart as a result.

Regardless, this is a truly remarkable silent film that's definitely worth your time. I give it a 4 out of 5.