Review of The Phantom of the Opera (1925) by Tristan G — 14 Mar 2009

The prototype for all horror movies that followed, Phantom of the Opera is an early piece of cinematic achievement. The movie opens with the sale of an opera house and a warning of ghosts to the new owners from the old.

Box 5 is occupied by a phantom, they say. The phantom uses intimidation to get his favorite actress, Christine, the leading role, even dropping a chandelier on the audience. Christine finally gets to meet her "master" when her brings her down to her lair beneath the opera house, but he wears a bizarre mask and claims to be in love with her.

Despite his warnings, she pulls off his mask exposing his hideous face. His dreams of love are forever vanquished, he swears revenge. If she ever tries to meet with her lover Raoul again, he will kill them both.

It is soon discovered that the Phantom is actually an escaped mental patient named Eric. "Born during the Boulevard Massacre, Self-taught musician and master of black art. Exiled to Devil's Island for the criminal insane.

Escaped. Now at large." Erik's not such a pitiful case. He's a violent sociopath who's severe disfigurement and subsequent status as a social outcast have led to his mental breakdown.

Yeah, it sounds like a Wes Craven movie, doesn't it? There's much to admire in this movie: the sets, costumes and general direction of the movie are all done well, to evoke a freakshow-like fear of the unknown.

But it's of course Lon Chaney as the Phantom that makes this movie a classic. He doesn't hold anything back in his portrayal of a scary monster. The Hunchback of Notre Dame might've been sympathetic, but the Phantom doesn't want sympathy, he wants to destroy the world.