PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
US, 1989, 93 minutes, Colour.
Robert Englund, Jill Schoelen, Alex Hyde White, Bill Nighy.
Directed by Dwight H.Little.
The Phantom of the Opera has been a popular story since Gaston Leroux's publication in 1911. Lon Chaney was the Phantom in 1925, Claude Rains in 1943, Herbert Lom in 1962. However, Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical has made the Phantom of the Opera part of English-speaking consciousness. This new film version, dissociating itself from any other version as well as the musical, nevertheless capitalises on this popularity.
The film was severely criticised for being a cheap horror film. However, the Phantom was always a horror story. The ingenious producers, especially Menahem Golan, asked Robert Englund, so publicly successful as Freddie Kruger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, to be the Phantom.
In fact, the production is quite lavish and tasteful. It is a blend of the tasteful and the blood and gore of some of the slasher movies of their '80s. (But this was also behind the presentation of the versions of the '40s and '60s, if not of Chaney's version.)
The film opens in contemporary New York but then moves back to the period of Leroux's story, translating the action from Paris to London. By and Large, the screenplay keeps to the original story and those familiar with Lloyd Webber's will recognise the plot and characters.
Robert Englund plays the Phantom in a more subdued style than his Freddie Kruger. In fact, often he is made up to look like Jack Palance and sounds like him. As is to be expected, there are some gruesome murders as well as a play for horror as the Phantom removes pieces from his face.
This will not appeal to the fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber. It may be a bit slow for the fans of Freddie Kruger. However, it is a surprisingly better production than might have been expected.
1.The reputation of the story, its popularity, the many versions? Audience familiarity with characters and the play?
2.The insights of the author, the period? The film transferring from Paris to London? The film being Christine's nightmare? The additional touches of the Faust legend (and the use of the opera)? Echoes of Jack the Ripper and London?
3.Audience knowledge of character and plot, faithful to the original? Characters and period? The presentation of opera and operatic sequences? Moving outside the opera house? The scenes below the opera house? Musical score?
4.The prologue, contemporary New York, Christine and Meg, finding the Destler music, Christine singing, the audition, her being hit and the collapse? The experience of the nightmare? Awaking, the doctor and his smooth style (and Robert Englund as his normal self)? His being the producer, promises to Christine, her recognising him as the Phantom, his skin, the confrontation and the killing? Christine walking free?
5.The situation at the opera, the worry of the owners, finance, Carlotta as prima donna and her conditions, Christine as the understudy? Meg and her friendship? Richard, management of the theatre, love for Christine, proposal?
6.Christine and the memory of her father, the Phantom as the Angel, coaching her in her singing, teaching her, demanding her to sing better, with more passion? Performance? Standing in for Carlotta, the acclaim of the audience? The unpopular review? The deaths in the opera? Joseph? Her going to the cemetery to her father's grave? The fascination, seeing the Phantom, following him, his music? talking with Meg, her fear for Richard? The ball, her being taken by the Phantom, her fear, the fight with him, his death?
7.The Phantom and his story, the flashbacks during the opera songs? Faust and his pledge with the Devil? His capacity for composition, the loss of his face? Hiding his face? The gruesome sewing the skin onto his face? The death of Joseph and taking his skin? Teaching Christine, his promises to her? Defeating Carlotta? His joy in Christine's performance? Going out into London, the prostitutes, the equivalent of Jack the Ripper? The encounter with the thieves in the hotel, on the street, his killing them? His dislike of the critic, going to the Turkish baths and killing him? At the cemetery, his happiness, taking Christine, down into the cellar? The possibility of being with her? Clash with Richard? The ball, the encounter with Carlotta? The guide, snaring them down to the depths? The fight, the police? Christine, his death? Love and music are forever?
8.The owners of the opera, their fears, the encounter with the critic, his death? Richard, the police, the proposal, the ball, search and death?
9.The police and their investigations, the inspector and his theories, following the Phantom, Davies and the inspector with Richard searching in the cellars? The death?
10.Carlotta, her vanity, the ball and her death?
11.The archetypal plot and its mystery? Horror nightmare? How successful was this version?
