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DVD Phantom of the Opera
This 1943 version of the horror story is more Technicolor musical than scare piece. Claude Rains plays the unfortunate, masked anti-hero, but he doesn't get the room to showcase a promising and sympathetic performance. Susanna Foster and Nelson Eddy, on the other hand, get plenty of screen time to warble. Well worth a visit just for the look of the film, which won an Oscar for cinematography. --Tom Keogh
The classical horror film genre is a genre that can only be praised.
The impact of this genre upon the cultural universe is undoubtedly familiar.
Flickering candle lights, gothic structured set, legendary characters, and an anti hero villain. The phantom of the opera preserves these elements quite faithfully, though many would mistake it for a musical thriller rather than a masterpiece worthy to be recognized as one of the greatest and memorable of the horror genre.
This adaptation of French novelist Gaston Leroux's immortal horror tale of the disfigured masked musician haunting the catacombs of the Paris opera house is the second made in a chronological order. The 1925 silent film starring the great Lon Changey snr. is the first adaptation of the tale. I believe that the 1925 adaptation is one of the most blood chilling performances of a villain (along with Nosferatu) ,and a beautiful ,if not immortal macabre masterpiece of the silent cinema, as well as a faithful installment to the story. But the 1943 adaptation is a colorful remake of the tale, and the new storyline is thrilling enough, though it has little resemblance to the original novel.
The film tells the story of Erique Claudin,a violinist working at the Paris opera house in mid 19th century France. He has a modest look and a shy attitude, therefore no one can mistake him at the beginning for a madman .He is desperately in love with a beautiful operatic soprano Christine Dubois(The talented and unforgettable Susanna Foster),who is currently an understudy to the arrogant diva Madame Biancaroli.
Anatole Garron(The famous Nelson Eddy) is a baritone trying to win the affections of Foster, and police inspector of the surete Raoul D'aubert(Edgar Barrier) also wishes to
win her affections. Christine has to decide, however, between operatic life and what is usually called "normal life". She is told she cannot do justice to both. An unfortunate case of arthritis in his left hand forces him to be dismissed from the orchestra, and so Claudin is left penniless and desperate. Hoping to solve an important matter and receive money ,he is trying to have a piano concerto he had written for two years be published,but a great misunderstanding make him believe that the publishers he turned to have tried to rob him and steal his life's work. He commits murder and before he can escape his face is terribly burned by acid and he becomes disfigured.
He then escapes to the catacombs of the Paris opera and schemes to make Christine the new star of the Paris opera house and wreck revenge on those who will resist his mad demands. A chain of horrifying crimes starts to take place at the opera house.
The film is very colorful (Shot in an early Technicolor) and the set is absolutely breathtaking and marvelous, while the cast is consisted of thousands of singers, dancers, players and audience members, all of them looking so glorious and marvelous as well. The operatic scenes are an unforgettable part of the film, full of gifted singers (such as Nelson Eddy and Susanna Foster), qualified dancers and colorful expensive customs. Some would claim that these scenes take too much of the film's overall length, but I believe they add a lot of beauty and marvel to the horror storyline,(Instead of making the film totally horrifying and dark-something I would not wish to view).Audience who is not an opera lover would probably not be so excited, but I believe that these scenes can haunt most of the people with their glory and beauty .The music soundtrack composed by Edward Ward is absolutely enjoyable, adapting musical themes of composers such as Chopin(Polonaise in A major) and Tchaikovsky(Symphony No.4) into memorable original operatic sequences.
The several moments where the phantom lurks into a scene is frightening enough I believe, and Claude Rains' performance is charismatic and elegant along with its horrifying elements(And I believe Rains does know how to frighten at the right moments-you should observe his masked glance-it makes it chilling enough).
Others may also claim that it is a shame Rains is given too little screen time, but I do believe it is quite enough for the masked phantom-for when he does appear-his appearance is definitely unforgettable. The story line is interesting and wondrous, even if it has little resemblance to the original novel, though the main message of the suffering of the" outcast" character within human society has remained quite the same. The operatic phantom is presented not only as homicidal monster, but as a miserable human being whom suffers and tortured by the power of love and misunderstanding as well, and therefore we can easily feel pity and understanding toward his madness. The ending of the film is thrilling and exciting, building to a terrifying climax where eventually the phantom reveals his disfigured face.
The scenes of Nelson Eddy and Edgar Barrier struggling over christine's affections add a comic sense to the overall film, which is important since a too dull and horrifying film can sometimes make a negative impression.
Te last scene gives a comic relief to the tragic tale, something I admire much than the too dark and gloomy ending of the 1925 adaptation, for example.
Indeed, this film is a true classical legend in the spirit of 19th century gothic tales that can be viewed and read for many years to come.
In conclusion, this lavish production will definitely remain for years to come a masterpiece not only of the genre, but for the Hollywood golden age cinema as well.
Phantom of the Opera VHS tape
Even though this video was a used product, it was in excellent condition, and arrived in its original box. The cost for this classic was entirely reasonable at $3.49 plus $2.49 shipping and handling.
Dumb movie, don't buy it- By PhantoManiac
Okay, peeps, I am known as PhantoManiac, and if you've ever read the reviews on some of the other phantom movies, than maybe you've seen some of my reviews. Maybe not. I am the world's leading kid specialist on All Things Phantom. I am here to tell you about this version of the Phantom. I warn you, this message could contain spoilers. So watch out. I also warn you, if when you watch this movie you expect something (Anything!) about it to have to do with the Phantom, than you will be disappointed.
To give a simple summary: "For this terribly ancient and sadly bad-quality version of the tragic story we all know and love, be prepared to laugh your hats off!!! This faded "comedy" version of the Phantom is for all ages!!! It includes several new characters just to get you confused, all-new last names to get you even more confused, and an odd storyline with new "twists and turns" to get you even more confused!!! (Say, was that cat butt SUPPOSED to appear at the bottom of the window in the "You've been very kind, I'll pay you eventually, get off of my back" scene?)"
Okay, face it. I do not like this movie. It is stupid. It is simple. The sound and picture quality is bad. Face it again, the Phantom is old and dilapidated and ugly to begin with and CANNOT SING and prefers to stop peeps from chasing him by hitting them with large objects tied to strings. They have added a new character to swoon over Christine, turning their love triangle into a love square. No one has kept their original name. And, facing it one more time, the Phantom is disfigured because some clueless lady threw acid in his face because he thought someone was stealing his music when actually they were trying to publish it (I REPEAT: PUBLISH IT. Last time I checked the Phantom was smarter.) And only one peep sings for himself- Everyone else is lip-synching. Maybe I do not like this movie because I simply adore the Phantom and could hardly tell this movie was about the Phantom at all. (Seriously, if I hadn't seen the title, I never would have guessed.) Or maybe I am just biased because I expect the Phantom to be able to act. Either way, save your money and your time. But if you are one of those hopeless peeps who love watching stupid movies again and again to get all the details down and laugh at them, (like me!) or just want to watch this so you can say you have, please. RENT IT, if you absolutely must. You won't want it for long. I disposed of my copy shortly after renting it- I was afraid the Phantom would take his vengeance on the tape and blow it up and leave a little pile of ash and then I'd have to pay for it- but then I rented it again shortly after just so I could verify the stupidity and write this review. I hope you found it helpful. But really, it is not worth buying. I mean, at least I know I do not support movies in which dead guys are left lying on the floor and smiling Phantoms cheerily emerge from closets.
The silent PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has probably been available in dozens of VHS and DVD editions over the years. Virtually all are based on the very heavily re-worked 1929 reissue, the version almost everyone knows--probably even unaware that it isn't the original release and how unlike the original film it is. In fact, the original 1925 version doesn't seem to exist any longer in a decent print: only scratchy, blurred, grainy "play-at-home" 16mm prints survive. Sadly, the original version contained better camera set-ups, better editing, a more coherent story, more consistent acting and direction, and it runs 107 minutes to the reissue's 92 (at the same 20 frames-per-second projection speed of the period).
Although it's not as bold as Oscar darling Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera continues the resuscitation of the movie musical with a faithful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage musical. Emmy Rossum glows in a breakout role as opera ingénue Christine Daae, and if phantom Gerard Butler isn't Rossum's match vocally, he does convey menace and sensuality in such numbers as "The Music of the Night." The most experienced musical theater veteran in the cast, romantic lead Patrick Wilson, sings sweetly but seems wooden. The biggest name in the cast, Minnie Driver, hams it up as diva Carlotta, and she's the only principal whose voice was dubbed (though she does sing the closing-credit number, "Learn to Be Lonely," which is also the only new song).
Trading tragic romance for Faustian malevolence, the 1989 version of The Phantom of the Opera is a surprisingly good example of '80s horror. It was dismissed as gory trash by most critics (no doubt because Kevin Yagher's gruesome makeup effects are effectively revolting), but horror buffs will be more forgiving of this lush production, which ranks well above average for horror films of its time. Set in Victorian London and shot mostly in Budapest, Hungary (for period architecture), the film reunites director Dwight Little (Halloween 4) with "Freddie Krueger" himself, Robert Englund, who had worked together on the Nightmare on Elm Street-based TV series Freddie's Nightmares. It's a good pairing, as Englund does some of his finest work as the Phantom, seen here... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Robert Englund - Jill Schoelen Director(s): Dwight H. Little DVD Release Date: Released the 07 December 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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This silky smooth film noir pits gruff police detective Dana Andrews, stiff and blunt in his street-bred manners, against a cultured columnist and acidic wit (Clifton Webb at his prissiest) in a battle of wits during a murder investigation. The cop is a romantic hiding under a hard-boiled exterior who falls in love with the beautiful victim through the portrait that hangs in her apartment. Gene Tierney, whose heart-shaped face mixes the exotic with the girl next door, brings the poise and calm of a model to her role as the object of every man's gaze and the target of a killer. Laura, handsomely shot in dreamy black and white, is the first and best of Otto Preminger's cool, controlled murder mysteries. In the gritty world of film noir it remains the most refined and elegant example... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Gene Tierney - Dana Andrews Director(s): Rouben Mamoulian - Otto Preminger DVD Release Date: Released the 15 March 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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