In 1900, at the London Opera House, a new opera by Lord Ambrose D'Arcy opens. However, the theatre is not completely sold out. No one will sit in Box #5, which is believed to be haunted. When the body of a murdered stagehand swings out of the wings during the first aria of Maria, the show's star, pandemonium ensues.
With the show postponed and Maria refusing to perform again, producer Harry Hunter auditions new singers. He finds a promising star in Christine Charles, one of the chorus girls. Enamored, Lord Ambrose invites Christine to dinner. In her dressing room, Christine is warned against him by a bodiless voice. That night, Lord Ambrose attempts to seduce Christine, but Harry saves her. On the ride back home, Christine tells Harry about the voice she heard.
Intrigued, Harry takes Christine back to the opera house. In her dressing room, the voice tells Harry to leave. Meanwhile, the rat-catcher is murdered by a dwarf. Investigating the murder, Harry leaves Christine, who is then approached by a masked man, The Phantom of the Opera. He says she must come with him, but she screams, making him flee.
The next day Lord Ambrose sends a dismissal to Christine for refusing to come back to his apartment. He chooses a more willing but less talented singer to take Christine's place. Visiting Christine at her boarding house, Harry finds an old draft of the opera he produced. It was written by Professor Petrie, a former boarder who was supposedly killed during a fire at the press that was to print his music. Petrie was splashed with Nitric Acid while trying to extinguish the blaze. According to a policeman, Petrie then ran away in agony and was drowned in the Thames. However, the body was never recovered. Harry is convinced that Lord Ambrose stole Petrie's music.
Returning home, Christine is confronted by the dwarf and faints from fright. When she wakes, she is in the Phantom's lair deep in the cellars of the opera house. The Phantom tells Christine that he will teach her to sing and rehearses her with insistence until she collapses from exhaustion. Meanwhile, Harry, reinstated as the opera producer, is worried about Christine's disappearance and checks the river where Petrie had last been seen. He then hears the echo of Christine's voice emanating from a storm drain. He follows the voice through a water-filled sewer. The faint sound of the Phantom's organ-playing draws Harry down a tunnel where the dwarf attacks him with a knife. Harry subdues him and finds himself facing the Phantom, who is actually Petrie himself.
Five years before, as a poor and starving composer, Petrie had been forced to sell all of his music, including the opera, to Lord Ambrose for a small fee with the thought that his being published would bring him recognition. After discovering that Lord Ambrose was publishing the music under his own name, Petrie became enraged and broke into the printers to destroy the plates. While burning the already printed music, Petrie unwittingly started a fire and accidentally splashed acid on his face and hands in an effort to put it out, thinking it was water. In agony, he jumped into the river and was swept by the current into an underground drain, where he was rescued and cared for by the dwarf. The Phantom is dying and wishes to see his opera performed by Christine. Harry and Christine agree to allow him time to complete her coaching.
Weeks later, on the eve of a performance of "Saint Joan," the Phantom confronts Lord Ambrose. He rips off The Phantom's mask and runs out screaming into the night after seeing his deformed face. The Phantom then watches Christine sing from Box #5. Her performance brings him to tears. Listening enraptured, the dwarf is discovered in the catwalks by a stage-hand, and in the chase, he jumps onto a chandelier poised high over Christine. As the rope begins to break from the weight, the Phantom rips off his mask, leaps to the stage and pushes Christine safely from harm. The chandelier impales him before the eyes of the horror-stricken audience.
Ivor Evans as opera singer (uncredited) – his voice was overdubbed[citation needed]
Patricia Clark provided the dubbed-over soprano voice for Heather Sears.[citation needed]
Production
Based upon the interest generated by the Phantom of the Opera sequence in the Lon Chaney biopic Man of a Thousand Faces, and the success of the 1943 remake, Universal was interested in revisiting the story again. The first plans for remake were in-studio, with William Alland producing and Franklin Coen writing.[4] Plans for this remake fell through, but upon the success of the distribution of Dracula for Hammer, Universal decided to let the British outfit tackle the project instead and announced the project in February, 1959.[5]
Two months later, Hammer Pictures struck a five-year deal with Columbia Pictures to produce five films a year. On these terms, Hammer's previous arrangements (such as The Mummy for Universal Studios and The Hound of the Baskervilles for United Artists) could be fulfilled, but thereafter could produce only two pictures a year for other studios. Phantom of the Opera was among those announced for Universal.[6]
Over the next two years, the project fell on and off the charts. In 1960, the project was connected with Kathryn Grayson, although she had not been in pictures for some years.[7] According to author Wayne Kinsey's interpretation of a quote from producer Anthony Hinds, the romantic lead (Harry Hunter) was written for Cary Grant .[8] Grant had expressed his interest in doing a Hammer horror film, at a time when it was common for American actors to be featured in British films. Actually, what Hinds said repeatedly in interviews was, "I wrote the script for Cary Grant," which makes it far more likely Grant was to play the title role, not a subordinate leading man.
Production for the film started in November 1961. As with most of the Hammer productions, the film was shot at Bray Studios on a modest budget. Lom recalled in one interview how the producers at Hammer expected actors to throw themselves into their work: "For one of my scenes, the Hammer people wanted me to smash my head against a stone pillar, because they said they couldn't afford one made of rubber," Lom reveals. "I refused to beat my head against stone, of course. This caused a 'big crisis', because it took them half a day to make a rubber pillar that looked like stone. And of course, it cost a few pennies more. Horror indeed!"
Many of the exterior sets utilised were on the studio's backlot and had already been used for many Hammer productions previously. Interiors of the "London Opera House" were filmed at the Wimbledon Theatre in London, which was rented for three weeks. Over 100 musicians and chorus people were hired for the shoot.[9] The film had a reported budget initially of £200,000,[10] but it was reported after principal shooting to be £400,000, both figures unusually high for a Hammer film.[11]
All of the flashback scenes showing how Professor Petrie became the Phantom were filmed with "Dutch angles," meaning the camera was noticeably tilted to give an unreal, off-kilter effect: a time-honored method in film of representing either a flashback or a dream.
The Phantom of the Opera opened in New York City on 22 August 1962 at the RKO Palace Theater. In person was Sonya Cordeau, who played "Yvonne" in the picture. Cordeau later went on tour with the film for Universal.[12]
When the film had its American TV premiere on NBC, additional footage of Scotland Yard police inspectors (played by Liam Redmond and John Maddison) looking for the Phantom was filmed to increase the running time. This footage was shot at Universal Studios, and Hammer Productions had no input at all. Kiss of the Vampire and The Evil of Frankenstein also had American-shot footage added to their television showings. This was a common practice when it was thought that parts of the film were "too intense." These scenes were edited out, and more acceptable scenes replaced them to extend the running time.[13]
In common with Hammer's usual practice, when shown in British cinemas in 1962, the film was paired with Captain Clegg, another of the studio's films.
Music
The music in this movie features Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, arguably the most famous piece of organ music ever composed, and one that has become commonly associated with horror films. The trailer uses stock music from Revenge of the Creature due to both of them being released by Universal.
Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The absurd, much-filmed story crumbles—at any rate here—once the ingénue is reconciled to The Phantom as her mentor; but its Gothic elements are rich enough to defy time ... Surprisingly tasteful for a Hammer film, the production is also quite imaginative (The Phantom's rocky, water-lapped lair, complete with organ and double-bed) and careful."[14]
Howard Thompson of The New York Times called the film "a real disappointment ... In the hands of the British, with Herbert Lom as the opera ogre, the result is ornate and pretty dull. Whatever happened, chaps?"[15]
Variety wrote that the film "still provides a fair measure of goose pimples to combat some potential unwanted yocks. In the shadow of its predecessors the current 'Phantom' seems a reasonable booking for average houses, without doing anything to erase oldtimers' memories of the earlier versions."[16]
Harrison's Reports gave the film a grade of "Fair", writing, "The story of creative fakery, revenge and danger is not only loosely woven together, but its believability is weak. Its dénouement is thin and vaporish."[17]
The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films wrote of the film: "Although distinguished by some fine acting, sets and music, The Phantom of the Opera seems decidedly half-baked." The author(s) called Terence Fisher's direction "misguided", and noted that distributor J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors' "emasculation of the British print sealed its fate."[18]
Home video release
The film was first released to VHS by Universal's MCA Home Video in 1995.
In North America, the film was released on 6 September 2005 along with seven other Hammer horror films on the 4-DVD set The Hammer Horror Series (ASIN: B0009X770O), which is part of MCA-Universal's Franchise Collection. This set was re-released on Blu-ray on 13 September 2016.
In the UK, Final Cut Entertainment released the film on Blu-Ray in 2014.[19] Powerhouse Films re-released the film on Blu-Ray in the UK in 2021, along with The Shadow of the Cat, Captain Clegg, and Nightmare as part of Hammer Volume Six: Night Shadows.[20]
Related Research Articles
The Phantom of the Opera is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in Le Gaulois from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierre Lafitte. The novel is partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the nineteenth century, and by an apocryphal tale concerning the use of a former ballet pupil's skeleton in Carl Maria von Weber's 1841 production of Der Freischütz. It has been successfully adapted into various stage and film adaptations, most notable of which are the 1925 film depiction featuring Lon Chaney, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical.
Hammer Film Productions Ltd. is a British film production company based in London. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic horror and fantasy films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Many of these involve classic horror characters such as Baron Victor Frankenstein, Count Dracula, and the Mummy, which Hammer reintroduced to audiences by filming them in vivid colour for the first time. Hammer also produced science fiction, thrillers, film noir and comedies, as well as, in later years, television series.
The Mummy is a 1932 American pre-Code supernatural horror film directed by Karl Freund. The screenplay by John L. Balderston was adapted from a treatment written by Nina Wilcox Putnam and Richard Schayer. Released by Universal Studios as a part of the Universal Monsters franchise, the film stars Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Edward Van Sloan and Arthur Byron.
The Phantom of the Opera is a 2004 musical romantic drama film based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical of the same name, which in turn is based on Gaston Leroux's novel, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra. Produced and co-written by Lloyd Webber and directed by Joel Schumacher, it stars Gerard Butler as the titular character, with Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson, Miranda Richardson, Minnie Driver, Simon Callow, Ciarán Hinds, Victor McGuire and Jennifer Ellison in supporting roles.
The Phantom of the Opera is a 1925 American silent horror film adaptation of Gaston Leroux's novel of the same name directed by Rupert Julian and starring Lon Chaney in the title role of the deformed Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House, causing murder and mayhem in an attempt to make the woman he loves a star. The film remains most famous for Chaney's ghastly, self-devised make-up, which was kept a studio secret until the film's premiere. The picture also features Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry, Arthur Edmund Carewe, Gibson Gowland, John St. Polis and Snitz Edwards. The last surviving cast member was Carla Laemmle (1909–2014), niece of producer Carl Laemmle, who played a small role as a "prima ballerina" in the film when she was about 15 years old. The first cut of the film was previewed in Los Angeles on January 26, 1925. The film was released on September 6, 1925, premiering at the Astor Theatre in New York.
Dracula is a 1931 American pre-Code supernatural horror film directed and co-produced by Tod Browning from a screenplay written by Garrett Fort and starring Bela Lugosi in the title role. It is based on the 1924 stage play Dracula by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, which in turn is adapted from the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. Lugosi portrays Count Dracula, a vampire who emigrates from Transylvania to England and preys upon the blood of living victims, including a young man's fiancée.
Phantom of the Opera is a 1943 American romantic horror film directed by Arthur Lubin, loosely based on Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera and its 1925 film adaptation starring Lon Chaney. Produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film stars Nelson Eddy, Susanna Foster and Claude Rains, as well as being composed by Edward Ward.
Terence Fisher was a British film director best known for his work for Hammer Films.
Christine Daaé is a fictional character and the female protagonist of Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera and of the various adaptations of the work. Erik, the Phantom of the Opera and Viscount Raoul de Chagny both fall in love with her.
The Phantom of the Opera is a 1989 American horror film directed by Dwight H. Little and based on Gaston Leroux's novel of the same name. The film is an updated and gorier version of Leroux's classic tale and stars Robert Englund as the titular character. The film was a critical and commercial failure.
Kiss of the Vampire is a 1963 British vampire film directed by Don Sharp and starring Edward de Souza and Jennifer Daniel. It was written by producer Anthony Hinds and made by Hammer Film Productions.
The Brides of Dracula is a 1960 British supernatural gothic horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions. Directed by Terence Fisher, the film stars Peter Cushing, David Peel, Freda Jackson, Yvonne Monlaur, Andrée Melly, and Martita Hunt. The film is a sequel to the 1958 film Dracula, though the character of Count Dracula does not appear in the film, and is instead mentioned only twice. Christopher Lee would reprise his role as Dracula in the next film in the Dracula series, Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966).
The Mummy's Hand is a 1940 American horror film directed by Christy Cabanne and produced by Ben Pivar for Universal Studios. Shot in black-and-white, the film is about the ancient Egyptian mummy of Kharis, who is kept alive with a brew of tana leaves by The High Priest and his successor Andoheb. Meanwhile, archeologists Steve Banning and Babe Jenson persuade magician Solvani to finance an expedition in search of the tomb of Princess Ananka. They are joined by Solvani's daughter Marta, and followed by Andoheb who is also the professor of Egyptology at the Cairo Museum. Kharis is ordered to kill off expedition members Dr. Petrie and Ali, while Andoheb becomes attracted to Marta who he plans to kidnap and make immortal.
Countess Dracula is a 1971 British Hammer horror film directed by Peter Sasdy and starring Ingrid Pitt, Nigel Green and Lesley-Anne Down. It was produced by Alexander Paal.
Captain Clegg is a 1962 British adventure horror film directed by Peter Graham Scott and starring Peter Cushing, Yvonne Romain, Patrick Allen, and Oliver Reed. It produced by John Temple-Smith for Hammer Film Productions. It is loosely based on the Doctor Syn character created by Russell Thorndike.
The Reptile is a 1966 British horror film made by Hammer Film Productions. It was directed by John Gilling, and starred Noel Willman, Jacqueline Pearce, Ray Barrett, Jennifer Daniel, and Michael Ripper.
There have been many literary and dramatic works based on Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, ranging from stage musicals to films to children's books. Some well known stage and screen adaptations of the novel are the 1925 film and the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ; Susan Kay's 1990 Phantom is one of the best known novels and includes in-depth study of the title character's life and experiences.
The Climax is a 1944 American horror film produced by Universal Pictures. The credits state this George Waggner film is based on the 1909 play of the same name by Edward Locke, although the plot has little connection to Locke's play. Originally intended to be a sequel to Universal's remake of the Phantom of the Opera (1943), it featured new characters and a new plot.
Erik is the titular antagonist of Gaston Leroux's novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, best known to English speakers as The Phantom of the Opera. The character has been adapted to alternative media several times, including in the 1925 film adaptation starring Lon Chaney, the 1943 remake starring Claude Rains, the 1962 remake starring Herbert Lom and Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical.
The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall is a 2011 British concert film adaptation of the 1986 stage musical The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, itself based on the novel by Gaston Leroux.
References
↑ Marcus Hearn & Alan Barnes, The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films, Titan Books, 2007 p 72
Hearn, Marcus; Barnes, Alan (September 2007). "The Phantom of the Opera". The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films (limiteded.). Titan Books. ISBN978-1-84576-185-1.
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