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The Phantom of the Opera (1962)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 2/11, 12/17

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2/11: Eh...what is this crap?

I read The Phantom of the Opera twice, but the 1962 cinematic version is nowhere near the original story. It's rubbish junk created by a third-rate hack. Why use the title? Just make up a new one so the confusion can end!

For a low-budget Hammer Horror movie, it has the colors, atmosphere, and characters, and the performances are decent. Of course, Lon Chaney will always be incomparable as the Phantom. Hence, it goes without saying Herbert Lom's rendition suffers in comparison.

I've never understood why the manager insisted on staging shows if the opera house is cursed. In the remake, the Phantom turns out to be a decent person, but why does the hired help have to die at the beginning? How about killing Lord D'Arcy instead before things will get out of hand?

Oddly, the masked man is shown living right under the opera house in a canal-like basement with water splashing in and out from the river. To move about, his assistant decides to swim instead of walking on a solid surface. I guess the consideration of wintry temperature or dirty water hadn't registered in his pea brain.

All in all, The Phantom of the Opera with Lon Chaney is a million times better than this Hammer Horror junk.

12/17: Okay, my opinion of Hammer Horror's The Phantom of the Opera is more improved now, and the story works.

What's interesting is it's not the Phantom who's the villain but the author of the opera who stole the credit from the man himself after deceiving him that he would print the original composition under his name. I think why I felt disappointed the last time is due to the story being significantly changed while it wasn't anywhere near the silent masterpiece with Lon Chaney.

Despite not appearing in films for years, Kathryn Grayson was chosen to play Christine in the original because she started out as a trained opera singer at age 12. This time, Heather Sears is cast to play her role. Guess who that is playing the true villain of the show? Why, it's none other than Michael Gough who was Alfred the butler in Batman movies of the 80's and 90's.

Perfectly suitable to play Edmond Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo, Edward de Souza, in a role that's originally meant for Cary Grant, plays Harry Hunter. His character is a kind gentleman as opposed to the Victorian rake, Lord Ambrose D'Arcy, with decidedly salty behavior.

All in all, although it'll never top the Lon Chaney classic, The Phantom of the Opera is a decent color remake with a gripping storyline.