The Phantom of the Opera (1989)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Dwight H. Little

Writers:

Gaston Leroux (novel)
Gerry O'Hara (based on a screenplay by)

Release Date:

4 November 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Music

Tagline:

The final curtain is about to drop.

Plot:

A darker version of the classic Gaston Leroux novel. A young soprano becomes the obsession of a horribly disfigured composer who has plans for those oppose himself or the young singer.

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Devil | Composer | Singer | Soprano

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Robert Englund	...	Erik Destler / The Phantom
Jill Schoelen	...	Christine Day
Alex Hyde-White	...	Richard Dutton
Bill Nighy	...	Martin Barton
Stephanie Lawrence	...	La Carlotta
Terence Harvey	...	Insp. Hawkins
Nathan Lewis	...	Davies
Peter Clapham	...	Harrison
Molly Shannon	...	Meg (New York)
Emma Rawson	...	Meg (London)
Mark Ryan	...	Mott
Yehuda Efroni	...	The Rat Catcher
Terence Beesley	...	Joseph Buquet
Ray Jewers	...	Elise
Robin Hunter	...	Roland

Also Known As:

Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera: The Motion Picture (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (re-rating: 2001) | Finland:K-16 (original rating) | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Singapore:M18 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

21st Century Film Corporation

Trivia:

During a scene with fire, hot wax fell on Jill Schoelen and burned her arm and shoulder. After this, Dwight H. Little convinced Jill Schoelen to do two more takes in the fire.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Christine visits her father's grave, we see several close-ups of the black wrought iron gate surrounding the cemetery. In these close-ups, you can plainly see that the wrought iron is actually wood that has been spray painted black.

Quotes:

Prostitute: Good evening, guv'nor. What is your desire tonight?
Erik Destler: Desire! What do you know of desire?

Movie Connections:

References The Shining (1980)

A dark, unique take on a classic tale a good horror movie

Being a great fan of the story, I have seen most film versions of Phantom of the Opera I'm aware of and this is truly one of my absolute favorites.

If you're interested in this movie because you're in love with ALW's musical and you just want more Phantom, approach this movie with caution. If you're madly in love with every detail of the novel and want to cry every time you think of anything not in the novel, approach this movie with caution. While it remains the same tale of a disfigured man desperately doing what he can to spend his life with the woman he loves in a world that won't except him, it seems people are often put off by the fact that this film takes greater artistic liberties in telling the story than others, but I think that's what should be appreciated about this movie. I am unaware of any takes on The Phantom like this one and feel it is worthwhile for that reason alone if you are interested seeing a variation on the story.

This is the story of a much more brutal Phantom reaching out to a great singer who otherwise wouldn't be given a chance in a much more brutal setting. While it is indeed a horror movie, it's a unique one, featuring creative death scenes and an interesting story. It can be enjoyed as a good horror movie and an enjoyable different Phantom story.

Robert Englund's committed portrayal of a man devoted to the beauty of music and love of a woman is greatly admirable. While I'm sure many will jump to disagree, I feel his performance in this film, while different, is far more believable and powerful than Gerard Butler's (2004) performance. As the Phantom, he is intimidating and passionate.

The real star of this movie is its oh-so-underrated score. So often is the music of a Phantom film not brought to the forefront enough. One of the great things about this movie that set it aside from other films based on the same story is that it is as much about Christine's love for The Phantom's music as it is about his love for her. In a film where the score plays such an important role, Misha Segal does a brilliant job, keeping the audience in suspense, making them cringe in horror, giving a haunting, addictive voice to The Phantom's desperate longing and giving Christine good reason to show interest in a man so ugly.

See it for the story, see it for the music. Enjoy.