The Phantom of the Opera (1989)

Director:

Dwight H. Little

Writers:

Gerry O'Hara (based upon the screenplay by)
Gaston Leroux (novel)
(more)

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:

Singer | Opera | Devil | Composer | New York

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
Virginia Fiol	...	Sarah
Cathy Murphy	...	Esther
Andre Thornton Grimes	...	Bartender
Jaclyn Mendoza	...	Maddie
John Ghavan	...	Dwarf / The Devil
Mickey Epps	...	Cardplayer
László Szili	...	Cardplayer (as Laszlo Szili)
Patrick Burke	...	Workman
Jonathan Linsley	...	Workman
Tommy Wright	...	Workman
László Baranyi	...	Workman
Ottilia Borbáth	...	House Mother (as Ottilia Borbath)
Lajos Dobák	...	Maitre d' (as Lajos Dobak)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jennifer Guy	...	Anne (uncredited)

Directed by
Dwight H. Little

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gaston Leroux		novel
Gerry O'Hara		based upon the screenplay by
Duke Sandefur		screenplay

Produced by
Eliezer Ben-Chorin	....	associate producer
Deborah Del Prete	....	line producer
Menahem Golan	....	executive producer
Menahem Golan	....	producer
Gigi Pritzker	....	line producer
Harry Alan Towers	....	producer

Original Music by
Misha Segal

Cinematography by
Peter Lyons Collister
Elemér Ragályi		(as Elemer Regalyi)

Film Editing by
Charles Bornstein

Art Direction by
Tivadar Bertalan

Costume Design by
John Bloomfield

Makeup Department
John Carl Buechler	....	additional prosthetic makeup effects supervisor: Magical Media Industries Inc.
Everett Burrell	....	makeup effects crew
Michael Deak	....	location makeup effects: Magical Media Industries Inc.
John Foster	....	production manager: Magical Media Industries Inc.
Ron Pipes	....	makeup effects crew
Sean Rodgers	....	makeup effects crew
Josephine Turner	....	wig maker: Magical Media Industries Inc.
John Vulich	....	location makeup effects: Magical Media Industries Inc.
John Vulich	....	special makeup effects
Kevin Yagher	....	special makeup effects
Mark C. Yagher	....	makeup effects crew

Production Management
Marc S. Fischer	....	unit production manager
Omneya 'Nini' Mazen	....	post-production supervisor
Helena Toth	....	production supervisor
Joseph Vittorie	....	production supervisor: 21st Century Film Corporation (as Joseph N. Vittotrie Jr.)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michal Engel	....	key second assistant director
Avner Orshalimy	....	first assistant director (as Avener Orshalimi)
Péter Rácz	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Zoltán Horváth	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Ed Callahan	....	sound effects editor
Jeff Clark	....	sound engineer
Cyril Collick	....	sound recordist
Patrick Cyccone Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Dorn	....	adr editor
Csaba Erös	....	boom operator
Arnold Finkelstein	....	sound effects recordist
Tommy Goodwin	....	adr mixer
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Martin Maryska	....	sound designer
John Morris	....	supervising sound editor
Doug Parry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dorielle Rogers	....	sound recordist
Steven J. Rogers	....	production sound mixer
Dean St. John	....	adr recordist
Dean St. John	....	foley recordist
Hamilton Sterling	....	sound effects editor
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Jay Wilkinson	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Michael Deak	....	on-set effects supervisor

Stunts
Zoltán Gulyás Kiss	....	stunts
László Imre	....	stunt performer
György Kivés	....	stunt double: The Phantom (as Gyorgy Kives)
Ferenc Novinecz	....	stunts
Tamás Pintér	....	stunt coordinator (as Tamas Pinter)
Gábor Piroch	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Csaba Bankhardt	....	grip
David E. Elkins	....	first assistant camera: additional camera
Egon Endrényi	....	still photographer
Géza Gonda	....	first assistant camera
Jorge Lovitz	....	camera operator
Andrea Martin	....	gaffer
Andrea Martin	....	key grip electrician
Imre Sisa	....	dolly grip
András Váradi	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Julie Hughes	....	casting: USA and New York
Nancy Lara-Hansch	....	casting consultant
Maggi Sangwin	....	casting: United Kingdom and London

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anne Bloomfield	....	assistant costume supervisor
Imre Béres	....	tailor
Gabor Szabo	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Gerard Jakubowicz	....	assistant editor

Music Department
William Ashford	....	director of music: 21st Century Film Corporation
Virginia S. Ellsworth	....	music editor
Harriet Schock	....	song lyrics
Misha Segal	....	conductor
Eric Tomlinson	....	music editor: Budapest

Other crew
Mellanie Bradfield	....	script supervisor
John Carl Buechler	....	additional prosthetic effects
Earl Ellis	....	laboratory technician
Matt Falls	....	laboratory technician
Anita Hope	....	production coordinator: USA
Vera Loosz	....	production accountant
Andras Miko	....	opera director
Nobuko Oganesoff	....	location manager

Production Companies

• 21st Century Film Corporation
• Breton Film Productions
• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Dee Gee Entertainment

Distributors

• 21st Century Film Corporation (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Premier Releasing (1990) (UK) (theatrical)
• 21st Century Film France (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Alphaview Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Cine Art Pictures (Brazil) (DVD)
• Cineplex-Odeon Films (Canada)
• Columbia Pictures (through 21st Century Film Corporation)
• Finnkino (1992) (Finland) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1993) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Kevin Yagher Productions (makeup effects design and creation)
• Magical Media Industries (additional prosthetic makeup effects design and creation)
• Mechanical and Makeup Imageries

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound
• The Budapest Studio Symphony Orchestra  orchestra

Also Known As:

"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:

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

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

21st Century Film Corporation

Trivia:

The first version not to feature a falling chandelier. The chandelier scene was originally written in the first script by Gerry O'Hara. One of the reasons why this is the only Phantom film not to include that classic scene, is because Menahem Golan, CEO of 21st Century Films, who at the time had just resigned from Cannon Films in 1988 after that company's collapse, didn't have enough money to pay for an expensive chandelier to fall and then to redo the scene take after take. Duke Sandefur then was hired to rewrite the script without the scene.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Christine first starts singing to the phantom in front of the fireplace near the beginning, her voice doesn't match her lip movement.

Quotes:

Erik Destler:Still hungry for an introduction!

Movie Connections:

References The Shining (1980)

Good Phantom movie and Great Horror film!

I am a huge horror movie fan and also a big Phantom of the Opera fan. I remember this film when it came out in 1989 but did not get the chance to see it until years later. I love the 1943 version and also love this one as well. Robert Englund proves in this film that he is a great actor and has moved far beyond his Freddy Kreuger days. This film is also very haunting as a horror film where the 1943 re-make is more of a drama/horror film. Robert is also very haunting as Erik Desller / The Phantom. Tha main thing i loved about this film is the dark and frightening atmosphere that it set out for the viewers. well the rank this film from 1-10 i give it a 8 for sure... Great film for both Horror movie fans and Phantom of the Opera fans.

Highly recomended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!