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76 reviews in total

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39 out of 45 people found the following review useful:
My favorite book, is now my favorite movie., 2 November 2004

Author: twighlightmanor from USA

Phantom of the Opera has long been my favorite book, but I have never liked any of the movies--they always portrayed Erik, as a small, weak, mooning, lovesick writer. The real Erik was nearly 7 feet tall, and a strong, bad tempered, and very violent man--a serial killer not unlike his contemporary: Jack the Ripper. The great horror classic novel was written by Gaston Leroux, a reporter, and was based on an actual event that he had been called on to investigate.

I've seen every Phantom movie and am always deeply disappointed because none of them bear even a most remote hint of the book--until now. This version staring Robert Englund, while it has some inaccuracies, is the most faithful rendition of the book ever made. It captures Erik's violent, darker side as well as his vengeful temper.

Few people know that the real Erik was a "giant" born with a deformed face, abandoned by his parents who sold him as a slave to a circus when still a small child, and was shunned by society as an adult. His deep rooted hatred for the human race went to the extent that he took a job as a carpenter for the new Paris Opera House, and built the famous mazes and tunnels below it's basement, where he lived his entire life, seeking revenge on the world, by capturing actors, singers, and spectators, and than locking them for weeks on end in a torture chamber below the Opera House. As an old man, Erik's body was found shortly after the disappearance of the real Christine Daee'. Gaston Lerox was the newspaper reporter called in to write the newspaper reports on the death of the Opera Ghost and the missing girl; his research into Erik's life resulted in one of the greatest horror classics ever written. And now FINALLY a movie has been made that reaches into the very horror of the real life Erik and his murderous obsession with Miss Daee'. This is the most accurate Phantom of the Opera movie ever made. I love this movie so much I went out and bought 2 copies of it.

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27 out of 30 people found the following review useful:
What You Get When You Try And Entertain Phantom Fans And Slasher Fans At The Same Time, 24 February 2002
Author: horror7777 from New York

There is no doubt in my mind that the writers of this film were trying to make an enjoyable slasher film to entertain teenagers and attract fans of "The Phantom of the Opera" at the same time. What gives this away is the casting of Robert Englund. It shows that they wanted to attract teenagers by casting Freddy Krueger. However, at the same time the writers include lots of technical stuff from the novel to try and get fans of "The Phantom of the Opera." The result can be one of two things. You can either have teens screaming saying they were fooled because they thought they were going to see Freddy Krueger kill a lot of people and you can have "Phantom" fans screaming saying they thought they were going to see a real "Phantom" film rather then some stupid teenage slasher film. Personally, I am a slasher film fan and not a "Phantom" fan. Not because I don't like the "Phantom" films, but just because I've never seen any of them. My initial reaction to this film was a positive one. It's stylish, has great acting and directing, and it's something different. It's not your typical slice and dice film but rather an interesting look at the "Phantom" and his life. Die-hard "Phantom" fans probably won't truly enjoy this as I think at the end the makers of the film quit trying to please everyone and the film degraded into the typical slasher genre. I really enjoyed this one and personally I think that it's wrong that die hard "Phantom" fans give this film negative comments. If you were expecting to see the 1925 version all over again with Robert Englund as the "Phantom" then you're way off. Die-hard slasher and horror fans as well as "Phantom" fans should find this at least marginally enjoyable. ***out of****This film is fun and really cool especially when you watch it for the first time and late at night

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19 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
Very Strange and Interesting Film, 13 May 2006

Author: CMRKeyboadist from Sleesburg, VA.

This version of the Phantom of the Opera is by far one of the stranger films in its genre. Mixing elements of 80 slasher and old time horror this movie works on many levels and fails on a few. Now, everyone knows the story of the Phantom of the Opera, Right? Well, this story is basically the same except for a few differences. For one, a late 80's version of Christine is trying out for the lead role in an opera. During her addition, she is hit over the head and knocked out. When she awakens, she is back in time in late 1800's London. She seems to have no recollection of even going into the past. The rest of the story is traditional Phantom except for name changes and how disturbed this Phantom is and his origin. I really have to hand it to Robert England as the Phantom or Eric. This is by far one of the best roles I have ever seen him in. And the make-up job for him is astonishing. The fact that this Phantom makes a mask out of human flesh is actually quite creepy. And physically, he makes his character of Freddy look like a silly mess.

Now, for fans of the musical and the original versions of the movie, I don't know if you would really like this version. But, for fans of 80's slasher mixed with some atmosphere, a good soundtrack, and good acting, I would have to recommend this. I give it an 8/10.

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18 out of 18 people found the following review useful:
A Total Guilty Pleasure, 3 January 2006

Author: Neko_Allenby from New York

My friend, a fellow Phantom Phan recommended this to me. I had my doubts when I picked this up but I sat down to watch it at about midnight, Ha! biggest mistake of my life. This was possibly the most disturbing, gory, creepy interpretation of Phantom ever, and you know what? I LOVED it.

This is possibly one of my favorite film versions of this story, giving even Lon Cheney a run for his money. Robert Englund's Erik was insane but brilliant and amazingly witty. He had the most amazing lines ("Love and music are forever").

The story begins in modern day New York City when Christine Day and her friend Meg discover two pages of Don Juan Triumphant in an old archive, written by the mad genius Erik Destler. When Christine sings the piece for her audition, a sand bag falls on her and she passes out and is swept back to her past self and finds herself the object of the obsessive Erik.

An amazing film in it's own right with beautiful music. But remember everyone, you are not sitting down to classic literature, you are sitting down to a gory slasher/horror film. It was a refreshing change from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical which quite frankly I both hate and love.

I'm a Leroux purist when it comes to Phantom but still this movie is one of my favorites.

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19 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
Not bad remake, 12 July 2003
Author: (eddy-28) from Lake Isabella, CA

Often forgotten after it's release because it was critized as being a takeoff of Andrew Lloyd Webber's then current Broadway musical version of the same title. Actually, Dwight H. Little's film version isn't bad and Duke Sandefur's script actually has more originality than some of the earlier versions. Robert Englund is probably the most terrifying phantom yet, he probably can't pull it off like Lon Chaney did in the 1925 film version, but he certainly did a terrific job at playing a more darker and scarier phantom. Jill Schoelen also did a pretty amazing job playing Christine, as she is taken from present day New York to 1881 London were she is the star of the opera and stalked by the phantom and he kills anyone who gets in his way. My favorite death scene is probably were the phantom takes on three thieves and also kills an opera critic in a sauna. In addition to the originality, the phantom is cursed by the devil and his face mutilated in a Faust tradition. He is then forced to sew on pieces of skin to save his face. The production is luxurious and the costumes are authentic. But the most greatest thing about this 1989 remake is the music. This is probably the best music I have ever heard for any Phantom film. It's more malvolent and suspensful and also at the same time magicial. Misha Segal certainly did an amazing job at creating a difficult score, and it's a shame that I don't hear his music in today's films. I guess the film could have been a little better if it had a little less gore and a good falling chandlier scene, but even though this is the only Phantom film without a chandlier it was still an amazing picture. Also look for Saturday Night Live star Molly Shannon in a small role in the New York City sequences.

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16 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
A good film criticized by Phantom Phanatics., 28 December 2004

Author: Zephayra from Ontario, Canada

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The problem with The Phantom of the Opera is that Andrew Llyod Webber has ruined any other representation of the classic novel. I love Webber's Phantom, but I also love the original Phantom. I have seen Lon, Claude Rains and now Robert Englund in the role of the Phantom, and I believe that this film (with Englund) is a fantastic adaptation of the story. Webber created his screenplay for his musical to bring out the romance of the Phantom while Gerry O'Hara and Duke Sandefur (The writers) did a great job concentrating on the less romantic phantom, but the obsessed genius who would do anything and kill anybody for the woman he was infatuated with.

Anyone who has read Leroux knows that the Phantom was a composer and not a singer, so the fact that this version did not have the Phantom singing opera was alright by me. As I said before, Webber has made too many high expectations for any other version of this story. What I really enjoyed about Dwight Little's Phantom is that it took place in a Opera and actually had Christine singing. Though I do not agree with the Phantom's 'Faustus' like background instead of being a circus freak, I can appreciate this movie.

The end was a bit 'blaah' and I don't know if I agree with the mixing of modern and flashbacks. I didn't like how they changed the place of Paris to London. I did however like how the ending did enforce the theme of this particular movie "Only Love and Music are forever".

I think anyone who enjoyed the book, the musical and has an open mind to other people's interpretations, plus a good love for horror (since Phantom of the opera -is- a horror/Gothic novel) should see this movie and forget the musical numbers and scores of Webbers before they view it, or their expectations will be unfulfilled.

8/10

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13 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
A dark, unique take on a classic tale a good horror movie, 2 September 2006

Author: jweinste-2 from United States

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.

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13 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Very good Phantom Of The Opera adaptation, 18 December 2003

Author: callanvass

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This is a very good Phantom Of The Opera adaptation, that i enjoyed very much. Robert Englund is absolutely fantastic as The Phantom(more on that later). This had 2 awesome leads, a very cool and interesting story, the set pieces were great and i really dug the location, it was an eerie setting. The finale was great and exciting, and the ending was very cool. The makeup effects were outstanding (especially Robert's face very well done!. The direction was great. Dwight H. Little did an excellent job here moving it along at a very nice pace and some very cool creative shots. There is plenty of gore here. We get a ripped out heart, a few bloody gunshot wounds, impaling, a severed head in a bowl, crushed face, decapitation, 2 people get completely skinned (nasty), 4 bloody stabbings, someone sews there face back together (very gory), and we see Robert Englund's gory face throughout the film.and more! yep plenty here for gore hounds.The acting is GREAT!. Robert Englund is AMAZING here utterly amazing here as the Phantom he is EXTREMELY creepy and did great in the acting department and he is kind of like Freddy Krueger as the Phantom (only not as extreme). Jill Schoelen is gorgeous and does very well here although her chemistry with Alex-Hyde-White was terrible!. Alex-Hyde-White was awful here his delivery was awful and was painful to watch totally over acting and he had no chemistry with Jill. Terence Harvey does okay as the inspector and nothing more. Overall i highly recommend this movie and if ya get it cheap like i did it is well worth purchasing ***1/2 out of 5

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14 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
Fairly good, in this Phanatic's humble opinion, 17 August 2006

Author: Matt Weber from United States

Yes, I am indeed one of those "Phanatics" as they're called (though I'm almost starting to think we have a bad reputation...), and I personally would like to say that I found this movie rather enjoyable. I think it could have done without the modern sequences altogether and stayed in the one time period, and yes, a few scenes are a bit cheesy or cheap. But believe it or not, I think that Robert Englund did a fairly good job. My favorite Phantom will always be Michael Crawford, but when one compares Englund to Gerard Butler's Phantom (even using Crawford as the standard), he practically blows that little pansy-ass out of the water. It's refreshing to see an old, decrepit Phantom again, with more subdued, majestic style than Butler's gaudy, emo character. Also, this time the Phantom isn't scared to spill some blood, restoring some respectable fear for Erik that the 2004 version kills. Englund's voice--at least when he isn't screaming--seems surprisingly perfect for the part, and all film critics alike will see that he can indeed act, but has merely been restrained by his previous Freddy typecasting. All in all, I'd say this film makes an excellent counter-balance to the 2004 film, and both those who like like Chaney's Phantom and Crawford Phanatics alike will definitely enjoy it.

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17 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
Good Phantom movie and Great Horror film!, 7 June 2003
Author: moonknight2010

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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