Il fantasma dell'opera (1998)

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Gaston Leroux (novel)
Gérard Brach (writer) ...

Release Date:

20 November 1998 (Italy)

Genre:

Horror | Romance

Plot:

Gory remake of the Gaston Leroux classic story, only this time, the phantom is not disfigured, but a man who was raised by rats deep under the Paris Opera House.

Plot Keywords:

Phantom | Opera | Rat | Death | Exterminator

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Julian Sands	...	The Phantom
Asia Argento	...	Christine Daaé
Andrea Di Stefano	...	Baron Raoul De Chagny
Nadia Rinaldi	...	Carlotta Altieri
Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni	...	Honorine
István Bubik	...	Ignace, the rat-catcher
Lucia Guzzardi	...	Madame Giry
Aldo Massasso	...	Pourdieu
Zoltan Barabas	...	Poligny
Gianni Franco	...	Montluc
David D'Ingeo	...	Alfred
Kitty Kéri	...	Paulette
John Pedeferri	...	Dr. Princard
Leonardo Treviglio	...	Jerome De Chagny
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Joseph Buquet

Also Known As:

Dario Argento's The Phantom of the Opera (UK) (video title)
Phantom of the Opera (USA) (video box title)
The Phantom of the Opera (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/gore and sexuality.

Runtime:

99 min | Italy:106 min (director's cut)

Country:

Italy | Hungary

Language:

Italian | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Italy:VM14 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Cine 2000

Trivia:

Rumour has it that Dario Argento's original cut of the film ran almost an hour longer and that the version which was finally released, has been heavily re-cut and changed by the producers to assure the film's appeal to wider audiences.

Quotes:

Christine Daae: I beg you pardon?
The Phantom: For what?
Christine Daae: I thought you said something
The Phantom: I said nothing. But I caught myself thinking about you. Thoughts that surprise me. And I'm not easily surprised.
Christine Daae: Thinking about me? Why?
The Phantom: I wanted to tell you, your voice fills my heart with divine light. Shhhhs. Listening too you is sublime, wonderful. This must be our secret. Tell nobody, then no one will know we'll meet again.
Christine Daae: How?
The Phantom: When you hear my thoughts, you'll know where to go

Movie Connections:

Version of Ye ban ge sheng (1937)

Soundtrack:

Lakmé: Air des clochettes

A good movie, not quite the original but good!

I first saw this movie on a local TV station and figured out it was the Phantom of the Opera. Since I love the musical and have seen it twice, I watched this movie. It somewhat follows the line of the real story but to make it it's own it is a little different. The Phantom actually looks a little like Fabio with his long blonde hair. He plays a very devilish character. I thought at first that this a very old rendition of the movie but when I had searched forever to figure out which one it was, it was the most recent one made. I like the bit of extra sexuality they threw in it. It adds more of a reality to the characters and their feelings for each other. It is sort of like a tacky Italian version but that's what makes it good. I really liked this version of the movie and I suggest people watch it. Again, remember that it is not like the musical in every way, it is different, but it is still good! People need to get off the bandwagon of every Phantom movie made has to follow exactly like the musical, if they were all like that, then there would only be one made, this is why they make several, different versions makes watching each one interesting to see what will be different.