ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

Not science fiction, of course, but certainly a superb horror film that shocked and enthralled millions for almost one hundred years. Silent film buffs would consign me to the dark and silent lower levels of a certain Paris theater if I didn't encourage them to share their thoughts on this classic.

So, start sharing, guys. The inclusion of pictures is greatly encouraged.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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IMDB has several interesting trivia items for this production.
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~ Lon Chaney's horrific, self-applied make-up was kept secret right up until the film's premiere. Not a single photograph of Chaney as The Phantom was published in a newspaper or magazine or seen anywhere before the film opened in theaters. Universal Pictures wanted The Phantom's face to be a complete surprise when his mask was ripped off.

Note from me: A clever promotional strategy.

~ According to the film's cameraman Charles Van Enger, one of Lon Chaney's most trusted associates, Mary Philbin's reaction to the unmasked Phantom was real — she had no idea what he would look like until that exact moment.

Note from me: Nice touch.

~ When Rupert Julian was first presented with the script, he simply said "Lon Chaney, or it can't be done!"

Note from me: Mr. Chaney's reputation was obviously we respected.

~ According to Charles Van Enger, the film's cameraman, he had a very strong reaction as Lon Chaney's unsuspecting "guinea pig".

Chaney had summoned Van Enger to his dressing room without telling him why. When he got there and was standing about a foot behind the actor, Chaney suddenly spun around in full Phantom makeup! "I almost wet my pants. I fell back over a stool and landed flat on my back!"

Chaney laughed so hard, and Van Enger, who by then was "mad as hell" yelled, "Are you NUTS?" Unable to clearly talk with his fake teeth in, Chaney spit them out and said, "Never mind Charlie, you already told me what I wanted to know."

Note from me: I love this story. Lon must have been well pleased with his experiment. Mr. Van Enger, however, must have required a wardrobe change . . .

~ The Phantom's distinctive bed was reused as Gloria Swanson's in Sunset Blvd. (1950).

Note from me: As soon as I read that I realized that the final scene in Sunset Blvd. bore an uncanny resemblance to the famous Phantom unmasking scene!





~ On October 31, 2008, this film was screened at the Walt Disney Concert Hall with live musical accompaniment by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Ads contained a tag line that was a clever twist on that for Alien (1979): "In silent films, no one can hear you scream".

Note from me: Ah yes, those clever folks in the promotional department.

~ Inside Sound Stage 28, part of the opera house still stands to the side where this movie was filmed nearly a century ago, making it the oldest standing interior film set in the world.

Though it remains impressive, time has taken its toll, and it is very rarely used. Urban legends claim the set remains because when workers have attempted to take it down in the past, there have been fatal accidents, said to be caused by the ghost of Lon Chaney.

Note from me: Well my goodness, doesn't that just scream, "Make a movie about this!" The Phantom of the Movie Set.

~ It was never satisfactorily explained in the script how Erik the Phantom came to be disfigured in the first place. The most likely answer is that the Phantom was born a freak of nature.

Note from me: That's interesting. In the Claude Rains version his face was doused with acid, disfiguring it on one side.

~ Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

Note from me:Hmmm, I wonder if that means I'll never die if I don't watch it. No, I guess not.

~ The film went through numerous reshoots before finally going out on release. After the first version was completed, it was deemed too horrific after being viewed by a preview audience. About 60% of footage was junked.

Note from me: Wow! And how much would a print of THAT version be worth today!?

~ It has been alleged that Mary Philbin refused to work with Lon Chaney again after he made advances upon her during filming.

Note from me: He'd probably have had better luck with the lady if he'd flirted with her AFTER removing his makeup . . .
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Krel]

Sad, but they finally demolished the Phantom stage a year or more back. They had problems because of the building's age, and it had poor soundproofing because it was built for a silent movie.

They not only used the building as a soundstage, there are photos of them building the Airwolf mock-up in the Phantom stage.

David.

[Pow]

From Lon Chaney: The Man Behind The Thousand Faces

Lon strove to come as close as possible to the description of the character in the Gaston Leroux novel.

While the make-up for the Phantom is very effective, Lon knew from his days on the stage how lighting could enhance or ruin a good make-up creation.

Chaney's make-up has endured and is still considered by motion picture make-up artists as one of the truly classic make-up creations in the industry.

~ I'd say legendary!

The first steel and concrete stage ever built in Hollywood was also erected for this film. It housed the entire interior set of the Opera House as well as the backstage area and the grand staircase.

The cellars and subterranean lake, as well as the streets of Paris, were built on other stages on the Universal lot.

Unfortunately, the film was plagued with problems from the very start when it went into production on October 29, 1924.

Director Rupert Julian and Chaney clashed over the portrayal of the Phantom. Julian wanted a much broader performance than what Chaney had envisioned. Relations between the two men was so strained that they rarely spoke to one another. Cameraman Charles Van Enger, acted as the go-between for the two men.

According to Van Enger, Julian could be a prima-donna and created a lot of the friction.

The movie was previewed in Los Angeles on January, 1925. Carl Laemmle, president of Universal Studios, was unhappy with the film's reception.

Laemmle ordered additional shooting and re-editing.

A major concern was the original ending of the movie, which had the Phantom found by the mob, lying dead at the keyboard of his organ.

Edward Sedgwick, known as a comedy director, was hired to shoot the new climax.

~ Fun fact: In the new finale for the movie we see the Phantom stealing a carriage to flee from the mob and race through the streets of Paris. At one point, the carriage careens past the Notre Dame cathedral from Lon's movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

In April, 1925, the film, in its new form, was previewed at the Curran Theater in San Francisco. However, all the recently added footage, except the chase scene, was deleted from the picture prior to the preview.

After the disappointing San Francisco showing, new scenes with comedian Chester Conklin were added, as well as new title cards.

After viewing this "final" version, Laemmle ordered the comedy scenes junked and still new title cards written to account for the many changes.

Unfortunately, lost in all these many changes were some ballet scenes photographed in the two-color Technicolor process.

The movie finally premiered on September 6, 1925, at the Astor Theater in New York, where it ran for 9 successful weeks, despite mixed reviews.
I'm a huge fan of Lon Chaney---and Lon Chaney, Jr.---but never realized this classic and beloved movie had such a rocky history. Looks like sometimes good things can really come out of a mess.

[WadeVC]

Perhaps one of the very best silent horror films ever made, The Phantom of the Opera still offers superb viewing to this day.

I own the DVD of this terrific movie (part of a silent film collection I got for Christmas), and still enjoy watching it from time to time.

Lon and his make-up are, naturally, phenomenal, and the movie can give one the creeps to this day.
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"You look like a pooped out pinwheel."
-Robot Monster