Below is a list of books that have been incredibly helpful to me, in putting this site together. Where possible I've included a review, and a link to where you can buy each of them. I've also included and a few editions of the Leroux novel that I know for sure know have movie guides in them - At least one of them lists some strange things that don't exist. Enjoy, and let me know if you know of any other books that have great Phantom info I may have missed or that you would like to recommend!
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The Essential Phantom of The Opera by Gaston Leroux (Edited by Leonard Wolf)
Leonard Wolf is responsible for the third English edition of the original Gaston Leroux novel. The first edition was published in1996, and the second was in 2004 (Right in time for the last Phantom movie.) Both editions have pretty nice little filmographies in them, and in Mr. Wolf's footnotes, there are several references to Phantom movies as well. Though many prefer the Lowell Bair, (including myself.) or the Lofficier translation of the novel, the Wolf edition is still a very good tranlation of Leroux's work. It's little inclusions such as the filmography, and information regarding Leroux's life give a lovely little taste of Phantom history.
Where to Buy: Both the first and second editions can be bought at Amazon.com
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The Phantom of The Opera by Gaston Leroux. Deadulus European Classics edition 1990
Somewhat rare edition of the Leroux novel, which includes a little summary of phantom movies in the introduction. In this filmography, the book claims that there was a Phantom movie made in 1931, but gives no further information. Unless they are referring to the unmade Phantom film of the 1930's, I really have no idea what they are talking about. My only idea is that the logic was something like, 'well so many other horror greats had important movies made in 1931, Phantom must have had one to!' Unfortunately that's not the case.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com (I've seen copies there once or twice.)
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The Phantom of the Opera (Hollywood Archives Series) by Philip J. Riley
As of this writing, I haven't touched upon the Lon Chaney Phantom all that much on this site (Which will change). This is a hard book to review, because on one hard, it features some of the rarest photographs and surviving artifacts from the making of the film. But on the other hand, A great deal of Rileys facts are extremely suspect.
Now despite all that, where else are you going to find the original shooting script, rare behind the scenes photos, and the complete press kit, all in one place? No matter what it happens to get wrong, its still a must for any Phantom of The Opera fan. Despite its flaws, its still a very important book for everything that it has tried to preserve.
Be sure to grab a copy and be amazed by what you see... But be sure to take a grain of salt with what you read.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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Phantoms of The Opera: The Face Behind The Mask by John L. Flynn
Oh Flynn, Flynn, Flynn... The things that you do. John Flynn's reference book to the world of Phantom of The Opera films, original came out in 1993, and a second revised edition (Ha!) was released in 2006. Back in 1993,when it was originally released, this book was really quite the something. Most Phantom movies where almost impossible to find back then, (The 1962 Herbert Lom version for instance, was completely unavailable.) so Mr. Flynn's rather lengthy list of Phantom films was pretty damn impressive. However, as those films became more available, and more people started actually seeing them, the more patently obvious it because that Mr. Flynn had never bothered to watch before reviewing.... Maybe he couldn't find copies of those copies either?
In his revised edition, one of Flynn's claims that I find the most troubling, is that copies of the very lost 1916 film, Das Gespenst im Opernhaus, (Also known as Das Phantom der Oper.) has resurfaced, but in incomplete copies. As I've said elsewhere on this site, I have no way of disproving Mr. Flynn, nor am I a silent film expert by any means. But if copies of this exist, why doesn't anyone else seem to know anything about it? I mean frankly, I hope he's right. I hope it is out there and that I can see it one day. But right now Mr. Flynn's claims aren't making me feel any better about that possibility.
I really don't know why Mr. Flynn would take the time to write a book about The Phantom of The Opera, and then decide to throw in some more lies 10 years later, other than to cash in on the 2004 Phantom movie. He clearly has no interest in watching the films or presenting honest findings. I'm positive that there are things on this site that I'm wrong about, but the last thing I would do would be to just make up 'facts' and expect people to pay money for it.
If your a completes, and you want everything Phantom related ever, then get it. Other wise you might want to spare yourself a very aggravating and confusing mess.
Where to Buy: You can either buy this through Amazon.com, or you can buy it directly from Galactic Books which is the publisher. My copy actually came autographed by John Flynn. Just one think to keep in mind, the first edition of this book is RARE... You are very very lucky if you find the first edition. Every once and a while a first edition will pop up on Ebay or Amazon, but its they are pretty few and far between.
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The Complete Phantom of the Opera by George Perry
You know, I think this just may have been my first Phantom book. Its certainly the most common of all Phantom reference books, as its mainly about the making of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. The information on other versions of Phantom is fairy generous though, and I think for many generations of young Phans, has served as a great beginners reference to the world of Phantom and its film versions. This was the first time for instance I had ever seen photos of the 1983 TV movie with Maximilliam Schell or Phantom of The Paradise, and I pined over those photographs for years unlit I actually got to finally see both pictures.
It also can't be understated what a wonderful book this is, about the making of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Also includes the complete Libreto.
This book was revised, and re released in 2004 to include the then new film version of Lloyd Webber's Phantom of The Opera. That version of the book, omits a lot of the previous pictures and information regarding the stage version, as well as a great deal of the writing regarding the films.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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The Undergrounds of the Phantom of the Opera: Sublimation and the Gothic in Leroux's Novel and its Progeny by Jerrold E. Hogle
Fascinating psychoanalytic study of Phantom from a decidedly Freudian perspective, by University of Arizona Professor Jerrold E. Hogle. There has never ever been a book quite like this one written about The Phantom of The Opera. To go fully into Mr. Hogles analysis of Phantom would take much to much time, I can say that whether you end up agreeing with him in the end or not, this is definitely the book you want if your interested in a more in dept look at the physiological workings behind the book, it's characters and most importantly it's author.
Mr. Hogle mainly focuses on the original novel throughout the book, be he also goes into great detail about many other versions, including several of the films. His observations about how the film versions differ from the original novel are bang on, and often quite poignant.
This is a very controversial book in the Phantom Phandom, but I honestly cant recommend it enough. I will go as far as to say it is the most important book ever written about Phantom thus far.
Now having just said that, it's also the most expensive. If your diligent enough though and keep checking Amazing regularly, there are good deals to be found. I managed to snag mine for 10 bucks.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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Shadowmen: Heros and Villains of French Pulp Fiction by Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier
From the team that brought you the 4th English translation of the Leroux novel, this is Shadowen by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier. For those of you that don't know, the dynamic duo of the Lofficiers are writers, and historians of French pulp fiction, and have done an incredible amount of scholarship regarding Leroux, and the many other authors of Lerouxs era. This guide book to French pulp fiction characters, gives some nice info on Phantom and a few rare Phantom films, but also goes into detail about other Leroux charters, such as Rouletabille, who you can see on the cover of the book above (He's the kid in the funny orange suit behind Fantomas.)
Such an awesome book, because it really gave me more of an insight into Leroux's time and the kind of characters that where being produced by French authors of the time. Its rare to get a piece of writing about Phantom from a more French perspective, so its a real treat in that sense.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com and http://www.blackcoatpress.com/
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John Stanley's Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again by John Stanley
This book is more than a film guide to me, its a treasured childhood relic. Admit ably its not the best horror film guide on the planet, but it was the first time I had heard about a lot of movies, (Phantom films and many, many others.) and for that it shall always have a warm place in my heart.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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Fear Without Frontiers: Horror Cinema Across the Globe by Steven Jay Schneider
This book includes a great article by David Robinson entitled, Return of the Phantom: Maxu Weibang's Midnight Song. Before finding this book, (Completely by accident I might add.) I had never once seen photographs from the first or second Ye Ban Ge Sheng, (Midnight Song) so this was really quite the find! An awesome book if you have any interest at all in international horror films. Highly, highly recommended.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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The Overlook Film Encyclopedia: Horror (The Overlook Film Encyclopedia Series) by Phil Hardy
I just love this book, and I've had it for years. For a long time it was the only book I could find that had and information at all about some of the Asian Phantom films. What can I say? Great book, awesome pictures... Only problem is that it only goes up to 1992. Darn.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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Lon Chaney: The Man Behind the Thousand Faces/ The Films of Lon Chaney/ A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures by Michael F. Blake
There's tons of book about Lon Chaney, but admitbly I haven't read all that many of them, and at least the last time I checked, no one had ever even come close to besting the work of Michael F. Blake. Mr. Blake has written a staggering 3 books on the life and work of Lon Chaney, listed below:
1. A Thousand Faces (1996)
2. Lon Chaney: The Man Behind the Thousand Faces (1996)
3. The Films of Lon Chaney (2001)
I used to have all 3 of these, but Lon Chaney: The Man Behind the Thousand Faces has gone missing. A Thousand Faces and Lon Chaney: The Man Behind the Thousand Faces are both amazing biographies of Lon Chaney, and include some of the most amazing information on his life around. The information on Phantom is fairly extensive, and cover to A Thousand Faces has one of my all time favorite photos of Chaney as Erik, showing off his kit of a thousand wonders.
The Films of Lon Chaney, is a guide book, the covers every film that Lon Chaney is known to have appeared in. If your someone like me who sometimes has trouble keeping track of all his movies, this book is really essential.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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Tony Richardson: A Bio-Bibliography (Bio-Bibliographies in the Performing Arts) by Don Radovich
I'll be sure to write a lot more about this book when I finally get a chance to really cover the 1990, Charles Dance Television version, but for now let me just say that this is a fascinating look inside the life and films of Tony Richardson - The man responsible for directing the 'Charles Dance version'. Its been ages since I read it in its entirety, but it includes some interesting information regarding that particular version of Phantom.
Where to buy: Amazon.com
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Against Type: The Biography of Burt Lancaster by Gary Fishgall (1995)
I'm no coinsure of biography's of Burt Lancaster, but I happened to pick this one up years ago, and it includes some some nice information on the 1990 TV special, where Lancaster played along side Charles Dance as Erik's father, Gerard Carriere. Features some great quotes from Arthur Kopit about Lancaster's character, as well as Lancaster's own sentiments on the film and relationship between Gerand and Erik. Very interesting book, that may be of interest to fans of the 1990 TV special.
Incidentally, Burt Lancaster was nominated for a Golden Globe for his work in Phantom.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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