WARNING!: As always, this page may be extremely spoiler heavy... If you didn't want to know, then don't blame me that you looked!
A few of these really have nothing at all to do with The Phantom of The Opera. However I'm including them here because at one point or another, they have been considered Phantom films. I am using this opportunity to clear up the confusion. Also, I have made a point NOT to include Beauty and The Beast stuff. That's a whole other can of worms.
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(1914/1915) Phantom of the Violin
Dir: Frances Ford Wri: Grace Cunard Cast: Grace Cunard, Frances Ford, Harry Schumm, Duke Worne
More information at: IMDB
In his book, The Making of The Phantom of The Opera, Philip J. Riley tells us that this was an unauthorized, version of the Leroux novel. Reportedly Lerouxs lawyerly knew about the film, though made the decision not to take legal action. Virtually nothing else is known, except that there are no copies known to exist.
There is some question as to weather some of the sparse information we have on Phantom of The Violin, may have become confused over time with Das Phantom der Opera, (Whose description you can find below.) or vice verse, particularly in regards to the possible legal action.
Philip J. Riley says that this was made in 1915, though the IMDB claims the year 1914. Not certain which year is correct.
Where to Buy: This film is believed to be lost.
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(1916) Das Phantom der Oper or "The Phantom of The Opera " (Also known as Das Gespenst im Opernhaus.)
Dir: Ernst Matrey Wri: Greta Schröder Cast: Nils Olaf Christander, Aud Egede Nissen
More information at: IMDB
I'm officially putting this early German film in the maybe section because frankly, I have no idea what else to do with it. I'm honestly not trying to disprove this as a Phantom movie, but it would seem that all evidence on the subject is starting to point in that direction. Of course because no one can actually see it, no one can really be sure. For what its worth, I will do my best to compile all known information on the movie here, and shed some light on the confusion surrounding it, so we can all try and decide for ourselves exactly what this little curiously once was.
First off, no part of this movie is known at this time to exist. Not even advertisements or photographs. Actual information is still very scarce, though this brief description of the plot does exist, (Originally found in Universal Weekly, and supplied to me by Oliver Haddo):
Awakened during the night by a thunderstorm, a young Parisian woman hears a violin playing in the house next door. The following morning, she becomes acquainted with Ellis, the musician, and they fall in love. The happiness of their subsequent marriage is brief, however. The wife begins frequenting the cabaret where Ellis is employed as a violinist, accompanied by one of her husband's friends, and she becomes disenchanted with her marriage. Learning of his wife's infidelity, Ellis attempts to jump into the Seine, but he is restrained by the police. He returns, insane, to the cabaret, where he discovers a secret door leading to a crypt. There he dwells among the bones, and time passes. From the cabaret above, Ellis hears his wife burlesquing his musical compositions. Enraged, he makes his way to the cabaret, kills his traitorous friend, sets fire to the club, and drags his wife to the crypt. Clasping her to him, Ellis leaps into a deep pit and perishes.
As you can see, while this may have a little of the flavor of a Phantom based movie, it's certainly not a direct adaptation of the Leroux novel.
John L. Flynn, in his revised edition of his book, Phantoms of the Opera: The Face Behind the Mask, he claims that Gaston Leroux himself sued the production company over the film, and that there was an out of court settlement. Furthermore, that all prints had been destroyed shortly after. He also claims that incomplete prints of the film have since resurfaced. I have no way of proving or disproving this information, tough if prints of the film do indeed exist, Mr. Flynn seems to be the only one aware of their whereabouts.
As I noted above, There is some question as to if some of the sparse information we have on Phantom of The Violin, may have become confused over time with Das Phantom der Opera, (Whoes description you can find above.) or vice verse, particularly in regards to the supposed lawsuit.
Sadly, we may never know more that this. Should anything by a miracles chance someday become known however, I shall certainly post it up immediately.
Where to Buy: This film is believed to be lost forever.
*Extremely special thanks to Oliver Haddo for providing nearly all the information in this section.
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(1928) The Terror
More information at: IMDB
Dir: Roy Del Ruth Wri: Harey Gates, Joseph Jackson (Based on a play by Edgar Wallace.) Cast: May McAvoy, Jouise Fazenda, Edward Everett Horton
I just know people are going to yell at me for adding this but, I do maintain that others before me have noted that what's left of this movie seem to take influence from Phantom. This was the second ever full talking feature film. (At least for Warner Brothers) Remade in 1938, have no idea if it kept any of the Phantom tone that the original seems to have had.... But just look at that shot below! A creepy Phantomy type dude, terrorizing a young maiden in front of a huge pipe organ?! Come on... With the Chaney film still fresh in the mind of most viewer in 1928, I just can't believe there wasn't some reference going on here.
Where to Buy: This film is believed to be lost forever.
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(1931) Phantom of Paris
Dir: John S. Robinson Wri: Edwin Justus Mayer, Gaston Leroux (Based off a novel by him.) Cast: John Gilbert, Leila Hyams, Lewis Stone
More information at: IMDB
Often listed as a Phantom of The Opera movie, this was actualy based off of another Gaston Leroux novel, perhaps his third most popular character, Cher-Bibi.
This was to be Lon Chaneys second talking picture, had he lived.
Where to Buy: If anyone out there knows where to find this movie, or has any other information about it, please contact me at Oldphan@hotmail.com.
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(1933) The Phantom Broadcast
More information at: IMDB
Wonderful movie, about a hunchbacked music teacher who falls in love with his most talented student.
This movie clearly uses a lot of the elements of The Phantom of The Opera, but how intentional was it?
I would love to put this on the list of actually Phantom movies, but I have been hesitant, and will remain so until I can find out for sure if there was actually some real connection between the two stories.
I love, love, love the music in this movie, and I wish to god someone would put out a soundtrack!
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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(1935) Charley Chan At The Opera
More information at: IMDB
Honestly not sure what the connection, if any there is here. In the documentary, The Opera Ghost, A Phantom Unmaked (Available on the DVD edition of 1943 Phantom of The Opera.) Scott MacQuen briefly states that after plans had fallen through for a remake of Phantom in the 1930's, Charley Chan At The Opera had been created to play on the excitement caused by the prospect of a new Phantom movie by adding a masked killer into this film. I have not yet seen this movie, so its difficulty for me to assess one way or the other if there is anything at all to do with the Phantom here, other than perhaps some historical significance.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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(1954) Phantom des Großen Zeltes
Dir:Paul May Wri: Egon Eis, Walter F. Fichelscher Cast: Roma Bahn, Heidi Becker, Hans Chistian Blech.
More information at: IMDB
I admit complete ignorance on this one. I found a reference to this movie on a German Phantom of The Opera Phan site, which listed it as a Phantom movie. The only thing I was ever able to find out about it, is that it may or may not involve some kind of Phantom clown.... Hopefully nothing like Phantom of Manhattan.
The Phantom site that originally listed this film is: http://www.the-phantoms-underground.de/willkommen.htm
Where to Buy: If anyone out there knows where to find this movie, or has any other information about it, please contact me at Oldphan@hotmail.com.
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(1958) Misterios de Ultratumba aka The Black Pit of Dr. M
Dir: Fernando Méndez Wri: Ramón Obón Cast: Gastón Santos, Rafael Bertrand, Mapita Cortés, Carlos Ancira (as Elmer)
More information at: IMDB
An absolute classic of Mexican horror cinema, and fast becoming a personal classic as well. Extremely atmospheric and creepy, Its been said many times before that The Black Pit of Dr. M feels often feels more like an old time universal horror film than a movie from the late 50's. The film takes place in an asylum, where doctors have been conducting an experiment to try and translate each others spirits into One anothers bodies once one of them dies. These plans however are put on hold, due to the arrival or a beautiful young woman, who has come to the asylum, (not as in inmate.) looking for information on her father after a mysterious specter told her to. Dr. Masali, (Dr. M.) who owns the hospital, and is the one most obsessed with his transmutation experiment, falls madly in love with this woman, and becomes willing to leave his world of death and isolation alone if he can have her. In the meanest while, an insane gypsy woman has been brought to the hospital, and during Dr. M's treatment, (Involving a music box.) she goes berserk, and end up badly disfiguring one of the orderlies named Elmer.
Though Elmer start out as a very minor character, he quickly takes nearly center stage, as his rage over what has been done to him, explodes into murderous anger. He kills the gypsy woman, and escapes the crime, unintentionally allowing Dr. M to take the blame. Dr. M is executed for the crime, though as his final words, he states that, "I want the killer!" Well... He gets the killer, though not in the way he was thinking. His spirit ends up reawakening in the body of Elmer, (Who had died of a heart attack moments before he could confess to the crime.) and thus begins to take on dementions that are very reminiscent of our dear Erik. For one, there is an extremely beautiful scene of him playing a violin. There is also a scene where he goes into a long dialogue sequence, about how he he is desperate for a normal life, and to live for and with a woman. Its like lost dialogue from the Leroux novel.
I have no way of knowing if any part of this movie was actually really trying to mimic Phantom. But intentional or unintentional, I think this one would be a great interest to anyone who loves Phantom. It may have been just a tad self indulgent for me to include it here, but I'm of the mind that if writing about it will get more people to see it, then what really is the harm?
The film may have to been seen to fully appreciate how Phantomy it is. Its hard not to make the plot sound absolutely psychotic, because frankly, though very coherent at the same time, it really and truly is. Its an incredible movie. That's my extremely bias opinion right there for you. If you love old horror movies, and Phantom, why are you still reading this?! Go get it!
Where to Buy: Amazon.com The best edition was produced by Casa Negra. Visit their site to find other great Mexican horror films as well!: Casa Negra
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(1978) Kiss Meets The Phantom of The Park
More information at: IMDB
I have to admit that I have still never seen this movie, but from every description I have ever read of it, I just cant seem to find any Phantomy connection at all. After I saw the latest two disk set for Phantom of The Paradise however, one idea did cross my mind. Apparently the band Kiss had not yet started to wear their famous black and white face paint during the time that The Phantom of The Paradise had been released. The famous, "Somebody Super Like You" scene in POTP may or may not have been what ultimately made Kiss decide to start wearing the makeup. So it's possible that Phantom of The Park is not actually trying to pay homage to The Phantom of The Opera, but rather Phantom of The Paradise. According the the double disk set of POTP that I spoke of before, the true inspiration for KISS's makeup has been a well guarded secret, and not ever Paul Williams, who has known members of KISS, has ever asked them if they actually got the idea from POTP... So the world may never know.
Fun Fact!: Paul Stanley would later go on to play The Phantom in the Andrew Lloyd Webber version, in Toronto!
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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(1981) The Monster Club
More information at: IMDB
This movie scared me so badly as a little kid, but upon viewing it recently, I realized just how silly it is. Vincent Price playing a vampire named Eramus, who bites horror writer named R. Chetwynd-Hayes played by John Carradine in a dark alley. When he realizes that he has just bitten his favorite horror author, he decides that he should take his new found friend to the coolest hang out around; The Monster Club! During his stay at the club, Carradine hears many fantastic tails of Weregouls, Vamgouls and of course Shadmocks. A Shadmock is a very low level monster, But they do have one very dangeros power, which is a piercing whistle that literaly melts the skin off of its victims.
In our Shadmock story, we are first introduced to a man and a woman who are both crooks looking for their next big break. They find it in the paper, under an add of a rich man looking for someone to come to his huge house and help him catalogue his massive collection of expensive crap. So this woman goes there and meets our Shadmock, Raven. Raven looks suspiciously like Lon Chanyes Phantom. The Stupid hair cut really gives this away. The Shadmock plays this character up as though he were hideously ugly, but actually he's just very pale... And in need of a new hair cut. Raven rapidly falls in love with his little helper lady, and tells her that in the past he used to wear a mask to hide his ugliness. Latter on in the story we even get a masked ball. At the end of the tail story, Raven ends up whistling his would be bride into a bile of walking goo.
I have to admit that when I saw this movie as a kid it actually scared the crap out of me. But seeing it now, I cant believe how funny it is... Especially all the great. painful shots of our Shadmock whistling. Wow. See it, you need it.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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(1983) Dracula Tan Exarchia
Dir: Nikos Zervos. Wri: Yannis Panousis, Vangelis Contronis.
Apparently a Greek spin off of Phantom of the Paradise.... I know nothing else.
Where to Buy:
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(1988) Un Delitto Poco Comune (AKA) Phantom of Death
Dir: Ruggero Deodato (!!!) Wri: Gigioola Battaglini, Gianfranco Clerici Cast: Michael York, Edwige Fenech
More information at: IMDB
Phantom of Death is about a brilliant concert pianist, (Played by Michael York.) who contracts a rare disorder that ages him extremely rapidly. (Kind of like Protaria, except here is doesn't attack in childhood.) This aging process disfigures him, and also drives him to insanity. When I first read a description of this film, I was totally certain that this was a Phantom movie. However when I finally did get to actually see the movie years later, I was rather disappointed to find that there was not much relationship at all.
There is one scene however, which always makes me think that maybe I was not so very far off the mark after all. In this, our disfigured and decrepit musician goes to Italy for the big masquerade, and wears all black, with a black fedora and a full faced, white mask to hide his ugly aging process. He then goes to visit an ex-lover who has become a hooker, and we actually do get something of an unmasking. (Though its far from being a violent one.) However it turns violent after he woman then refuses to treat him like a young man. He then walks around Venus doing a lot of other lame and banal things, and then we get a pretty nice shot of him walking away from the white mask which he as evidentially thrown on the floor. Between the costume and the really lame unmaking, its hard to imagine that Phantom was so very far away from the directors mind when he conceived of this scene. Check out these photos to judge for yourself:
I don't know... He looks like he's at least trying to be The Phantom to me!
I have tried so hard to stop my self from adding this one, but my hands seem to have a life of their own. As I said before, on paper this absolutely sounds like a Phantom knock off. I guess I'm just far to amused by the idea that Ruggero Deodato, (The director of Cannibal Holocaust!) has created a Phantom film. I still contest that the prostitute scene may point to some kind of relationship between the two stories. Any one who would like to disagree however if of course entirely free to do so.
Over all, pretty terrible movie if you don't mind me saying so, but has a great cast. If your a Deodato fan, pick this one up for laughs.
Where to Buy: This movie is now available on VHS and DVD. For a VHS, just try Amazon.com. For the DVD try and nab a copy at http://www.xploitedcinema.com/dvds/dvds.asp?title=1276
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(1991) The Chipmunks - Phantom Of The Rock Opera
Where to Buy: If anyone out there knows where to find this movie, or has any other information about it, please contact me at Oldphan@hotmail.com.
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(1993) Rigoletto
Dir: Leo D. Paur. Wri: Leo D. Paur.
More information at: IMDB
*Info coming soon.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com
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(1997) Maschera di Cera aka The Wax Mask
Dir: Sergio Stivetti Wri: Dario Agrento, Lucio Fulci Cast: Robert Hossein, Romina Mondello, Riccardo Serventi Longhi
More information at: IMDB
If you ever spoken with me about this film before, or read almost anything I've written about it in the past, please note now that I was absolutely wrong. My humblest apologies.
Though most of the story is indeed imitating the film Mystery of The House of Wax, (And a lot of the versions of Wax films that came after that.) it does indeed draw influence from a real Gaston Leroux story called The Waxwork Museum, which is a story that can be found in this book here:
Gaston Leroux's Phantom Stories
What it does not take influence from however, is The Phantom of The Opera, as has been previously supposed.
On the last note, I really enjoyed this movie. If your at all a fan of Lucio Falci or Dario Argento, you might want to pick this up at some point. Well produced and well acted, with an interesting story. Quite gothic, and extremely gory all at the same time. And if you happen to also be into all of the House of Wax films from the past, you may get something of a speshil kick out of seeing the references to the older plot line. Our man even still has a thing for his Marie Antoinette doll, (Though not nearly as violently here.) Highly recommended.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com and E-Bay
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(2006) Le Fantome De L'Opera De Pekin
Where to Buy: If anyone out there knows where to find this movie, or has any other information about it, please contact me at Oldphan@hotmail.com.
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(2005) V for Vendetta
Dir: James McTeigue Wri: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski Cast: Natalie Protman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea.
*I'll get to this soon I promise.
More information at: IMDB
Where to Buy: Amazon.com and E-Bay
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