Phantom of the Opera (1925)

  This is not the musical.  There is no sweet, tortured anti-hero just looking for love.  This is Lon Chaney rocking some mask-worthy features and terrifying poor Mary Philbin.

The Paris Opera House, like any building full of artists, has its share of colorful history.  One local legend has it that a mysterious Phantom patronizes Box 5 and that to see his face is death.  The two most recent owners think it's all such rubbish, until they get a black-edged note from the Phantom himself, telling them that if they know what's good for them they'll put Christine Daae (Mary Philbin) in the lead part, instead of Mademoiselle Carlotta (Virginia Pearson).  They don't and the chandelier comes crashing down.  Meanwhile, Vicomte Raoul de Chagny (Norman Kerry) is disappointed to learn that Christine no longer wants to see him.  She only has ears for the mysterious voice that comes from her dressing room mirror.  She is disappointed and horrified when she finally gets to meet her dulcet-toned stranger and discovers he's actually a cellar-dwelling asylum escapee. 

I can relate.  I've been on a few bad internet dates myself. 

In exchange for returning to the land of the living, she promises the Phantom that she will never see Raoul again...which she immediately breaks by running off with him at a masked ball.  She confesses everything to Raoul and they make plans to escape to England.  But the Phantom has eyes and ears everywhere.  How will they get away?

I have to admit, it was a little weird to watch this movie without the Lloyd Webber score.  It truly has become synonymous with the name.  Still, it's good to see the film go back to the dark roots, since I was gravely disappointed with the ending change in the musical.  I think keeping the climactic final scene would have only strengthened the musical's appeal.  But you can watch it and judge for yourself.