The Phantom of the Opera (1962)

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Gaston Leroux (novel)
Anthony Hinds (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 August 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Music | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Out of the hell-fire of horror unimaginable rises the figure of terror incarnate!

Plot:

The corrupt Lord Ambrose D'Arcy (Michael Gough) steals the life's work of the poor musical Professor Petry...

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Opera House | House | Murder | Star

Cast

Herbert Lom	...	The Phantom (Prof. L. Petrie)
Heather Sears	...	Christine Charles
Edward de Souza	...	Harry Hunter
Thorley Walters	...	Lattimer
Michael Gough	...	Lord Ambrose d'Arcy
Harold Goodwin	...	Bill
Martin Miller	...	Rossi
Liane Aukin	...	Maria
Sonya Cordeau	...	Yvonne
Marne Maitland	...	Xavier
Miriam Karlin	...	Charwoman
Patrick Troughton	...	The Rat Catcher
Renee Houston	...	Mrs. Tucker
Keith Pyott	...	Weaver
John Harvey	...	Sgt. Vickers

Runtime:

USA:84 min | UK:90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

The film flopped on its release, and director Terence Fisher fell out of favor with Hammer Studios, for whom he was not given another film until 1964.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The film, set in the Edwardian period (around 1900), features an opera called "Saint Joan". But Joan of Arc was not canonized until 1920.

Quotes:

The Phantom: I am going to teach you to sing, Christine. I am going to give you a new voice! A voice so wonderful that theatres all over the world will be filled with your admirers. You will be the greatest star the opera has ever known. Greater than the greatest! And when you sing, Christine, you will be singing only... for me.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Phantom of the Opera (1943)

Soundtrack:

Joan of Arc

The Phantom Of The Opera (1962) **1/2

A relatively lush, if ultimately modest, version by Hammer of the venerable classic which, to me, seems unjustly maligned by fans as it certainly offers consistent entertainment value throughout and an effective shock moment or two typical of director Terence Fisher. Herbert Lom makes for a fine tragic figure (virtually reprised a decade later for AIP's MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE [1971]) and Michael Gough provides delicious villainy as always. The leads are a matter of taste, particularly Heather Sears, but the film's handsome production design is the film's real star anyway; as for the operatic sequences, they are sufficiently baroque to avoid being an intrusion to the unfolding drama (as was definitely the case with the 1943 Universal version). I also wasn't bothered by the liberties taken with the plot line and, in fact, quite liked the ending with the hero aiding in the Phantom's 'cause' and the latter's final sacrifice; here, too, the Phantom eschews the overt romanticism of earlier (and later) versions by only wanting to turn Christine into a great star rather than falling for her and try to compete with her true love.