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Underrated Horror: ‘Phantom of the Opera’ (1943)

Published

9 years ago

March 18, 2015

Erique Claudin floats adrift in the dark seas of a lonely life, growing older, growing weaker. His only beacons of light are his passion for music and the care he bestows upon a young rising star of the Paris Opera, Christine DuBois. But in one personal calamity after another, Erique’s life falls apart, and he is driven to madness and murder. Such is the tragedy at the heart of the 1943 version of Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera.

Typically, any piece of media regarding the classic tale of the spook beneath the Paris Opera House is about either the legendary Lon Chaney silent film or the modern classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Between the two stands this underrated take on the story, which shows the Phantom in a much more sympathetic light. As Erique, Claude Rains hits all the right notes of melancholy and menace. Erique is a violinist for the Paris Opera, but he has developed an arthritic condition in his left hand which has impacted his playing. The conductor has noticed, and Erique is unceremoniously dismissed after twenty years with the Opera. To make matters worse, he has been using his wages to anonymously pay for Christine’s singing lessons, and now without a steady salary Christine won’t be able to continue them. But Erique has a backup plan—the concerto he has written, which he is confident will be published and land him a significant pay day. Erique takes his music to the local publisher, Playel & Desjardin, and hands it over. The look on his face while he anxiously waits for a response is affecting. When he’s had enough waiting, he ventures down to see Playel himself. Playel doesn’t like Erique, and doesn’t know or care what happened to his concerto, speculating it must have been thrown in the wastebasket. Dejected, Erique is preparing to leave when he hears a familiar melody from somewhere in the building. It is none other than Franz Liszt playing his music in another room. Liszt and the man standing with him comment on the high quality of this piece, saying it is sure to be published. Unfortunately, Erique is not in their presence, and because of his sour relationship with Playel, he believes the publisher is stealing his music. He snaps, strangling Playel, and is splashed in the face with engraving acid by Playel’s assistant. Erique flees the building in agony and, with the police in pursuit, finds refuge in the city sewers. After stealing a cloak and a prop mask to hide his acid-burned appearance, Erique begins his haunt of the Paris Opera House as the Phantom. He sets about doing whatever it takes to see his daughter succeed, even if it means more death and destruction to those who stand in their way.

Yes, that’s right—Christine is Erique’s daughter this time around. He has a vested interest in her career, and it’s not because he’s going through a midlife crisis by creeping on a beautiful young woman. It’s because he is her long lost father, and he feels guilty for abandoning her many years ago. Paying for Christine’s singing lessons and keeping an eye on her from the orchestra pit is Erique’s way of trying to make it up to her. It’s a father’s love, even though she’s unaware of it. While this isn’t explicitly stated in the film, it is confirmed on the DVD extras as the origin of their relationship, and a scene explaining it was ultimately cut. But the clues remain throughout the film. For instance, Erique’s concerto is based around the melody of one of his favorite lullabies, and Christine later recognizes it from her childhood when the concerto is played during the film’s climax. This father-daughter dynamic intensifies the tragedy of Erique’s downfall, and it makes the sadness cut deeper. For as much depth as the relationship between Erique and Christine gives the proceedings, the film does falter whenever a baritone named Anatole and a boring inspector named Raoul aim for comic relief with their bumbling attempts to win Christine’s heart. The scenes detract from the serious tone of the story and feel unwelcome, plus they take up time which could have been used to further flesh out Erique’s dreary life in the catacombs.

In many ways, this film is not a conventional horror film, despite Universal Studios selling it as part of their Classic Monster Collection. While there is murder and mayhem, the real horror comes from seeing a well-meaning man completely broken by the circumstances around him, sending him into the pits in both body and mind. We fear the Phantom, but we pity the man. Sympathetic villains don’t always work in horror films, but Erique Claudin is a heartbreaking exception.

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News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

1 min ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

2 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

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The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

Published

20 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.