THE PHANTOM
OF THE OPERA

1925 93 Mins. ****

This classic of silent horror seems to drag a bit in the second half, but is still great filmmaking. Also, the first scene bugs me. In the versions I've seen, there is a man looking at the camera, and his mouth is moving, but there are no title cards to accompany it, so it's a bit irritating, but it still is creepy. Lon Chaney plays the Phantom, who is obsessed with a singer named Christine. She's in love with someone else and jealousy abounds.

A note on the lengh(s) and versions of the film: The above listed length of 93 minutes is the length of the original 1925 version. The 2001 DVD pictured on the left contains a version of the film that is slowed down to a normal speed of movement, so it runs 106 mins. It also contains the original two-strip Technicolor sequence at the Bal Masque. The 2003 DVD pictured on the right plays at the silent film speed and has a few cuts throughout, so that it runs 75 minutes. It does not contain the colour sequence.
Not rated.

• Original theatrical aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Premiered in New York, New York on September 06, 1925

• Full Screen presentation
• Slowed down to a normal speed
• Classical music accompaniment
• Original colour sequence

• Full Screen presentation
• Silent Film speed
• Classical music accompaniment
• All black and white