phantom of the opera

Between the 4th and 5th installments of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Robert “Freddy” Englund wound up scoring the role of his dreams. Pitched as a modern horror update to the classic Gaston Leroux novel, The Phantom of the Opera (1989) was filmed on recycled sets with a rushed schedule that took advantage of the then-popular Budapest tax breaks. Bookended with a pair of modern-day scenes, but mostly working within a period setting interrupted with flashes of gore straight out of the slasher genre, the film vacillates between a classy Hammer Films-style and Fangoria extremism. What should have been a complete disaster – and was a box-office dud – wound up as a vibrant and vicious retelling of an oft-repeated story.

Lifting elements from the source novel, direct film adaptations and De Palma’s Phantom of the Paradise, director Dwight Little (Halloween 4) gives the film an unexpected bump in quality right out of the gate and isn’t afraid to emphasize the more artistic elements of the story that might have just as easily been diminished. Namely the frequent opera sequences staged with co-star Jill Schoelen as the Phantom’s muse, Christine, which make excellent use of an inspired score by composer Misha Segal.

As an understudy waiting for her big break, Christine (Schoelen) accepts secret tutelage from a mysterious “angel” who coaches her from behind the walls. But this angel, in actuality the Phantom (Englund), grows tired of waiting, and arranges a series of bloody murders that propel her into the spotlight overnight. Her debut, while a crowd-pleaser, doesn’t sit well with the opera’s producer (Love Actually’s Bill Nighy) who arranges for a poor review from the local critic….who just as quickly meets his bloody demise. It all lies at the feet of the Phantom who grows impatient to consummate his relationship with Christine, both musically and physically, despite his horrifyingly scarred appearance.

Produced at the same time as Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical, the film is light on romance but gets great performances across the board. Bill Nighy is like a God among men, while Englund is quite obviously relishing his opportunity to do something different (even if he’s still forced to act beneath inch-thick makeup). Jill Schoelen is a bit out of her league, but is so good at lip-synching to the music tracks she elevates the film in her own way.

The flashback format, which begins the film in 1989 only to whisk us quickly away to merry old Victorian England, seems contrived, as do some of the more egregious splatter effects (although they’re of very high quality). But Little’s use of the sets and lighting add untold amount of production value, making this Phantom reboot look like something much more than a slasher clone. What it lacks in tonal consistency it more than makes up for in atmosphere, energy and a kitchen-sink enthusiasm to put on a damn good show!

Scream Factory’s Blu-ray upgrade is just that, a chance for fans and first-timers alike to marvel at the efforts of Little’s filmmaking team. While not a full-on restoration, the movie looks great just the same with an eye-popping amount of color and detail. Even more unexpected than the film itself is Behind the Mask, a full-blown Making Of that gathers interviews from all the major players. And anything it doesn’t cover is included in the audio commentary from Little and Englund, who are understandably proud of their work and eager to chat it up.