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The Phantom of the Opera (1989 film)

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The Phantom of the Opera
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDwight H. Little
Screenplay by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography
Edited byCharles Bornstein
Music byMisha Segal
Distributed by21st Century Film Corporation
Release date
  • November 4, 1989 (1989-11-04)
Running time
93 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$4 million[2]

The Phantom of the Opera is a 1989 American horror film directed by Dwight H. Little and based on Gaston Leroux's novel of the same name. The film is a newer, gorier version of the classic 1910 tale, and stars Robert Englund as the Phantom.

Plot

Christine Day (Jill Schoelen), a young opera singer in modern-day Manhattan, is searching for a unique piece to sing at her next audition. Her friend and manager Meg (Molly Shannon) discovers an old opera piece called Don Juan Triumphant, written by a composer named Erik Destler. Curious, Christine and Meg do a little digging on Destler, and discover he may have been responsible for many murders and the disappearance of a young female opera singer he was said to have been obsessed with. While Christine is alone, she sings from the tattered parchment and blood seeps from the notes and covers her hands. Shocked, she discovers this to be an illusion when Meg returns. Christine auditions with the piece and during her performance, an accident with a falling sandbag renders her unconscious and shatters a mirror. She awakens in London in 1881, wearing opera clothing. A different version of Meg (Emma Rawson) is also there. Christine turns out to be the understudy to the diva La Carlotta (Stephanie Lawrence), who is both jealous and resentful of Christine’s skill. During this whole time, Erik Destler (Robert Englund) attacks the scene-shifter Joseph (Terence Beesley) with a blade high above the rafters for almost killing Christine with the falling sandbag, and blaming the accident on him.

Alone in her dressing room Christine hears the voice of Erik Destler, revealing he is her teacher and an angel sent by her deceased father. Destler encourages her to practice Carlotta's part of Marguerite in Faust, saying that only she can sing the part. Christine complies. That evening, Carlotta discovers Joseph’s skinned (but barely alive) body in her dressing closet. The event causes her to scream and lose her voice. Christine is cast in the role of Marguerite, which causes a panic to the opera house owner Martin Barton (Bill Nighy), who favors Carlotta and the prestige she brings to his opera house. During the scene where Dr. Faust signs his soul to the Devil, Destler reminisces about a time, perhaps decades ago, when he sold his own soul to the Devil in exchange for people loving him for his music. The Devil grants his wish, but burns and disfigures Destler’s face, telling him that only his music will be what people love him for. Christine gives a stellar performance, receiving a standing ovation, and celebrates that night with her fiancé Richard Dutton (Alex Hyde-White). She tells him of her mysterious "teacher", to whom she accredits her success. A mildly jealous Richard asks to meet this teacher, but Christine insists her teacher is only a figment of her imagination. Meanwhile, Destler seduces a prostitute and pays her gold to call herself "Christine" for the night. Destler's further obsession with Christine (as well as his supernatural prowess) is revealed when he single-handedly murders three thugs who try to steal his money.

Shockingly, the next morning in the papers, Christine is given a bad review by the famous opera critic Harrison, secretly done as a favor to Barton. Destler tracks Harrison down and brutally murders him in a Turkish spa after Harrison refuses to recant his review. Christine tearfully goes to the graveyard and prays next to her father's grave. Destler appears as a shadowy violinist and offers her a chance at musical immortality if she will only go to him. Christine goes away with the Phantom in his stagecoach just as Richard arrives. Deep in the sewers below London’s opera house, Destler reveals himself as the composer of Don Juan Triumphant, which causes a spark of recollection within Christine and she sings the same lyrics from the beginning of the film. Destler places his ring upon her finger and warns her never to see another man again. Christine, through fear promises she won't see another man. Destler kisses her hand declaring her to be his bride. Richard goes to Inspector Hawkins (Terence Harvey), who reveals to Richard that the Phantom is not only Erik Destler, but has lived for centuries, uses the opera house's catacombs as a hideout, and skins his murdered victims for their facial skin to cover his own hideous visage. Hawkins also tells him the only way to kill the Phantom is to destroy his music.

At a masquerade ball, Christine meets up with Richard and begs him to take her away. For she fears the Phantom and really loves Richard. Erik, disguised as Red Death, sees this exchange and becomes enraged. He decapitates Carlotta, causing a mayhem, and kidnaps Christine. Hawkins, Richard, and the rat catcher (Yehuda Efroni) whom Destler has been bribing in the past go quickly in pursuit. Back in the Phantom’s lair, an enraged Destler attempts to rape Christine, but suddenly hears the men approaching. He tells Christine she can never leave and locks her in the lair. The policemen become lost in the sewers, Destler murders two policemen as well as the rat catcher for betraying him. He returns to Christine who asks him if he is going to kill her too. Destler replies "This is either a wedding march or a funeral mass. You decide which." Richard and Inspector Hawkins burst in. During a fight with the Phantom, Richard is stabbed, set aflame, and killed instantly. Christine sets the lair on fire by pushing over candle holders and attempts to kill Destler, but he grabs her hand and tries to take her away with him. However, a wounded Hawkins manages to shoot Destler. Christine pushes another candle holder through a mirror which sends her back to her own time. As she vanishes, she hears Destler's echoing voice screaming her name.

Christine awakens back to the present-day in Manhattan and meets the opera’s producer, Mr. Foster, who comforts her and offers her the leading part. At his apartment, they have drinks and Foster goes upstairs to change and finds a blemish on his face. It is then discovered that Foster is really Destler from long ago, and he goes to change his facial skin with synthetic ones he keeps in a special lab. Meanwhile, downstairs, Christine discovers a copy of the Don Juan Triumphant music score. Foster/Destler enters, reveals his true self to her and lovingly kisses her. Christine pretends to accept him then rips off his mask, stabs him and escapes, taking his music. She tears it apart and lets it drop into a drain, whilst Foster/Destler is heard screaming. On her way home, Christine passes by a street violin player, whom she gives some money to. The violinist slowly follows her, playing the theme from Don Juan Triumphant. Christine looks back and reflects on the music for a while. Then, very resolutely, she turns around and continues on her way, wondering if Destler is really gone for good.

Cast

Production

The script was originally written by Gerry O'Hara for Cannon films, and was set to be directed by John Hough.[3] O'Hara's version of the screenplay did not feature any present-day segments, and was set entirely in 1881 England. However, after Cannon filed for bankruptcy, the film was passed on to the 21st Century Film Corporation. 21st Century planned to follow up the film with a sequel called The Phantom of the Opera 2: Terror in Manhattan, in which the Phantom lives in the sewers of present-day Manhattan.[4] Television writer Duke Sandefur was hired to add bookend segments set in present-day Manhattan to O'Hara's script, so that the film would tie into its proposed sequel. Ultimately, the sequel was never made, but the bookend segments remain in the film.

The original music written for the film by Misha Segal (also known for the soundtrack to The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking) won a 1989 Brit for best soundtrack. Of particular interest to fans of the original novel is Segal's rendition of the Phantom's opera composition 'Don Juan Triumphant' with the Phantom on the organ and Christine singing.

Release

Box office

The Phantom of the Opera opened theatrically on November 3, 1989 in 1,468 venues, ranking sixth in the domestic box office in its opening weekend, earning $2,050,000.[5] The film closed three weeks later, having grossed $3,953,745.[2]

Critical reception

The film received negative reviews from critics, currently holding a 36% 'Rotten' rating on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes based on 11 reviews.[6]

Home media

Scream Factory (a subsidiary of Shout! Factory) released the film on February 17, 2015 for the first time on Blu-ray Disc in the United States.[7] The film was released alongside the documentary film, Behind the Mask: The Making of "The Phantom of the Opera".[8] The documentary film featured interviews with Englund, Nighy, Hyde-White, Shannon, and director Little.[9] The alternative title cover of film, was "Freddy: The Musical".[10]

Planned sequel

Englund was under contract to appear in a sequel, but it was canceled after the film's poor reception, and has been the subject of numerous rumors. Fangoria Magazine claimed in 1991 that the script was re-written into what became 1992's Dance Macabre, also starring Englund.

Englund confirmed in a 2004 interview that a script had been written, and while he personally felt it was superior to the first film, it had never been filmed in any capacity. In 2012, Englund was asked at a memorabilia sale about the possibility of a sequel happening in the near future; Englund informed everybody in attendance that although it would be overwhelming to see a sequel, the chances of it happening at this stage are "highly unlikely".

References

  1. ^ "THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (18)". British Board of Film Classification. February 14, 1990. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Phantom of the Opera (1989)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. November 24, 1989. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  3. ^ The Phantom of the Opera (1989) Trivia. Internet Movie Database.
  4. ^ The Phantom of the Opera (1989) Trivia. Internet Movie Database.
  5. ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for November 3-5, 1989". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. November 6, 1989. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  6. ^ "The Phantom of the Opera (1989)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  7. ^ The Phantom of the Opera with Robert Englund Sings on Blu-ray
  8. ^ Robert Englund As ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Gets Blu-ray Release
  9. ^ Robert Englund as The Phantom of the Opera
  10. ^ Phantom of the Opera It sold the movie as "Freddy: The Musical"
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