Gaston Louis Albert Leroux, a French journalist and author, wrote LE FANTOME L'OPERA in February, 1910. The novel appeared in America in 1911, to lackluster reviews. Leroux was fascinated with the Paris Opera House, that had its first production in 1875. The theatre had room for an audience of 2,000, a suite and box for Napolean, was 17 stories tall, had 2,500 doors, and was honeycombed with passages, panels, and storerooms.
Leroux's novel spawned 18 films, and at least 9 theatrical stagings and musicals. Leroux, who died in 1927, enjoyed more popularity after the great Lon Chaney, in 1925, appeared as Erik, the Phantom, in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, with Mary Philbin as Christine Daae, and Norman Kerry as Raoul. In 1925, this film premiered at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco. Presently this theatre houses the First National Company of Andrew Lloyd Weber's musical version. An interesting book, that covers the complete history of the 1925 filming, including the missing 35 minutes, is PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: The complete history. It includes an interview with Mary Philbin. Amazon carries several other VHS versions of the 1925 version, like PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.
In 1943, Phantom of the Opera appeared, with Claude Rains as Erik Claudin, a disfigured violinist; with Susanna Foster as Christine DuBois, Edgar Barrier as Raoul; with Nelson Eddy, Fritz Feld, and Leo Carrillo supporting.
In 1962, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA was released, with Herbert Lom as Professor Petrie/the Phantom, Heather Sears as Christine Charles, and Thorley Walters as Lattimer; with Michael Gough and Martin Miller supporting. The director was Hammer great, Terence Fisher.
In 1983, there was a television version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, that has never been released in video, or DVD. It starred Maximilian Schell as Sandor Korvin/the Phantom, and Jane Seymour as Maria Gianelli; with Jeremy Kemp as the Baron, and Michael York as Hartnell. In 1989, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA was released, with Robert Englund as Eric Destler/the Phantom, Jill Schoelen as Christine, and Alex Hyde-White as Richard; with of all people Molly Shannon supporting.
In 1990, there was a mini-series done for television, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, with Charles Dance as the Phantom, Teri Polo as Christine; with Burt Lancaster as the Baron, and Ian Richardson.
In 1998, Dario Argento directed his version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, with Julian Sands as Erik, the Phantom, and Asia Argento as Christine. One can pick up the haunting music by Ennio Morricone from Amazon.
Another lesser known version of the classic, from 1990, was THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. It starred David Staller as Erik, and Elizabeth as Christine. It was filmed in front of an audience.
In 1974, director Brian De Palma presented us with, PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, a rock opera, starring Paul Williams, Jessica Harper, William Finley, and Gerrit Graham. Recently, there appeared, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, with Derek Rydall in the lead. Anime was not left out either.
Presently, we are still fascinated with the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical versions of the classic, like, POTO, with Michael Crawford as the Phantom, and Sarah Brightman as Christine; with Steve Barton. And then there is, POTO, with the Canadian cast; Colin Wilkinson as Erik/the Phantom, and Rebecca Caine as Christine; with Charles Hart.
In 2005, or course, director Joel Schumacher gave us his blockbuster version of the Broadway sensation, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (2005), with Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Minnie Driver, Miranda Richardson, and Patrick Wilson.
Glenn Buttkus
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