The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

Director: Rupert Julian
Starring: Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry

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Sometimes it's hard to remember how arresting silent cinema can be. The sets are gorgeous, the music perfect. And I think we've all seen the famous unmasking of Chaney's Phantom on the Muppet Babies. That's where I saw it for the first time anyway...

It's dumbfounding how terrifying that revelation is even today, even by a guy who's seen it happen a hundred times. This was the first time I'd seen the movie in entirety, but when Christine unmasks the Phantom I still got the shivers. Maybe they just don't make makeup artists like Chaney anymore. After all, you don't get termed "The Man With 1,000 Faces" for nothing. You get labeled "genius" for nothing. Everybody knows that. If you've got the inclination for watching some fine, engrossing cinema and you're looking for something a little scary to watch. Go out and rent this fucker. Turn out the lights, make some popcorn, crawl under the blanket with your honey, and check this thing out. I don't think I've seen any other version of Phantom in its entirety, but I'd absolutely have to recommend this classic before you go and watch any of the others (assuming you haven't already). It'll give you the heeby-jeebies. Watch for the unmasking, and watch for the especially creepy masquerade where The Phantom shows up as The Red Death. (Thanks, Poe. *wink*)

July 4
apartment TV, late night

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