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The Phantom of the Opera
Most people think that they are watching the original Phantom of the Opera on home video or in revival houses. The existing print of the film is actually a silent version of a 1929 dubbed sound reissue, which is missing at least 35 minutes of development scenes, opera scenes, titles and some of the best atmospheric photography and set designs in motion picture history. The present unmasking scene is pale compared to the original. In this comprehensive history of this landmark horror film, author Phil Riley presents the complete, complex production of this amazing film. The 320 page book the complete shooting script, the complete press book, rare behind the scenes photos, and recreations of lost scenes. Contributions by Mary Philbin ("Christine"), cinematographer Charles van Enger, Ray Bradbury, Ron Chaney and more!
- GenresNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 1996
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 27, 2015
* I received this as a free ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. *
The popularity of the stage production of “The Phantom of the Opera” has definitely introduced the classic story to many people who may otherwise not have bothered with Gaston Leroux and his “little book”. I know I would not have picked it up years ago had I not gone to a production of “The Phantom” at the theater. Probably even lesser known is the 1925 film version starring Lon Chaney.
This book is the history of that film and it does not miss a step. If you are left with a question after reading through this I cannot imagine what it might be.
This book gives the reader detailed notes on the reconstruction of the film, a preface by Ray Bradbury, a forward by Mary Philbin (who played the part of Christine Daae) and an introduction by Ron Chaney (Lon Chaney’s great-grandson). Then Mr. Philips goes on with a written description of how the film came into production including some of the trial and tribulations of bringing it to the screen in the 1920’s – before CGI and today’s special effects masters. This section of the book contains photographs and sketches as well as tidbits about the behind the scenes production of silent movies in general. For instance, did you know that “Silent films were often tinted various colors to represent moods: red = fire, desert blue = night and mystery, green = underwater, dark emotions and yellow = happy scenes”? There is even a reproduced page including the signatures (autographs?) of all the principals involved in the film.
There are so many gems in this book that if I continued on in this vein this review would be as long as the book itself. Suffice it to say that it also contains:
- Step by step pictures of the construction of the elaborate film set
- Secrets behind Mr. Chaney’s make-up complete with transformation photos
- The shooting script complete with annotations
- Stills from the film
- A complete publicity section with reviews, newspaper articles and promotional materials and,
- A “Liberty” article about Mr. Chaney (A Portrait of the Man Behind a Thousand Faces) written by Adela Martin St. Johns
Although I do not suggest it – even if you were to skim over every typed word in this book it would be worth picking it up just to flip through pages and enjoy the marvelous vintage pictures and artwork.
This book will definitely be on the gift list for two people in my life. My BFF who covets all things “Phantom” and my daughter who, by hobby as well as profession, is enamored of all things “film”. Of course I received the ebook version and have seen it listed as a paperback on Amazon.com. I think it would be a brilliant “coffee table” book.
The popularity of the stage production of “The Phantom of the Opera” has definitely introduced the classic story to many people who may otherwise not have bothered with Gaston Leroux and his “little book”. I know I would not have picked it up years ago had I not gone to a production of “The Phantom” at the theater. Probably even lesser known is the 1925 film version starring Lon Chaney.
This book is the history of that film and it does not miss a step. If you are left with a question after reading through this I cannot imagine what it might be.
This book gives the reader detailed notes on the reconstruction of the film, a preface by Ray Bradbury, a forward by Mary Philbin (who played the part of Christine Daae) and an introduction by Ron Chaney (Lon Chaney’s great-grandson). Then Mr. Philips goes on with a written description of how the film came into production including some of the trial and tribulations of bringing it to the screen in the 1920’s – before CGI and today’s special effects masters. This section of the book contains photographs and sketches as well as tidbits about the behind the scenes production of silent movies in general. For instance, did you know that “Silent films were often tinted various colors to represent moods: red = fire, desert blue = night and mystery, green = underwater, dark emotions and yellow = happy scenes”? There is even a reproduced page including the signatures (autographs?) of all the principals involved in the film.
There are so many gems in this book that if I continued on in this vein this review would be as long as the book itself. Suffice it to say that it also contains:
- Step by step pictures of the construction of the elaborate film set
- Secrets behind Mr. Chaney’s make-up complete with transformation photos
- The shooting script complete with annotations
- Stills from the film
- A complete publicity section with reviews, newspaper articles and promotional materials and,
- A “Liberty” article about Mr. Chaney (A Portrait of the Man Behind a Thousand Faces) written by Adela Martin St. Johns
Although I do not suggest it – even if you were to skim over every typed word in this book it would be worth picking it up just to flip through pages and enjoy the marvelous vintage pictures and artwork.
This book will definitely be on the gift list for two people in my life. My BFF who covets all things “Phantom” and my daughter who, by hobby as well as profession, is enamored of all things “film”. Of course I received the ebook version and have seen it listed as a paperback on Amazon.com. I think it would be a brilliant “coffee table” book.
December 2, 2019
Is there anything you've ever wanted to know about Universal's silent Phantom of the Opera? It's in this book.
Think you know just about everything about said movie? There's something in here you don't.
This book is ridiculous. There is so much information in here you will learn something. About the film, about Gaston Leroux, about Lon Chaney, about the early movie business. There are also multiple facsimile copies of old press materials (including a kind of press book with pre-written articles theater owners can give to newspapers) and magazine articles.
That said, if you want to know about the legends surrounding this film and Lon Chaney's life, that is something you won't find here. The author is careful to keep the book to things that are documented and proven.
I really can't recommend this book enough.
Think you know just about everything about said movie? There's something in here you don't.
This book is ridiculous. There is so much information in here you will learn something. About the film, about Gaston Leroux, about Lon Chaney, about the early movie business. There are also multiple facsimile copies of old press materials (including a kind of press book with pre-written articles theater owners can give to newspapers) and magazine articles.
That said, if you want to know about the legends surrounding this film and Lon Chaney's life, that is something you won't find here. The author is careful to keep the book to things that are documented and proven.
I really can't recommend this book enough.
May 30, 2020
One of my most treasured movie making-of books, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (HOLLYWOOD ARCHIVES) goes into detail about the great mess that was the production and post-production of one of the most iconic horror movies of all time. I love the silent POTO, but I will not deny the troubled production is apparent even in existing prints of the movie. Firstly, Rupert Julian was a hack director and the movie often works in spite of his blundering (it is said Lon Chaney directed some of the key scenes, like the unmasking). Secondly, the studio seemed unnerved by the fright potential of the story, hoping to mellow it out with comic relief and additional romantic scenes-- remember, the horror genre wasn't really big business in the US until the 1930s, so they were likely nervous the movie might repulse audiences away from the box office rather than delight them with thrills and chills.
Two cuts of the movie currently exist: there is the better-preserved 1929 re-edit and a 1925 print closer to the original cut, though the first cut no longer exists. It's a fascinating story, so much so that it's shocking the final product is as watchable as it is.
This book is packed with great material in addition to the story of production: there's an introduction by author Ray Bradbury, who saw the film on first-run as a boy, and a piece from Mary Philbin who starred as Christine and was charmed by the film's enduring popularity long after the silent era ended. The photo stills are a treasure too, with many I had never seen before.
Two cuts of the movie currently exist: there is the better-preserved 1929 re-edit and a 1925 print closer to the original cut, though the first cut no longer exists. It's a fascinating story, so much so that it's shocking the final product is as watchable as it is.
This book is packed with great material in addition to the story of production: there's an introduction by author Ray Bradbury, who saw the film on first-run as a boy, and a piece from Mary Philbin who starred as Christine and was charmed by the film's enduring popularity long after the silent era ended. The photo stills are a treasure too, with many I had never seen before.
February 27, 2016
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.75 of 5
This "Making of" book about "The Phantom of the Opera" is a tremendous resource and clearly a work of love by author Philip J. Riley.
The term 'classic' is much over-used today, which possibly takes away from the importance of the meaning. To say that the 1925 film, The Phantom of the Opera, is a classic is an understatement, even its truest meaning. It is, quite possibly, the classic film defining the early form of the film medium and the wizardry initiative that film began.
In this book, Riley has dug deep to unearth some great information and interviews with those who have a connection to the film. What is unknown to most people is that there is almost as much a mystery surrounding the original film as there is in the story. What most people think of as the original 1925 silent film, starring Lon Chaney, is actually a modified, re-edited version. Riley takes us through all the variations of the film, what is known about the different versions, and what is unknown. I found it fascinating that in this silent film era, some (though not all) of this film was filmed in Technicolor alongside the standard black and white.
This information and research alone is valuable to anyone interested in the film and the changing era of silent to talkies and black and white to Technicolor. But this book offers so much more.
I've been a fan of films and film-making and done a fair amount of research of screenwriting but I've never had the opportunity to read a script as it was written for the silent film era. I personally may have been most excited to read through the original silent film script for Phantom of the Opera than any other aspect of this book.
There are a lot of stills included here, as well as press releases and reviews and articles by other magazines. The book ends with a very long article (or series of articles) from Liberty magazine, detailing Chaney's career. Much of this extra, included material is in the form of reproduction straight from the original source (in the case of newspaper or magazine articles often including period ads). While it is so nice to see these things exactly as they appeared originally, it was sometimes very hard to read these, especially in the digital format that I was using.
I truly can't believe how much valuable information was included in this volume and I think that this should be a required textbook for anyone interested in film.
Looking for a good book? Philip J. Riley's The Phantom of the Opera is a well-researched examination of one of the most critical films in Hollywood's history.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This "Making of" book about "The Phantom of the Opera" is a tremendous resource and clearly a work of love by author Philip J. Riley.
The term 'classic' is much over-used today, which possibly takes away from the importance of the meaning. To say that the 1925 film, The Phantom of the Opera, is a classic is an understatement, even its truest meaning. It is, quite possibly, the classic film defining the early form of the film medium and the wizardry initiative that film began.
In this book, Riley has dug deep to unearth some great information and interviews with those who have a connection to the film. What is unknown to most people is that there is almost as much a mystery surrounding the original film as there is in the story. What most people think of as the original 1925 silent film, starring Lon Chaney, is actually a modified, re-edited version. Riley takes us through all the variations of the film, what is known about the different versions, and what is unknown. I found it fascinating that in this silent film era, some (though not all) of this film was filmed in Technicolor alongside the standard black and white.
This information and research alone is valuable to anyone interested in the film and the changing era of silent to talkies and black and white to Technicolor. But this book offers so much more.
I've been a fan of films and film-making and done a fair amount of research of screenwriting but I've never had the opportunity to read a script as it was written for the silent film era. I personally may have been most excited to read through the original silent film script for Phantom of the Opera than any other aspect of this book.
There are a lot of stills included here, as well as press releases and reviews and articles by other magazines. The book ends with a very long article (or series of articles) from Liberty magazine, detailing Chaney's career. Much of this extra, included material is in the form of reproduction straight from the original source (in the case of newspaper or magazine articles often including period ads). While it is so nice to see these things exactly as they appeared originally, it was sometimes very hard to read these, especially in the digital format that I was using.
I truly can't believe how much valuable information was included in this volume and I think that this should be a required textbook for anyone interested in film.
Looking for a good book? Philip J. Riley's The Phantom of the Opera is a well-researched examination of one of the most critical films in Hollywood's history.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2015
This is a phenomenal book about not just the making of the silent film The Phantom of the Opera but about the background of the book and the machinations of the silent film industry of the time.
The information within the text of the book would alone warrant recommendation, for there is a wealth of information within that narrative. The wealth of photographs, drawings, news clippings as well as a copy of the 1925 shooting script makes this as valuable as it is entertaining.
This is obviously a must read for fans of the film, horror films in general and film history (especially the silent era). Due to the rich resources included it is also valuable for Chaney fans and readers who love the original novel. I also think that even though the making of the film was almost a century ago current filmmakers could gain some insight to aspects of filmmaking that perhaps get overlooked with today's technical advances but are still essential to good storytelling in a visual form.
Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
The information within the text of the book would alone warrant recommendation, for there is a wealth of information within that narrative. The wealth of photographs, drawings, news clippings as well as a copy of the 1925 shooting script makes this as valuable as it is entertaining.
This is obviously a must read for fans of the film, horror films in general and film history (especially the silent era). Due to the rich resources included it is also valuable for Chaney fans and readers who love the original novel. I also think that even though the making of the film was almost a century ago current filmmakers could gain some insight to aspects of filmmaking that perhaps get overlooked with today's technical advances but are still essential to good storytelling in a visual form.
Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
January 30, 2015
What a treasure trove this book is in regards to the making of the 1925 Phantom of the Opera. In addition to detailed text about the film, the book contains many film stills, scripts to various versions of the film and publicity for the film. Definitely a great read if you've seen and enjoyed the 1925 Phantom of the Opera and you wish to learn a lot more about it.
June 23, 2015
Such amazing background information, not just about the origins of Phantom of the Opera, but also about Lon Chaney, Jr and the production of the silent film! The tales and pictures give so much more to the story! Anyone who likes old Hollywood or the Phantom of the Opera should read this book!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews