The Phantom of the Opera (1962)

So much average

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Have you ever heard of a movie where the title character him/herself is the weakest part of the film? Well, I haven't until I came across this version of Phantom of the Opera. However, before I get to that, let's talk about some good things. I really liked how the story was handled. I really like the mystery aspect of this film. Even though it was easy to put two and two together, it was really good and interesting build up to a really cool flashback scene towards the end of the film. I was also quite fond of the character Harry, who is basically the Raoul character of the story. While I think he could've used some flaws to make him more relatable, this version of the character really does him justice. He actually listens to Christine, he's always there for her, he does proactive things to help her and is just a really sweet guy. Even though he and Christine didn't know each other very long, I thought their romance was really believable, cute and sweet. They aren't the most fascinating characters but they have a believable relationship and were enough to keep me invested in them and the story. Now onto the main flaw with the movie: the Phantom himself. Now I won't say that everything about this character is bad. I actually quite liked his backstory, even if it was a bit too similar to the forties film, and how they handled revealing it. However, the character himself is extremely lacking. First off, his obsession with Christine comes completely out of nowhere. He saw her perform once and then all of a sudden starts stalking her and kidnaps her at one point. It's extremely rushed. Also, the Phantom does something completely unforgivable in my eyes, which I will spoil so navigate away if you don't want that. While the Phantom is forcing Christine to sing for him in his lair, she stops singing for a moment, thinking she can't do it and the Phantom slaps her across the face! I'm not joking, he really does that at the time mark 56:29 of the movie! Yes, the Phantom does many terrible things in every adaptation but that just crosses the line way too far. You know what's odd though? The Phantom and Christine don't have any sort of romantic feelings for each other in this version, which at first glance wasn't a very big loss for me since I usually hate that couple anyways. However, after watching the ending, I realized it actually was a big loss because the Phantom not only sacrifices his life to save hers but she cries at his death. I'm sorry but the only thing between these two was that he stalked her, forced her to do something she clearly didn't want to do and hit her when she didn't until Harry came along and told him to knock it off. If you wanted The Phantom's death to impact Christine, we should've seen what happened between the Phantom and Christine after the Phantom agreed to train her less harshly. I'll admit, the way his death scene was executed did draw a little emotion from me but that scene and the whole end of the movie in general was too rushed for the emotion to build and have any meaning. Overall, this is a good movie but not really for the Phantom himself.

Pretty good film version of the story. I've never read the book so I cannot compare to it but I can compare it to other film versions and on it's on merit. I'd say watch it if you get the chance - it's good.This version is not all that creepy but it does have atmosphere, good casting and overall enjoyable. It's similar to the Phantom of the Opera (1943) with Claude Rains in a way but not as scary as it or The Phantom of the Opera (1925) with Lon Chaney (which is the scariest). If you like the Phantom '25, Phantom '43 or any of the other Hammer Horror films then give Phantom '62 a view... not as good but definitely worth the watch.6.5/10

The film starts off promisingly with the opening night of a new opera on the subject of Joan of Arc, due to be sung by a Maria Callas type soprano. A series of discovered acts of sabotage culminate in the film's first shock-horror moment. So far, it looks as if its going to be an enjoyable hour and a half. Michael Gough is great fun as an eminently hissable villain, and Edward de Souza is fairly watchable, too, as the charming if rather conventional hero. But alas, it all goes horribly downhill from the Phantom's first appearance. Poor Herbert Lom is given a pretty duff script (a lot of ineffectual muttering to himself), and a frightfully tacky hideaway replete with tiger rug and a naff red-upholstered throne. The music this alleged genius writes is pretty awful too - a sort of cross between the worst kind of Gilbert and Sullivan and a Broadway show with truly cringe-worthy lyrics. And why exactly does the phantom rip his own mask off just before rescuing the heroine? A huge disappointment all round.

In Hammer Studio's version of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the facially scarred pianist who haunts the opera-house, portrayed sympathetically by Herbert Lom, is not a demented monster causing nothing but disruption, but a deeply wounded man betrayed by a composer named Lord Ambrose(played as a lecherous scoundrel who belittles everyone around him as only Michael Gough could). You see there's a reason, in this version anyway, why the Phantom(actually a professor Petrie, a fine pianist who created accomplished works needing cash to pay his rent)causes such trouble to a specific opera house where Ambrose's plays reside..Ambrose stole Petrie's work claiming it as his own. Petrie, in a fit of rage(..who wouldn't be?)breaks into the printing press to destroy the works that are rightfully his but carrying Ambrose's name..in the act, nitric acid splashes in Petrie's face causing the disturbing scar that would lead to hiding his hideous face under a creepy mask forever. Harry Hunter(Edward de Souza)is producer of Ambrose's plays and Christine(Heather Sears)is a novice, with a fine voice, for whom the Phantom wishes to see star in a play of his own as a true audience member. But, Ambrose wishes for Christine to sleep with him and when she refuses, urging Harry to assist in getting out of the situation, they are both "excused" from the play. The running villain, who in most versions is the Phantom, is actually Ambrose who keeps a sure winning play from being realized. Harry will seek out information about Petrie as his mute "assistant" kidnaps Christine bringing her to the Phantom's sewer lair underneath the opera-house. The Phantom wishes to teach Christine how to use her voice to the uttermost bringing grace to his stolen play Ambrose couldn't. Will Phantom see his play come to fruition with Christine as star? Or, will Ambrose's desire to not see this type of opera played at the theater succeed in never giving Petrie that satisfaction?Not too bad an adaptation of the play. I thought it had great casting with Lom quite underplaying the Phantom..he's more sad and miserable than menacing or scary. Sears and Souza are acceptable as the hero and heroine of this Hammer flick. But, Gough easily steals this film, as he always seems to do, as the vile composer, who is such pure slime. I love watching Gough because he makes dialogue crackle and sizzle..you just loathe this man for he's such a wretch to humankind. But, being filthy rich and having stabbed quite a few backs to gain such a prominent position..to see him lose his opera at the end as his nasty emotions get the better of him pays off with dividends. The film itself isn't the most memorable of the Phantom films, but does allow him to gain sympathy from the viewer. When his own assistant causes the chandelier to fall accidentally as it appears Christine is in danger of being crushed, we get a true hero instead of a jealous lunatic fiend causing harm rather than good. That finale at least sets this apart from other versions.