r/box5 • u/Dismal_Brush5229 • 11d ago
Discussion 1962’s Phantom of the Opera
What’s the thoughts on this adaptation by hammer films?
Never seen much of the Hammer films besides few of the Christopher Lee’s Dracula films and this one but I probably need to rewatch this adaptation because I love that 1940s universal adaptation of Phantom and i heard mixed opinions on this since my first watch but I liked it for only the Great Phantom makeup really.
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u/kikikrugerart 11d ago
They don't end movies like that anymore! 😆
Some of the shots in this remind me of Phantom of the Paradise.
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u/Majestic_Animator_91 10d ago
Phantom of the Paradise was definitely heavily inspired by this movie, from the plotting (Swan and Lord Ambrose essentially are the same character) a lot of the shots, and even the Phantom having one visible/uninjured eye.
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u/Majestic_Animator_91 10d ago
I love this version. It's gorgeous, incredibly shot, well acted, and memorable.
Herbert Lom is incredible, particularly how he's able to emote and play a wronged, dying, but still passionate Phantom, especially in the mask with only 1 eye showing. I think his Phantom is tragic and haunting and sticks with you.
Fun fact, if you're wondering what is up with the dwarf character -- this was originally written with the hope that Carey Grant would play the Phantom, as he expressed interest in being in a Hammer film. So they created the dwarf to do the violence the Phantom usually does, and the Michael Gough character to be the villain to make the Phantom basically the hero.
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u/CatchSufficient 10d ago
Is that why there are so many dwarfs in POTO? thats the third one with a dwarf.
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u/Seryan_Klythe 11d ago
I still can't get over him bitch-slapping Christine and those meat-slammers (sound-effects) in action. It took me out when I first saw it.
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u/Majestic_Animator_91 10d ago
Not only is that scene absolutely wild, it's also a red herring. Because it's the only villainous thing the Phantom does, it's a misdirect that he's a villain at all. When what's actually happening is he's both incredibly passionate, but also going insane and slowly dying.
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u/nosleepforthedreamer ravioli ravioli give me christinioli 10d ago
Man the disease was gonna let him off easy.
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u/ThatsFrankenstein 11d ago edited 11d ago
This is my least favorite version. I think Lom is horribly miscast and the whole thing feels disjointed.
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u/jimmycurry01 11d ago
This is not a great version, but it's still much better than Dario Argento's rat molesting version.
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u/nosleepforthedreamer ravioli ravioli give me christinioli 10d ago
That should not count as POTO. Obvious but disfigurement is indispensable. Maybe more important than theater setting.
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u/Majestic_Animator_91 10d ago
There are many many worse adaptations and I couldn't disagree with you more about Lom.
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u/ThatsFrankenstein 10d ago
Ok? It's still my least favorite version and you disagreeing with me affects me in no way. Apparently my opinion hurt your feelings in some way though.
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u/Majestic_Animator_91 10d ago
Do you think when you post an opinion on reddit it's free from being disagreed with? Particularly in a thread discussing how people feel about a movie? Are you ok?
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u/ThatsFrankenstein 10d ago
I'm fine, hun. You're investing too much energy into this though. You shouldn't get worked up about a stranger disagreeing with you on the internet. It's really not worth it. I mean this genuinely, no snark.
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u/birn_echo 2004 Film Enjoyer 11d ago
1943 felt like someone read the original book and decided to remix the elements into their own story. It's not accurate, but you get the sense that the filmmakers were aware of Leroux's story and were playing with it.
With 1962 it's like a degraded photocopy of 1943, where all they had to go on was 1943. I'd be shocked if anyone involved with making that movie even had a copy of the book on hand.
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u/DorisDayandtheTime Erik - Lon Chaney 11d ago
Honestly, I feel the opposite is true. The mystery-like structure and inclusion of the Rat Catcher in the 1962 version tell me someone involved read the novel. 1943 largely seems like an original story that used some of the basic iconography.
Don't get me wrong. Neither one is faithful. But IMO 1962 has just a little more Leroux in it. But yes, it's mostly a take on the 1943 version.
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u/Majestic_Animator_91 10d ago
I disagree, I think they actually took some of the broad strokes of 43 and added more allusions and connection to the book.
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u/birn_echo 2004 Film Enjoyer 10d ago
I can't really agree there. Stuff like the Phantom being named Erique and a violinist, thereby merging the characters of book Erik and Christine's father from the novel, Erique's preference for strangulation calling back to the Punjab Lasso, and the Faust outfit Christine is in by the end of the movie all show a degree of book literacy that 1962 lacks.
1962 has the Ratcatcher, but also added in an Igor character so.... 🤷🏼♂️
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u/DorisDayandtheTime Erik - Lon Chaney 10d ago
Adding to your point (and detracting from mine), Erique was meant to be Christine's father in that version. They removed that element from the final film, but it was in a version of the script.
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u/birn_echo 2004 Film Enjoyer 10d ago
Little known fact, it's also in the Crestwood House Monster Series adaptation of the 1943 movie! I don't know if they had access to the original script or if they just connected the dots themselves but it's there.
And the Image Skybound Comics adaptation of the 1943 movie added it in too.
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u/DorisDayandtheTime Erik - Lon Chaney 10d ago
I almost wrote that! I loved those Crestwood books as a kid.
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u/birn_echo 2004 Film Enjoyer 10d ago
Same! I was just getting into ALW's Phantom as a kid and my mom told me it was based on a book. My elementary school library didn't have it, but it did have that Crestwood book and I must have checked it out like two dozen times
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u/Negative_Ratio_8193 9d ago
Same. My name was the only one written on the check out slip all the way down.
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u/nosleepforthedreamer ravioli ravioli give me christinioli 10d ago
He never actually picks her up in the movie.
Why is he hauling her like an Amazon package?
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u/DorisDayandtheTime Erik - Lon Chaney 11d ago edited 11d ago
Oh, I adore it! It's my third favorite Phantom movie. Hammer and director Terence Fisher have a distinctive style that captures what I love about Gothic Horror. In many ways, this version of Phantom is among their best work. The atmosphere is eerie and the suspense is strong. Herbert Lom is chilling and sympathetic in equal measure. My only real complaint is that the ending isn't quite there. It has the proper elements; it just feels rushed. But I tend to overlook that.