The Phantom of the Opera - The Ultimate Edition (1925 Original Version and 1929 Restored Version)
by Rupert Julian, Ernst Laemmle
List Price:
Our Price: $10.74
You Save: $14.25 (57%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.51 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Arthur Edmund Carewe, Joseph Belmont, Lon Chaney, Olive Ann Alcorn, Roy CoulsonDirector: Ernst Laemmle, Rupert Julian
Brand: CHANEY,LON
Primary Contributor: Lon Chaney
Primary Contributor: Mary Philbin
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 93 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-09-09
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Image Entertainment
Movie Reviews of The Phantom of the Opera - The Ultimate Edition (1925 Original Version and 1929 Restored Version)
Movie Review: Lon Chaney IS the Phantom
Summary: 5 Stars
For starters, I have only seen the flm proper (1996 Photoplay restoration of the 1929 reissue), and will only limit my review to that.
The film is absolutely PERFECT!!! The greatest of Universal's horror films. The atmosphere, color, performances, and the fact that THIS film inspired "Dracula," "Frankenstein," and all of the horor films made at the studio made in the 1930's and 40's make this an instant winner. Chaney is wonderful as the title role, and brings more depth to the character than most other performers. While Andrew Lloyd Webber kept the original ending and the emotional side to Erik, this film makes him less tragic, but more pitiful, as the death scene (combined with Carl Davis's wonderful 1996 re-score) makes anyone watching the film feel sorry for him. The way Chaney holds off the crowd with his gestures illustrates this as it perfectly shows that the Phantom knows how to manipulate people, and that he knows full well that he has sacrificed himself for Christine (I heard the 1925 version has a scene afterwards where Christine and Raoul take pity on him, which adds to the effect).
As for the restoration by Kenith Brownlow, many people point out the motion blur and the seemingly poor quality. This is not due to Milestone, as the restoration was made in 1996 (it's on the copyright and IMBd) using a wetplate process which has officially been out of style since the F.W. Murnau Stiftung decided to switch to digital for "Metropolis" in 2000. Many wetplate restorations have this problem, but this one happens to have the video transfer problem as well. The motion blur is partly caused by this, but other times, such as when Christine meets Erik and the unmasking, were MADE blurry to tone down the horror to make it palatable for 1925 moviegoers. While this may seem silly today, back then people fainted in this film and a typical horror film today would probably make people have heartattacks and have been banned and destroyed.
As for Carl Davis's music score, that is my favorite part of the entire film. I like to watch the movie JUST for this half the time. His work is wonderful, and even though I have seen another version with a surprisingly appropraite score (for a public domain video) with the actual arias from "Faust" dubbed in, this is still superior especially since Davis has been honored internationally for his work on silent film scores. Mary Fabian's sequence is wonderful, especially as the music builds up before the crash since it still follows the theme from the actual aria (as far as I can tell). Surprisingly this is actually one of Davis's more overlooked works with "The General," "The Thief of Baghdad" and "Intolerance" being more highly praised, which says a lot about the quality for THOSE scores.
Overall, I think anyone interested in owning or even just viewing the silent film version of Gaston Leroux's novel, get the Milestone Collection simply for the Photoplay Production restoraton.
More The Phantom of the Opera - The Ultimate Edition (1925 Original Version and 1929 Restored Version) reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Summary of The Phantom of the Opera - The Ultimate Edition (1925 Original Version and 1929 Restored Version)
A mad and disfigured musician hides out in the dungeons under the Paris Opera where he falls in love with a young singer and lures her to his hiding place.Genre: Classics (silents/avant garde)
Rating: NR
Release Date: 9-SEP-2003
Media Type: DVD
Classics DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in Essential Horror Films Part 2
Salem's LotWarner Brothers; Release date: 1999-10-26; DVD
Best price: $44.99
The Phantom of the Opera - The Ultimate Edition (1925 Original Version and 1929 Restored Version)CHANEY,LON; Release date: 2003-09-09; DVD
Best price: $15.24
Price in other shops:
Zombi 2 (25th Anniversary Special Edition 2-Disc Set)Media Blasters; Release date: 2004-07-27; DVD
Best price: $11.35
Price in other shops:
Cemetery ManAnchor; Release date: 2006-06-13; DVD
Best price: $28.97
The HitcherHAUER,RUTGER; Release date: 1999-06-08; DVD
Best price: $2.28
Price in other shops:
Village of the Damned/ Children of the DamnedWarner Brothers; Release date: 2004-08-10; DVD
Best price: $7.75
Price in other shops:
Re-Animator (2 Disc Set + Highlighter)STARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2007-03-20; DVD
Best price: $11.96
Price in other shops:
From Beyond (Unrated Director's Cut)TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2007-09-11; DVD
Best price: $2.90
Price in other shops:
MiseryRelease date: 2000-08-01; DVD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops:
Stephen King's ItWarner Brothers; Release date: 2002-10-01; DVD
Best price: $4.94
Price in other shops:
Similar DVD Movies
The Phantom of the OperaTCFHE/MGM; Release date: 2004-12-07; DVD
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
The Golem (Restored Authorized edition)Kino Video; Release date: 2002-09-24; DVD
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops:
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Double Feature (1932/ 1941)MARCH,FREDERIC; Release date: 2004-01-06; DVD
Best price: $7.43
Price in other shops:
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Restored Authorized Edition)Kino Video; Release date: 2002-09-24; DVD
Best price: $11.84
Price in other shops:
American Silent Horror Collection (The Man Who Laughs/ The Penalty/ The Cat and the Canary/ Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde/ Kingdom of Shadows) (5pc)Release date: 2007-10-09; DVD
Best price: $30.30
Price in other shops:
Nosferatu (The Ultimate Two-Disc Edition)Kino Video; Release date: 2007-11-20; DVD
Best price: $16.41
Price in other shops:
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. HydeRelease date: 2001-10-09; DVD
Best price: $10.99
Price in other shops:
TCM Archives - The Lon Chaney Collection (The Ace of Hearts / Laugh, Clown, Laugh / The Unknown)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2003-10-28; DVD
Best price: $26.99
Price in other shops:
Phantom of the Opera (Universal Studios Classic Monster Collection)Universal Studios; Release date: 2005-04-12; DVD
Best price: $6.89
Price in other shops:
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (Ultimate Edition)CHANEY,LON; Release date: 2007-10-09; DVD
Best price: $12.94
Price in other shops: