cinema history class: phantom of the opera (1943)

The session: "Bring Your Own Movie Month"

Our annual session in which each of us in the class takes a turn sharing a movie of his choice.

As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL.

Week 1: Phantom of the Opera (1943)
                (Dave's pick)
Directed by Arthur Lubin

My Impressions Going In:
I saw this in a theater on Long Island last fall. I've also seen various other versions of Phantom. It's never been one of my favorite stories.

Plot:

The Paris Opera House is haunted, and no one is safe.

Reaction and Other Folderol:

I should note at the outset that I don't Opera. I've had to sit through Operas a few times over the years -- my aunt and uncle dragged me to La Boheme when I visited them in Austin in 1997, and in 2019 Ethan (who loves opera) wanted to experience the Prague Opera House during our vacation in 2019, so I saw a bunch of shows there. I can appreciate the visual spectacle, but I can't stand the music. And I have trouble following the story. So I end up sitting there glancing at my watch as often as I feel I can get away with.

I bring that because, I think, a good part of the charm of this movie is the opera that serves as a kind of show in the background of the show. There are lots of sequences that feature the players of the opera performing. And I can see how, if I were one who appreciates opera, it would help me enjoy the movie.

Claude Rains, visible in this role, is a nuanced, sympathetic phantom. This version has particular plot elements that are absent from the other versions I've seen, but that I enjoy. So it's a very good retelling of the story, but admittedly the story itself is not one of my favorites.

Ratings

Me: 8.5
Bob-O: 9.8
Christina: 9.5
Ethan: 9

Francois: N/R

Joe: 10
Keith: 9.5