So Halloween eh? Spookiness abounds and trickle treaters run around trying to get something for nothing (Humph! They were guisers in my day. Earn your sweeties!) . I had no spooky plans for Tuesday until a pair of tickets for a showing of the 1925 silent movie version of The Phantom of the Opera came my way. The film was being shown in the Usher Hall with full organ accompaniment.
Now, I've never seen the ALW version on the stage (Icky! Ptooey!) but I did see the dreadful movie version of that the other year and I've read Masquerade by Terry Pratchett so I am familiar with the story. Somehow this version made more sense though, because it was pointed out that the Phantom was in fact an insane escaped criminal called Erik. Aaaaah! Now the motive becomes clear - he's a flipping loony. Trying to make the Phantom a sympathetic character is a big mistake in my opinion. Psychotic evil git - I can buy that. Christine was still an idiot though and her boyfriend was called Raoul. I just kept thinking "Heeeey laydeeez!"
http://www.oh-yeah.co.uk/
If you're not familiar with that one check out the web site. Raoul can dance like panther!!
Anyway, back to the Phantom...
I'm not sure how tongue-in-cheek the movie was when it was first released but there was more chuckling in the aisles that screaming. I suppose this could be because the silent movie genre has been around long enough to seem cheesy now. Apart from that it was still very enjoyable. Good ol' Lon Chaney (pictured) was suitably spooky but for the first part of the movie the Phantom was just shown in silouhette. It seemed like Christine was being coached by Orson Welles!
Right, I'm off to laugh at Raoul dancing like a panther... or maybe he will dive for me :o)
No comments:
Post a Comment