Taking a break from the slashers, right now we'll switch the focus to one particular of horror. Last year we focused on Bela Lugosi. This year we'll look at the Phantom of the Opera.
We covered the first cinematic appearance of Gaston Leroux's most famous creation, as well as Universal's first follow-up and Hammer's remake.
Next we'll look at the second look at the novel, plus the first sound version, China's Song at Midnight.
We open with an old theater. The place is run down, but in its prime it hosted everything. An arriving theater troupe has just rented the place, hoping the old place still has an audience. It doesn't, but it does have a ghost.
Song Dangping (Shan Jin) was a world famous singer at the opera, but his was a tragic story. The locals claim his ghost still walks the hall. Singer Sun Xiaoou (Chau-Shui Yee) doesn't care about that, but he does like the stage. He starts to practice once he's alone...or so he thinks...
Song starts to train Sun, and through that we learn of Song's tragic love and horrible accident. There is a twist though. Song is training Sun, but besides improving the young man's vocal talent, Song wants him to be him. It's vital that Sun be the reborn Song, back from the dead. Pity there are some people who would prefer that Song remain in his grave, and will do anything to make sure of it...
Interesting. The gender change is probably the biggest thing, and there is definitely a more political bent than other versions. The dialogue is a bit overwrought, and the film does focus a bit too much on the opera aspects, but it's still a different take on an old story. The acting is rather stilted, but this Phantom is possibly the most animated I've seen. Jin has the tragedy of Chaney, but lacks the stodginess of Rains, and the make up is top notch.
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