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Phantom of the Opera (1925)
Topic Started: Sep 19 2005, 09:02 PM (1,079 Views)
KanSmiley
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What company has the best print available of the Phantom of the Opera with Lon Chaney Sr.?
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intoxicated, adj.: When you feel sophisticated without being able to pronounce it.
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Laughing Gravy
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No contest-o, Kan. Milestone, through Image Entertainment, offers something called The Phantom of the Opera: Ultimate Edition that featured the familiar 1929 version beautifully restored and remastered; it's one of those old, old movies that has been lovingly restored so that it looks as though it were filmed yesterday. As a bonus, you get the 1925 original version in the only extant print, which -- although battered -- is well worth seeing (I think it's more cohesive and a better film than the '29 part-talkie version). The 2-DVD set gives us a wealth of bonus material, too. One of my favorite DVDs.
"I'm glad that this question came up, because there are so many ways to answer it that one of them is bound to be right." - Robert Benchley
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The Batman
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Good question, Smiley. Great answer, LG. I have seen that version in the local video store, never sure if it was a good version, now I can purchase safely. Thanks.
Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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Pa Stark
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Out of curiosity, does the 1925 version have the color footage?
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KanSmiley
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Quote:
 
Out of curiosity, does the 1925 version have the color footage?


Pa: I have both versions now. The 1925 version is tinted if that is what you mean. Gravy is correct in that the 1925 is pretty well beat up. It is fun to watch however. The one thing I like about the '25 version is that it has placards that introduce each important character as they appear in the film for the first time and the much better quality Image version does not. You just have to figure out who is who in the film as it progresses.
Kan
http://www.saturday-matinee-memories.com/

intoxicated, adj.: When you feel sophisticated without being able to pronounce it.
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Laughing Gravy
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By the way, Mr. Panzer has advised me that he does not "belong to the cult of Lon Chaney", a condition I hope to cure him of someday. Why, he's never even seen The Hunchback of Notre Dame!
"I'm glad that this question came up, because there are so many ways to answer it that one of them is bound to be right." - Robert Benchley
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panzer the great & terrible
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Yeah, if anybody wants to prove that Chaney's as great as they say, tell me about it! What should I watch?
Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious...
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Laughing Gravy
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The Unknown, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and HE Who Gets Slapped are three good ones to start with. Phantom of the Opera is interesting because Chaney has to do so much emoting with a full-face mask on. I think that the second version of The Unholy Three is fascinating, as it's his only talkie and it's quite clear from it that, had he lived, he would've been a very successful actor in the talkie era.
"I'm glad that this question came up, because there are so many ways to answer it that one of them is bound to be right." - Robert Benchley
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HGB3
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Phantom and both silent and sound versions of The Unholy Three are scheduled to play on Turner Classic Movies overnight tonight, starting at midnight Eastern time. There is also a documentary hosted by Kenneth Branagh listed as showing after Phantom and before the other two.

Harry
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panzer the great & terrible
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OK, I'll TiVo the two Threes and report back. I wasn't impressed by HE WHO GETS SLAPPED though.
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The Photoplayer
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I highly suggest TELL IT TO THE MARINES and THE SHOCK. Both are triumph for Chaney's acting range.

The best quality editions of THE PHANTOM are both Image DVDs. The Milestone edition wins in the special features department, but the Film Preservation Associates transfer of the film is sharper (and has the correct tinting specs). If you had to choose just one, I'd pick the Milestone edition. Just don't throw out that old one. The Milestone disc also has the 1929 reissue soundtrack edited to it, which is one of the finest scores for the film I have heard (despite its low fidelity).
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Inspector Carr
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I concur with Photoplayer "Tell it to the Marines" is probably one of his finest performances, as a matter of fact in the Kenneth Branaugh documentary it is said The Marines provided an honor guard at Chaney's funeral.

by the way anyone out there viewed the recently released "Victory" (1919)
and how large is Chaney's part
"Life is a Crapshoot however you need a pair of dice to participate"
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Pa Stark
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I saw TELL IT TO THE MARINES a couple of years ago and thought it was a very well done movie. There was some really funny moments in it.
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Laughing Gravy
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Tell it to the Marines was also, by reports, Chaney's favorite of his own performances. He was proud to show what he could do without trick makeup. It's worth pointing out that he was the #1 male box office star in 1928-29, and a shame that several films of his from that period (particularly Thunder and of course London After Midnight) are lost.
"I'm glad that this question came up, because there are so many ways to answer it that one of them is bound to be right." - Robert Benchley
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Inspector Carr
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Funny you mention Thunder, if one searches the TCM movie data base it does mention they have thunder but I believe it is only a few minutes (some of which were used in the documentary Lon Chaney Athousand faces) however rumor has it (unsubstantiated) that around 10 minutes were unearthed in Sweden.
"Life is a Crapshoot however you need a pair of dice to participate"
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