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The Phantom of the Opera

Play trailer Poster for The Phantom of the Opera Released Sep 6, 1925 1h 33m Horror Music Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 49 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Aspiring young opera singer Christine Daaé discovers that she has a mysterious admirer intent on helping her become a lead performer. This masked presence is Erik, also known as the Phantom, a horribly disfigured recluse who lives underneath the Paris Opera House. When the Phantom takes Christine prisoner and demands her devotion and affection, her suitor, Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, sets out to rescue her.

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The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera

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Critics Consensus

Decades later, it still retains its ability to scare -- and Lon Chaney's performance remains one of the benchmarks of the horror genre.

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Critics Reviews

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Keith Phipps AV Club The atmosphere matches Chaney's performance perfectly. His grotesque appearance is achieved with wires, cotton balls, and eye-dilating chemicals, but his character, as usual, is animated from within. Aug 16, 2013 Full Review J. R. Jones Chicago Reader Lon Chaney's performance as the hideous organist prowling the sewers beneath the Paris Opera is still a cornerstone of gothic horror. Aug 16, 2013 Full Review Ty Burr Boston Globe A grand, pulpy potboiler of a suspense melodrama. Rated: 4/4 Nov 24, 2011 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy If it wasn’t quite the match of the fright fests that were being made over in Europe during this decade (Nosferatu, Haxan), it was certainly one of the most epic American undertakings this side of D.W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 13, 2023 Full Review Robert E. Sherwood LIFE [Phantom] is not nearly so magnificent in scale, nor so stirring in theme, as The Hunchback -- but as represented on the screen it is a more consistently thrilling story. It is spook melodrama at its wildest and weirdest, and it is beautifully done. Oct 7, 2021 Full Review María Luz Morales (Felipe Centeno) La Vanguardia (Spain) The audience was always interested in Lon Cheney's mysterious character. [Full Review in Spanish] Oct 2, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (802) audience reviews
Kathy Classic silent movie with music. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/07/24 Full Review Horror fan 4 A wonderful film filled with great performances and make-up effects. Tim Treakle Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/14/25 Full Review Alesia L The Phantom's fear was noticeable through physical communication between the actors and the musical intensity, making it difficult to evoke positive emotions for the Phantom, unlike in the Broadway show and the 2004 movie, likely due to Andrew Lloyd Webber's score bringing to you sadness regarding the Phantom's situation. It was nice to learn that the Phantom's actual name is Erik. This was enjoyable to watch, and I regret not seeing it sooner and I have plans to revisit it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/15/25 Full Review Queralt T I had so much fun watching this film. The fact that with some music and body language they were able to really transmit the fear of the Phantom to the public amazes me. It's truly a pity that they no longer make movies like this. I have to say that i did not feel empathy for the Phantom's character, unlike other versions. I think it quite an important element of Erik's personality, but I also understand that they had to simplify the characters for the movies sake. I have no complaints. Sit back and enjoy, Phans. Happy 100th anniversary, btw. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/09/25 Full Review Dick C It's an excellent mime... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/03/25 Full Review Chloe A Nothing can beat the original. Not even the musical. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/18/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Phantom of the Opera

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Cast & Crew

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Rupert Julian

Director

Lon Chaney

Erik, The Phantom

Mary Philbin

Christine Daae

Norman Kerry

Vicomte Raoul de Chagny

Arthur Edmund Carewe

Ledoux

Gibson Gowland

Simon Buquet

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The Phantom of the Opera

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Movie Info

Synopsis Aspiring young opera singer Christine Daaé discovers that she has a mysterious admirer intent on helping her become a lead performer. This masked presence is Erik, also known as the Phantom, a horribly disfigured recluse who lives underneath the Paris Opera House. When the Phantom takes Christine prisoner and demands her devotion and affection, her suitor, Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, sets out to rescue her.
Director
Rupert Julian
Producer
Carl Laemmle
Screenwriter
Gaston Leroux, Bernard McConville
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Genre
Horror, Music
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 6, 1925, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 11, 2016
Runtime
1h 33m
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