Song at Midnight

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William L A reimagining of The Phantom of the Opera that is more faithful to the base premise than the plot, Song at Midnight secures its position in film history predominantly for its role in the establishment of the domestic Chinese horror genre, and the incorporation of supernatural elements in a period when the Kuomintang actively cesored them despite the rich range of tales and archetypes present in Chinese folklore. The character of the Phantom itself (as well as the general narrative) are only loosly related to the original, but that's far from a detractor in many cases. Shan's Phantom is immediately empathetic and good-natured, and it is his disfigurement and a sense of protection of his former lover that drives him into hiding rather than revenge and obsession. The practical makeup used to scar Shan is excellent for the period, providing a more shocking realism than even the contemporary Hollywood films from which the piece draws inspiration (the final pursuit is particularly evocative of the original film adaptation of Frankenstein). One of the major complaints that is virtually universal in the modern day is the political element, which is rather hamfisted and does seem to take away from the predominant narrative. Some leeway may be granted given the relatively early age of the film, particularly considering the later development of Chinese cinema, but some of the technical flaws are pretty overt, particularly the cuts and sound editing; a restoration would be beneficial to the film's international status. Despite its relatively recent addition to the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die, this piece of early Chinese film has still not reached much of an overseas audience. (2.5/5) Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/07/21 Full Review s r 1001 movies to see before you die. Groundbreaking for its day. An interesting Chinese take on the phantom of the opera. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member a true let down from 1937!! Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member interesting editing... a valuable insight into Chinese culture, pre-revolution! Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Pretty good make-up effects, or maybe my standards for Chinese films of the late 1930s are too low. Anyhoots, not bad except for the horrible subtitles that float around the internet. Holy crap, they're translated just awfully. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member An atmospheric and strange Chinese retelling of the Phantom of the Opera. Uneven pacing, and odd plot makes it more interesting for film nuts, but it does have some damn good moments. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Song at Midnight

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