Our love for Lon Chaney, Senior's artistry stands so high in our estimation, that Phantom of the Opera could have been a far lesser production than it actually was, and still earned a place in the pantheon of Universal Horrors. It plays well on the big and little screens, very well made IMO, and the production values are, even allowing for its silence, its being in black and white, and now close to a century after it was made, still plays beautifully today.
My sense is that Lon Chaney, already a major star, had more than a little to do with the making of the picture. There's something about him in the movie that makes him tower above it. The supporting cast are lively, and they look good their costumes have a way of taking attention away from what else is happening in the film, and yet neither I nor anyone I know who's seen the film have criticized or even drawn attention this aspect of the picture. I know little about the movie's director, Rupert Julian aside from his wonderful name such a perfect name for a silent film director. One more thing I've noticed about the film: based on my experience (and observation) women seem very drawn to this movie. Imagine my chagrin when facing a post from more than eight years past! This was true when I saw it live, with a girl who later married my best friend, and she was thrilled by the experience (I noticed a similar reaction in the theater when I saw Doctor Phibes,-no one's idea of a chick flick- first run.) No, not so much the Phantom in particular the whole nine yards. Reflecting on how much I have learned in the interim, here are some relevations.
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