The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

Dude, there is very little that’s better than classic horror. ‘Nosferatu’, ‘The Wolf Man’, ‘Frankenstein’, and now, I can check this off the list. I probably should’ve watched it years ago, but I feel like everyone I know has seen (or read) some form of this. I would definitely like to see it live at some point, whether a play or a live score. It’s such a compelling story that is so immersive, yet so….easy. There’s nothing too deep to understand. But the tortured love really puts you through it. Despite Erik not always being a nice guy, you can’t help but sympathize with him. Him being a social outcast, on top of being deformed, really just hits you. By the end, I felt like he was me, even though he’s not, nor can I really relate to his story (much). Lon Chaney’s performance is masterful, and one for the ages. His overly physical actions with his hands and body really drive it, and don’t get me started on his look. Chaney doing his own makeup and making one of the most iconic and horrifying looks in horror….well, hats off to you, Lon. The unmasking scene, where you see his face for the first time, is one of the best cinema moments of all time. The use of color in this was fantastically done as well. The different frames of color, which help represent the mood and setting, on top of the dance scenes with the colorful outfits, and then going back to black-and-white, it’s beautiful. Lastly, the score is gorgeous, and ominous, and haunting, but heartful and sentimental. One of my favorite scores of the 20th century. Overall, this is just great, and one I eagerly look forward to watching again. I don’t need to see any other film version. I would recommend this to all horror/drama fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!