For Halloween, I am celebrating with “The Phantom of the Opera,” the silent film classic horror film from Universal Studios starring Lon Chaney. One of its most famous scenes is when the heroine, played by Mary Philbin, fails to heed the Phantom’s warning and unwisely removes his mask. Oops.
The Bal Masque sequence of the movie was filmed in two strip Technicolor and still survives today. While the process didn’t record the full spectrum of colors, it was a wise choice for this particular sequence.
Recently I had the pleasure of seeing this movie on the big screen at the Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego.
Cameras were not allowed inside, so my cellphone had to do.
Organist Russ Peck was on hand with a period appropriate musical accompaniment. It was like being transported back to 1925!
Although the film is almost one hundred years old, it is still being celebrated for Chaney’s incredible makeup and performance as well as its spectacular sets and special effects. The Sideshow Toy company released a Premium Format Phantom figure in 1:4 scale:
They also released a smaller version in 1:4 scale; not quite as detailed but still packs a punch!
A separate figure represents Chaney in the Bal Masque sequence:
While some of the acting appears a bit dated and overly dramatic, the movie is definitely worth watching.
See more Phantom of the Opera action figure photos at my main website.
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