Guillermo del Toro, on set, 2008. ©Universal/courtesy Everett Collection
Following a limited theatrical run, Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein comes to life on Netflix this Friday. A filmmaker with a love and appreciation for Gothic horror, this is technically not the first time he has reworked a classic Universal monster movie. Once talks fell through on the director remaking Creature from the Black Lagoon, he went and made his own unofficial take on the Gill Man, The Shape of Water. And now, it appears del Toro may have another of Universal’s creatures in sight…The Phantom of the Opera.
Released in 1925 and starring the great Lon Chaney as the titular fiend, The Phantom of the Opera is a tale that contains many of the hallmarks we’ve come to associate with del Toro’s films. A Gothic love story; breathtaking production design; and a tragic monster with an aching soul, shunned by the world for his hideous features. If there’s any filmmaker who could breathe new life into the Phantom, it’s del Toro.
What’s The Phantom of the Opera (1925) About?
Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, we find ourselves at the Paris Opera House during the 1890s. New management has just taken over, warned of an Opera Ghost that haunts box No. 5. The new owners shrug it off…until a terrible accident befalls the prima donna after she refuses to give up her role to Christine (Mary Philbin), per the request of a mysterious letter signed by the Phantom. The disfigured madman promises success for Christine, but in return, she must love and be with him. Anyone who gets in the way of his obsession will face a gruesome end.
A Tragic Monster Ripe for Re-Imagining by del Toro
In an interview with Inverse, Guillermo del Toro was asked which classic monster he may want to dig up after Frankenstein. The Phantom of the Opera came right to mind. “It’s such a classic tale, but I would do it differently,” said del Toro, adding, “I have a couple of ideas”.
In Rupert Julian’s film, the Phantom embodies many of the tragic traits that have drawn del Toro to the monsters of his previous work. That said, the 1925 original takes a terrifying approach to the character that I imagine del Toro would soften a bit in favor of deeper humanity. Back then, actors often created their own monster makeups for their roles, and Chaney’s portrayal of the Phantom has instilled fear in audiences for over a century. To this day, you’ll still see Christine’s unveiling of his frightening features referenced as one of the all-time shocking moments in horror.
Del Toro tends to present his monsters with an affection and understanding that render them more human than creature. That ability to reach deeper beneath the skin and discover the soul that rests there is what has set the filmmaker’s monster movies apart from others. A del Toro film would likely retain the gorgeous sets and the Gothic atmosphere, while presenting a Phantom more empathetic than scream-inducing.
With the filmmaker expressing that he needs a bit of a break from horror, it may be a while before we hear any more on a Phantom of the Opera remake. Until then, you can stream the 1925 original on Shudder and rediscover the terror of a genre icon that has remained seared into the minds of audiences for decades.
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