Home / The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera

Year:

1962

Duration:

USA:84 min | UK:90 min

Genres:

Drama | Horror | Music | Mystery | Thriller

IMDB rate:

6.4

Director:

Terence Fisher

Awards:

1 nomination

Details

Country: UK

Release Date: 1962-08-15

Filming Locations: Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Cast

Actor

Character

Heather Sears

The Phantom of the Opera

Herbert Lom

The Phantom (Prof. L. Petrie)

Edward de Souza

Harry Hunter

Thorley Walters

Lattimer

Michael Gough

Lord Ambrose d'Arcy

Harold Goodwin

Bill

Martin Miller

Rossi

Liane Aukin

Maria

Sonya Cordeau

Yvonne

Marne Maitland

Xavier

Miriam Karlin

Charwoman

Patrick Troughton

The Rat Catcher

Renee Houston

Mrs. Tucker

Keith Pyott

Weaver

John Harvey

Sgt. Vickers

Michael Ripper

Longfaced Cabbie

Miles Malleson

2nd Cabby

Ian Wilson

The Dwarf

Ray Cooper

Shocked Tympanist (uncredited)

Leila Forde

Teresa (uncredited)

Geoff L'Cise

Frenchman (uncredited)

Waveney Lee

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

John Maddison

Police Insp. Dawson (uncredited)

Laurie Main

Forbes (uncredited)

Jane Merrow

Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Liam Redmond

Police Insp. Ward (uncredited)

Fred Wood

Stagehand (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

A subplot involving a pair of Scotland Yard police inspectors on the trail of the Phantom was shot especially for the American TV version (by the TV companies, not by Hammer). This was a regular occurrence in this era, most notably with Hammer's films The Kiss of the Vampire (1963) and The Evil of Frankenstein (1964).

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The mask was made on the fly just before shooting out of cloth, tape, string and paint.

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The film flopped on its release, and director Terence Fisher fell out of favor with Hammer Studios, for whom he was not given another film until 1964.

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Goofs

Although there is great attention to the music of the opera - it almost sounds like a real Bernard Herrmann 20th century opera - when the conductor turns the page and it is torn, it is only page two of the score. Act I has been going on for a few minutes, probably roughly 20 pages of a standard score, but the conductor is still on page one which is about six bars, or 10 seconds of music.

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All the times we see the Phantom prior to being unmasked, his forehead above the mask is clean. But for a split second before he rips the mask off, a small scar is visible on the right side of his forehead.

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A boom crane is visible in Christine's dressing room mirror briefly when the Phantom first speaks to her.

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Quotes

The Phantom: I am going to teach you to sing, Christine. I am going to give you a new voice! A voice so wonderful that theatres all over the world will be filled with your admirers. You will be the greatest star the opera has ever known. Greater than the greatest! And when you sing, Christine, you will be singing only... for me.

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Harry Hunter: [Harry is asking Christine to go out to lunch with him after she has been dismissed from the opera] I insist that you come and celebrate.

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Faq

Was Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor associated with horror before this film? Who chose to use that piece in this film, and why did they choose it?

Yes. It was used in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1932).It was also played in the Lugosi/Karloff version of "The Black Cat" (1932).The Toccata and Fugue was also used as the opening number in Disney's "FANTASIA" (1940) as well as "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", in which Captain Nemo plays the work on the Nautilus' organ.This film, however, was the first time that Bach and the Phantom were teamed on film.

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