I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Blistering performances.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

A darker version of the classic Gaston Leroux novel. A young soprano (Jill Schoelen) becomes the obsession of a horribly disfigured composer (Robert Englund) who has plans for those oppose himself or the young singer.The Phantom tale has been told many times, as a musical, a romance, a tragedy, as a horror. While this has elements of all those things, it mostly falls under horror. What do you expect when you have a horribly scarred Robert Englund? We also have Jill Schoelen, who had a great (albeit small) run in horror with "Popcorn" (1991) and "The Stepfather" (1987).What is interesting about this film's creation is that it was coming from the collapse of Cannon and the departure of director John Hough. Now, would Hough have handled things different? Perhaps. But to see Cannon fold and be left without any money for a budget... nice. And they still did alright.As a bonus, this was Molly Shannon's film debut, and the cast (at least Englund and mark Ryan) spent their off time at a Romanian casino.

Gifted, but deranged and disfigured composer Erik Destler (superbly played with great gusto and passion by Robert Englund) takes sweet aspiring opera singer Christine Day (a winning performance by the always spunky and appealing Jill Schoelen) under his wing and grooms her to become a major star. Moreover, Destler murders several folks in Christine's honor. Director Dwight H. Little, working from a shrewd and compelling script by Duke Sandefur, brings real style, flair and elegance to the often-told tale: the evocation of London in the past is very rich and flavorsome, the production values are stunningly opulent (Destler's subterranean sewer lair is simply amazing!), the music is exquisitely beautiful, the murder set pieces are handled with suitably gruesome panache, and the fiery climax is truly exciting. Little and Sandefur earn bonus points for making a few bold changes to the narrative. For example, Destler in this movie isn't your standard pitiable simpering lovesick fool; instead he's a decidedly unsympathetic lethal and vicious killer who made a pact with the Devil in order to achieve immortality as an artist and now has to bump folks off for their skin. The wrap-around scenes set in modern-day New York are another nice touch; they help make the point that love and music are forever. Englund portrays the juicy role of Destler with deliciously lusty aplomb. Schoelen is likewise excellent as Christine. There are additional praiseworthy contributions by Alex Hyde-White as Christine's dashing suitor Richard Dutton, Bill Nighy as slimy worrywart opera house co-owner Martin Barton, Terence Harvey as the hard-nosed Inspector Hawkins, Stephanie Lawrence as snooty diva La Carlotta, Nathan Lewis as Hawkins' bumbling partner Davies, Molly Shannon as Christine's supportive friend Meg, and Peter Chapham as mean opera critic Harrison. Both Misha Segal's robust, shuddery score and the glossy cinematography by Peter Lyons Collister and Elemer Ragaly are up to par. A worthy and satisfying fright film.

Arietta "Your eyes see but my shadow" with chorus from "The Phantom of the Opera" (1989) Full version.File: http://files.tarakanov.net/mp3/donjuan-19.08.09.mp3 Irina Sakne (soprano); Svetlana Efimova (piano); Academic big chorus of Russian Mendeleyev University (http://hor.tarakanov.net); International orchestra "Genesis", Moscow; Recirding on concert 19/08/09, "Open Stage"-project, Moscow, Russia.Misha Segal is a GRATE composer!!----------------------------------------------------- I like this movie. I'm a purist, which may be surprising, but I am and still like this movie. Why? Because it gives Erik his edge back. True, they give him a good bit extra, but in the novel, Erik could have cruel moments, he had an edge, a threat to him. Ever since the Lon Chaney (which is still the closest to the book version), Erik has lost his edge and become a sort of disfigured James Bond. While I don't have much of a problem, this is a nice beak from that. Robert Englund is one of my favorite actors, and this was the first or second movie I saw him in (the first, if it wasn't this one, would have been Urban Legend, decent movie on TV). He plays Erik with a sinister sensuality. His lanky frame and Kruegeresque swagger are fine qualities, he comes of confident. Erik was like that in the book many times, though he did become a lovesick puppy with Christine. Yes, it's a slasher, yes they make Erik quite cruel in it, but it does have many little tidbits from the book. Plus, it has the masked ball scene, which helps it score high with me!! Go in with an open mind and acceptance of a crueler Erik (or a sickness of a lovey-dovey Erik) and you should enjoy it. At least it's better than the Julian Sands version.

I have to preface this review by saying that I am a big Robert England fan, from his work with Jan Michael Vincent in "BUSTER AND BILLIE" and "BIG Wednesday", to of course the Nightmare on Elmstreet films. It was great to see Robert in something where he could actually act on screen for a long time!! The trouble with many of the Nightmare movies is Freddy's role becomes less and less. I think Robert was waiting to chew up the screen (so to speak) in this movie. He really gets to show what good actor he is!! Along with displaying his incredibly amazing ability to disappear behind makeup. It's almost like this movie was made as a tribute to Englund/Freddy! The makeup he wears is very like Freddy makeup, and his body language/acting is excellent in this also. I really like the end (in the modern time - 80's) where the 'director' end up being Robert without makeup! (Just like Wes Craven would do in the later 90's Nightmare movie with Heather Langenkamp.) The costumes are also outstanding - especially England's Masque of Red Death outfit! It is a bit bloody - its close to slasher moments here may turn off a few folks. But if you are looking for a fun, Gothic, 80's, slasher/drama, this is great!