Horror Classic Soup: Nosferatu & Phantom of the Opera

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

DIRECTED BY: RUPERT JULIAN

NOVEL BY: GASTON LEROUX

Rupert Julian's 1925 silent classic retelling of the infamous Leroux novel delves wondrously into the world of everyone's favorite Phantom painting a more dark and violent portrait of the man.

In Julian's tale the Phantom, played by shape-shifting mastermind Lon Chaney, is not the sympathetic antihero, so much as a dark, disturbed, and vile thing whose life has become a thing of shadows and hate.

Erik, the phantom, is driven by two things in life - his distaste for other men and his love for opera singer Christine (Mary Philbin). Christine finds Erik alluring, in his secrecy, but is disgusted once his true figure is revealed. Erik's plea that he is what the world made him are rejected by Christine, and the tale becomes more about Christine's desire to return to her love, and flee this despicable monster, than a tale of torn romance.

Julian's tale sacrifices some of the more romantic undertones of the novel (albeit due to screening results) in preference of more action and adventure. This creates a more thrilling and compelling film, but I fear it loses some of the romantic beauty of the tale.

I can say as silent films age Phantom of the Opera has aged modestly. Some of its more silent-era dynamics, in terms of acting, may come off more cheesy than intended for those less familiar with silent films. All in all though, nothing that will lead its viewer anywhere near the off button.

Overall Score: 8.00/10

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 NOSFERATU

DIRECTED BY: F.W. MURNAU

WRITTEN BY: HENRIK GALEEN

Loosely based on the novel 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker, F.W. Murnau's tale of real estate agent Hutter's (Gustav von Wagenheim) encounter with the mysterious Count Orlak, Nosferatu (Max Schreck), is an engrossing adventure/horror tale.

Separated by Acts, Nosferatu relies equally on adventure and chase sequences as it does on eerie circumstances, and groundbreaking (for their day) effects, to gain the thrills necessary. The use of shadows, lighting, and a stare from Schreck that could launch a thousand fears, strikes an unsettling feeling into the viewer. A feeling that darkness and death are immeninent.

This feeling is supported by a wonderfully well laid out lore to Nosferatu. Nosferatu carries with him the Black Death destroying any town he visits. He can only be destroyed by the sacrifice of a young maid. The way his shadow always looms ahead of his movements, assuming he moves at all.

Murnau and Galeen give great weight to the original Stoker narrative, while still supplying their own spin on the tale. Nosferatu is as much about the destination as it is the journey. The mystery in the world, which has been liberally taken from since its creation, still carries the same wonder today as it did then. Schrek's Nosferatu is still as creepy and unnerving as ever, always supplying the viewer with more to fear.

Overall Score: 8.50/10