#lon chaney

The Red Death

Rupert Julian's The Phantom of the Opera premiered in New York City 100 years ago today.

The making of the film was fraught and tense, enlisting at least 8 writers and 4 directors. Julian, a prestige director, did not get along with star Lon Chaney, who disagreed on the creative direction of the film and eventually refused to take direction or even speak to the director, instead going through cinematographer Charles Van Enger.

The film was so poorly received at a screening in January that it was rushed back into production with a new script under director Edward Sedgewick (mainly known for comedies and Westerns). This version, more of a romantic comedy, was also poorly received, and the film was salvaged by pioneering director Lois Weber.

One of the great silent horror films, Lon Chaney's makeup reveal supposedly made audiences scream out loud in 1925. The film also features 17 minutes of color in its famous masquerade sequence. Every version of Phantom of the Opera ever since has this film in its DNA.