Hammer Films’ resident auteur Terence Fisher made a string of sumptuously lurid horror films in the late 50s and early 60s, and deserves a huge chunk of the credit for the revitalized studio’s success. He essentially crystalized the Hammer brand that fans still recognize and love today with films like Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, The Mummy, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, and The Curse of the Werewolf. Hammer and Fisher continued their cycle of classic remakes with The Phantom of the Opera, and as with their others, they wisely made it their own instead of a by-numbers re-staging of past versions. Surrounded by rich and ornate production design, Herbot Lom plays the scarred musical genius wreaking havoc on an opera house to avenge himself against the corrupt owner (Michael Gough) who stole his compositions and ruined his life. Behind a pale, one-eyed mask, Lom uses voice and gesture to create a feeling of gravitas. The mask itself might be the greatest detail in the film. It looks like hand-pressed clay, completely primitive and without aesthetic intention. Aside from having the rough shape of a human face, and nostril holes, it includes no opening for a mouth. Though the Phantom can speak, the absence of a mouth in his mask represents the cruel theft of his ability to express his talent. While not a forgotten film, Hammer’s The Phantom of the Opera is easy to miss compared to their more famous works starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Of the many screen adaptations of the classic story, this one is my favorite.
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