The Phantom of the Opera

The 1925 silent film with live piano by Jonny Best

Beneath the opulence of the Paris Opera House, in the darkness of the catacombs, lurks the Phantom - a lonely creature whose only comfort is the sound of the music which drifts down to him from the stage above. When a new soprano arrives, he becomes enraptured by her voice and swears to possess her at any cost…

Both a dark love story and a horror classic, The Phantom of the Opera is one of silent cinema’s most lavish achievements. Its vast sets and innovative experiments with film colour are the background for one of early horror cinema’s most striking character creations - Lon Chaney’s Phantom. Chaney experimented for two years with metal hooks, wax, putty, and paint to create the skull-like appearance which terrified audiences a century ago. 

Presented by Northern Silents.