The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera is a 1989 American horror film directed by Dwight H. Little and based on Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel of the same name. The film is an updated and gorier version of Leroux's classic tale, and stars Robert Englund as the Phantom. The film was a critical and commercial failure. Plot Christine Day (Jill Schoelen), a young opera singer in modern-day Manhattan, is searching for a unique piece to sing at her next audition. Her friend and manager Meg (Molly Shannon) discovers an old opera piece called Don Juan Triumphant, written by a composer named Erik Destler. Curious, Christine and Meg do a little research on Destler and discover he may have been responsible for many murders and the disappearance of a young female opera singer he was said to have been obsessed with. While Christine is alone, she sings from the tattered parchment, and blood seeps from the notes and covers her hands. Shocked, she discovers this to be an illusion when Meg returns. Christine auditions with the piece, and during her performance, an accident with a falling sandbag renders her unconscious and shatters a mirror. She awakens in London in 1885, wearing opera clothing. A different version of Meg (Emma Rawson) is also there. Christine turns out to be the understudy to the diva La Carlotta (Stephanie Lawrence), who is both jealous and resentful of Christine's skill. During this whole time, Erik Destler (Robert Englund) attacks the scene-shifter Joseph (Terence Beesley) with a blade high above the rafters for almost killing Christine with the falling sandbag, and blaming the accident on him. Alone in her dressing room, Christine hears the voice of Erik Destler, revealing he is her teacher and an angel sent by her deceased father. Destler encourages her to practice Carlotta's part of Marguerite in Faust, saying that only she can sing the part. Christine complies. That evening, Carlotta discovers Joseph's skinned (but barely alive) body in her dressing closet. The event causes her to scream and lose her voice. Christine is cast in the role of Marguerite, which causes panic to the opera house owner Martin Barton (Bill Nighy), who favors Carlotta and the prestige she brings to his opera house.