Product Details

• Actors: Herbert Lom, Heather Sears, Edward de Souza, Thorley Walters, Michael Gough
• Directors: Terence Fisher
• Writers: Anthony Hinds, Gaston Leroux
• Producers: Anthony Hinds, Basil Keys
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: May 2, 1995
• Run Time: 84 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630346470X
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #208,648 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This 1962 version of the horror story comes from Britain's Hammer Films, and is unusually ornate for that studio. Herbert Lom gives an affecting performance as the disfigured composer who wreaks vengeance beneath an opera house. The film is low on violence and strong on the character's psychological state, and the Phantom's lair is very haunting in its own way. A subplot involving a police investigation is mere (and distracting) padding, but otherwise there is a lot of merit to this 1962 production. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hammer Hits a "High Note" with this one!, May 9, 2000

By 

Reginald D. Garrard "the G-man" (Camilla, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Phantom of the Opera [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I suppose most "purists" consider earlier versions starring Lon Chaney and Claude Rains, respectfully, as being the best of this oft-interpreted story. I, for one, have fond memories of this Hammer adaptation starring Herbert Lom, the hapless police commissioner in "The Pink Panther" series.

His "phantom" is sympathetic, forceful, and completely mesmerizing. The actor has a voice that commands attention. It is amazing to me that his career was not more remarkable that it was.

The music, especially the last aria "sung" by "Christine," is superb. Obviously, Hammer felt that that element deserved a full treatment so they sparred no expense in that area.

Terence Fisher has crafted a wonderful film that ranks as one of the studio's better adaptations of classic literature.

Michael Gough, late as "Alfred" in the "Batman" series, plays Lord D'Ambrose Darcy with such complete arrogance and deceit that you cringe every time he is on screen. No one else could have played such an unlikeable character.

Let this Phantom cast his spell over you!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid film, February 16, 2000

By 

Mark McKinney (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Phantom of the Opera [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Hammer's version of the Phantom starts right in with odd happenings at the opera like missing music, destroyed instruments and stories of ghosts. On opening night of the opera (which is about Joan of Arc) a man is hanged and the star singer leaves because of it. The opera's producer and the house manager try to find a replacement and deal with the opera's obnoxious creator who tries to control every step of the opera. A young women named Christine is picked for the starring role, but the Phantom hears her and takes her away to his underground lair. This is the finest version of the Phantom because the Chaney version offers a strong performance for the phantom, but the story strays and becomes very awkward at times. The Universal version offers a fine phantom played by Claude Rains, but gets bogged down by too much singing and it takes the film nearly half an hour to really get going. This version jumps right into the story and never slows down, the interest level is high throughout the film and the the pace is consistent. Herbert Lom offers a more low key, almost sympathetic phantom. Michel Gough deserves mention for a great job as the overbearing Lord Ambrose D'Arcy. The Phantom did not really need an assistant and he never professes his love for Christine as much as he does just for the musical ability she has. This is still a fine film for Hammer and the best Phantom to date.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This PHANTOM is for real !, September 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Phantom of the Opera [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Although this Phantom may seem a bit " corny " to some folks, I like it much better than the other two film versions, and it is MUCH better than the insipid stage production by Lloyd-Weber. I love this Herbert Lom Phantom for a number of reasons, but mainly I enjoy the totally convincing bittersweet performance given by Herbert Lom as the Phantom, and I also truly love the somewhat sentimental, but gorgeous MUSIC throughout the movie. I especially enjoy one of the final scenes, when Christine, (the "prodigy " of the Phantom), sings the role of Joan of Arc(written by the Phantom, but stolen and published by Lord D'Arcy). This film music, which I believe was actually taken from a work by Charles Gounod, is so beautiful and poignant, that I weep like a baby every time that I see it---which is something I almost never do watching a movie. At any rate, get the movie by heck or by high water, but please get it, you will enjoy it.