[MarcusUdeh]

Why has this movie remain absent from the DVD market place? Robert Englund plays the Phantom in the film. I’d hope Columbia Tri-Star would renew their home video distribution rights.

Ward’s Madame

[Ric Bagoly]

Hear! Hear! Let's get this out!

"You're, suspended."

[Will*B]

I agree 100%!

This is a classic film, but until it comes out, we can all watch Argento's OPERA (the 1987 one, not his terrible PHANTOM), which is basically the same.

It would be nice to see the unrated version on DVD, perhaps with an Englund commentary....

[Charlie O.]

Anchor Bay.....

[MarcusUdeh]

Deleted Post
Wards`Madame

[MarcusUdeh]

[MarcusUdeh]

From IMDB Alternate Versions
Several scenes of extreme graphic violence had to be trimmed/cut in order to get an R-rating in America.


The chandlier scene was originally written in the first script by Gerry O'Hara. One of the reasons why this is the only Phantom film not to include that classic scene, is because Menahem Golan, CEO of 21st Century Films, who at the time had just resigned from Cannon Films in 1988 after that company's collapse, didn't have enough money to pay for an expensive chandlier to fall and then to redue the scene take after take. Duke Sandefur then was hired to rewrite the script without the scene.

The following scenes were trimmed for an "R" Rating:
A scene were the phantom skins Joseph the stagehand.
The scene were the Phantom kills the three thieves was quite a bit longer. When the Phantom attacks the second theft, he cuts of his head with a knife, the original scene showed the knife being stabbed into the theft's neck and cutting it completly off. But it was trimmed to show Mott's expresion and then shows the phantom holding the head and trowing it at Mott.
Harrison's death in the sauna room was quite a bit more violent. Originally The Phantom puts a towel around his face and squeezes it tightly and shows a close up shot of the bones in Harrison's face breaking and blood sporing through the towel and then showing the Phantom throwing his body aganist a burning water heater without the towel around his face and showing has broken face burning on the heater. It was trimmed for being a bit to violent and The water heater seemed for a death scene. This was replaced by showing Harrison being thrown aganist the wall and then sliding down with the towel still wrapped around his face.
Carlotta's death scene was cut.

[MarcusUdeh]

From IMDB Trivia
The first film version since the 1925 film to feature the Masquerade Ball scene from the original novel.


The first version not to feature a falling chandelier.


The disclaimer at the end of the credits reads: "This Motion Picture is not associated with any current or prior stage play or motion picture of the same title."

A sequel was shot but never released.

[Will*B]

A sequel was shot but never released.

I can't believe it! C'mon Anchor Bay! Let's see this as a 2-disc SE with the sequel on disc 2! You've definitely got 1 customer here!

[Jack Theakston]

Quote:

A sequel was shot but never released.

This isn't exactly true. A sequel was PLANNED but was never releasesd. AFAIK, nothing past a script treatment was done with it.

I think a better PHANTOM candidate for release on DVD would be the 1962 Herbert Lom version that Hammer made. There's nothing from the original story in there, but it's a good thriller, either way.

The TV movie with Maxamillian Schell isn't bad either, with some great cinematography and a great make-up job by Stan Winston.

[DeborahK]

Is the Maxamillian Schell version available in any format? I have been looking for this one for quite a long time.

Thanks if you know,

Deborah