MovieChat Forums > The Phantom of the Opera (2005) Discussion > Film version where Phantom saws chandali...

Film version where Phantom saws chandalier chain

posted 9 years ago by leighant
7 replies | jump to latest

I remember seeing a film version of "Phantom of the Opera" in late 1950s in 16mm for a Halloween gathering- ie NOT in a theater. Was in color and sound (not B&W silent version) Two things I remember- Phantom had acid thrown in his face by an enemy- deliberately disfigured which fueled his revenge. Second more important thing was crash of the chandelier. The film showed Phantom in the rafters/attic sawing through chain holding chandelier. Suspense: when would it cut through. Cut back and forth to opera scene, unsuspecting fancy-schmancy audience, Phantom sawing. Finally chain sawed through. Link started to bend, but didn't give way immediately. Bent more. Then chandelier fell straight down directly into audience with only a fraction of a second for victims to scream. Apparently killed a bunch of the opera-goers.
This is different from stage and filmed versions of Andrew Lloyd Weber opera where chandelier glides down at an angle and crashes into stage. I looked at a couple old versions of the film from 1930s and 40s. In one, the chandelier falls straight down into audience seating, but audience has a few seconds warning and no one is hit.
QUESTION: does anyone know WHICH film version I saw with chandelier falling straight into people after suspenseful chain-cutting buildup? I didn't just imagine this, did I?

[–] hannahlynnn13 9 years ago

I know what your talking about... It's not from a movie. The video has the originals from when Andrew Loyd Webber picked the cast for the play version with Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. Idk why there is a video for this song and not the others but they were the original Broadway cast

[–] leighant 9 years ago

Not asking about a video. A film, I am pretty sure full length, I saw in late 1950s. The first huge videotape recorders, about the size of a VW bug, not invented until about 1957. And long before Andrew Lloyd Weber's version.

[–] hannahlynnn13 9 years ago

https://youtu.be/k_CeKigTTmc

[–] leBratPrincess 9 years ago

Here is a site that has a pretty good list of the films.

In the one with Claude Rains, he had acid thrown in his face. The later one in 62 with Herbert Lom, it was fire if I remember right. I know what you are talking about though, I recall the scene, just not which film.

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[–] seatart-2 9 years ago

Pretty sure it's this movie. I remember seeing it several times on TV in 80s but haven't seen it recently.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056347/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_57

The Phantom of the Opera (1962)

[–] WarnerKrol 9 years ago

You are talking about the 1943 version. All you described is in there. Available on blu-ray.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036261/?ref_=fn_al_tt_10

[–] Sleight_of_Mind 8 years ago

i know this post is old, but i believe the other poster is right, and you saw the 1943 version?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8FyOoT6-8 go to about 59 minutes in and you should see the sequence i think youre referring to.

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