Search - Dario Argento's Phantom of the Opera on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Violence, Nudity, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1998 DVD Release: 11/23/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan Edition: Director's Cut Subtitles: Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 40 mins Studio: Ardustry Home Entertainment Members Wishing: 7 Genres: Horror, Costume Horror, Gothic Film

In keeping with the his cult reputation, Italian filmmaker Dario Argento's take on Gaston Leroux's enduring Gothic tale of terror and obsession features plenty of sex and graphic, high-tech gore (although hard-core Argento purists may find the splatter scenes rather sparse). Unlike other renditions of the illustrious Phantom, Argento's version suffers no facial disfigurement and therefore remains unmasked. His creepiness, shown in the early parts of the story, comes from having been abandoned as a baby and raised by rats in the labyrinthine catacombs beneath the Paris Opera. Unaccustomed to humankind, the Phantom (Julian Sands) spends his days in the darkness playing an organ, murdering intruders, saving his rodent family members from the theater's exterminator and occasionally wandering about the opera house. His life changes when he falls in love with beautiful young singer Christine (Asia Argento), understudy to temperamental zaftig diva Carlotta (Nadia Rinaldi). Desperate to have her, the Phantom plays a haunting melody and lures her into the bowels of the great theater. There he will begin a macabre courtship destined to end in tragedy. Those who enjoy finding continuity mistakes will be delighted to discover that while the story is set in 1877, the theater is lighted with electricity, something that did not happen in real life until 1888. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Julian Sands - The Phantom
Asia Argento - Christine
Andrea Di Stefano - Raoul de Chagny
Nadia Rinaldi - Carlotta
Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni - Honorine

A-Pix Entertainment brings Italian master of horror Dario Argento's faithful adaptation of Gaston Leroux's classic -Phantom of the Opera stateside in this handsome and well-presented disc, which offers some exciting extras for film buffs and Argento fans alike.
A duel-sided, single-layered disc offering the film in either full-screen 1.33:1 or anamorphic widescreen 1.85:1 (16 x 9 enhanced for widescreen TVs), A-Pix did a fantastic job of maintaining the film's moody cinematography courtesy of Ronnie Taylor. The darks in the Phantom's elaborate cavern are bold and solid, and the colors of the opera house are rich and vivid. Skin tones are beautifully captured and though the film shows slight signs of compression artifacting, it is for the most part a flawless presentation. The audio, presented in English Dolby Digital 5.1, more than adequately fills the room with the lurid, vivid sounds of horror as the low-frequency rumblings complement discomfort and tension in the appropriate scenes. Though Ennio Morricone's grandiose score, with its ominous organs blasting, doesn't carry the resonance one might expect, voices haunt the Phantom's cavern with an eerie echo that utilizes the multiple channels to create a complex and ultimately satisfying audio scheme. Optional, easy-to-read Spanish subtitles straddle the lower letterboxing of the picture without becoming obtrusive to the image.
The first thing that will catch the viewer's eye on this disc is the attractive and functional full-motion "Main Menu" screen. Blasting with fire and screams at each selection made, and accompanied by Morricone's creepy score, it's a pleasure to watch while selecting the disc's numerous special features, which include a detailed filmography section, a photo gallery, a Fangoria article interviewing Argento's brother and collaborator Claudio, an insightful three-minute interview with star Julian Sands, theatrical and video trailers, and a fun, ten-minute, behind-the-scenes montage of Argento doing what he does best. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide