The Phantom of the Opera 4K 1998

I have never been a big fan of Dario Argento, but I enjoyed watching all three of his films that I managed to see. I was not disappointed this time either.

Since Gaston Leroux's book was first published, it has been adapted for the screen many times, so it is now difficult to say which adaptation is the most faithful. Perhaps none of them. And that's probably the case. Leroux was simply too persistent and prolific, which determined the further fate of his work. In all the film adaptations, only the love triangle remained from the book—the Phantom, Christine, Raoul, and the opera house.

Arzhangovsky's Phantom is clearly not a Webber musical, even though it does feature music. It is a horror film, shot in a style of dark naturalism, in which various vices and human misery are shown openly and impartially.

The catacombs beneath the opera house, and indeed beneath all of Paris, appear to us as the earthly center of darkness. And the rats, who are the rightful owners and inhabitants of the underground, reign supreme here. Anyone who gets lost there is in danger of losing their mind, at the very least. But if you want to survive, you must form an alliance with the forces of darkness, sell your soul to them, and become a true monster.

However, the monster, aka the Ghost, hiding in the catacombs is one thing. The monsters walking on the surface are far more terrifying. And here Argento has done a great job, portraying all the vices of his characters in the most unattractive way.

In other words, what we have here is most likely the author's study of the perverted and depraved secular society of that period, as well as the lowest classes.

In general, we have a fairly successful variation on the theme of Leroux's work (I can't bring myself to call the film an adaptation). Only it's gloomy, too gloomy. Watch it only on a rainy day when you're in a bad mood, so that you feel even worse.