Phantom of the Opera (1925) with modern music

[FediVideo]

As it was fun doing "Wings" with modern music, I've edited together a modern soundtrack for "The Phantom of the Opera" with Lon Chaney. You can watch at:

https://fedi.video/w/xAuNMvv5h2qVqtLn5b38Vj

It's also so fun watching these over and over again while editing, many little details and noticing what the actors are actually saying etc. And Chaney's self-made makeup is just astonishing, how he did that face without modern techniques is amazing. Apparently the whole setup made him literally bleed, which makes you appreciate his work even more. (The character's disguise mask is surprisingly disturbing too, with its plastic-like texture that still shows the eyes, sort of a doll come to life.)

[Kitty]

As it was fun doing "Wings" with modern music, I've edited together a modern soundtrack for "The Phantom of the Opera" with Lon Chaney.

Awesome! I can't wait to check these out when time permits.

It's also so fun watching these over and over again while editing, many little details and noticing what the actors are actually saying etc.

It is amazing what you notice when you are so close to the subject like this. When I transcribed the old time radio show The Cinnamon Bear, there were tons of things I'd noticed that I hadn't before, though over the years I'd listened half a dozen times to the whole series before I undertook the project. It does make you appreciate and love the work even more.

[donnie]

As it was fun doing "Wings" with modern music, I've edited together a modern soundtrack for "The Phantom of the Opera"...

Amazing variety of music. Thanks for sharing. That's a beautiful print, too!

[FediVideo]

It is amazing what you notice when you are so close to the subject like this. When I transcribed the old time radio show The Cinnamon Bear, there were tons of things I'd noticed that I hadn't before, though over the years I'd listened half a dozen times to the whole series before I undertook the project. It does make you appreciate and love the work even more.

Yeah, I guess it's a certain level of passivity that you aren't even aware of until you have to do something other than just be in the audience. It's so difficult to make a film or radio series, and so easy to watch/listen, perhaps it's not surprising that there's a mismatch in concentration

By the way, didn't know about the Cinnamon Bear, interesting! Some countries here in Europe have "TV advent calendars" featuring stories about Santa's elves in the runup to Xmas, which is perhaps a similar idea?

[FediVideo]

As it was fun doing "Wings" with modern music, I've edited together a modern soundtrack for "The Phantom of the Opera"...

Amazing variety of music. Thanks for sharing. That's a beautiful print, too!

I've been going with Wikipedia's choice of prints, interestingly they had two for "Phantom of the Opera" with totally different running times! I went with the longer version as it seemed to feature more realistic speeds for some sequences?

The prints of Phantom seem to be a bit of a mess anyway, there were three or four different versions (as far as I can tell at least?), and no one seems to be sure what that weird creeping about is for at the start. It might have been added for a sound version (perhaps there was supposed to be a narrator setting the scene?), but no title cards or audio exist for it so all we have are indistinct people creeping around. I wonder if it was originally intended for a longer set of opening credits (perhaps for sound credits?), as there's a moving background on the opening titles we have.

[donnie]

...no one seems to be sure what that weird creeping about is for at the start. It might have been added for a sound version (perhaps there was supposed to be a narrator setting the scene?), but no title cards or audio exist for it so all we have are indistinct people creeping around. I wonder if it was originally intended for a longer set of opening credits (perhaps for sound credits?), as there's a moving background on the opening titles we have.

That's strange, for sure. I wonder if it wasn't just a mysterious bit to kind of set the tone, so to speak. Though that seems somewhat unlikely. And there does seem to be plot-like purpose in the movements.