The Phantom of the Opera - ACMI Cinemas July 6, 2007

In the best tradition of gothic fantasy, this early adaptation Gaston Leroux's classic tale stars Lon Chaney ('the man of a thousand faces') as the vengeful composer who lives in the catacombs under the Paris Opera House.

Chaney's Phantom, with his face scarred to hell by acid, is haunting and unforgettable, and Rupert Julian's subterranean world remains one of the most grotesque places in cinema.

In its fevered melodrama and images of cadaverous romance, Phantom of the Opera achieves a show-biz majesty that continues to pack a jolt; the sustained crescendo of the finale is still unrivalled. Tinted and featuring a lengthy colour sequence using two separate processes, Phantom is pure cinema of attractions.

Screening introduced by Roger Press, Resident Director, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera - playing at the Princess Theatre from July 19. This full-scale production, directed by Harold Prince, stars the extraordinary Anthony Warlow as 'The Phantom'. Book your tickets at http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com.au/

Official Website: http://www.acmi.net.au/freaky_phantom_opera.jsp