The Phantom of the Opera (1989 film) The Phantom of the Opera (1989 film) The Phantom of the Opera is a 1989 American horror film directed by Dwight H. Little and based on Gaston Leroux's novel of the same name. The film is an updated and gorier version of the classic 1910 tale, and stars Robert Englund as the Phantom. Christine Day (Jill Schoelen), a young opera singer in modern-day Manhattan, is searching for a unique piece to sing at her next audition. Her friend and manager Meg (Molly Shannon) discovers an old opera piece called "Don Juan Triumphant", written by a composer named Erik Destler. Curious,
The Phantom of the Opera in the graveyard are lined with human bones. Indeed, Drumright notes that "The Phantom of the Opera" checks off every trope necessary to have a Gothic novel according to the "Encyclopedia of Literature's" description which says, “Such novels were expected to be dark and tempestuous and full of ghosts, madness, outrage, superstition, and revenge.” Although the Phantom is really just a disfigured man, he has ghost-like qualities in that no one can ever find him or his lair and he is seen as a monster. People are frightened by him because of his deformities and the acts of violence he