The murders are suitably gory, albeit very brief. Wearing this skin-mask he almost resembles a psychotic Barry Manilow, but don't worry, that's not the only horror to be found here. Erik's scarred face is often hidden under layers of grafted human skin, a procedure he does himself in sickening close-up. Sure, some elements have been changed and there are few 'Freddy-esque' quips from Englund early on, but for the most part it works well. Be this killing off the leading lady, critics, stage hands or anyone else who gets in the way.ĭespite lapsing into slasher territory at times, this is actually a rather sincere re-tread of the classic text.

He becomes infatuated with a young understudy, Christine (Schoelen), tutoring her (unseen through a dressing room mirror) and doing everything he can for her to land the lead role in the latest production of Faust. Unfortunately, the price for this pact is he is horribly mutilated, forcing him to live in the shadows, deep under a Victorian London opera house. In a deviation from the original story, Erik Destler (Englund) is a composer, so obsessed with having his work heard forever that he strikes a deal with the Devil. The oft-filmed Gaston Leroux novel, tarnished by the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, gets a full-blooded makeover thanks to this forgotten late '80s version. LITTLE / SCREENPLAY: DUKE SANDEFUR / STARRING: ROBERT ENGLUND, JILL SCHOELEN, ALEX HYDE-WHITE, BILL NIGHY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW REVIEW: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1989) / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: DWIGHT H.

The phantom of the opera robert englund