Dario Argento's adaptation of Gaston Leroux's classic tale is a below-par offering from the Italian master of horror - but even Argento's worst films still manage to be thoroughly entertaining, thanks to his energetic direction, unconventional storytelling, lavish production values and graphic gore.
Dario's daughter, Asia, is Christine, an understudy at the Paris Opera. Christine is lusted after by suitor Raoul but Raoul has competition in the form of crazy killer, Erik, The Phantom of the Opera. Erik, abandoned at birth and raised by rats in the underground caverns beneath the opera house, uses telepathy to woo Christine and lure her to his lair. Then he bonks her.
Crazy Erik then sabotages the opera house, killing members of the audience and injuring prima-donna Carlotta, which results in Christine becoming star of the show. On Christine's first night, the opera house's ratcatcher (who secretly spied on Erik and Christine getting it on) reveals that Christine is 'the Phantom's whore'. The Phantom rescues Christina from an angry mob, who pursue them underground
Although Dario's film is far from a masterpiece, it is hugely enjoyable thanks to the inventive gore (courtesy of Sergio Stivaletti), wonderfully preposterous characters (the ratcatcher is a scream, as he and his dwarf sidekick take delight in slaughtering rodents) and a good deal of gratuitous nudity.
So, in a nutshell, this isn't classic Argento... but it is fun!
