The Phantom of the Opera (1925) (1 Viewer)

[richardburton84]

While I realize it’s the wrong Lon Chaney film, a rare piece of color footage from The Phantom of the Opera has turned up on YouTube courtesy of the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam (the footage is from the opening ballet sequence, followed by the familiar color footage of the Bal Masque sequence)

 

[CarlLaFong]

While I realize it’s the wrong Lon Chaney film, a rare piece of color footage from The Phantom of the Opera has turned up on YouTube courtesy of the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam (the footage is from the opening ballet sequence, followed by the familiar color footage of the Bal Masque sequence)

This is wonderful! Has anyone heard if this might be including on an upcoming release of The Phantom? I realize the Kino and FFI releases aren't that old, but I have not yet purchased either, and would hate to do so if this footage were to be in included in a later release.

 

[RobertMG]

This is wonderful! Has anyone heard if this might be including on an upcoming release of The Phantom? I realize the Kino and FFI releases aren't that old, but I have not yet purchased either, and would hate to do so if this footage were to be in included in a later release.

This footage has been out there for decades and on all video restorations is something new?

 

[richardburton84]

This footage has been out there for decades and on all video restorations is something new?

The color footage of the opening ballet sequence was only discovered three years ago and has yet to be included on any video release of the film.

 

[Arthur Powell]

The colour footage in the current restoration of Phantom is a "simulation"; it was colorized to simulate 2-color Technicolor.

Now, back to regularly scheduled programming. Looking forward to Hunchback, when it happens. I know these things take time.

Most of the Bal Masque sequence is true 2-color Technicolor as David Shepard located a 1929/1930 dye transfer reel sometime in the 1960s or 1970s. You might be thinking of the of 1990s Photoplay edition as Kevin Brownlow did colorize a small amount of footage where the Technicolor footage didn't exist. Also, the Handschiegl color effect of Chaney in the red costume was recreated.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Most of the Bal Masque sequence is true 2-color Technicolor as David Shepard located a 1929/1930 dye transfer reel sometime in the 1960s or 1970s. You might be thinking of the of 1990s Photoplay edition as Kevin Brownlow did colorize a small amount of footage where the Technicolor footage didn't exist. Also, the Handschiegl color effect of Chaney in the red costume was recreated.

According to the Scott MacQueen commentary, the sequence is colorized. He also directly references the Handschiegl colouring recreation in the same commentary. If you've seen any 2-color restorations, the colorization is obvious.

 

[RobertMG]

Yes this is the 19

According to the Scott MacQueen commentary, the sequence is colorized. He also directly references the Handschiegl colouring recreation in the same commentary. If you've seen any 2-color restorations, the colorization is obvious.

why not start a new phantom thread

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes this is the 19

why not start a new phantom thread

An excellent idea! Here you go.

 

[RobertMG]

I am NOT a expert on this film I have the Image Laser which was great -and had the color sequences and tints Blackhawk films had the color parts in their prints long before colorization wish we could get a person who knows the films history on video to fill us in

 

[ahollis]

Back in the early 1970's I had an 8mm Blackhawk print of Phantom. About a year later they released the color snippets. When it arrived it had instructions on splicing them into the Black & White print. Those were fun days.

 

[Arthur Powell]

According to the Scott MacQueen commentary, the sequence is colorized. He also directly references the Handschiegl colouring recreation in the same commentary. If you've seen any 2-color restorations, the colorization is obvious.

You're incorrect. If you listen to Mr. MacQueen's commentary, he specifically notes that the last minute of the Bal Masque was colorized. The rest of the sequence is taken from the Technicolor reel discovered by David Shepard. Also note that if you look at non-Photoplay editions of the film (the Image and Kino blu-rays for instance), the same Technicolor sequence appears except for the final portion which is in black and white. Brownlow opted to colorized, but Shepard didn't.

Incidentally, Scott Macqueen wrote this on alt.movies.silent in a long and very interesting post on The Phantom of the Opera:
The Technicolor masked ball sequence was rescued by David Shepard
years ago, and is from a 1930 dye transfer copy. In the latest
versions restored by both Shepard and Photoplay, an effort was made to
remove the heavy amber color, which was a by-product of the early
2-color process (perhaps varnish to keep the print from scratching).
This version has a much wider range of colors than we have seen
previously, and the color is clearly more accurate to the 2-color
primaries and what colors were actually under camera -- Mary Philbin's
gown is now salmon-pink as it should be, not gold.
For purists, who want the IB color warts and all, there is adequate
preservation of excellent quality already accomplised on a one-to-one
basis by both UCLA and Mr. Shepard.