The year nineteen eighty-three brought yet another adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera, this time for television. With a cast featuring Jane Seymour, Maximilian Schell and Michael York, how could it be anything but good? Suffice it to say, it was, but it wasn’t the classic iteration people expected, which may have left some viewers a bit sour.

Written by Sherman Yellen, the man would keep to the bones of the story, but would change quite a bit, from the names of the characters to the locale, as well as how the Phantom would become scarred and so forth. Not necessarily bad choices, but there were enough of them that they should have called this film something else. When they say, ‘based upon…,’ this movie is a perfect example, as it is far from a faithful retelling. That said, just because it is different does not mean it cannot be its own thing and succeed at it. Yellen adds flair amid the theatre’s pervasive darkness. A solid, gothic atmosphere sets the mood throughout, complementing this tale of doomed and unrealized romance. Much like the original work, the Phantom loves both Maria/Christine and the music, and he wants to live out his life with each. Those two things, at the very least, remain true, and one can empathize with the man as he loses the loves of his life, not once, but twice.

The story follows Schell, who stars as Sándor Korvin, an orchestra conductor training his wife, Elena, played by Seymour. A bad review causes her to spiral and commit suicide, which in turn sends Korvin on a bit of a rampage, looking for those he believes are responsible. Korvin gets injured and burned and thus takes up residence below the opera house to live out the rest of his life. Unbelievably, some years later, a woman named Maria, also played by Seymour, arrives to take part in the latest production of Faust. Korvin is smitten, and so is English director Michael Hartnell, portrayed by Michael York. From there, Maria is torn between wanting to be the best she can be and falling in love with York, something that Korvin will not abide.

While there is a lot to like about this production, from its look and feel to the character of Korvin, who is both tragic and monstrous, there are also a few flaws, as with anything. Seymour, beautiful and talented, falls a little flat here. She could have given the role a little more; not that she was terrible in any way, but her portrayal was lacking. The last act with Korvin was a little choppy and his motivations strange. The chandelier scene is almost ridiculous in its execution; the speed with which it fell was completely absurd. All in all, though, the imperfections that might be found were minimal and outweighed by the drama and the horror of Korvin’s madness within.

This version of The Phantom of the Opera might be less than faithful, but it is a good movie overall.

3.5 out of 5