The Climax

_Phantom of the Opera_ director Waggner recycles lavish sets, actress Foster, and several plot elements from that 1943 hit in this. Karloff gives a largely one-note performance as the demented medico. While the operetta snippets sent yours truly reaching for his volume control, the rich Technicolor tones are pure music to the eye.

Boris Karloff in color! Woo!

A little brother movie for the "Phantom of The Opera" (1943). Same sets were used, same actress, even the story and style are similar. Karloff comes as a bonus, he's pretty good as a demented doctor. But this film feels like a cold leftovers to me. Only made for a quick cash-out. Characters of the king and Franz annoyed the hell out of me. One because of the absurdity, other because of the actor. Grandeur of Hollywood production doesn't always work for it's own good, and this film proves that.

This is basically Phantom of the Opera in a different wrapping. Boris Karloff is a strong presence and production values are high for the war years. But it's a slow and often uninteresting story which comes across too much of a rip-off to really love.

Silly melodrama.