100 Years of "Phantom of the Opera"

We are somewhere in the year of the 100th Anniversary of the release of Phantom of the Opera (1925), the silent film starring Lon Chaney, man of 1000 Faces.  

I haven't watched it again this year, but I will!  I promise.  

I can't say when or where we are in relation to the original release schedule.  Google is telling me the release date was November 15th, but I'm seeing much earlier in the year on Wikipedia.  In the 1920's the movie would play in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and other major markets.  Then, it might move on to other cities.  This could be several months apart.  Eventually, beat-up prints might leave the country or be sent to podunk towns.  So who knows when or if Phantom of the Opera played most cities.  But 1925 is the year in which the movie was released.

I saw Phantom of the Opera the first time circa 1990 on a lo-fi VHS tape obtained from a bin at Walmart.  As the film precedes 1928, it fell out of copyright, and I found a copy produced by "Goodtime Videos" that set me back less than $10, and as an angsty teenage kid I spent an evening watching my first feature-length silent film while listening to some moody music.  

Frankly, I was blown away.  

I'd expected the movie to just be actors more or less pantomiming in front of shoddy sets, and all in wide shots.  And, instead, a film taking place against the massive backdrop of the Paris Opera House unspooled, with wild visuals and dramatic moments.  What I do not recall is if I had already read the novel of Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, but I sort of suspect that I had.  I do know I had seen the film and watched the movie by the time I saw a non-Andrew Lloyd Webber stage play of the story toward the end of that same academic year.*

If silent-era films aren't your jam, I get it.  I struggle with them as well and hats off to the folks who've trained themselves to watch silent films that aren't Buster Keaton or Chaplin.  But I think Phantom of the Opera is practically must-see/ assigned viewing.  It gives you an idea of how complex storytelling was handled during the era and the spectacle that could be created on the silver screen with visual tricks, gigantic sets, etc...  It's almost hard to believe it wasn't actually filmed on location somewhere.

Lon Chaney is absolutely brilliant as Erik, which seems trite to say, but every time I watch the movie, I'm stunned by how terrifying he is.  Others are good, no doubt.  One does not dismiss Mary Philbin who plays Cristine and Mary Fabian's Madame Carlotta is terrific.  

Whether I loved the recent Frankenstein or not, what I can say is that I love how it swung for the fences as an epic.  We get one of those every few years in the horror genre, and it feels like Phantom of the Opera is the first of these in America.  And, dang, you owe it to yourself to see this thing.

Happy 100th, Phantom of the Opera!

*I have no feelings on Andrew Lloyd Webber's version as I've only heard it and never seen it

Happy Birthday, Louise Brooks

 

Today marks the 119th birthday of silent film star Louise Brooks.  

Here's all of Pandora's Box.

Wallace Shawn's Birthday

 

It is Wallace Shawn's 82nd Birthday.  May he celebrate with close friends.

Wonder Woman First Aired 50 Years Ago Today

Back in the day, network TV would air pilots for TV shows if they felt they might be a costly gamble, and then the show would or wouldn't get picked up based on the success of that pilot, often released as a TV movie.  

On November 7th, 1975, ABC aired The New Original Wonder Woman aired and got solid ratings.  

If you've never seen the show or it's been a while, this version of Wonder Woman was set during World War II, using the original origins from the comics, which was adapted to World War I for the film.  Steve Trevor crashes his plane onto the mysterious island, populated entirely by ageless, brilliant, warrior women.  Diana, Queen Hippolyta's daughter and the only child of Paradise Island, wins a contest to return Steve to Man's World, which the Amazons abandoned millenia ago.

The pilot includes the entire bullets and bracelets bit, which assumes that somehow Amazons have guns and bullets in the comic.  I don't recall if they use Steve's gun in the pilot.  But the basic idea sets up that Diana can use her fancy metal cuffs to deflect bullets.

Hippolyta is Cloris Leachman here, and the tone is camp.  Folks like Ken Mars appear.  We're less than a decade since Adam West's Batman, and superheroes have become synonymous with comedy in the public's mind, and will remain there until Michael Keaton swoops in.  For many-a-kid, opening a comic book in the 1980's felt like entering a secret land where these stories were actually taken seriously, and superheroes were, of all things, cool.

I have vague memories of Lynda Carter and Wonder Woman from when I was a kid.  Part of that was that the kid I played with when the show was still in first-run episodes always wanted to play superheroes, and always wanted to be Wonder Woman.  And, yeah, he was a little boy in 1970's suburban Michigan.  But can you blame him?  

Boots?  Check.  Flashy suit?  Check.  Wisdom of Athena?  Check.  Invisible plane?  Check.  Tossing bad guys around like a minor inconvenience?  Double check.  Plus: twirling and a magic lasso.

Later, I caught episodes in syndication, but not often.  Then, in college, The SciFi Channel (eventually SyFy) ran the show during the day, and if I was home, I'd watch. 

I got into Wonder Woman comics around 2000, and still read and collect them.  A huge part of that was that Phil Jimenez, who wrote and drew the run that got me on board, understood what was appealing about the character beyond cheesecake and warrior-woman stuff.  And I know that came via the show.  Wonder Woman was not just to be ogled, she was smart, she was determined, she was literally fighting for truth and justice. And those were things that Lynda Carter brought to the screen.

Which I know, because eventually I picked up the three seasons of the show on DVD, and watched episodes, but all out of order.  But it wasn't until maybe 2010 that I finally sat down and just blitzed through the whole series.  And I had a blast doing it.  

Yes, the show starts on ABC and for a season takes place during WWII.  But then the show moved to CBS for its next two seasons and was set in contemporary times - and this is probably the version you remember.  

Full stop, I think that Wonder Woman is a straight up good show.  It made me really miss when you could watch one-off episodes of something, and while there's a bit of mythology/ lore/ what-have-you, you're resetting every week and it's just about that week's adventure.  

Lynda Carter is so solid in this show, it's unreal.  I've not seen her in too many other movies or shows, but she's effortlessly charismatic, beautiful and buyable as the lead.  And she's like in her mid-20's carrying this show.  Clearly born to play the role, so much so that despite Gal Gadot appearing several times as Wonder Woman, I still default to Carter in red boots for my mental image of Diana.

The only other real supporting cast is Lyle Waggoner who plays Steve Trevor, and had the show gone on to a fourth season it seems he was being written off.  Behind the scenes it seems he and Lynda Carter weren't getting along, and by the end of the third season he would appear in whole episodes where he spoke to her on the phone.

In general, I do prefer the 1970's-set episodes when they took the show more seriously, but YMMV.  It's still pretty silly and self-aware, but isn't leaning into wisecracks and forcing the comedy and works better for an hour-long program.  And they had a wider variety of things to take on in the 1970s.

Anyhoo... here's to Wonder Woman, in her satin tight fighting for our rights and the old red, white and blue.

Godzilla Day 2025

Happy Godzilla Day!

In 1954 on November the 3rd, Gojira made its debut in Japanese cinemas and changed the world forever.  No, really!  Imagine a world where we don't have Godzilla!  

Here in 2025, we're celebrating the 71st anniversary of Goji's debut, which Toho Studios now does each year by making announcements about what the year will bring.

Most important, Godzilla Minus One, one of my favorite movies of the past decade (Godzilla or otherwise) is getting a sequel, Godzilla Minus Zero.  Because Japan loves a good word problem, I guess.

No word on what will be in the new movie, but I saw a rumor that they're filming outside of Japan, which is kind of exciting.  No idea where, as the planet is large.  Bigger than Cleveland, even.

They also announced:

• An Augmented Reality Game
• A few toylines
• A bunch of stuff at the shop at Godzilla.com

And released this new short with full monster suit action!

I'm sure there's more, but I don't speak a word of Japanese and the Godzilla fansites are always weird and spotty.

Mostly, though, today is the day to celebrate a guy who has been my pal since I first knew anything about anything, and that's Godzilla.  Long may he stomp around and skreeeeeonk at everyone.

get down with your bad self, Goji

Happy Birthday, Elsa Lanchester

 

Today marks the birthday of Elsa Lanchester, born this day in 1902.  

Lanchester was born in England, participated in bohemian and cutting edge theater of her day before arriving in the United States with husband Charles Laughton.  

She played parts large and small, and is by far best remembered for her portrayal of both Mary Shelley and The Bride in The Bride of Frankenstein, in which she has no speaking lines as the Bride (but several as Shelley) and appears for maybe seven or eight minutes of the film.  And, yet, a pop culture icon.

It's almost like James Whale was trying to say something here....

Happy Birthday, Carrie Fisher

Remembering the great Carrie Fisher on her birthday.

Happy Birthday, Lacey Chabert

those aren't balloons, they're bubbles of Hubba Bubba

Well, we watched 70-something Lacey Chabert movies in the last year, so we'd be remiss not giving a birthday shoutout to the Hallmark Queen of Christmas.  

As of yesterday, we've also now seen all of Chabert's reality show, "Celebrations".*  And, I guess, Chabert's holiday collection has now dropped at Hallmark.com.   So I guess make Chabert happy and line her pockets by buying some stuff.

*It was a slow weekend as Jamie was not feeling great. 

Happy Birthday, Cassandra Peterson

Today is the birthday of Cassandra Peterson, better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

Peterson doesn't actually get dressed up as Elvira anymore for conventions, etc...  but she's managed to just be herself, and it turns out, people really like Cassandra Peterson.  

We highly recommend her memoir, Yours Cruelly, Elvira.  

Happy Birthday, King Kirby

Today marks the birth date of Jack Kirby, the mind and pencil that brought us many of our modern myths and legends.  

We're big Jack Kirby fans here at The Signal Watch, and wish to salute him.

Let's take a look at some of his "I'm Jack Kirby, dammit" art that started with the pop-art movement, moved into psychedelia, and just kept on going til he hung up his pencil.

Apparently *today* is Hannah Waddingham's Birthday

I made a mistake a few days ago and believed that day was Hannah Waddingham's birthday.  It was not.  It is today.

So, happy correct birthday, Ms. Waddingham.  We are happy to have an excuse to once again post a photo.

Ms. Waddingham is, apparently, in the new Smurfs movie.  And makes a full denim outfit work.  Who knew?

Happy Birthday, Darlene Love

Happy 84th birthday to Ms. Darlene Love - one of the greatest vocalists of the past 84 years.

Ms. Love was maybe *the* voice that came out of Phil Spector's studio/ Philles Records - and a colossal force in American music, often when people had no idea whose voice that was on a record.  She performed her own solo work, that of The Crystals, the Blossoms, The Ronettes, and performed with everyone from Elvis to Boris Pickett on The Monster Mash.  

She's been in movies - she's Glover's wife in Lethal Weapon - and been on Broadway.  Every year since the mid 1980's on Letterman she's been on TV singing Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) and it's a highlight of the holidays.

Personally, I saw her Christmas show at Austin's Paramount Theater - and it was the greatest concert I've ever been to, and I'll stand by that one.

Happy birthday, Ms. Love.  

So, here she is singing a favorite version of a favorite song

Happy Birthday to Hannah Waddingham

Happy birthday to Hannah Waddingham, who has had a busy year - and looks to return next year to TV screens as Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso Season 4.  

Happy Birthday, Lynda Carter

Happy birthday to patron saint of The Signal Watch, Ms. Lynda Carter.  May her next trip around the sun be as glorious as every year prior.

I've never looked that glamorous in an office chair...

With her daughter, another talented vocalist, Jessica Carter Altman

Happy Birthday, Debbie Harry

Today marks the 80th birthday of music and arts icon, Deborah Harry.

We're big fans here at The Signal Watch, and have seen Blondie twice to date.  

Last week we were at my brother's house and my eight year old niece came out in a Blondie shirt, and I was like "hey, what?"  Apparently she heard Debbie's solo effort song "French Kissin' in the USA" and was spellbound.  The parents weren't thrilled with the content, but nonetheless, my niece knows a bop when she hears one.  And, thus, two days later my SIL was at Target, saw the shirt, and bought it for B.  

What a world when there's a kid's Blondie shirt at the Target.

I tried to school B on the superior drumming of Clem Burke via "Atomic", but I think she just wanted me to shut up.

Anyway, B and I have now bonded over Blondie.  Happy birthday, Debbie.  We hope you have a great one.

50th Anniversary Watch: Jaws (1975)

Watched:  06/21/2025

Format:  Peacock

Viewing:  (shrug emoji)

Director:  Steven Spielberg

June 20th marked the 50th anniversary of the release date of Jaws (1975), and, so, Jamie selected it for our viewing on the 21st.

As I was born mere months before the release of the movie, Jaws existing as a cultural force is a key early memory.  The movie came out, and did not just go away - it became part of the cultural lexicon overnight and then just stayed.  We had teenagers who lived next door when I was in pre-school, and those kids told us about things like the band KISS, and movies like Jaws.*  But, also, the poster and music for Jaws was as omnipresent as Star Wars in my youth, the triangle of the mouth rising toward the woman above.  The 1970's also saw maybe the final real explosion of classic Universal horror monster interest, along with Hammer and other horror scenes, and I remember things like "Monster Maze" books that would include "Jaws" beside Quasimodo and Dracula.  My brother, who has always been able to play music by ear, figured out the key few notes to Jaws on the piano and would play it - he was five or six.

But I don't think I actually watched Jaws until high school, and on basic cable at that.  That said, the first time I remember really liking it was in college when I was in film school and they kept talking about Jaws as the first summer blockbuster and I figured I should know what it's all about.

Since those viewings, I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen it.  A lot?  Probably two dozen.  

On this viewing I was thinking about how Jaws would be made today, and what makes it work for me as it is.  I dunno.  I feel like part of re-watching this movie and celebrating something that's somehow endured when even ET and Close Encounters seem to have faded over the decades - or, rather, have not been as embraced by subsequent generations as Jaws -  should be a moment to ponder what it is about the movie that's made it resonate.  

Happy Birthday, Kylie Minogue

Kylie's war room for when she plays "Risk"

Over COVID, my passing interest in the music of Kylie Minogue turned into a whole thing.  I wrote about it here after JAL, TreyMerica and I saw her in Austin in April.  Here's the photo album of us attending.  Rita Ora opened, and was great.

I am not an expert-level fan, but I am a fan!  And so it is that I wish Ms. Minogue the happiest of birthdays.

She's on tour now in England, so I hope it all goes swimmingly for her.

Here she is from Disco, performing Magic.

Happy Birthday, Siouxsie Sioux

 

Best wishes to Siouxsie Sioux on her birthday. 

With any luck, she's pondering new music.

Happy Birthday, Sheryl Lee

 

April 22nd marks the birthday of actress Sheryl Lee.  

Lee, through her relationship to both Twin Peaks series and the movie Fire Walk With Me has filled an inordinate amount of my brain space since I was 15.   

Lee, herself, only works in film sporadically these days.  Some ink was spilled when Twin Peaks: The Return hit in 2017, sorting out where she'd been and what she'd been up to.  She has some health issues that make acting a bit difficult, but she does do it.  

But I think wrecking me during Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me, and then devastating me during Twin Peaks: The Return was probably enough for one lifetime.  And when I think about her now - after we spent COVID pondering nostalgia and what made for the best of our generation - going through reunions of youth-friendly media, identifying Gen-X favorites, I don't really recall Twin Peaks getting included.  But in her way, maybe Lee's creation with Lynch and Frost, Laura Palmer, was the ultimate Gen-X icon.

Laura had loving parents, she had a house in the 'burbs, dressed in the clothes of a different generation, and as a youth of the era, still ran wild, unknown and unknowable, what she was up to only really discovered when she was no longer there.  And, of course, the scream of Laura Palmer/ Sheryl Lee when she returns to where she's told she belongs?  Someone else is there.  And she never quite existed, but went along to find out.  Middle-aged and displaced, being told she was someone she was not.

There's a parallel in there somewhere.

Sheryl Lee isn't Laura Palmer, of course.  But she did bring her to life.  And as she's never been one to hog the spotlight, she's maybe her own version of unknowable.  

But we're going to wish her a happy birthday anyway.

90th Anniversary of "The Bride of Frankenstein"

Today - April 22nd, 2025 - marks the 90th anniversary of the release of one of the greatest American films ever put to celluloid (created by and starring mostly Brits), The Bride of Frankenstein.  Not just a great horror movie, or horror-comedy, but a great film.  If you've slept on it, you're missing out.

Long time readers will know that Bride is one of my absolute favorite films.  I think I've watched it every Halloween for over a decade at this point, and had seen it numerous times before I started that habit.

If you've never seen it, it's short!  You should absolutely watch it.  But do watch Frankenstein first.  They're essentially a Part 1 and Part 2, much like the Godfather films.  

always cool when two dudes find common ground

Bizarre, hilarious, campy, frightening, insightful...  The Bride of Frankenstein has a bit of everything, including incredible set design and make-up.  It's still astonishing just to look at it nine decades on.  All this, and I think it has a phenomenal story with an ending you'll never see coming if your knowledge of The Bride comes from pop culture osmosis.  It's a shockingly modern film in many respects.

Anyway, I won't go on too long.  Even if you think you don't like old movies, I think this one is essential viewing.  

Also, shout out to Elsa Lanchester for making this look seem like a great idea.