Links

(It's a big, scary world out there.)

Daniel Ransom is actually a pseudonym for well-known mystery and thriller writer Ed Gorman, whose list of suspense novels is way longer than both my arms outstretched.  His story "Dark Muse" is only the tip of the iceberg, and he's still going strong, with new books coming out even now; definitely worth a look if you're interested in thrillers.

Gary Alan Ruse has several fantasy and science fiction novels to his credit, as well as a passle of short stories.  He is also a genuine gentleman, even to uppity internet womenfolk who might have said unkind things about his story "Dark Angel" (sorry, Gary!).  His writing is epic, and matched only by his sense of humor.

Henry Slesar certainly knew what he was talking about in "The Phantom of the Soap Opera", considering that he was a soap writer himself for many years as well as being an accomplished author and playwright (so accomplished, in fact, that it's said that Alfred Hitchcock was a big fan of his mystery and horror work).  He died in 2002, but his works are still out there, just waiting to be snapped up.

Anne Stuart is one of the biggest names out there in the romance genre today, with a huge bestseller list and an enduring popularity with readers.  Her website has a veritable wealth of information on her works and activities, including such goodies as contests, mailing lists, special deals on her books (including a limited time bundle that includes her Phantom novel, Night of the Phantom, which is currently out of print), and her dramatically awesome blog.

Steve Rasnic Tem, one of speculative short fiction's mainstays, possesses impresive powers of description and an incisive ability to knock his readers right through his story and into sudden realization (as we saw in "The Unmasking"), an extremely admirable trait in a writer.  I'd recommend his works in a heartbeat, and as you can see from the website, he has plenty to choose from.

Filmmakers:

Dario Argento is an undisputed master in the horror genre, the creator of such envelope-pushing films as Suspiria and not one but TWO Phantom-based movies, Opera (in 1987) and Phantom of the Opera (in 1998).  His films are incredibly frightening on both visceral and psychological levels, so it isn't surprising that he has an impressive, extremely devoted fan following for his artistic and elegant films.  There are several websites dedicated to his works, but the above link and this site on his films are both extremely informative (and not a little bit spooky).

Brian de Palma is one of America's most beloved horror and suspense directors, having done everything from Scarface to Mission: Impossible to Stephen King's Carrie to, of course, Phantom of the Paradise.  His films are gritty and sometimes inaccessible, but always engaging and often profound.  Nothing in de Palma's world is ever boring.

Terence Fisher's 1962 Phantom of the Opera was just one in a long line of horror films; he was one of the most influential horror directors of his day, both on his peers and on the conventions and conception of horror to come.  Even if you're not interested in the horror oeuvre, it's worth it to take a look--there's fascinating information about directing and ideas about the fears of the human mind to be found in amongst his works.

Al Guest and his partner, Jean Mathieson, are long-time animators with an impressive list of credits to their names and a penchant for choosing animation projects that seem to fall just a little bit off the beaten track in terms of childrens' movies.  With experience all over the world and projects still going strong, they're a success story if there ever was one.

Rupert Julian was the first (though definitely not the last) to tackle directing The Phantom of the Opera, and his spellbinding rendition of the story remains among the most popular interpretations to this day.  Sadly, he had little else in the way of a career; like many other successful silent filmmakers, the advent of sound in film basically brought an end to his days in the directorial chair.

Dwight H. Little directed a particularly chilling version of The Phantom of the Opera, which should be no surprise to anyone familiar with his expertise in the horror genre.  Despite being somewhat obscure for the average movie-goer, he's still going strong, showing no signs of stopping in the film world despite his supposedly "retired" status.

Arthur Lubin is widely reknowned for his work directing some of television's most beloved early series, among them Mr. Ed, Bonanza, and The Addams Family.  Less well-known these days is his 1943 version of Phantom of the Opera, but even if this is your first introduction to his works, have no fear: they're certainly not fading fast.

Tony Richardson's 1990 television miniseries version of The Phantom of the Opera is actually one of his least-known works--he's much more famous for his Academy Award-winning work on Tom Jones and his numerous contributions to the field of film directing.  Many a film student is well-acquainted with his work.

Composers:

Ken Hill doesn't have a personal website, but his works speak for themselves.  A prolific composer and playwright, mostly in the horror genre but with forays into almost every other (including a musical version of Zorro!), he seems to be much less well-known in the United States than he is in his native England... which is a terrible shame.  His shows are always witty, interesting, and definitely worth the time it takes to see them.  While he doesn't have a personal page, there is an excellent and informative fan website dedicated to his original stage version of Phantom of the Opera.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is practically a household name; with a laundry list as tall as himself filled with hit shows and broadcasts, he's one of the most recognizable and well-loved musical composers today.  His version of The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most universally acclaimed and pervasive, and his other works continue to grow in popularity as time goes by.

Maury Yeston has multiple Tony awards to his credit and a distinguished career in musical theatre on his resume; while the 1991 musical Phantom isn't his most well-known piece, it still displays his characteristic flair and talent for pulling a narrative together with music.  He's still mentoring and working as tirelessly as ever.

Performers:

Sarah Brightman has an unassailable position in the musical scene as the original Christine in Webber's The Phantom of the Opera musical, but far beyond that, she is the best-selling and most popular soprano ever to break into the contemporary market.  With sold-out tours all over the world and a variety of unique albums, she almost defies categorization, and certainly merits a look whatever your musical taste might be.

Jack Cassidy's turn as the title character in The Phantom of Hollywood was only the tip of the iceberg; a Tony-winner and one of the most frequently nominated performers on Broadway in his day, Jack Cassidy was a true actor's actor with his excellent singing voice (he's on the original cast recording of tons of shows, including Brigadoon and Anything Goes, to name a couple of my favorites) and ability to assume whatever role he landed as completely as if he'd been born to play it.  He passed away the year after The Phantom of Hollywood was completed, sadly, but as the website undoubtedly testifies, he remains fondly remembered by his fans.

Lon Chaney portrayed the Phantom in the first film adaptation of the story, and his nuanced, emotionally charged performance is one of the most enduring of all representations of the character.  It was his first great role, but not his last; he is remembered to this day as one of the undisputed masters of silent film.

Ian Charleson may be best known for his excellent work in Chariots of Fire, but he also played the irrepressably self-mocking and intelligent Marco in Argento's film Opera. Though he is sadly no longer with us, his acting talent was considered unparalleled by many of his peers and his legacy lives on in acting funds and charity projects.

Michael Crawford originated the role of the Phantom in Webber's musical version of The Phantom of the Opera, but he has a colorful and extremely successful musical career quite apart from that, and a website full of fun and magical musicality.

Charles Dance, apart from playing the Phantom in the 1990 television miniseries, is an extremely prolific and well-regarded British actor.  With many other movie roles (for example, Gosford Park and The Blood Oranges) under his belt, it's entirely possible that you've seen him already.

Nelson Eddy was Anatole in the 1943 movie version of Phantom of the Opera, but it was by no means his first or his final performance.  A mostly self-trained classical baritone, he had a wildly successful musical career as well as becoming one of the most popular musical performers in the movies in the 1930's and 1940's.

Robert Englund achieved film immortality with his terrifying turn as the serial killer Freddy Krueger, but his portrayal of Erik Destler in The Phantom of the Opera was even more chilling, bringing a frightening intensity and psychology to the 1989 movie.  He has no shortage of film credits, being one of the most enduringly recognizable of horror icons, and he continues to provide blood-curdling fun to theatre-goers with a seemingly endless procession of horror movies.  He shows no signs of stopping, much to the dismay of those of us with more delicate temperaments.

Jessica Harper does it all: she's not only the actress who captured our hearts as Phoenix in Phantom of the Paradise, but she's also an acclaimed singer/song-writer and an author of childrens' books.  Her website features sound clips and other goodies that demonstrate her mad professional skills.

Alex Hyde-White may be most famous for his roles in movies like Pretty Woman and Catch Me If You Can, but he also played Richard in the 1989 version of The Phantom of the Opera, giving the character a believable youth and vigor.  He's turned his hand mostly to directing and producing these days, but his website is full of useful information and other goodies.

Herbert Lom is frequently hailed as one of the most versatile actors of his generation, but history remembers most his incredible facility with horror roles, including the title role in 1962's The Phantom of the Opera.  He is also, I hear, a pretty excellent guy and an all-around genius.

Teri Polo may be most famous for her role in Meet the Parents, but years before that she was a captivating and adorably innocent Christine in the 1990 miniseries version of The Phantom of the Opera.  She's still going strong almost two decades later, with a robust film and television career.

Claude Rains played the acid-scarred Phantom in the 1943 film remake, but his career spanned forty years and included such classics of cinema as The Invisible Man, Lawrence of Arabia, and Casablanca.  With Tony awards under his belt and four Academy Award nominations, it's not only his fans that recognized his impressive talent.

Jill Schoelen played the innocent Christine to a tee in the 1989 The Phantom of the Opera, and has many another film credit to her name.  She's multi-talented--how many of us get to be in movies and turn out to be rock and roll singers to boot?  She may be in retirement, but if this website is any indication, her fans certainly haven't forgotten her.

Heather Sears has this nifty MySpace page, proving that she's a savvy lady no matter how old she might be.  In addition to playing Christine in the 1962 version of The Phantom of the Opera, she won a BAFTA for her portrayal of Esther Costello and displays her acting chops in quite a few other movies, as well.

Jane Seymour has often been named the queen of television movies, and her resume is so long that her role as Maria in the 1983 film The Phantom of the Opera seems like barely a drop in the bucket; she's ubiquitous, not to mention the winner of multiple Golden Globes and Emmys and, if her website is anything to go by, a canny businesswoman to boot.  Oh, and still absolutely gorgeous at 56.  And she has odd-colored eyes.

David Staller is the man who so excellently originated the role of the Phantom in the 1990 musical by Rosen & Schierhorn.  He's also a singer, a ballet dancer, a wannabe lawyer, and pretty much does everything that is available to be done, including some things not yet discovered by science.

Adam Storke, a fixture of popular television series for years and an actor who can claim to have worked alongside the likes of Julia Roberts and Matt Damon, turned in an effective performance as the Count de Chagny in the 1990 version of The Phantom of the Opera.

Paul Williams is much, much more than just the guy who played the effortlessly evil Swan in 1974's Phantom of the Paradise; he's also a wildly prolific musician, writer, and actor, with as colorful and varied a career as anyone could ever wish to have.  Check him out, and make sure you wear protective glasses to avoid retina damage from all the awesome.

Michael York is yet another actor of note, having played many roles throughout a wide and versatile career (of which Michael in the 1983 film The Phantom of the Opera is but one).  He also writes books and apparently does a bang-up job as a voice actor for audiobooks.  More power to him!

Other Links:

Phantom Media is an excellent and thorough archive with information on a wide array of Phantom-related materials, as well as general guidelines for getting hold of them.

The Philmography has information and in many cases screenshots on pretty much every version of the Phantom story ever to make it to screen.  It seems that it hasn't been updated recently, but even so it's got some very useful information for the film buff in you.

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