The Phantom of Hollywood (1974)

There have been so many remakes and ripoffs of "The Phantom of the Opera" that they all tend to blend together, though the made-for-TV "The Phantom of Hollywood" carries the distinction of showing us the end of an era taking place as we watch. It follows the original story fairly closely, but translates it to a Hollywood movie studio that is on the verge of selling off its backlot property to developers, since nobody uses the ramshackle sets anymore. The studio in question is called "Worldwide," but it is really MGM. It was filmed at MGM, it utilizes old film clips from MGM classic movies, its music score is peppered with classic songs from MGM films, and there's even a reference to Andy Hardy's house on the backlot, "Andy Hardy" being a long-running MGM series. Why they didn't call it MGM and be done with it is anyone's guess. As for the plot, a mysterious hooded figure living under the backlot desperately fights against its destruction, because it is his home. Who he is, and why he is hiding, is all part of the mystery. "The Phantom of Hollywood" is not a spoof, though it has its humorous and ironic moments, and a few standard clichés found in all films set in a movie studio, such as the ubiquitous shot of exotically dressed extras wandering around in between the soundstages, and the fact that none of the film executives ever seem to do any actual work. There is also an in-joke in making leading lady Skye Aubrey the daughter of the studio head, since Aubrey herself was the daughter of James Aubrey, the head of CBS, which aired the picture. It features a good cast of veterans, including Peter Lawford, Jackie Coogan, Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Corinne Calvet, Regis Toomey, Kent Taylor, and even former Dead End Kid Billy Hallop in a bit. Peter Haskell is the nominal hero and Jack Cassidy, in heavy makeup, plays the mysterious studio historian...could he be the masked killer? Well, not really; the mystery goes a little deeper than that. While it has its creepy moments, the film isn't all that scary. The real horror is watching the old, very recognizable MGM backlot sets being bulldozed to the ground on camera. By this point in time nothing could have saved them, but for film buffs, it's a bit like watching a snuff film. But that is the whole point of "The Phantom of Hollywood"...that era of movie-making was by that point as obsolete as a silent film.

Worldwide Studios has hit hard times and plans on selling its back lot location to some property developers. The only thing standing in the way is the Phantom of Hollywood, a masked madman who lives on the lot in a cave. MGM was planning on tearing down some of its history structures and used that as an opportunity to do this fun updating of the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA myth. If there is such a thing as back lot eye candy porn, this might be the champ. Lots of amazing locations are used throughout this 74 minute TV movie. Perhaps the most interesting thing about it is the opening where director Gene Levitt films the dilapidated sets and buildings and then flashes back to them being used in old MGM productions. The plot isn't anything special (our phantom kidnaps the leading lady as required, but seems to have no real affinity for her) but it is a fun little film. Jack Cassidy is good in a dual role as both the company film archivist and his burn-scarred brother who is the Phantom. Strangely, Cassidy would dies less than two years later in a fire.

Interesting little TV-movie, obviously inspired by the more famous Phantom Of The Opera. Nice behind-the-scenes shots of decaying MGM sets, some even in the act of being demolished. Peppered with old stars, Jackie Coogan, etc. A nice companion piece to the William Castle's Ghost Story/Cirlce Of Fear episode "Graveyard Shift" which aired the previous year (1973) featuring John Astin and a pregnant Patty Duke Astin. Both seem to hit upon the same note - a sign of the times - the despair of the end of the Hollywood magic factories and a longing for a return to times and people lost. MGM was becoming a hotel chain and record label as Universal was devolving into television and theme parks.

Unfortunately, they were permanently dismantling the old back lot on the MGM studio property when this was being filmed, since the land had been sold to developers, so you watch as a grand old Hollywood institution is methodically destroyed and forever lost. If not for that, this movie would be only an interesting oddity. You see many Hollywood film sets from the old days of the cinema, juxtaposed against their present-day condition, and then you see them demolished. Today, it makes for sad viewing when you realize what history is being thrown away.The movie itself is fairly good; the premise being that there is a legend of a phantom who protects the studio when it's in danger. The workmen begin disappearing, and a studio exec starts to delve into the history of the studio to try and find out who's doing the killing.This screams 70's TV movie while you're watching it, but it's a decent film despite that. Jack Cassidy is good, as usual, in the part of the aging film star; he has ego to spare and fits the part extremely well. There are many old Hollywood stars in it, like Broderick Crawford, Jackie Coogan, Peter Lawford, John Ireland, Elisah Cook, Jr., and Billy Halop. All in all, it's a film that is more important than it would have been otherwise, just because of the historic film sets in it that can't be seen anymore. I enjoy this movie immensely, and everyone I talk with about it remembers it fondly. It's worth a look if you can find it.