The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera (1925) is the landmark silent horror film you can watch online on iFILM. Lon Chaney's performance as the disfigured Phantom haunting the cellars of the Paris Opera House is among the most studied in cinema history — he designed the makeup himself, and the unmasking scene carries a genuine shock that a century hasn't dulled.

The Phantom has been secretly tutoring young soprano Christine (Mary Philbin), posing as her angel of music. When she falls for the young Vicomte Raoul, the Phantom's obsession tips into something far more dangerous. Chaney plays him neither as pure monster nor simple tragic figure — there's enough of both to keep you uneasy throughout.

Director Rupert Julian adapted Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, and the original release featured hand-tinted Technicolor sequences for the masquerade scenes. Expressionist lighting, a cast of thousands in the opera house sequences, and Chaney's face doing the work of a full score — it's the kind of film that explains why silent cinema still matters. Stream The Phantom of the Opera (1925) on iFILM.