I know I’ve probably shared this scene in the past but I’m going to share it again because today is Lon Chaney’s birthday! 137 years ago, today, one of the greatest actors of all time was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was the man of a thousand faces and he brought a lot of life to silent cinema.
This scene is from the 1925 version of Phantom of the Opera! That’s Lon as the phantom and Mary Philbin as Christine. In honor of the anniversary of Lon Chaney’s birth, we invited you to enjoy a scene that I love…..
This scene, incidentally, was originally planned to be shot in color. Unfortunately, the lights that were (back then) necessary to film in color were too hot and they caused Chaney’s makeup to melt. So, those plans were scrapped and then scene was shot in black-and-white but, personally, I find the black-and-white to be more effective. I’ve seen a colorized version of this film and it just wasn’t as effective.
As Jeff reported earlier today, the famed Hollywood producer Robert Evans passed away this weekend. As a student of both Hollywood and history, I have to say that I always found Evans to be a rather fascinating figure. It seemed inevitable that his name would pop up whenever I read a book, an article, or even just an interview concerning the films of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Robert Evans was nice enough to follow me on twitter and we even exchanged tweets on occasion.
As a producer, Robert Evans is probably more associated with gangster movies like The Godfather and The Cotton Club than horror films. But Evans was involved in a few “scary” and horror-adjacent films, both as an actor and a producer. So, tonight’s edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse Trailers is dedicated to Robert Evans.
Man of a Thousand Face (1957)
As an actor, Evans began his career by playing Irving Thalberg in this biopic of Lon Chaney, Sr. Evans was specifically chosen for the role by Thalberg’s widow, Norma Shearer. Not surprisingly, the trailer below concentrates on James Cagney’s performance as legendary horror star, Lon Chaney, Sr.
2. The Fiend Who Walked The West (1958)
One of Evans’s rare starring roles was in this western-horror hybrid. Yes, that’s Robert Evans as the “kooky killer.”
3. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
As head of production at Paramount, Evans was responsible for greenlighting this classic horror film, starring Mia Farrow. Reportedly, Evans arranged for his friend, Jack Nicholson, to screen test for the role of Rosemary’s husband.
4. Marathon Man (1976)
Evans produced this film. Technically, Marathon Man was a thriller/spy movie. But the scenes of Dustin Hoffman in the dentist chair definitely qualify as horror.
5. Sliver (1993)
After spending the 80s financially bereft and an almost forgotten figure, Evans made a comeback by producing this incredibly silly “erotic” thriller.
6. Jade (1995)
Sliver did well enough at the box office that Evans followed it up with another, similarly silly thriller.
Of course, while it’s tempting to laugh at films like Jade and Sliver, it should be remembered that Evans was also involved with some of the best and most important films of all time. Next time you watch The Godfather, be sure to say a little thank you to Robert Evans.
Hollywood’s first true horror star was the inimitable Lon Chaney Sr, ‘The Man of a Thousand Faces’. Chaney’s superb pantomime skills, having been brought up by deaf parents, served him well in silent cinema, and his grotesque makeups in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME sent shivers down 1920’s audience’s spines. Most notable were his ten bizarre collaborations with director Tod Browning, including THE UNKNOWN (with young Joan Crawford ), LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT (Chaney as an ersatz vampire, now a lost film), and WEST OF ZANZIBAR (remade as the Pre-Code shocker KONGO). Chaney and Browning scored a big hit with 1925’s THE UNHOLY THREE, which Chaney remade in 1930 as his only talkie before succumbing to throat cancer later that year. While THE UNHOLY THREE isn’t an out-and-out horror film, it’s got enough weird elements in it and, since it’s you’re only chance to see the great Lon Chaney talk…
Through the Shattered Lens 