The Phantom of the Opera

Lon Chaney's horrific, self-applied makeup was kept secret right up until the film's premiere. Not a single photograph of Chaney as The Phantom was published in a newspaper or magazine or seen anywhere before the film opened in theaters. Universal Pictures wanted The Phantom's face to be a complete surprise when his mask was ripped off.

(1929 cut) When the Phantom's alarm goes off, the sound of the chimes does not always match the striking of the device's "arms". That is because what is heard is the film's soundtrack, not "sound effects", which do not exist in a silent film. As such, this being "off sync" is allowable.

In 1925 (and for many years afterwards), credits used to appear at the beginning of movies. In this film, the credits do appear at the beginning but also are repeated at the end, preceded by the following caption: "This is repeated at the request of picture patrons who desire to check the names of performers whose work has pleased them."

In 2012 it was determined that an "accidental 3-D" version of the film existed. From an examination of various prints of the film, it was discovered that most - if not all - of the original film was shot using two cameras placed side-by-side. This was most likely done to create simultaneous master and safety/domestic and foreign negatives of the film. However, when synched together and anaglyph color-tinted, the spatial distance between the two simultaneous film strips translates into an effective 3-D film. Under the working title of LA FANTOME 3D, a fund-raising effort is under way to locate and restore (create) a full "accidental 3-D" version of the film.

Edited into Drácula (1931)