LONGBOX KIT #428

About the Phantom
of the Opera 

"Audiences gasped and shuddered to their heart's delight  while viewing the original  horror movie, "The Phantom of the Opera." First released in 1925 as a  silent film, it starred  Lon Chaney, dubbed 'the man of a thousand faces' because of the theatrical bag of tricks he employed to completely alter his features. In this movie classic he  succeeded through countless devices in transforming his face to take on the appearance of a skull. To further enhance the drama, the gruesome face of the Phantom was cloaked in secrecy, no still photos were allowed to be published until well after the release of the film. In fact, it is not until the fifth reel that he was seen unmasked.

The bizarre plot revolves around an insane musician seeking revenge for his disfigured features by menacing the Paris Opera House, played so eloquently by Chaney that it fairly frightened the public out of its wits!

The Paris Opera House of 1880 was thrown into a series of turmoils by strange events  attributed to the invasion of evil spirits . . . actually created by the mysterious Phantom. His main ambition was to train a beautiful young opera singer to achieve the honor of Prima Donna; thus he left the subterranean quarters where he made his home to launch a reign of terror. Maintaining his horrible secret, he continued his horrendous acts by killing in unique, violent methods, climaxing his mad rampage by causing a massive chandelier to crash upon an aunsuspecting audience. Exercising a spell over his protege, he hypnotized the soprano into following him into the catacombs under the opera house where, to her utter terror, he tore off his mask!

The lover of the captive singer, falling prey to the Phantom in his efforts to rescue her, was forced to endure the torture chamber before being saved by an agent of the secret police. The Phantom, in the meantime, made good his escape amidst the confusion. In a spine-tingling chase, the furious mob captured the fleeing villain who suffered as violent a death as his victims."

Promotional Copy from
Original Instruction Sheet

©1963 Aurora Model Corp. 

FRIGHTENING LIGHTNING & GLOW KIT #451 

ABOUT THE PHANTOM 

This James Bama art was licensed to all sorts of other products produced by Aurora and other toy companies.

CLICK HERE to see Interior Pages 

MONOGRAM 1992 "LUMINATORS" KIT 

"Deep in the recesses of the old opera house, far below the streets, hidden under the sub-basements and in the sewers he lurked. The mysterious stranger engaged in acts of terror against all who dared enter the theater or stepped on to its stage. Some called him a ghost, others coined the more popular name — 'The Phantom.' 

As a struggling opera composer, he had written an award winning aria, only to have it stolen by unscrupulous theater owners. In an attempt to seek revenge, the writer set fire to the opera house only to become trapped in his own act of arson.

Horribly disfigured, he hid his face with a mask. Sworn to revenge, he kidnapped many female stars with hopes to find the perfect singer to perform his opera. He also intended to destroy those who stole both his work, and his face."

Promotional Copy from
the instruction manual cover 

©1992 Monogram Model Corp. 

MONOGRAM 1994 RE-ISSUE