Directed by Dwight H. little, the man who brought us Halloween 4, Phantom of the Opera offers a unique perspective on Gaston Leroux's tale of a madman haunting the catacombs of a famed opera house- the classic horror drama as slasher movie.

Heavy on Kevin Yagher's patented 80's gore makeup, this version of the tale (set in London, not Paris) gives us a Christine (a surprisingly endearing Jill Schoelen) who transports back in time after an on-stage mishap and comes face to face with Erik Dessler- a psychotic serial killer/composer who was driven mad when he sold his soul to have his music heard, only to have his face disfigured in the bargain.

The star here is Robert Englund, and despite the fact that the production seems determined to evoke memories of that other character Englund is immediately recognized for, the man does deliver a memorably dramatic twist on the famed horror icon.

While this film doesn't have the pageantry (or even the chandelier sequence) of other incarnations, it does capture the feel of the original story quite well, and Englund really does step outside of his dream killer status to deliver a genuinely effective performance. He's quite simply superb in the role, obviously relishing every grandiose gesture and line.

Alex Hyde White rounds things off nicely as a suitor who proves to be no match for the monstrous maestro, and Little's direction is solid, keeping the story flowing at a brisk pace. Particularly effective is his handling of the masquerade ball sequence, wherein Englund easily commands every moment of screen time in a costume evoking the Red Death.

All in all, fans of splattery 80's horror and Robert Englund will want to spend an hour and a half seeing what lies behind this Phantom's mask.

This review refers to the VHS edition. The Phantom of the Opera (1989)is also available in a widescreen dvd format.

Nine out of Ten Macabre Makeup Applications.