Phantom Variations

<p> This book examines the themes and variations of <I>Phantom of the Opera</I> exploring the story's appeal to multiple generations through numerous incarnations. After discussing Gaston Leroux's original 1910 novel the work turns first to <I>Phantom</I> on film from Lon Chaney's 1925 <I>Phantom</I> through Dario Argento's 1998 film. Stage versions of <I>Phantom</I> are then covered in detail including Webber's spectacular 1986 production and its lesser-known predecessors and competitors and those that followed. A final section looks at novels and miscellaneous adaptations ranging from erotic fiction to a Donald Barthelme short story.</p>