Birthday Icons : Aurora's Phantom of the Opera 1 by Paul A

The Phantom of the Opera

Part 1 – Birth of a Phantom

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Hi Woodsy

Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, lives beneath the Paris Opera House. He tutors, and promotes the career of a young opera singer named Christine – murder being among his methods.

He abducts her, and takes her to his underground lair. There, she removes his mask, revealing Erik’s deformed face.

He eventually releases her, then changes his mind, and tries to force her in to marriage, and attempts to kill several other people. Eventually Erik dies, and is buried in secret.

The Phantom of the Opera was originally published as a serial in the French newspaper Le Gaulois in 1909- 10 and then in book form in 1910. It was written by Gaston Leroux (1868-1927).

The serial/novel has been adapted for the stage and cinema several times. The first film version appeared in 1916, while the more famous 1925 version starred Lon Chaney Senior, in one of his most celebrated roles.

There was a 1943 adaption with Claude Rains; a 1962 Hammer film; and the later Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which was also filmed; among many others. All of these are covered by Wikipedia.

The Aurora Plastics Corporation launched their line of famous movie monsters in 1963, starting off with Frankenstein’s Monster. Most of the kits were based on films by Universal.

The Phantom of the Opera appeared in 1964 (copyright date 1963). The kit had box art by James Bama, with the original version being available 1964-68.

These early boxes have the Universal Pictures name on the top, with the Aurora name confined to the sides. The prisoner in the cell behind the Phantom is shown standing at a door, yet in the kit he is barely visible at the feet of the Phantom.

The original was followed by a Frightening Lightning version in 1969, which contained a sprue of duplicate parts in Glow-in-the-Dark plastic. These comprised the head and hands of the Phantom, and his cravat; as well as the face and arms of the prisoner, the rat, and the lizard.

As you still got the regular parts, this meant there were a number of left-overs for the spares box. Glow plastic was more expensive than regular polystyrene, hence only some of the parts being produced in this material.

The artwork was cropped, with the prisoner almost disappearing. It was also revised to show the Glow parts.

The Aurora name was added to the box top, along with the Frightening Lightning flash. Even the Phantom of the Opera name was given a different lettering style.

In 1972 Aurora changed from their tall, narrow boxes; to the square style, with a new Aurora logo. The Frightening Lightning name was dropped, and the art work again cropped to fit the new box proportions.

A green star, containing the words ‘Glows in the Dark’ was applied over the face of the prisoner, completely covering it. The artwork was flipped, with Erik now facing to the right instead of the left.

Following the demise of Aurora, their moulds were acquired by Monogram. The Phantom of the Opera being re-issued in two different versions.

In the early 1990s Monogram released a range of kits called Luminators, which were moulded in coloured ‘Glows in the Light’ plastic - to make it glow in the dark required the use of a Black Light. The subjects included cars, planes, ships, tanks, and some of the ex-Aurora movie Monsters.

The Phantom appeared in 1992, in orange Glow plastic, with a Photo Box. This was followed by a non-Glow version in 1994, which had a Photo Box showing a built-up, painted model.

That was the last issue until Atlantis acquired the moulds. The Long Box version, with the original art work, was dated 2019; 

followed by a Glow-in-the-Dark Square Box version dated 2020, which had the flipped art work.

There was also a version which has ‘Produced by Atlantis Toy and Hobby Inc. Exclusively for Premium Hobbies’ on the side of the box. This kit is moulded in Metallic Green plastic, and has a 2022 copyright date.

All of these later versions of the kit have a notice saying ‘In cooperation with Chaney Entertainment’. A company which handles licensing for both Lon Chaney Senior, and Lon Chaney Junior.

Eight photographs from Worthpoint

Paul Adams 

from New Zealand

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Tomorrow, a close-up look at the Aurora/Atlantis kit.