Creepy Classics "Phantom" cancelled

[samurainoir]

does this mean someone in the business is planning a legit Chaney Phantom?

Well Diamond does have the Universal Monster license... I guess we'll eventually see which ones they produce in Mego format. Chaney Phantom of the Opera would seem like a good bet, Creature, Bride of Frankenstein would pretty much fill out the classic line-up given what they have produced thus far.

[rche]

Is the hunchback still on?

[darkmonkeygod]

Well Diamond does have the Universal Monster license... I guess we'll eventually see which ones they produce in Mego format. Chaney Phantom of the Opera would seem like a good bet, Creature, Bride of Frankenstein would pretty much fill out the classic line-up given what they have produced thus far.

The 1925 Phantom of the Opera is in the public domain and has been for quite some time. The Chaney license is for Jr., who's publicity rights reside with his estate.

[Megazord Mike]

Can't you rename him the Phantom of the Museum? Heh.

[The Bat]

We've got plenty of other monsters we can work on.

I'd still like to see the Werewolf you sculpted make it to mass production.

[David Lee]

The 1925 Phantom of the Opera is in the public domain and has been for quite some time. The Chaney license is for Jr., who's publicity rights reside with his estate.

Right, it's not that the Phantom of the Opera is in question, that's fair game, it's the resemblance to Chaney in the sculpt that has some upset.

-Dave

[darkmonkeygod]

Right, it's not that the Phantom of the Opera is in question, that's fair game, it's the resemblance to Chaney in the sculpt that has some upset.

-Dave

I thought Chaney Sr.'s likeness rights, as well as any rights he (or anyone incl. Universal) had in the make-up were also in the public domain. I'd have to look it up a little more and don't have time to review it at the moment. What's your knowledge on it?

[David Lee]

I thought Chaney Sr.'s likeness rights, as well as any rights he (or anyone incl. Universal) had in the make-up were also in the public domain. I'd have to look it up a little more and don't have time to review it at the moment. What's your knowledge on it?

I would tend to agree with you, but even though Universal might not have a solid claim on the movie and it's esthetic, since it lapsed into public Domain, I would bet Chaney's family might see it as inextricably linked to Chaney's likeness... that would be the sticking point.


Dave

[PNGwynne]

^ I'd be interested in learning about this as well, since the 1925 Phantom is still obviously Chaney Sr.

[David Lee]

^ I'd be interested in learning about this as well, since the 1925 Phantom is still obviously Chaney Sr.

Ok, the way I understand it is thus:

Since the movie (long after the book) has lapsed into public domain the idea and look of the Phantom are up for grabs, this is what is distinctive about the movie, as is calling him Erik or the Phantom of the Opera. However, it's clearly Lon Chaney Sr. in the movie and he has living relatives who lay claim to his likeness and money to be made off of it. The idea that it was too close to Chaney came not from his family, but others in the toy business...

Personally I think it's a tenuous claim at best. It's not an exact likeness and we were surely not going to say it was Lon Chaney Sr. but others feel differently and therefore it won't get made.

Dave

[timb]

shhhhh... don't tell anybody, but I think the figure was so cool, you should have someone sculpt a new head.

[samurainoir]

McFarlane's unlicensed version, going another direction than Chaney.

[drmego]

Chaney's family signed a deal with Universal that includes his likeness and
make-up creations - as Universal did with Karloff's family.

[drmego]

I asked Joe - who is not only a HUGE monster fan but also worked
at Universal Studios corporate - to let me know the actual details:

the bottom line is this:

chaney, sr. played the phantom for universal
james cagney played lon chaney in "man of a thousand faces" and it is THAT makeup that aurora, lincoln, and others have based their phantoms on as that film was getting wide distribution at the time of those toys. so, the fellow who is claiming that the lincoln one is not chaney is mistaken.
chany's family signed a broad deal with universal for all chaney sr and jr. likenesses in universal films.
so, ANY of the previous portrayals of the phantom to date, with the exception of the macfarlane abortion, are based directly on chaney or on a derivation of the portrayal, NONE of which are in the public domain.

period, close-quotes, end of story.

[samurainoir]

So the Lincoln Phantom of the Opera was licensed from Chaney/universal just like the aurora kits? I didn't realize that.