Often credited with kicking off the Universal Monsters series that gave us Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Wolf Man (1941), The Phantom of the Opera was created at great expense and with numerous production woes. Intended from the onset to be a vehicle for superstar actor Lon Chaney, his scene-stealing performance and memorably gruesome makeup job still manages to engage audiences almost a hundred years after the movie's 1925 debut.  While Phantom of the Opera has been adapted to the screen many times (Reel Deep Dive has covered two other Phantom films on prior episodes), this version remains a unique experience.