The Phantom of the Opera

Christine Day, a young opera singer in modern-day Manhattan, searches for a unique piece to sing at her next audition. Meg discovers an old opera piece called Don Juan Triumphant, written by Erik Destler. They research Destler and uncover rumors that he may have killed several people and vanished a young singer he obsessed over.

She auditions with the Don Juan Triumphant piece, but an accident with a falling sandbag renders her unconscious and shatters a mirror. Christine experiences an unsettling vision of blood seeping from the parchment, which Meg later confirms was illusion. The event sets the stage for the mystery surrounding the music.

Christine wakes up in London in 1885 wearing opera clothing. A different version of Meg greets her, and she learns she has become the understudy to the diva La Carlotta. The world of the London opera house feels strange and perilous to her.

During this time, Erik Destler attacks the scene-shifter Joseph with a blade high above the rafters, nearly killing Christine with the falling sandbag and blaming the accident on him. Destler then begins to exert his sinister influence over Christine, appearing to her as a teacher and angel. The danger in the opera house escalates as his presence becomes undeniable.

Alone in her dressing room, Christine hears Destler reveal himself as her teacher, urging her to practice Carlotta's part of Marguerite in Faust. He claims that only she can sing the part. She accepts the instruction, deepening the dangerous bond with her mysterious mentor.

That evening Carlotta discovers Joseph's skinned, barely alive body in her dressing closet, causing her to scream and lose her voice. The scandal allows Christine to be cast in the role of Marguerite, though the opera house owner Martin Barton fears the choice will undermine Carlotta's prestige. Tensions rise as the new casting unsettles the company.

During the scene where Dr. Faust signs his soul to the Devil, Destler recounts a decades-old past in which he unknowingly sold his own soul for love of his music. The Devil grants the wish but disfigures Destler's face, telling him that only his music will be loved. This revelation foreshadows the price of his immortality.

Christine delivers a stellar performance and receives a standing ovation. She shares the triumph with her fiancé Richard Dutton, but hints of her mysterious teacher worry him as he asks to meet this mentor. Christine insists the teacher is only a figment of her imagination.

Destler seduces a prostitute and pays her to impersonate Christine for the night, showing his obsession with controlling Christine and shaping her image. The ruse underscores the dangerous manipulation at work behind the scenes.

Following the performance, the famous critic E. A. Harrison prints a harsh review, arranged as a favor to Barton. Destler tracks Harrison down and brutally murders him in a Turkish spa when Harrison refuses to recant. The murder solidifies Destler's willingness to do anything for Christine's success.

Christine visits her father's grave to pray, seeking guidance and safety. Destler appears as a shadowy violinist and offers her musical immortality if she will come to him. The choice tests her loyalty and love for Richard.

Christine follows Destler away in a stagecoach toward the opera house, and the chase leads them into the sewers beneath the building. There, Destler reveals himself as the composer of Don Juan Triumphant, triggering a recall of the initial music. Christine begins to sing the same lyrics she heard at the film's start.

In the Phantom's lair, a brutal fight unfolds as Richard and Inspector Hawkins arrive to help. Destler wounds Richard, sets him aflame, and is ultimately shot by Hawkins. Christine attempts to kill Destler, but a final twist frees her back to her own time through a mirror.

Christine awakens back in present-day Manhattan and meets the opera's producer, Mr. Foster, who is revealed to be Destler from long ago. He tries to win her over, but she tears away his mask and stabs him, escaping with the Don Juan Triumphant score. She tears it apart and drops it into a drain as Destler screams.

Christine passes a street violinist playing the Don Juan Triumphant theme and pauses to reflect on the memory of Destler. She then turns away with resolve, continuing on her way and wondering if Destler is really gone for good. The closing moment hints at a fragile peace but underscores the music's lingering pull.