with auditory effects not found in silent films. The use of songs as a part of the soundtrack in the film make it stand out from other horror films. These songs both contribute to the frightening atmosphere of the story world and progress the plot. The three songs written by Tian Han and Xian Xinghai showcase the beauty of classic Chinese lyricism, and possess the fighting spirit of the Chinese people against the Japanese. For example, only Danping's silhouette is shown while he performs “Song at Midnight” at the beginning of the film, in order to establish a sense of ambiance and mystery, since it is sung by a figure that is unknown to the audience. Release and reception After the release in February 1937, Song at Midnight instantly became well known to almost every household in Shanghai and achieved a huge box office success. Author Yomi Braester states in his book Revolution and Revulsion that where Song at Midnight was screened, especially the major coastal cities, the usage of revolutionary representation gained followers because of the internal tension of the plots. The Dawanbao evening newspaper reviewed the film and warned that it was a mistake simply producing a horror film, however, the columnist, styled Ye Di, states there is nothing wrong in making horror films, but only as long as they encourage people to struggle and fight against their fate. The popularity of the film resulted from not only its content but also its advertising. The marketing for the film included an oversized coffin placed outside of a theater, a poster featuring the Phantom's face with light bulbs for eyes, and rumors that the aforementioned poster had scared a child to death. Subsequently, the film was advertised with the warning "Children under six years old are not admitted", further arousing the interest of audiences. Zhang Shankun, the producer, used this opportunity to spread the news which eventually became famous in Shanghai. It also held the record for domestic made films of 1936 in the box-office. With a strong publicity campaign, Song at Midnight created a public sensation at that time, and it was named as one of the best 100 Chinese films by both the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2005, and by Asia Weekly in 1999. The film was the first sound adaptation of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera in feature length form, and although not