Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

One of my all time favorites.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Time has been kind to this glitter rock musical-horror movie from a young Brian De Palma, who both directed and penned the screenplay; audiences in 1974, however, were bewildered by its mixture of decadent camp and Gothic kitsch, and shunned the picture. Plot is a grab-bag of Faust and "Phantom of the Opera" highlights, with music-biz impresario Paul Williams (a latter-day Dorian Gray) stealing the cantata of a sensitive singer-songwriter, but not exactly living to regret it. Williams' super-oily Swan forms an uneasy partnership with the musician, who has been maimed by a vinyl record press (!) and now wears an owl's head helmet over his disfigured face. Williams, who also composed the hit-and-miss score, saunters through the film in gravelly monotone; he never quite cuts loose, which is in direct contrast to De Palma's fruit-loop handling. The mismatch of ingredients can be felt elsewhere, too, particularly in the character of the Phantom (who remains a cloaked enigma). The film, though with flashes of interest, has gloppy, dated color and disappointing musical performances, however its view of world domination via rock music is amusing, as are the various cartoony characters dotting the scenario. ** from ****

Phantom of the Paradise (1974) ** (out of 4)The talented but hot-tempered composer Winslow Leach (William Finley) agrees to hand his masterpiece, an adaptation of Faust, over to hot-shot music legend Swan (Paul Williams) who of course ends up stealing it. Leach goes to get his music back when he face is horribly burned so he takes shelter at the Paradise where he plans to get revenge as well as make Phoenix (Jessica Harper) a star.Brian DePalma's take on The Phantom of the Opera is a film that I admire and respect more than I actually enjoyed. Over the past four decades the film has gained a huge cult following and it's easy to see why. It's just so goofy, over-the-top but extremely well-made that it's easy to see why so many people enjoy it for what it is. With that said, if you don't "get" what's going on then you're going to be left scratching your head, which is pretty much where I was. Again, I thought the performances were great, the direction wonderful and visually the film is impressive. With that said, it just didn't click with me to the point where I was fully engaged with the film.Again, there's a lot to admire in the film including the wonderful visual style. DePalma certainly knows how to keep the camera moving and cinematographer Larry Pizer is constantly busy with the camera floating around picking up countless strange but beautiful shots. The set design is another major plus because you really do feel as if you're watching and seeing things for the first time. The alternate universe created really does come across like a new world and this here helps push the story as well. The costumes, of course, are one of the more memorable aspects including the Phantom's look but also the various looks given to the musical performers whether it's a spoof on The Beach Boys or a take off on KISS. The performances are another major plus with Finley and Williams perfect in their roles. I thought Finley was extremely good at bringing across the temper but there's also a part of you that feels sorry for the guy and his broken dreams. Williams, who appears to be acting like Phil Spector, is also excellent in how much of a cold snake he is but he never goes over-the-top and instead plays it pretty cool. Harper is also a delight as the love interest but the real start here is Gerrit Graham as a Queen-like prima donna who easily steals the show. Some might be offended by the type of performance he gives but hey, this was the 1970s. I found him to be extremely entertaining in the part and managed to give the film the shot of energy it needed.So, I've just praised just about everything in the film yet I've given it two stars. That might not make much sense but the film simply didn't entertain meant outside the technical department. Again, PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE is an extremely well-made movie and a very impressive one but it just didn't connect with me. If you are able to connect with it then obviously you're going to be in with a large group of people that see this as a cult classic.

This is one of those rare films that unfortunately flew under the radar. I hope that is no longer the case. I had a copy of this and watched it over and over over the years, but I lost my DVD. Just watched it again and DVR'd it from cable. God how I still love this movie!! Very operatic and melodramatic. If you are a lover of musicals, Faust, The Phantom of the Opera, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Beauty and the Beast must get the tongue in cheek humor, the glam rock "Kiss" references, and the ultimate tragedy of a talented geek who had the unfortunate luck of meeting the Devil. Paul Williams' understated and perfect pitch portrayal of Swan is wonderfully perverse with a good dose of wink, wink, nudge, nudge... His cherubic outer image juxtaposing his inner evil was simply delicious! (I'm licking my lips. Can you tell?) And his score is still strong enough to pull me back through the years to a magically specific point in time. I'm really pushing for a musical on Broadway. This is just a natural for that venue! And Mr. Williams could expand on his score. It would be perfection. It's nice to know I can still dream.....

A remake of the Phantom of the Opera in a New York setting, in the days of rock and roll and of show business and of records and rock operas. That must have some kind of filiation or descent from the Rocky Horror Show from London, and it does, but not entirely. I just wonder if it is not also inspired by Anne Rice's Lestat de Lioncourt in his rock star episode of the Queen of the Dead. That sure reveals all the shortcomings and drawbacks of show business and the "mythology" that goes along with it. But it has another dimension that has to do with Brian de Palma too. He had to criticize society and its over-exploitation of artists. But that was easy. So he had to criticize the gullibility of performers of any type, particularly women, and of the audience. They believe anything that comes from the honey sweet mouth of a producer. The audience comes to the show only to experience the impossible or the improbable, and they applaud to the death of a person because that's too much, I mean it is real, really real, perfect, etc. They yell and clap when someone gets cut up and sliced on the stage because that smells like blood and blood is good on a stage, any stage, provided it is fresh and hot and they can get splashed with it. The audience also come because in a show like that they can do what they couldn't do on the sidewalk outside the theater and there Brian de Palma remains very suggestive but no more than suggestive. But what makes that film in a way superb is the fact that Brian de Palma uses his camera and his special effects so well that we really don't have to suspend our disbelief when something odd is happening; it is just normal in the odd situation we have been soaked in for a while. There is no innuendo or half measures or maybe some interrogations about the fact the main singer is gay like in the Rocky Horror Show. He is so gay that he edges onto the caricature without really slipping on the other side. And the language within the producing team about it is just homophobic enough to be believable, but not too much though, just what we can hear on a sound stage or in the wings of a theater in such a situation, though certainly no diplomacy about it, absolutely none. Just plain and simple homophobically gross. So it can end in a total slaughter of everyone available on the last night with knives, daggers, electricity, weapons, machine guns, you name it you have it. And it looks so nice, all those dead bodies floating in blood galore. Apart from that decadent artistic perfection, the film is nothing but a remake of two or three films and nothing else. The electric guitars are not noisier that a couple of cimbaloms.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID