Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writer:

Brian De Palma (written by)

Release Date:

31 October 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Music | Musical | Thriller

Tagline:

The music made him do it!

Plot:

A disfigured musician sells his soul for the woman he loves so that she will perform his music.

Plot Keywords:

Faust | Contract | Singer | Composer | Split Screen

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

William Finley	...	Winslow / The Phantom
Paul Williams	...	Swan
Jessica Harper	...	Phoenix
Gerrit Graham	...	Beef
George Memmoli	...	Philbin
Archie Hahn	...	The Juicy Fruits / The Beach Bums / The Undeads
Jeffrey Comanor	...	The Juicy Fruits / The Beach Bums / The Undeads
Peter Elbling	...	The Juicy Fruits / The Beach Bums / The Undeads (as Harold Oblong)
Colin Cameron	...	Band
David Garland	...	Band
Gary Mallaber	...	Band
Art Munson	...	Band
Mary Margaret Amato	...	Swan's Entourage
Rand Bridges	...	Swan's Entourage
James Bohan	...	Swan's Entourage

Also Known As:

Phantom (USA) (working title)
Phantom of the Fillmore (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Movielab)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Iceland:14 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1996) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Greystone Park & Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Harbor Productions

Trivia:

In addition to Leroux's "Phantom of the Opera" and Goethe's (et al) "Faust", the film also references Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein", Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray", and Edgar Allen Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" for a total of at least five citations of classical horror stories.

Goofs:

Continuity: There are only two scenes in the film where you can actually see Winslow's scars under the mask, specifically on his chin. One is when he first attacks Swan in the hallway. The other is with Phoenix on the roof. At all other times in the film, there is no scarring visible anywhere on his face.

Quotes:

Swan: [holding a contract] It's all here. Read it carefully, then sign at the bottom in blood. Messy, I know, but it's the only way to bind. Tradition.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'Obsession' Revisited (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Goodbye, Eddie, Goodbye

Belongs in The Unnamable Top-Ten List with "This is Spinal Tap"

My father wouldn't let me see this in 1974 (I was 11) and I recall him reporting a coworker's opinion that the film should have been rated "R."

So finally, in 2005, I see the film at age 42.

The film is disturbing on a variety of levels. First and foremost, I realized that most of the players are now in their late 50's and 60's. Disturbing, why? Well, because there's a band out there called "the Undead" (Bobby Steele, ex-Misfits) who, turns out, stole (or did he?) his name from Phantom of the Paradise's "the Undeads" Likewise, the Undeads in this film were doing in 1974 what Scandinavian death metal bands _started_ doing in the early 1990's. Furthermore, did the Damned's Dave Vanian rip off the Undead's gimmick?

I felt uneasy realizing that, had I seen the movie when it came out, I probably wouldn't have gotten any of the jokes; I wouldn't have laughed out loud at Beef, the lesbian jokes, the parody of self-important wimpy rockers. And I wouldn't have appreciated the successful composite of Phantom of the Opera, Faust, Picture of Dorian Gray, etc.

The acting is top-notch - the only way "camp" gets laughs. Paul Williams's Swan is the most black-hearted villain I've seen.

The wait was worth it for me on this one.