Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Phantom of the Paradise

  • 19741974
  • PGPG
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
19K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer2:17
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Fantasy

A disfigured composer sells his soul for the woman he loves so that she will perform his music. However, an evil record tycoon betrays him and steals his music to open his rock palace, The P... Read allA disfigured composer sells his soul for the woman he loves so that she will perform his music. However, an evil record tycoon betrays him and steals his music to open his rock palace, The Paradise.A disfigured composer sells his soul for the woman he loves so that she will perform his music. However, an evil record tycoon betrays him and steals his music to open his rock palace, The Paradise.

IMDb RATING
7.3/10
19K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Brian De Palma
  • Writers
    • Brian De Palma
    • Louisa Rose(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Paul Williams
    • William Finley
    • Jessica Harper
Top credits
  • Director
    • Brian De Palma
  • Writers
    • Brian De Palma
    • Louisa Rose(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Paul Williams
    • William Finley
    • Jessica Harper
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 181User reviews
    • 120Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:17
    Official Trailer

    Photos161

    William Finley in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    William Finley in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    William Finley in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Jessica Harper in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Gerrit Graham in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Mary Margaret Amato and George Memmoli in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Jessica Harper in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Jessica Harper, George Memmoli, and Paul Williams in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    William Finley in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Jessica Harper and Paul Williams in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Jessica Harper in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Paul Williams
    Paul Williams
    • Swanas Swan
    William Finley
    William Finley
    • Winslowas Winslow…
    Jessica Harper
    Jessica Harper
    • Phoenixas Phoenix
    Gerrit Graham
    Gerrit Graham
    • Beefas Beef
    George Memmoli
    George Memmoli
    • Philbinas Philbin
    Archie Hahn
    Archie Hahn
    • The Juicy Fruitsas The Juicy Fruits…
    Jeffrey Comanor
    Jeffrey Comanor
    • The Juicy Fruitsas The Juicy Fruits…
    Peter Elbling
    Peter Elbling
    • The Juicy Fruitsas The Juicy Fruits
    • (as Harold Oblong)
    • …
    Colin Cameron
    • Bandas Band
    David Garland
    • Bandas Band
    Gary Mallaber
    • Bandas Band
    Art Munson
    • Bandas Band
    Mary Margaret Amato
    Mary Margaret Amato
    • Swan's Entourageas Swan's Entourage
    Rand Bridges
    • Swan's Entourageas Swan's Entourage
    Jim Bohan
    • Swan's Entourageas Swan's Entourage
    Herb Pacheco
    • Assassinas Assassin
    Jennifer Ashley
    • Groupieas Groupie
    Janit Baldwin
    Janit Baldwin
    • Groupieas Groupie
    • Director
      • Brian De Palma
    • Writers
      • Brian De Palma
      • Louisa Rose(uncredited)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    Sisters
    6.9
    Sisters
    Obsession
    6.7
    Obsession
    Dressed to Kill
    7.1
    Dressed to Kill
    Body Double
    6.8
    Body Double
    The Fury
    6.3
    The Fury
    Blow Out
    7.4
    Blow Out
    Raising Cain
    6.0
    Raising Cain
    Hi, Mom!
    6.1
    Hi, Mom!
    Get to Know Your Rabbit
    5.4
    Get to Know Your Rabbit
    Snake Eyes
    6.1
    Snake Eyes
    Home Movies
    5.1
    Home Movies
    Carrie
    7.4
    Carrie

    Storyline

    Edit
    Evil record tycoon Swan has sold his soul to the devil for eternal youth and success - 20 years ago. Swan's current scheme is to steal the music from composer Winslow Leach to celebrate the opening of his rock palace, The Paradise. While trying to stop Swan, Leach was framed and convicted for drug dealing, and becomes the victim of a freak accident that leaves him horribly disfigured. He takes refuge in the cavernous Paradise, hiding his mangled face beneath an eerie mask and planning gruesome vengeance upon Swan - and everyone else who has hurt him. However, Leach signs a contract with Swan to complete his rock opera based on the legend of Faust for an aspiring singer - Phoenix. —Max Davison
    • cult favorite
    • rock opera
    • masked man
    • deal with the devil
    • black comedy
    • 213 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The music made him do it!
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Horror
      • Music
      • Romance
      • Thriller
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Swan (Paul Williams) is adjusting Winslow Leach's (William Finley) voice, the singer is not Finley but Williams. This makes it a little in-joke when Swan announces that the voice is "perfect".
    • Goofs
      Brian De Palma can be seen at around 1:02:58. He's right there plain as night, in the darkness just over Phoenix's left shoulder, sitting in a director's chair with his right arm raised, along with another crew member over Phoenix's right shoulder, then he vanishes when the spot picks her up.
    • Quotes

      The Phantom: [to Beef] Never sing my music again. Not here, not anywhere. Do you understand? Never again. My music is for Phoenix. Only she can sing it. Anyone else who tries, dies!

    • Crazy credits
      The closing credits feature a series of montages of the cast members, identifying each by name, starting with the musical trio (Oblong, Hahn, Comanor) and concluding with William Finley as Winslow/The Phantom. These montages are made up of shots ostensibly from the movie, and most of them are, but there are also numerous outtakes.
    • Alternate versions
      In the pre-release (or press) prints of the movie, the scene where Winslow was disfigured by the record press was longer; His disfigured face was briefly seen steaming with smoke from the press, and Winslow then killed the cop that surprised him (and shot him in the leg, which explained why Winslow walked with a limp for most of the film; however, he was able to run with the greatest of ease towards the end). The scene was removed from subsequent versions, as it was best decided that Winslow's disfigured visage be revealed at the end of the film.
    • Connections
      Featured in Terror in the Aisles (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      Goodbye, Eddie, Goodbye
      Written by Paul Williams

      Performed by Jeffrey Comanor, Archie Hahn and Peter Elbling as The Juicy Fruits, lead vocal Archie Hahn

    User reviews181

    Review
    Top review
    In the court of King Williams
    Talented underground creators. How great it is to be in their worlds! that's when we get them at the height of their more uncontrolled and pure creativity. unmanipulated, wild. The outcome of what they do when they work within the underground is hardly the best work they produce, but it's often their more passionate creations, and practically always indicates what they will master when they "grow up".

    Here we have a film that exists in 3 levels (at least 3 that matter to me):

    • this is a film within a social and cultural context. The kind of music we hear here (not the multiple parodies, but the music that is intended to be "good") was a reaction to the 60', or the next step of the evolution. Within the same underground spirit that created this film, there was a growing tendency to extend and invent forms that would accommodate the fantasies of new musicians. That's what today we know as progressive rock. This film would pave the way for Tommy, for Live at Pompei, and for The Wall.


    • Paul Williams, great mind, great talent. Much of what works here is his vision, from the mood even to some roots of the story. His parodies are great, but his real stuff is good enough. I enjoyed getting to know him better, and it Is funny that he comes to perform the guy who steals his own music.


    • de Palma, who was my first interest when coming to this. The fact is i didn't know so well what to expect, and i ended up appreciating more the other levels than this one of the director. Apparently by this time he had clarified what he wanted to explore, but he was far from mastering any of his enormous visual skills, or this film was such a collective work that he just couldn't make his personal statement so well. Anyway we have here eventually the first split screen of his career (i'm not absolutely sure of this), something he would take all his careers with incredible results. Other than that, we don'te have his magical camera eye yet.


    The story matters only for the fact that we have a battle between creative and money grower, something that all the people involved here might know pretty well back in those days.

    Jennifer Harper has a pretty face, and illuminates the set when she sings.

    My opinion: 4/5

    http://www.7eyes.wordpress.com
    helpful•8
    4
    • RResende
    • Jun 11, 2010

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 1, 1974 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Phantom
    • Filming locations
      • Majestic Theatre - 1925 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Harbor Productions
      • Pressman-Williams Enterprises
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,300,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Who Is Cad Bane? Explaining the Blue Meanie From ‘The Book of Boba Fett’
    Who Is Cad Bane? Explaining the Blue Meanie From ‘The Book of Boba Fett’
    Feb 2The Wrap
    Resurrection for "Phantom of the Paradise" ?
    Jan 5SneakPeek

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Top Gap
    What is the Japanese language plot outline for Phantom of the Paradise (1974)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.