Regular Price $9.98

Starring: Paul Williams (III),  William Finley,  Jessica Harper,  George Memmoli,  Gerrit Graham, 
Directed By: Brian De Palma, 
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Release Date: 1974-10-31
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Format: Anamorphic,  Closed-captioned,  Color,  DVD-Video,  Widescreen,  NTSC, 

Editorial Reviews and DVD Information about Phantom of the Paradise

Description
Composer Winslow Leach (William Finley) is determined to seek revenge on Swan (Williams), an evil record tycoon who steals his pop cantana of the Faust legend to launch his enemy's palace as the mysterious Phantom of the Paradise and continues to plan his gruesome retaliation.

Amazon.com
Describing Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise as an update of the classic Phantom of the Opera doesn't do justice to this demented movie. While De Palma's Hitchcock homages have sometimes led him into dead ends, this rock & roll remake seems to have liberated De Palma's imagination, and the result is weird and funny, with the scruffy underground spirit of the director's early pictures. The Phantom is one Winslow Leach (William Finley), a nerdy songwriter whose "pop cantata" on the subject of Faust is stolen by a freakish, Phil Spector-like rock impresario called Swan (Paul Williams). After getting his head caught in a vinyl-LP compressor, Leach is transformed into a masked creature, haunting Swan's music palace, the Paradise. De Palma proves how nimbly he can establish narrative rhythm: the story moves like a cannon shot, and the musical numbers (especially in the Alice Cooper-like Paradise sequences) are brilliantly cut. The movie seems to predict the Studio 54 scene, MTV, and punk rock--the last, especially, in the figure of Beef, a screeching singer played by the unhinged Gerrit Graham. The songs were written by Paul Williams, that diminutive '70s music icon (he cowrote the Barbra Streisand wet noodle "Evergreen"), and his performance is a reminder of his peculiar, self-spoofing presence: at one point, the preening Swan announces, "You know how I abhor perfection in anyone but myself." Comedy, musical, horror film, '70s artifact--this movie isn't quite definable, and that's what's wonderful about it. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews for Phantom of the Paradise

Phantom of the Paradise
Lost a bit over the years!Hasn't stood up as well as Saturday Night Fever or Grease...but still fun.Phantom of the Paradise

Paradise!!!
This movie, with Paul Williams ingenius creativity in the movie, the music, everything about it, would not be the same without him.

Like Rocky Horror, just one of those early cult 70's movies you just HAVE to see.

LOVED IT!!!Phantom of the Paradise

Possbilities in the making...
After finding a copy of the animated version of The Phantom of the Opera, I still felt in the mood to watch other Phantom-themed movies. I can't say I'm a phanatic, but anything with a tormented disfigured person seems to get me. I stumbled upon The Phantom of the Paradise. I read up on it and thought, "What the heck?"
After watching it tonight I have simply determined it to be a definite cult film. I've seen my share of cults, and it says cult all over it in my book. Since it was done in the 70s, I cannot say I was into the music and the era's style was really hard for me to get used to.
It has potential though. If it were ever remade, given more up-to-date tunes and had better acting that would actually move my emotions... Yeah.
I didn't receive a feel for the setting, the characters, anything. All through it, I thought, "This could be so much better if it was revamped." But, hey, this movie came out around a decade before I even existed.
For me, it was just another movie. I don't feel like I wasted an hour and a half of my life like some people complain, but I do think it was an okay watch-once movie that could really have been something I'd enjoy better if worked on harder, better or in a later decade or so.
All in all, my views on it are the following:
It is made for cult status.
Die hard Phantom of the Opera phans might add it to their collection.
Some might go nostalgia or are 70s fans.

Vote from very bad, bad, okay, good to very good...
I give it an okay.
Phantom of the Paradise

Williams your'e a little legend mate !
I was always filmiliar with Paul Williams in the 70s he was everywhere ! I even remember seeing him
in an episode of the HARTY BOYS playing a singer on stage then turning into some sort of vampire , then recently I purchesed the MUPPET SHOW FIRST SEASON on DVD and saw his episode where he sang
AN OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG and thought " I REMEMBER HIM !! "WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO HIM ?
aparently during the 80s he got involved in drugs and booze so the 80s was rather quiet for PAUL.
He is a fantastic songwriter ! I have his Album SONGS FOR THE FAMILY OF MAN , great album ! all his
best songs , I have worn it out !! I bought it in San Francisco last year .

phantom of the Paridise is an interesting film , I have never seen it before ,it reminds me of an american
version of the rocky horror picture show , very 70s and very PAUL WILLIAMS .

When I look at Paul , he reminds me of Elton John with those Red Glasses , and although he is only a short
guy , he looked pretty cool in the 70s with his long blonde hair and glasses.

I look foward to buying more Paul Williams music and films.

Paul Rowling Sydney AustraliaPhantom of the Paradise

Back to basis
It was very nice to get this piece of history.
I remember the first time I saw this clssic film and listened to its original soundtrack. Nice to see Jessica Harper and Paul Williams again.
I went back 30 years in feelings, but with the actual sound and video standards.
Both products (DVD and CD) sound excelent and the viewing is exceptional.
Phantom of the Paradise

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