Saturday, August 24, 2019

Phantom of the Paradise




Phantom of the Paradise
1974
Director- Brian De Palma
Cast-   William Finley, Jessica Harper, Paul Williams,  George Memoli, Gerrit Graham
            
     I guarantee you’ve never seen a movie like this before; a rock opera horror comedy (which came out a year before Rocky Horror Picture Show) combining the stories of the Phantom of the Opera , The Picture of Dorian Grey and Faust, directed by suspense master Brian De Palma (Carrie) with a ton of great music by 70s entertainment icon Paul Williams!
            
      Paul Williams plays Swan, the world’s most famous music producer, a satanic figure who tricks and manipulates young ingénues and desperate composers like Winslow Leech (William Finley who starred in several Tobe Hooper films) to further his empire. Winslow is writing a rock opera based on the story of Faust and Swan steals it and lures in Phoenix (played by Jessica Harper whom horror fans will recognize from Suspiria ) as his star.
            
    Winslow tries to seek revenge but has his life systematically ruined by Swan, including being deformed into a bizarre figure that looks like pigeon with an S&M fetish.  Winslow finally joins with Swan in a last ditch effort to see his music produced. Meanwhile, Phoenix falls further under Swan’s spell and begins a downward spiral. As the film progresses, we discover Swan’s demonic secret and the story builds to a final confrontation where Swan’s true identity is revealed.
             
     The music in this film is really good! It spans from pop, doo-wop to hard rock. The songs are catchy and most could have been legitimate top 40 hits. Most of the musical numbers are essentially parody, paying tribute to the various styles. 
            
     This film isn’t for everyone. Its bizarre combination of music, theatrics, comedy and horror won’t mix well on most peoples’ pallet. The film remains relatively obscure though easy to find. But if you’re open to the experience, check it out!
 







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