Phantom of the Paradise

Phantom of the Paradise
by Brian De Palma

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Movie Reviews of Phantom of the Paradise

Movie Review: Entertainment at Any Cost !...
Summary: 5 Stars

Phantom of Paradise combined several types of music, from a satire of the early 70s 50's revival which had just past its peak in 1974 (but would return with even more fervor following the success of Grease just a few years later) to folk-rock to a hybrid of Glam and hard rock. It took a little bit from Faust, a whole lot of Phantom of the Opera, a sprinkle of The Picture of Dorian Grey updated them all and set itself in the world of modern pop music so it could add a few twists and make some satiric cynical comments about the entertainment industry. . It featured narration by Rod Serling, introduced future Suspiria star Jessica Harper, and had an Academy nominated song score that was written by (stick with me now) Paul Williams and George Aliceson Tipton.

Today, in this age of Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson, the once somewhat shocking and far-fetched rock concert in Phantom of the Paradise looks positively old fashioned and not particularly abnormal. It's still very enjoyable as camp of course, but I'll bet new viewers will fine it difficult to fathom how it was once considered somewhat shocking and viewed as an utterly over-the-top exaggeration of a rock show.

De Palma experiments with his fluid camera, and uses split screen quite effectively. He explores several themes including the growing interest and fascination with death. The film shows how the attraction and desire to be a celebrity is very much like a moth to a flame. How being naïve and less sophisticated can make you a stepping stone for someone else's greed and desire. We see artistic delusion. We see how almost anything can be turned into a temporary disposable entertainment for an unsophisticated crowd.

If all this sounds very dark and cynical--you're right. It is an extremely dark and cynical tale that is wrapped up with an extremely illusory wrapping of high camp.

I can not predict how people who grew up watching MTV will view something like Phantom of the Paradise. In 1974, the general public was not nearly as media savvy as it is today and not everyone seemingly had an opinion about the manufacture of pop trends. We were just entering the first wave of disco, and seeing Glam rock's influence spread. We had not yet experienced the disco explosion of the late 70's, punk rock, New wave, LA hair bands, speed metal, world music, or grunge yet. Heck, cocaine's popularity was barely beginning and Studio 54 wasn't even a pipe dream yet.

Fans of the film will of course want to proclaim how it incredibly predicted some musical trends and styles (Alice Cooper, Kiss, bigger wilder rock shows, new wave, Goth) and how influential it was in being a trail blazer so that The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Shop of Horrors and perhaps even Andrew Lloyd Weber's Phantom of the Opera (a big stretch of course) could be successful. It's an influential film, but how much so is very difficult to say.

The story of how a songwriter is ripped off and abused still works pretty well, but William Finley's (Winslow) performance is uneven. He's pretty convincing as a milquetoast but as he becomes part martyr, part avenging Phantom he's not as convincing. Paul Williams' (Swan) presence is a strange one. He's almost too self consciously playing a somewhat melodramatic villain--though it's a performance I've always enjoyed. He's at times winking at the audience and at other times he's too convincing in the role. Jessica Harper as Phoenix is a slightly aloof, natural beauty. We can believe that Winslow sees an honest soulfulness in her when she awkwardly auditions for a role in the stage show. I found her a captivating believable presence but the script gives her character that makes an abrupt transition few actresses could navigate flawlessly. Some of the supporting players give nearly perfect performances. Archie Hahn as one of the members of the clone Beach Boy group the Juicy Fruits is wonderful. He's a face you'll probably recognize from dozens of films and television shows and was a member of San Francisco's the Committee (a famed improvisational comedy group). Gerritt Graham is another recognizable actor whose turn here as "Beef' an Ozzie Osborne type lead singer (his singing voice was dubbed by Ray Kennedy) is priceless. You might remember him from Used Cars or as Bud the Chud.

I'm way too close to the film to be able to venture a worthwhile guess of it's potential to connect to a new audience today. A sensitive 12 or 13 year old is likely to consider the film a very mean-spirited and somewhat sad film with really mediocre music. There's a suggested orgy scene in the film which while within the bounds of a P.G. rating might be considered a bit too strong for some.

Christopher Jarmick,is the author of The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder a critically acclaimed, steamy suspense thriller.

Summary of Phantom of the Paradise