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Summary: Amendment to review from other day
Review: I am Gloria from Winnipeg, I wrote a review on my favorite movie of all time, Phantom of the Paradise a couple of days ago, I inadvertently typed in that I saw the movie for the first time in 1973, it was of course, 1974, don't know if that can be changed now, if not, don't worry about it. Saw the video again the other night, it is an absolute classic and should have won Academy Awards for best picture, best actor for William Finley as Winslow or Paul Williams as Swan and most definitely should have won best soundtrack. I have always felt so much for "Winslow" and what he had to go through, life is strange and now that I am an adult I appreciate the "story" behind this movie even more. Thanks for having this website availabe for Phantom Phans.Regards, Gloria Dignazio
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Summary: My first date movie and my fav movie to date
Review: I first saw this movie on my first date and was so drawn to the movie, could care less about my date, mind you I was only 10 years old and this was in 1973. I saw the movie over and over when it first came out, I remember standing in huge lineups to see it, it was very popular here in Winnipeg, Canada. The girls all really loved Paul Williams as Swan and I especially loved the music in the movie and well, I guess the whole thing really. I have seen it on t.v. over the years, albeit rarely and finally purchased my own copy of the video a couple of years ago, along with my twin brother, he is also a huge fan. We also saw the movie at an Imax Theatre last year, but the sound was terrible and the movie actually stopped just before the song "Somebody Super Like You" was to begin. Needless to say the audience was not amused, booing, etc., but they were able to fix it up and get it going again. I have to agree that this movie is 1000 times better than Rocky Horror Picture Show and is my number one movie of all time. In fact, I am going to watch it tonight as it really is a classic. Regards, Gloria Dignazio Winnipeg, Canada
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Summary: A tongue-in-cheek, cutting-edge gem
Review: Talk about a film that needs to be put out on DVD! An early DePalma classic, "Phantom..." is just what my twisted little high school mind needed at the time: a wry, ironic twist on the Faust legend and the Phantom of the Opera, all done to a rock opera score. I remember first seeing this as a double bill at the drive-in with "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and was much more impressed with "Phantom". At the time (1974), the emerging record industry needed to be reminded there were folks who knew how the game was played, not just them. DePalma, obviously a music and gadget freak, was one of those folks and, with this film, exposed its sleazy underpinnings. The characters were very imaginative and well fleshed out. Paul Williams, as the music idol Swan, looks miscast at first, but he pulls off the role brilliantly. He is also to be highly commended for the witty soundtrack, which, although very intricate to the plot, stands up quite well on its own. Everybody else in the cast is wonderful too - William Finley as the tragic hero Winslow Leach, is dramatic, funny, lovable and pitiable in all the right places. Jessica Harper is desirable, innocent and believable as singer Phoenix, Leach's object of desire. And, of course, Gerrit Graham is unforgettable as glitter-metal star Beef (you just have to see him for yourself!). The Paradise, Swan's rock palace in-the-making, looks very authentic (in the mid-70s, this was a very believable concept). The story and pacing are very tight and, although it's based on Phantom of the Opera, there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Anyone who's a student of music, filmmaking or 70s retro absolutely needs to see "Phantom of the Paradise". It's fun, it's scary, it's laugh-out-loud funny, it's tragic, even tear-jerking. A great ride.
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Summary: I love this movie!
Review: What can I say that hasn't already been said? Great music, great story, good casting & acting. This is one of my top 10 movies of all time. At one time I had a "Swan" bumper sticker on my car and was driving through Westwood to get to my office, when none other than Paul Williams himself pulled up near me! He smiled and waved, pointing to the sticker. I have heard that Swan is Paul's favorite role he has ever played--I'd have to agree with that!
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Summary: The best movie from the 70's
Review: I saw this movie because it had the word "phantom" in the title but now I watch it all the time! It certainly is different than most film adaptions of the "Phantom" legend. The cast is wonderful especially Paul Williams as the sleezy little Swan. The music is great! I love the "Phantom's Theme". I think my favorite part is when Swan persuades Winslow to sigh the contract despite that has clauses like "All articles which are excluded shall deemed included". This is must have for people who like music, Paul Williams, William Finley, the phantom legend, and the Faust legend!
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Summary: Worth Watching
Review: Well, if you are expecting Leroux, you might be disappointed. What they were trying to do is to combine Marlowe's "Faustus" and Leroux's "Phantom of the Opera." Now on the positive side, the music is memorable. Williams is really captivating as the devil's representative. Finley is memorable as the poor man who has his music stolen, becomes disfigured, unknowingly makes an unholy deal, and rises to save the naive Phoenix from Williams' evil. The story is well knit, and the events do seem to flow well. There is even dramatic irony in that Finley wrote his music about "Faustus," and he himself will take on the role of Faustus. It is even nice that they have Finley visibly play the end credits so we don't feel too depressed in the end. Images are done well, and the general acting is pretty good. I am not sure the speeded up scenes really belong, and I think some of the humor is too low class. (Like when Finley goes to jail and has to have his teeth removed.) But it is an interesting combination of "Faustus" and "The Phantom of the Opera." Take 1 1/2 hours and watch it. You may be pleasantly surprised.
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Summary: The only REAL cult movie out there!
Review: Are there any REAL cult movies left? If cult movies means a film which has only a small but loyal following then ROCKY HORROR, PLAN 9 and A CLOCKWORK ORANGE are way out of the running. All those three films have (over time) grossed millions of dollars in box office, video rentals, posters, t-shirts, re-releases and re-masterings and have probably been seen already by millions of people around the world in 25 different languages. Then there's this film POTP, the cult following is small but the loyalty to this glam rock version of Phantom of the Opera is fanatic! I cant even begin to state how good this film really is, but I hope to god that one day it will get the praise that it deserves, (and most likely the hype of the three films above) sadly, as is always the case for good CULT films, it is becoming harder and harder to track down in Australia (I call Blockbuster video and they said they had only one copy in all of there stores in Victoria! ) so grab it next time you get your 5 for $11 deals. 10/10......oh yes, it is a true cult movie.
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Summary: I am not a cult movie lover but I love this movie!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Not enough space to say how wonderful it is. Just watch it and you shall see.
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Summary: One of Two FIlms by the Director that are Worth Watching
Review: Wonderful black comedy. Casting Paul Williams as the evil producer, Swan, was a brilliant stroke; watching chubby, cute Paul Williams menacing and terrorising the six-foot, leather-clad Phantom is almost worthe the cost of admission by itself. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of this film is the way in which it predicts some of the future trends in the industry, to the extent that what was considered over the top at the film's initial release is seen as rather quaint and tame looking back from the vantage point of today. Crossing the Phantom of the Opera with Faust and giving the result a rock'n'roll setting was a brilliant idea; but it would have been a total and complete flop without the soundtrack contributed by Williams, in his other guise as composer. Perhaps the best part of the music is the horrible ways in which the actually rather pretty "Faust" Cantata is degraded and twisted, while still remaining (barely) recognisable. And the end-title theme ("The Hell of It") is a wonderfully cheerful meditation on the well-deserved damnation of a major character, with an infectious ricky-tick piano chorus. William Finley, as Winslow Leech/The Phantom, manages to actually (mostly) convince us that he is feeling what the script says he is, which, given the absurdity of the script, is a pretty good accomplishment. Paul Williams, as Swan, is so wonderfully slimy and egotistical (notice that, when he electronically gives the Phantom a voice to replace his own ruined one, it's his own voice, rather than Winslow's original voice) in a cheerful evil-little-boy manner that you almost want to take him home and put him on a shelf somewhere. Jessica Harper, as Phoenix (there're a lot of birds in this film -- notice that the Phantom's mask is a stylised owl...) is sufficient unto the part. The songs are all well-performed and produced, the production values are good, and it's a lot of fun to watch. (Watch out for Yet Another "Psycho" Homage...) (The other dePalma film worth watching, incidentally, is "The Untouchables", if only to compare it to "Once Upon a Time in America" and see how thoroughly and perfectly he imitated the style and techniques of Sergio Leone)
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Summary: A Masterpiece!
Review: In 1974, a bunch of us kids in my home town of Pleasant Hill (these things always start out like this, don't they?), caught this rock and roll updating of the classic "Faust" meets "Phantom Of The Opera," wherein a sweet but naive songwriter named Winslow Leach gets tangled up with a mega-star pop producer named Swan no less, and ends up selling his soul to him. Paul Williams (known for his many pop hits like "Old Fashioned Love Song," and "Evergreen") wrote all of the film's killer songs like "Old Souls," "Somebody Super Like You," and "The Hell Of It," and POTP quickly changed our lives forever. Is/was it campy? Sure. Is/was it some of Williams' (and director Brian De Palma's) finest work? Absolutely. Wonderful performances all around, particularly from Williams himself as the evil Swan, and Gerrit Graham as the prototypical Death Glam poster boy (in ironically dark shades of things to come), Beef. Thank you Paul, Ed, Brian, and everyone involved in Phantom's creation. "Old Souls" never fails to bring a tear to this oh-so-jaded eye.
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