Favorite Films: Phantom Of The Paradise (1974)

Film genres go through astronomical changes throughout the decades. They start with humble origins, evolve, and are deconstructed over many years. If you compare the earliest westerns to a masterpiece like Unforgiven, they hardly seem like the same genre. Sure, the setting is the same, but the structure and execution are miles apart. Look at the early science fiction films like Metropolis and the Flash Gordon serials, then compare those with 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and Brazil, etc. The films feel like they were made on different planets. They are influenced by those early works, but the storytelling has evolved a tremendous amount.

Musicals are a rare exception. The format and the way the films are presented and structured have remained mostly the same. The genre has not evolved that much. They are given bigger budgets and tell stories from more diverse and eclectic backgrounds, but the way those films are made could have been accomplished in similar ways decades ago. Here’s the bit where they sing and here’s the bit where they talk. That’s pretty much what they boil down to. There are very few film musicals that try to challenge that preexisting method of creation. Phantom Of The Paradise is a rare exception. Most of the song moments are seamlessly interwoven into the narrative. When someone sings, it’s tied into the action happening on-screen rather than the usual stop and start rhythm from other films.

The song moments are usually because a character is singing on stage or during an audition. Characters don’t go from having a normal conversation to abruptly phasing into a parallel reality where feelings are communicated via singing. There are some exceptions, but for the most part, the film adheres to this approach where other characters who are not a part of the song are aware of the music being performed. This organic shift from speaking to singing is part of what makes it unique. My observations about musicals may sound like I have an immense dislike for them, but that is not the case. Quite the opposite. In fact, I adore a great musical; I just think their reverence for the past golden years can hold them back from evolving.

I first heard of the film when I saw it mentioned by Edgar Wright. It had the unfortunate timing of releasing the year before Rocky Horror Picture Show. While that film became one of the most iconic cult films of all time, Phantom only achieved a known status in Winnipeg and France. I have no idea why the film didn’t take off as it should have. All the elements of a great cult film are there. I would say it could have been an issue of timing, but there isn’t much difference between 1974 and 1975. To be honest, Rocky Horror never clicked with me in the same way as it did for many others. It has some catchy songs, but I could never get into the actual movie in between the songs. That is where Phantom stands out from the others. The plot is a fantastic combination of Faust, The Portrait Of Dorian Grey, and of course, Phantom Of The Opera. The Phantom story has been done many times before, but never with this kind of cinematic flair.

It was one of Brian De Palma’s earlier films. Even back then he had a wonderful sense of how to create a vivid sense of place and character. The use of bright reds and stark gothic backgrounds remind me of the great Italian horror films of the ’70s and ’80s. Rather fitting since the lead of Phantom, Jessica Harper, later starred in Dario Argento’s Suspiria. I feel like De Palma has been overlooked by many compared to others from his time. He has a fair share of duds, especially his most recent films, but there was a time when he was seen as the next Hitchcock. That comparison was always the albatross around his neck. While I can see why many would find that a flattering comparison, it can also hold a filmmaker back in the public eye when they are seen as inheritors to a throne rather than their own person. De Palma crafted a distinct approach to his films. They were certainly influenced by Hitchcock and film noir greats, but he has a stylistic and grand approach that set his work apart.

Phantom Of The Paradise introduces us to Winslow Leach, played with earnest conviction by William Finley. He is performing a piece from his Faust-inspired Cantata. The music is overheard by a diabolical record producer, Swan, played with delightful menace by the film’s songwriter Paul Williams. Swan thinks Winslow’s music is the perfect way to open his new club, The Paradise. He is not the first person I’d think of to play a villain, but he brings a great swagger to the role. You buy him as the manipulative Swan, a bizarre combination of Phil Specter’s megalomania and Edgar Winter’s hair. He gets his right-hand man Arnold Philbin to promise Winslow a record deal. This does not pan out the way Winslow was hoping. He never hears back from Swan, then later finds out the music is being used without his permission.

Winslow meets the singer Phoenix at Swan’s home during an audition process with less than savory methods. She’ll do anything to be able to sing in front of people. She is idealistic to a fault. Jessica Harper’s voice has a soulful richness that gives it a unique quality. She later was the lead in Shock Treatment, the underrated follow-up to Rocky Horror Picture Show. Phantom is a smorgasbord of ideas, but they all synchronize in perfect harmony. It’s a darkly comedic satire of the music industry, a Rock n’ Roll musical, and a horror-inspired tale of greed and revenge. Winslow’s change into the Phantom is a macabre sight. He gets his face burnt by a record pressing machine. His haunting of The Paradise is where the film takes off. He is promised control of his music by Swan, but of course, that doesn’t happen.

Here is where we are introduced to the magnificent Beef, played with hilarious bluster by Gerrit Graham. Winslow only wants Phoenix to perform his music, but despite an impressive audition, she is relegated to a backing vocalist while Beef takes over. He is a ridiculous caricature of glam rock camp. All these brilliant elements would not work without great music, and Paul Williams delivers with a fantastically eclectic soundtrack. There’s 50’s inspired Doo-Wop, ridiculously catchy pop, Glam Rock, Alice Cooper inspired Shock Rock, and beautiful ballads. Old Souls in particular is one of my favorite songs. It’s a marvelous encapsulation of tragic love.

There is no way to predict success. Even a film like this with all the potential ingredients for a hit can still not resonate with the general public. These films can sometimes attract a devout following years later. Phantom has found a dedicated audience of people who keep its spirit strong. The film may not have obtained the same iconic status as others, but to those who love the film, there is nothing else like it.