Phantom of The Paradise

Hello & welcome back to Monstrous Musicals.  Today, we are taking a look at an interesting cult film from director, Brian De Palma.   This film has somewhat of a cult following.  What is this film? Phantom of The Paradise.  What is Phantom of The Paradise?  Well, take Phantom of The Opera set in the 1970's, throw in drugs, sex, rock 'n' roll along with some Dorian Grey and Faust for good measure and that is Phantom of The Paradise.  Oh, let's not forget that Paul Williams wrote the music for this film.  

Trailer

This trailer sums up what this film is as it is not just on genre as it is a musical, a comedy, a satire of the music industry and a horror film.

The Plot

In the film, we follow music composer/singer Winslow Leach through his struggles with satanic record producer Swan of Death Records, who wanted a new sound to open his new concert hall, The Paradise.  Swan overhears Winslow's music and he decides that the music is it.   He sends his right hand man, Philbin to talk to Winslow about having Swan look at his song and have nostalgic based band, The Juicy Fruits and when Winslow hears this, he is enraged and gets angry at the idea.  Winslow calms down and gives his music to Philbin to look at.   Weeks later,   Winslow goes to Death Records to see Swan but his name is not on the receptionist's list.  He is later thrown out and sneaks into Swans' private mansion to talk to Swan where many girls are auditioning to sing at the opening of the Paradise and there, Winslow meets a young girl, Phoenix, who he takes an instant liking to and  helps her rehearse his song.  Though once she goes into see Swan, we find out that that it isn't an audition but rather an orgy.  Swan isn't looking for the best singer but rather a good time as there all these women and Winslow in drag laying on this circular bed. Swan then notices Winslow and has him arrested and sent to Sing Sing Prison.  (I had to look this up but this is indeed a real place).   While there, as part of a project backed by Swan, the  prisoners have their teeth removed.  One day while working, Winslow hears The Juicy Fruit's bastardization of his work and escapes from the prison, where he heads to Death Records to destroy a record press.  A guard catches him and his face is caught in the record press and in a cruel twist of fate, the records on the press that crush his face and mutilate him are The Juicy Fruit's version of his song.  He later goes to the Paradise and raids the costume department and dons a long black cape and owl mask and starts terrorizing the Paradise and during one rehearsal almost kills The Beach Bums, who were once the The Juicy Fruits.  Showing the constant change in music and how rapidly it changes.   Winslow now The Phantom confronts Swan, who quickly recognizes him as Winslow and makes a deal with him to rewrite his cantata, Faust.  Swan gives The Phantom a voice box so that he can talk and in an interesting take, his singing voice is now that of Paul Williams, the actor that portrayed Swan.  The Phantom says that only Phoenix can sing his work but Swan breaks his deal because he resents her perfection and has Philbin hire a glam rock pill popping star, Beef to do the singing part and he was purposefully cast his voice was wrong for the cantata. In a scene parodying the Psycho shower scene, The Phantom threatens Beef by telling him that no one but Phoenix sings his music.  This is enough to convince Beef to leave.  Philbin sees this and convinces Beef to leave, even though he thinks that  the Paradise is haunted. Phoenix is later seduced by Swan with stardom and they later to be wed. The Phantom tries to warn Phoenix to leave.  We later see that The Phantom tries to kill himself but because of a contract, he signed with Swan he cannot die until Swan dies.   So he tries to kill Swan but it does no harm as he too signed a contract. Over 20 years ago, he signed a contract with the Devil to keep him youthful as he was about to kill himself.  The Devil makes a deal with Swan that he can stay youthful so long as he watches a video tape of himself from those 20 years ago that he had recorded, that would age instead of him and Swan would have to watch it once a day every day to remember what the Devil gave him.  The only way to kill  Swan is if the footage is destroyed.   So, The Phantom goes through this, after this film's chandelier scene where Beef is killed onstage by The Phantom as he is struck with a thunderbolt prop.  And Phoenix sees this and his frightened but gets back onstage to perform.  Later on, Swan is exposed as a monster during his live televised wedding and he is slowly dying while being stabbed carried in the audience allowing Winslow to finally die and rest in peace but not before he removes his mask to reveal himself to Phoenix.  Phoenix embraces Winslow one last time as he passes away.  So, that is The Phantom of The Paradise.  Now I'll be 100% honest,  I've never seen The Phantom of The Opera and this film was my first foray into the world of The Phantom and I liked what I saw.  I have to thank TheOtherDude for suggesting this one in the forums because it was really good.  

Characters

This'll be broken be down into Main, Supporting, & Villain. 

Main Character

Winslow Leach/The Phantom played by William Finley 

  

I really liked that we saw Winslow at the beginning and he was just a simple gawky & geeky looking guy that just wants to get his music sold but he is scorned when Swan uses his music without his permission and it turns him into the monster that is The Phantom.  All of his hopes, dreams and ambitions are gone.  He is pretty much out for revenge against Swan but Swan is smarter then him and he is cold and cruel compared to Winslow, who was optimistic with star filled eyes but once Swan turned on him and had him arrested is when he became.  It is easy to see that after Swan turned on him and was reported that Winslow supposedly died, he played that up and became The Phantom.  Also,  I have to say that I love the set design for when Winslow was arrested.

I think the reason,  I like this set so much is how big the judge's stand is and it makes Winslow look rather small.  Almost as a way of showing how the average American is compared to corporate system.  And this film again shows how one having his dream crushed, can twist them.   For instance, just take a look at Winslow in Sing Sing and also as The Phantom unmasked.

You'll notice the start of the drastic change just looking at Winslow in Sing Sing and by the time, he is unmasked,  he just looks a bit creepy.

Supporting Characters

Phoenix played by Jessica Harper

Phoenix was the love interest of The Phantom and you get the feeling that he was obsessing over her.  And y'know, it's hard for me to pinpoint why The Phantom obsessed over her but I believe it has to do with the fact that she was one of the only people to show Winslow any inkling of kindness.  And you may recall  how I mentioned that the first "rehearsal"  was actually an orgy.  Well, it's funny to note but after Swan made her famous, she ate it up and became a completely different person.  Just going to show how fame can change someone.  

Beef played by Gerrit Graham

Beef  is a character that you are either going to love or hate for how goofy and over the top, he is.  I fall into the latter category because I feel his character really added nothing to the film except to be a part of the film's body count. Though I'll admit that I did get a chuckle out of this.

And honestly, how does one react to something like that.

The Juicy Fruits/The Beach Bums/The Undeads played by Archie Hahn, Jeffery Comanor, & Peter Elbling

These characters are minor at best and as I mentioned when describing the plot, when describing the plot, they are a reflection of the constant change in music.  This  is a stunt pulled by Swan, they start out as The Juicy Fruits,  a nostalgic 50's doo wop band and then we see them again, they are more along the lines of The Beach Boys and after the Phantom's stunt, where he tries to kill everyone in the Paradise,  Swan changes them into The Undeads.  A band whose looks reminds me of a blend of Alice Cooper and KISS. 

Music

Goodbye Eddie, Goodbye

Not exactly the type of song, you expect when you hear about something based on Phantom but in many ways, this number foreshadows the events to come in the film. The lyrics and the message/tone of the song perfectly clash with each other.

Faust (Winslow)

Winslow  does not have the best voice but oh my god,  this song, this song,   I love this song.  It is just so hauntingly beautiful.  You can just feel the raw emotion that Winslow put into this performance and like our previous song from The Juicy Fruits, it foreshadows events in the film as Winslow is singing of how he'd sell his soul for one love to sing his song.

Never Thought I'd Get To Meet The Devil

This one is short,  too short to leave an impression.  It's sung by Winslow and I get the impression here, the  Devil, he's referring to is actually Swan.

Upholstery

What an odd little ditty.  The Juicy Fruits are now The Beach Bums and this song as you'll notice with these characters has a feeling of being manufactured. They don't sound  organic or true when compared to Winslow's singing.   It's just a cash in.

Special To Me

I like this number because of Phoenix's performance.  I find that she really hits it out of the park with this number.  It's a pretty good ballad, just saying that you better treat me right.

Faust (Swan)

Grr,  I am so torn. I both love and hate this song at the same.  Love it because Paul Williams, it's Paul Williams.  This man has a great voice but at the same time, the version sung by Winslow is sadder and what's kinda funny is that is The Phantom but with Swan's voice, that's how it sounds whenever he sings after Swan puts a voice box on him.   I want to hate it because of what it represents in the film and how Winslow's work was changed but Paul Williams is good.  I don't know how to feel about this song. 

The Phantom's Theme (Beauty and The Beast)

This number is just tragic.  It's sad and sums up what has happened to The Phantom at this point.  He has lost everything that ever meant anything to him and through no fault of his own.  He was just walked on and betrayed by people in a higher position then him.

Somebody Super Like You

And now The Beach Bums are The Undeads.  This song,  I get it's purpose but I can't say that I like it. I just find it to be annoying.   The way it's sung grates on me.  I honestly can't explain why but I don't like this one.

Life At Last






Yeah,  I really don't much care for this one.  It's Beef's big number but I already went over that I don't like Beef and this song is just forgettable to me.



Old Souls

This one isn't bad but I think Special To Me is better when comparing Phoenix's two big numbers.   This one is just lacking in something.   I don't know what it is but there is something holding me back from truly liking this number. It's not bad, far from it but it comes up short.


The Hell of It






This is more like it, this song really picks it up.  This is a great song to leave your audience with and I almost feel like this song is about Swan in how it's better to die alone then to be stuck with you. And you get the impression that no one will miss Swan.



Villains


Philbin played by George Memmoli

Philbin didn't really have much of a character in the film other then being a tough guy that served as Swan's right-hand man and lackey.  That's pretty much it.



Swan played by Paul Williams

Swan is a great character, who is more deep then people would give him credit for. He is cold, cunning and calculated.  I was honestly surprised that the same person who wrote Rainbow Connection could play such a cold and heartless villain but then I remembered that he played The Penguin.  (funny, he's played two villains named after birds).   Though I'll say this, I think Swan is more intimidating then The Penguin.  And there are two reasons,  I say this, he carries himself in such a cold and ruthless manner and the voice.  Williams' voice, when not singing in this film spent chills down my spine.  You can be sure that when I do my countdown of musical villains later this week, Swan will be on this list.   Also, Swan's face melting when the footage was destroyed is as one of the creepiest moments in the film.

There is one other moment that I need to bring up that just made me chuckle, when Swan was looking for someone to replace Phoenix, his desk was a record.

This is just so silly and over the top.


Favorite/Least Favorite


Man, this is tough but for Favorite.  It's a tie between both versions of Faust because of how good they are.  They are easily the best songs from the film and show the emotion of the characters perfectly.  Least Favorite,  I have to go with Life At Last.  I just think it's pretty boring.



My Final Thoughts


This is a great film,  this film is just so much fun.  All of the characters are likable and both The Phantom and Swan are creepy.   You guys need to check this one out.  Well, we only have two more musicals to go. Join me tomorrow as I review...


The Rocky Horror Picture Show