LogFAQs > #933387548

19. Phantom of the Paradise

KBM: 3
Johnbobb: 8
Scarlet: 13
Genny: 22
JONA: 25
Inviso: 28
Karo: 32

KBM - Why I Chose It: Like many (if not most) cult classics, Brian De Palma's 1974 rock opera-horror-comedy Phantom of the Paradise was a box office failure and received negative reviews upon its release, despite its Paul Williams score going over well and receiving both an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win. Over time, the film has been looked at much more fondly, with a widespread cult following that is particularly strong in Winnipeg; the film's more notable fans include Sbastien Tellier, Bret Easton Ellis, and Daft Punk.

My Thoughts: It's hard for me to even explain why I love this movie so much, but as I covered above, it's clear that I'm not alone. The singular, peculiar blend of a young Brian De Palma's fearless bravura direction, the absolutely batty storyline combination of Phantom of the Opera and Faust, the strange yet unforgettable performances from William Finley and Jessica Harper, and the pure drug-infused SEVENTIES of it all along with Paul Williams' truly excellent music and surprisingly great acting all of it just make this a winner for me and both my favorite De Palma film and my favorite Phantom adaptation (if you can even call it that). I don't know that it's necessarily even a good movie, but it's a wildly entertaining experience; one that I've absolutely fallen in love with and would have no problem watching time and time again.

Favorite Song: Faust (Swan)

Johnbobb - I can't place what it was that I liked about this movie. I feel like it could've been downright awful, and maybe should've been, but instead it was all sorts of funny and bizarre. The opening song was fantastic, as was the Phantom himself. It reminded me a lot of Rocky Horror Picture Show, never hesitating to go over the top and constanyly referencing classic horror bits. Just a really fun experience.
Favorite song: Goodbye, Eddie, Goodbye

Scarlet - The only film I had to watch for this list, having never seen it before, I found Phantom of the Paradise to be a weird, wonderful parody of the 70s music scene and the music industry as a whole. Definitely rough around the edges, there was at least a significant amount of originality here that was lost to a lot of this list. And look, if Bret Easton Ellis says this is one of his favorite movies, it cant be too bad.
Best Song: Faust

Genny - Phantom of the Paradise is reminiscent of Rocky Horror Picture Show if it never quite reached that same cult status. I would much rather watch the other, but I could see myself giving this another looksee when I'm in a particular mood. I appreciated the many nods to the classical literature Phantom borrows from, and the humor detracted from several bittersweet musicals I endured for the sake of this project.

JONA - While its an interesting take on the Phantom of the Opera, it has the problem of having a mixed tone. The mix of comedy, horror and musical numbers never quite found its footing for me. The drama between Wardlow, Beth Phoenix and Rich Swann was something I never found too engaging. I was interested in the Phantom getting his revenge. I was intrigued on how he would get his revenge. Once he joined forces with Swan, the movie lost a bit of my interest. The reveal of Swan making a pact with the devil is just so absurd. While it has interesting ideas, the execution could have been a lot better.
Favorite Song: The Hell Of It

Inviso - All I can say is that this was a very SEVENTIES kind of movie. The entire atmosphere of the film feels like the kind of drug trip, fever dream insanity that are emblematic of the artistic sentiments revolving around the decade. As a result, this was not my cup of tea. I found it bland and uninspiring for the most part. The tone is strange, featuring a dramatic shift from bizarre comedy (Winslow getting crapped on, falsely imprisoned, had his teeth replaced, and then got caught in a record press), only for the whole film to take a turn into some bizarre shit about the Devil. The songs are completely unmemorable, the soundtrack is obnoxious in its use of glam rock, and really, the only thing that even slightly salvages the movie for me is the fact that the acting of Winslow and Beef in particularis pretty campy and over-the-top to the point where its NEARLY amusing.

Karo - So this is a retelling of the Phantom of the Opera in the 70's music industry or something, only somewhere along the lines it got mixed up with the story of Faust and a lot of marijuana.
This version of the 'phantom' is a struggling songwriter who got his head stuck in a record press while he was trying to blow up a recording studio that stole his song and he so he ends up making a deal with Satan and c'mon guys, really?
Why the hell did they think it was a good idea to take a character as cool as the Phantom and give him the backstory of a fourth-tier gotham rogue, an outfit that looks like he's cosplaying as an old japanese superhero, and talk like DOMO ARIGATO MISTER ROBOTO. Shit on a motherfucking stick.
There are a few satirical shots taken at the entertainment industry, but the director couldnt be bothered to put down his bong and flesh them out into something with any real teeth.
The budget is low, the music sucks, and it seems nothing more than a cheap attempt to make a classic story seem cool to the youth of the time.

Score: 27/100

Best Song: 'Old Souls'