Director Brian De Palma’s update of Phantom of the Opera, with additional bits of The Picture of Dorian Gray and Faust, set at the dawn of corporate rock. Composer Winslow (William Finley) has his music stolen by Swan (Paul Williams), a record producer about to open up a concert hall, The Paradise. When Winslow goes to Swan’s record company to demand the music’s return, he’s beaten and framed for drug dealing by Swan’s henchmen. While in prison and after his escape, Winslow suffers disfigurement, further fueling his revenge quest. He lurks in the bowels of The Paradise, terrorizing Swan and his bands. Coming face-to-face, Swan cons Winslow into believing he can still have his music produced and use the singer of his choice, Phoenix (Jessica Harper). Things go predictably wrong and Phoenix is replaced by Beef (Gerrit Graham), an egocentric glam star. Electrocutions onstage, double crosses and Swan’s seduction of the innocent Phoenix follow.
“Not just one of the flashiest, angriest musical films, but an enduring and damning kiss-off to America’s spiraling desperation for entertainment.” – Jacob Oller, The Film Stage
“A very good horror comedy-drama about a disfigured musician haunting a rock palace. Brian De Palma’s direction and script makes for one of the very rare ‘backstage’ rock story pix, catching the garishness of the glitter scene in its own time.” – Variety
Marc Edward Heuck discusses Phantom of the Paradise on the New Beverly blog.
