De Palma: "I'm filming a rock musical horror comedy with influences from Phantom of the Opera, Faust and The Picture of Dorian Grey." Chambers: "That sounds interesting, but I'm busy working for the CIA by making a fake sci fi movie so we can rescue diplomats from Iran. Jack Kirby is penciling some art for us." De Palma: "...you just had to outdo me, didn't you?"
My dad introduced me to Phantom of the Paradise. IIRC it was the first movie that opened my eyes to this seemingly surreal and separate world of early 70s experimental cinema.
I saw this movie on cable ages ago when I was way too young to fully appreciate it but it fascinated me and stuck with me for years. I'm so glad to see you take on it.
I was 15 when I saw this in the 70s and it had a strong impact on my sense of morality. I took it seriously and my two best friends thought I was a bit odd for taking it so seriously. Thanks for the history and analysis. Your work is appreciated.
WOW!!! I love this background story! Brilliant! THANK YOU!!!!! Re: Wedding scene. There were some girls who got into the scene. Oh, I guess I should mention, WINNIPEG took this film to their heart in a big way! Phantompalooza 1 & 2. (April 2005 and 2006) were UNBELIEVABLE! As in "Is THIS really happening?!" which would culminate in a doc called Phantom of Winnipeg. 2019 , which Paul Williams (SWAN) did come to the city to see. A bit of WTF trivia. Winnipeg is the ONLY city , on planet earth, I think, where JAWS got beat out by Phantom of the Paradise. So a great white shark got taken out by a Swan. Only in Winnipeg, people.
I was actually in Winnipeg in April '05 on the day of Phantompalooza. I didn't go unfortunately as I didn't discover it was on until the day after when I was surprised to see the Phantom as the front page story on the local newspaper. Really wish I'd known about it ahead of time.
Okay, that neon lighting bolt scene scared the shit out of me as a child, what was my mom doing taking me to see this? God bless her because this movie is one of the best to ever do it, musical horror. Extra props to Depalma and the whole cast, bravo!
Ok,I don't know what you are on about.Daft Punk wear similar headgear and Paul"Angelic little bastard 'Williams wrote for them.i claim a reference of my own.
One of the most interesting things to me is, that Richard Corben did the Poster artwork for that movie. Corben is the guy who drew a lot of comics that where published in Heavy Metal. Sadly, he died in December last year with the age of 80.
Paul Williams isn’t as evil in real life as he appears in the movie. I was watching a show on Disney called Prop Culture where a fan was doing his best to find Kermit’s banjo prop in the Muppet Movie. So he asked B Henson, who didn’t know where it was either. At the end of the episode, Henson called up and said he found the banjo and when the host came in to look at it, he discovered B Henson had also found who came with the banjo, Paul Williams, who gladly sat for a interview.
Paul Williams isn’t evil at all. I’ve been a fan of his forever and a day and he seems like nothing but a very nice and pleasant man, who we owe a huge dept too for this movie
I was under the impression that the juicy fruits, the beach bums, and the undead (whose theatrics remind me more of Alice Cooper than of KISS) were all the same band in different get-ups. Or at least a variation of studio musicians on Swans payroll. You have to be extremely proficient and adaptable as a studio musician in the real world. Imagine how high of a standard Swan held his house musicians to.
This film has its own place in history. It stands alone with no other contenders. If you were to imagine a giant field of land? You would finds clumps of movies. Way off in the distance you would be this movie. Laying there along in the grass. Not one single movie near it. With nothing even close to it
This movie defines "turn around": *Couldn't get the desired talent, location, cast and financing. *Couldn't decide what the hell the damn movie is: a horror-comedy-rock-fantasy? No one is going to see a movie its creators can't figure out! * Plot failure: The "phantom" is immediately outted. Some phantom. *And, despite being outted, the "phantom" signs Swan's / the devil's contract with his OWN name! * The most ridiculous scene has to be having a fully customed "phantom" sequestered in a tiny studio of sorts composing music wearing gloves? Consumes pills without water? Why continue wearing that obviously ridiculous custome if you're No. Longer. A. Mystery! Damnit! This movie's failure led to the destruction of the actors in it: Paul Williams ( drugs and alcohol problems; the rest? Mainly faded into obsequrity. This movie is an excellent lesson in putting your pride aside and waiting until you can get what you need to make the movie that people will want to see. "Phantom of the Paradise" -- A hard lesson in a movie made through numerous compromises.
De Palma: "I'm filming a rock musical horror comedy with influences from Phantom of the Opera, Faust and The Picture of Dorian Grey."
Chambers: "That sounds interesting, but I'm busy working for the CIA by making a fake sci fi movie so we can rescue diplomats from Iran. Jack Kirby is penciling some art for us."
De Palma: "...you just had to outdo me, didn't you?"
some times, reality can be more stranger than fiction.
My dad introduced me to Phantom of the Paradise. IIRC it was the first movie that opened my eyes to this seemingly surreal and separate world of early 70s experimental cinema.
I saw this movie on cable ages ago when I was way too young to fully appreciate it but it fascinated me and stuck with me for years. I'm so glad to see you take on it.
Me too in 1975..I had the album
I was 15 when I saw this in the 70s and it had a strong impact on my sense of morality. I took it seriously and my two best friends thought I was a bit odd for taking it so seriously. Thanks for the history and analysis. Your work is appreciated.
WOW!!! I love this background story! Brilliant! THANK YOU!!!!!
Re: Wedding scene. There were some girls who got into the scene.
Oh, I guess I should mention, WINNIPEG took this film to their heart in a big way! Phantompalooza 1 & 2. (April 2005 and 2006) were UNBELIEVABLE! As in "Is THIS really happening?!" which would culminate in a doc called Phantom of Winnipeg. 2019 , which Paul Williams (SWAN) did come to the city to see.
A bit of WTF trivia. Winnipeg is the ONLY city , on planet earth, I think, where JAWS got beat out by Phantom of the Paradise. So a great white shark got taken out by a Swan. Only in Winnipeg, people.
I was actually in Winnipeg in April '05 on the day of Phantompalooza. I didn't go unfortunately as I didn't discover it was on until the day after when I was surprised to see the Phantom as the front page story on the local newspaper. Really wish I'd known about it ahead of time.
That's awesome! I am a Phan since 1975. Had the album
The movie is a delight, and learning its backstory has been a treat!
Oh heck Phantom of Paradise! How much did I love this movie? I recorded all the songs and had my own personal soundtrack!
I would kill to see a full length version of that Faust rock opera.
I just want to see the post-humous double LP Death Records put out.
5:59 Beef aka the best secondary character in this movie. He knows what he is and makes no apologies.
Don't worry, Beef is omnipotent.
paul williams plays villains very well; this and the penguin are two of my favorite roles of his
Okay, that neon lighting bolt scene scared the shit out of me as a child, what was my mom doing taking me to see this? God bless her because this movie is one of the best to ever do it, musical horror. Extra props to Depalma and the whole cast, bravo!
It's still wild to me that this movie is where the design for Griffith's helmet comes from.
I find it appropriate, think of all the singing he does.
@@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm I understood that reference.
@@LocksAndChains I understood that reference.
Ok,I don't know what you are on about.Daft Punk wear similar headgear and Paul"Angelic little bastard 'Williams wrote for them.i claim a reference of my own.
Williams sold his soul. He never had a hit after this soundtrack.
One of the most interesting things to me is, that Richard Corben did the Poster artwork for that movie. Corben is the guy who drew a lot of comics that where published in Heavy Metal. Sadly, he died in December last year with the age of 80.
I love movie poster art like his. Much more evocative than photoshopping a bunch of images from the movie into a poster.
Paul Williams isn’t as evil in real life as he appears in the movie. I was watching a show on Disney called Prop Culture where a fan was doing his best to find Kermit’s banjo prop in the Muppet Movie. So he asked B Henson, who didn’t know where it was either. At the end of the episode, Henson called up and said he found the banjo and when the host came in to look at it, he discovered B Henson had also found who came with the banjo, Paul Williams, who gladly sat for a interview.
Paul's a legendary songwriter
Paul Williams isn’t evil at all. I’ve been a fan of his forever and a day and he seems like nothing but a very nice and pleasant man, who we owe a huge dept too for this movie
I feel that intro catches most of the major influences, but leaves out *The Count of Monte Cristo*. Wonder if it gets mentioned later.
Has anybody ever seen another movie with Paul Williams called Bugsy Malone? Its awesome
Watch Winslow's solo perforrmance near the beginning. Any one think maybe Jim Steinman got inspiration here?
I think he is Jimmy Webb,so there!
11:56 John Goodman portrayed Chambers in the movie, right?
10:30 Griffith!!!!
I was under the impression that the juicy fruits, the beach bums, and the undead (whose theatrics remind me more of Alice Cooper than of KISS) were all the same band in different get-ups. Or at least a variation of studio musicians on Swans payroll.
You have to be extremely proficient and adaptable as a studio musician in the real world. Imagine how high of a standard Swan held his house musicians to.
You can tell the cheerleaders were NOT thinking things through with the costumes. They went dancing out with big. fluffy. bushes. on their crotches.
Oh, holy shit dude!
1:35 why does the parody of the thing sound so familiar and true to life?
Set the playback speed to 0.75 and listen to Drunken SFDebris
This film has its own place in history.
It stands alone with no other contenders.
If you were to imagine a giant field of land?
You would finds clumps of movies.
Way off in the distance you would be this movie. Laying there along in the grass. Not one single movie near it.
With nothing even close to it
This movie defines "turn around":
*Couldn't get the desired talent, location, cast and financing.
*Couldn't decide what the hell the damn movie is: a horror-comedy-rock-fantasy? No one is going to see a movie its creators can't figure out!
* Plot failure: The "phantom" is immediately outted. Some phantom.
*And, despite being outted, the "phantom" signs Swan's / the devil's contract with his OWN name!
* The most ridiculous scene has to be having a fully customed "phantom" sequestered in a tiny studio of sorts composing music wearing gloves? Consumes pills without water? Why continue wearing that obviously ridiculous custome if you're No. Longer. A. Mystery! Damnit!
This movie's failure led to the destruction of the actors in it: Paul Williams ( drugs and alcohol problems; the rest? Mainly faded into obsequrity.
This movie is an excellent lesson in putting your pride aside and waiting until you can get what you need to make the movie that people will want to see.
"Phantom of the Paradise" -- A hard lesson in a movie made through numerous compromises.
Damn Dallas area college girls making us look bad
who the hell forces you to review some random musical movie?