Review of Phantom of the Paradise (1974) by John A — 16 Jun 2016

Brian De Palma's 1974 Cult Classic, Is A Wonderful Mix Of Music, Horror, Black & Satirical Comedy. Combining The Phantom Of The Opera, Faust & The Picture Of Dorian Gray (As Well As Others) With An Oscar Nominated Glam Rock Score By Paul Williams (Who Also Stars As The Evil Record Producer).

The Film Stars William Finley As Winslow Leach A Composer/Performer whose Music Is Stolen By Record Producer Swan (Williams), Swan Gets Leach Locked Up And Intends To Use His Rock Opera To Open The Paradise Theatre With. Leach Escapes And After An Unfortunate Accident With A Record Pressing Machine Becomes The Phantom.

Few Revenge Scenarios Have Ever Been So Amply Justified, But The Film Is Also Constantly Aware Of The Satirical Possibilities Offered By The 1970's Music Industry, Exemplified By Gerrit Graham's Hilariously Camp Glam Rocker. Jessica Harper (Suspiria, Shock Treatment) Appears In Her Film Debut, As The Naïve But Ambitious Singer, On Whom Winslow Secretly Dotes.

Prodigiously Inventive Both Musically And Visually, This Is One Of De Palma's Most Entertaining Romps, That Satire's The Music Industry The Way 1981's Shock Treatment Satire's The TV Industry (In Which Harper Also Stars). An Extremely Entertaining Film From Start To Finish Which Features All The Director's Trademarks.