I would be surprised if you have heard of “Phantom of the Paradise.” Few people have. But it is a perfect cult classic that deserves a wider audience.
“Phantom of the Paradise” is a musical satire about the record business of the early 1970s. The mysterious and malevolent producer Swan falsely imprisons brilliant songwriter Winslow Leach so he can steal his music. Leach escapes but is horribly disfigured, and starts haunting Swan’s rock venue a la the Phantom of the Opera.
The movie most people would compare “Phantom of the Paradise” to is “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Both films are 1970s musicals that gained a cult following. While “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” eventually became popular throughout the United States, “Phantom of the Paradise” found success primarily in Winnipeg, Canada.
“Phantom of the Paradise” has all of the campy exuberance of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” but with more adroit directing. It is full of inventive sequences that remind you of the magic of filmmaking. One sequence involving a split screen left me stunned at its complexity and technical brilliance.
You can feel the love director Brian De Palma has for movies and filmmaking coursing through “Phantom of the Paradise.” It’s like that guy from your high school who wouldn’t shut up about movies got the chance to make his own movie. There are a lot of dated things in “Phantom of the Paradise,” but it has a passion for its story that keeps it timeless.
The songs of “Phantom of the Paradise” are catchy and musically complex. Paul Williams, who co-wrote the Muppet classic “Rainbow Connection,” wrote all of the songs for this movie. These songs include fun parodies of various genres and heartfelt ballads.
Williams also plays Swan, the evil record producer. He looks like Elton John’s evil twin and is appropriately devilish. I was surprised at the complexity and charm of his performance.
William Finley is great as the title character. Jessica Harper has some excellent solos as Phoenix. Every detail of Gerrit Graham’s performance as the flamboyant rock star Beef made me laugh out loud.
“Phantom of the Paradise” unfortunately remains relevant in its depiction of how the music industry exploits women. The offscreen attempted rape of Phoenix, the female lead character, will remind viewers of the recent accusations Kesha made against her producer. I look forward to the day when these scenes of women being sexually exploited and harassed will be as unrealistic as the scene of Leach signing his contract in blood.
“Phantom of the Paradise” is not perfect. There are some twists and plot developments near the end that feel a little too rushed. The relationship between Phoenix and Leach could have been more developed.
“Phantom of the Paradise” is available to rent from the library on the top floor in Collins and on iTunes. A movie this fun and unique deserves to be seen more widely. It will haunt you, but you will be glad it does.
