Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
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It was huge in Winnipeg. The soundtrack sold twenty thousand copies in that one city and went gold across Canada. Everywhere else... not so much.
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974) is Brian De Palma's rock opera, Faust crossed with The Phantom of the Opera. Paul Williams wrote all the songs and stars as a record executive who has sold his soul.
The villain's label was called Swan Song, until Led Zeppelin's label of the same name objected. The picture was already finished. In a rush, they covered the signage with wobbly traveling mattes, and the name is still visible in places if you look.
Actually, the movie was a hit somewhere else: in the imaginations of two young Parisian boys who would grow up to wear their own iconic headgear. In 2013, Daft Punk asked Paul Williams to write for Random Access Memories. It won Album of the Year.
About the Film
He sold his soul for rock n’ roll!
- Directed By
- Brian De Palma
- Runtime
- 92 minutes
- Released
- October 31, 1974
- Certification
- PG
- Country
- United States of America
- Starring
- William Finley, Paul Williams, Jessica Harper, George Memmoli, Gerrit Graham
More Credits
- Genres
- Comedy, Drama, Horror, Music
- Language
- English
- Origin
- US
- Studios
- Harbor Productions, Pressman-Williams
- Written By
- Brian De Palma, Louisa Rose
- Produced By
- Edward R. Pressman, Gustave M. Berne
- Cinematography
- Larry Pizer
- Music
- Paul Williams
- Also Starring
- Archie Hahn, Jeffrey Comanor, Peter Elbling, Colin Cameron, David Garland
- Budget
- $1,300,000
- Box Office
- $250,000
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Great soundtrack, still one of my favourite album.
Damn near perfect movie, like there’s very little to change about it that would make it any better, toward what they were aiming for. I’m always a little amazed that THIS didn’t become the original Midnight Movie Classic, before ROCKY HORROR.
Jim Delaney I concur.
Jim Delaney Me too! I just posted a comment saying that, then scrolled down and saw yours.
Saw this at the NuArt in LA in a double-feature with “Rocky Horror Picture Show” back before they both became cult hits.
Phoenix!
Jim now THAT’S BadAss!! What a great night?! I loved the NuArt when I lived in L.A.
Jim Delaney Rocky Horror is way better! This movie is a mess! None of the songs are memorable like The Time Warp or Sweet Transvestite! Gimme a break! 🤣
Anywhere But Hollywood
if you collect, also on LaserDisc
https://www.lddb.com/search.php?search=phantom+of+the+Paradise
I do actually collect LaserDisc. Thanks!
Likable enough movie. So well done that I appreciate it, and I have approximately zero interest in pop music.
Soooo tacky. I LOVED it as a kid.
11-year-old me loved it, tho no longer have my 33rpm
Still one of my favourite movies of all time
Movie played in Winnipeg for a year with every weekend show supposedly sold out.
* Winnipeg
Dave Bedard Well, at least you know AI didn’t write it! Fixed, thanks.
One of my all time fave films.
DePalma’s finest film IMHO.
Tasty, Winslow.
Chris Walker “Today? Today is Thursday, Winslow. Thursday.”
I ADORE this film and I had the opportunity to say so to Paul Williams a couple of months ago 💜🖤♥️
Elma Rico Kastning – Monsterpalooza? 🙂
Al Magliochetti yes!
and, for five bonus points, who was the set dresser on this film?
Gary S. Martinez Sissy Spacek!
Isn’t this about the time Jack Fisk & Sissy met? They’re still married to this day.
Ingred Chamberlin I think they probably met on this set!
Jessica has a great voice.
I never bought Paul Williams being able pull Jessica Harper. I dont care if he’s “under contract”, i don’t think that’s enough for him t o be able to seduce her.
Chris Richards The fame seduced her, he just facilitated it and scored
I really enjoyed this movie as a kid and it solidified my interest in making synth music. Saw it again recently and it’s a solid film!
Fantastic movie! Partially shot at the Magestic Theater in Dallas, Tx.
Loved that movie
I watched this a while back and I couldn’t for the life of me understand why it didn’t become a cult classic like “Rocky Horror”.
Frank Reynolds my exact reaction
A favorite!
I saw this at an art house cinema in the early 1980’s and absolutely loved it. I searched forever for the soundtrack and eventually found one used at a Salvation Army store on 8-track tape.
Watched it last night at an Alamo theater in Austin. Pretty good turn out. I think the later show was sold out.
Matthew Jones Yup, I saw it last night at an Alamo as well. Wrote those notes in the parking lot after the movie.
Matthew Jones I did!
Anywhere But Hollywood did you go to the 7:00 show?
Anywhere But Hollywood
LOVE THIS MOVIE
Because of this movie I hated Paul Williams for the rest of my life. This movie really messed with me.
Gerritt Graham as Beef! One of my favorite supporting roles!
The best part(s) of the movie was the music. Paul really pulled it off.
Remember it well the song the sword of Damocles still in my head
Geoff Jenkins That’s Rocky Horror Picture Show
Andrew Scotta oops
Geoff Jenkins The Phantom of the Paradise equivalent would probably be
“Life at Last.”
Andrew Scotta always get them mixed up
Steven Yoder “Somebody Super Like You!” And that masterpiece, “Old Souls”.
Loved it when Beef got electrocuted onstage.
Huge in Paris, too…
De Palma’s best film.
Tom Dannenbaum Maybe not best, but certainly the most fun.
Jim Kanter best.
Great Movie!!
Gave it a watch last year and gotta say do like how it makes for a great Rock adaptation of Phantom of the Opera, also was popular in Japan which is why you have various characters in anime/manga who have masks inspired by the Phantom’s.
One of my all time favorite guilty pleasures!!! Great movie with an amazing soundtrack!!!!! ❤️
I can report Paul Williams is actually proud of this Film I spoke with him about it after a concert about 20 years ago.
Harry Parch He should be. Great soundtrack and he played a great villain.
Harry Parch I saw him in concert and he got a round of applause when he touted this movie.
It was popular enough in Japan that toy companies there have made Phantom of the Paradise action figures.
Andrew McKinney
I saw it in the theatres. It was corny fun.
Who would win a fight between the Phantom of the Paradise and the Phantom of the Park?
John Lee Gene Simmons’ lawyers
I’m on Winnipeg’s side here
pair with Kilroy Was Here.
one of my favorite movies!!!
so—phantom of the opera, Faust, picture of dorian grey, frankenstein–any others?
Jaime Rush
The stage set for Somebody Super Like You/Life At Last was straight out of The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.
And the 1st-person camera where he first enters the Paradise and finds his outfit is an homage to Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde (Spencer Tracy).
“Psycho” (shower scene)
I saw it at the drive-in!
Part of the problem was that The Rocky Horror Picture Show came out in 1975, and fandom for THAT movie totally overshadowed Phantom of the Paradise. Both were excellent movies with great music and a lot of fun — I wish more people appreciated Phantom.
Jim Vibber Some of the stage scenes have that vibe.
I thought it was as good as Rocky Horror…………and the scenes with Beef were hilarious
Keith Howard I prefer it over “Rocky Horror….” by a lot. I was lucky enough to see it in the theatre on first run. Had the original vinyl too. For me, Gerritt Graham really steals the show as “Beef”.
Jim Vibber
Tommy came out the same year.
(Horrible show!)
I’m pretty sure it stole a lot of attention as well.
Randy J Smith I agree that Tommy sucked, but nobody agrees with me 😞
BEEF!
I was introduced to this film by members of the RHPS cast I was in back in 1982!
It’s Death Records throughout the movie, in both signs and dialogue. If it was replaced that way they did a good job.
Douglas Paris-White
Look at the podium in the scene at the airport where Swan introduces Beef to the press.
Also you can see “Swan S—” on some signs – over doorways, for example, with the second word blocked by people or objects.
Shaun Annigan Yep—pretty glaring example.
Often showed at Sci Fi conventions in the 80s.
one of the greatest rock operas. i love this film so much.
We saw it at the Drive in back then as a double feature with The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a perfect pairing
I saw this in the Dandenong Gala cinema as a double feature with the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I have always loved this movie and the soundtrack
Kevin Jones The CD has the full end of “The Hell of It” with all of that ragtime piano.
If this is ever remade, I will refuse to acknowledge it. In this day and age it would end up being about some rapper.
I first watched it on CITY TV in Toronto, recorded it on VHS and pause-edited the commercials out myself, about 1981. Watched it many times. Bought the soundtrack on vinyl. Bought the movie on dvd. Bought the soundtrack on cd. Watched the film at least 35 times. Tried to convince local repertory theatre and student film club to play it at Halloween, without success. Oh, and I spotted this at a showing of some of Guillermo del Toro’s collection in December 2017.
Shaun Annigan I personally believe that it would make a dynamite stage show.
carburators man…
one of my favorites, my Dad saw it while stationed in Korea in ’74 and it’s one of his favorites
Thomas Johnson My late BIL was the entertainment officer on a sub in the mid-70s and ran this in their little theater every night for about three weeks. Some sailors were sick of it – the rest were singing along with the songs.
Probably the very first use of Auto Tune when Swan corrects Winslow Leeches voice electronically.
Giles MacGregor …into Paul Williams!
Saw it years ago, loved it…never heard of Faust until then…will watch anytime is’t on
I made my poor dad took me to that when I was a kid I bet he was just thinking why me the entire movie. Although I watched it about 5 years ago and it was watchable wasn’t that bad.
My older brother took me to the theater to see it.
Got to meet Paul Williams at a very unattended screening. Love the movie. The cardboard box scene is directly in front of my dad’s old office in NYC
One of those movies that made family members say they didn’t want me watching it again when I was a kid. Like I cared what they thought.
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE: Best Original Song Score
I did not know that
I first saw this 20 years ago when it was not easy to find & a local movie club guru screened it at an independent cinema. Brilliant movie. Paul Williams & Brian de Palma did such a great job.
I saw it many times in my teen years at the local midnight theater showings….always was a fun movie and still is to this very day. Plus, Paul Williams wrote some great music for this film; watching him perform ‘The Hell of It’ on a Brady Bunch variety TV show was pretty hilarious too.
https://youtu.be/DKZ2p5tB6y4?si=E76INyLz4NA4pGZu
One of my all time favorite movies. Still play the soundtrack on road trips.
By the number of times I’ve seen this, it works out to numerically be my favorite film. (Sorry ‘Sound of Music’!)
“For, when it goes,” (big smile,) “You go.”
The movie absolutely slaps! Excellent music! Excellent costumes! Paul Williams! Paul “F-ing” Williams!!! 4stars all day!
Amazing movie
Favourite movie
And KISS?
It’s outrageous. It’s frightening. It’s funny. It has good music. The story is classic. What’s not to love?
One of my favorite films for 52 years.
Love this movie and love the soundtrack. I saw the movie in the theater and bought the album from Tower Records.
One of my all-time favorite movies.
The Paradise Theatre in Toronto screened it last year 😃
BEEF!!! 🤣🤣
I thought it was great
The song Old Souls is still one of my favourites.
Much better movie than Rocky Horror Picture Show. And had Jessica Harper in it. It don’t get much better than that.
One of my favourite 70’s films.
Saw it in the theater at it’s original release date and have it on Laserdisc.
MEAT! Phoenix!!!!
Had the book adaptation 20 years before finally seeing the film on a 2am Wednesday morning timeslot…loved it..
Loved Phantom of the Paradise ✌🏾🐻👍🏾
You could smell the cocaine
Paul simply just writes incredible music. 
Loved that movie!
I love this movie. One of my top 10 favorites of all time. I had the pleasure of meeting Paul Williams a few years ago and chatting with him for a bit.
One of my favourites!
Classic. Should be a broadway musical.
Chris Palm . . . careful what you wish for . . 🙂
It’s a great film
Never saw it but remember seeing the commercials that advertised it when I was a kid.
That’s T.O.N.T.O. The modular synth used by Stevie Wonder, and the Expanding Head Band.
Interesting take on POTO!
Midnight Movie a couple different times along with Song Remains the Same and Rocky Horror
I adore this movie!!
Boy did that thing stink
BEEF!
This movie also has Gerrit Graham, who got to act with Julie Christie at her peak hotness (Demon Seed) and with Kurt Russell on the cusp of superstardom in Used Cars
an absolute favorite .. saw it in theatre 3 times in 1975 (when it finally was release in California) .. it reminds me of certain friends, a certain summer ….
I saw this film in the theater when I was 9 years old, and understood it completely. The music and the wardrobe kept my attention. 30 years later Phantompalooza happened, my wife and I plus a couple of friends attended it which was viewing the movie, and later watching all of the stars perform who actually did in the movie. My wife knew the co-ordinators of the security. Paul Williams hit the stage doing his song, well not even 10 seconds into the song the security start making a path down to the stage in front of SWAN. A spotlight shines down on us, the security take my wife by her hand and led her up to the opened hand of the little blonde crooner. It was her birthday and her co-ordinator friends knew it would be the best present that she’d never forget…❤️
I had to buy a second copy of the sound track as I wore through the first one. 🙂 Love that movie and that sound track…. (I know every word…) We salute you Eddie…. 🙂
I have this on DVD. Great early DePalma.
Never heard of it. Sounds good.
I still have my vinyl!!
Love this movie, love the music and Paul Williams and love Beef!!! Wish Brian DePalma and Paul Williams would get together and do a “making of” interview or documentary!! ♥️
Carburetors man , that’s what life is all about
BEEF !!!
Superb film & soundtrack🏆
Da BEST.
I’ve bought that soundtrack twice now.
I got my vinyl copy of the soundtrack used when I was visiting Montreal in the late 80’s, and have never seen another copy before or since.
I was not myself last night. I couldn’t set things right with apologies or flowers! “This place is possessed!!!” Where to go? What to do? Could it be? SOMEBODY SUPER LIKE YOU??!!!
Saw the movie at the first Sleepy Hollow Film Festival a few years back with a Q&A with most of the cast afterwards, including Paul Williams.
Some really great music and very entertaining movie. My favorite gag is recycling the 3 man group for every music fad. And of course BEEF.
One of my Guilty Pleasures
“Old Souls” is an amazing song.
saw this at the midnight movies on a double bill with Zardoz while tripping on acid, they’re both great f*ckn’ movies
Great soundtrack
I remember seeing it in the theater and not hating it, but it didn’t do much for me either.
It’s AMAZING.
Watched it on the original Channel 100 streaming system in the 70’s over and over again. Can’t count how many times I’ve seen this great flick. One of my favorites!