Plot: What’s it about?
Swan (Paul Williams) is a record mogul who can make anyone a star, so long as he is allowed to keep most of the profits. He has created some of the biggest bands to ever take the stage and in addition, he has created The Paradise, a true haven for musicians and fans alike. But his empire runs into a dead end soon, once he crosses a young songwriter named Winslow Leach (William Finley). After he hears Leach performing one of his songs, Swan sends an agent to try to secure the rights to Leach’s music, but Leach refuses, as he wants no one to perform his songs except himself, unless he approves. But Swan is not shaken by the news and he simply steals the material from Leach, as well as taking away Phoenix (Jessica Harper), the woman Leach loves and wants to have perform his music. Leach tries to demolish Swan’s creations, but ends up scarred and injured in the process. Now Swan wants to sign Leach to complete his Faust based rock opera, which Leach agrees to, in exchange for some help. But when he becomes tired of selling himself, he becomes The Phantom and of course, that could mean serious trouble for Swan and his minions…
This is one of those movies I never expected to see on DVD, at least not this soon, but I am very pleased to see it released. Written and directed by Brian DePalma, Phantom of the Paradise is a piece of 1970s filmmaking that stands above the crowd, at least in terms of outrageous moments and unusual cinematic effort. Yes, this is an offbeat and strange movie, but I have enjoyed it for years and it never loses steam, even after many, many viewing sessions. It won’t connect with all audiences to be sure, as it has some weird moments and is 70s to the core, so it is as dated and outdated as can be, without a doubt. The music is schlock rock, but it fits the material very well and within the film, I actually like the songs, though I wouldn’t purchase the soundtrack, per se. This is a very humorous and unusual picture, so fans of offbeat cinema should be interested, as well as you DePalma devotees out there. Fox hasn’t included much in terms of supplements, but the price is low enough to recommend a purchase, if you’re a fan of the flick.
When I think of Brian DePalma, this is not the kind of movie I envision, but nonetheless, it is part of his resume. I like this film and I think DePalma is on in terms of direction, but it is so off his usual path, which makes it stand out from his other works. His keen eye for visuals is in full effect however, so his fingerprints can still be seen, even under this unusual gloss of a picture. DePalma seems to handle the material quite well and while it slips here & there, it never veers too much. You can tell this isn’t a genre he should work inside much, but DePalma’s direction is more than solid, given the circumstances. Other films directed by DePalma include Dressed to Kill, Obsession, The Fury, Sisters, Mission: Impossible, and Carrie. The cast here includes Paul Williams (Watermelon Man, Smokey and the Bandit), William Finley (Eaten Alive, The Funhouse), and Jessica Harper (Suspiria, Stardust Memories).
Video: How does it look?
Phantom of the Paradise is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I was a little worried about the transfer, but Fox has issued a marvelous treatment here, much better than I had expected. The materials look clean and not dated at all, well aside from the abundance of 1970s style, but the physical film materials look fantastic. The colors have the expected 70s look, but come off as well as possible, with no real errors to discuss. I saw no problems with contrast either, as black levels were smooth and rich throughout. Simply put, this is a superb visual presentation and as such, fans will be totally thrilled, to be sure.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a musically driven movie, but the included stereo option doesn’t allow for much, which is a let down. I had hoped for a full surround sound remix here, but this rather basic stereo track is all we have at our disposal. As far as stereo goes, this track is more than decent, but it simply fails to do the material justice, to be sure. The range is very limited and the scope is narrow, so the music and sound effects aren’t too impressive. But given the age and nature of the track, it is as good as we could expect, unless a full surround mix is created. This disc also includes a French language option, as well as English and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
