Brian De Palma’s inspired rock’n’roll fusion of Faust, The Phantom of the Opera and The Picture of Dorian Gray boasts an Oscar-nominated score by Paul Williams, who also stars as an evil record producer who not only steals the work of composer/performer Winslow Leach (William Finley) but gets him locked up in Sing Sing - and that’s not the worst that happens to him along the way.
Few revenge scenarios have ever been so amply justified, but the film is also constantly aware of the satirical possibilities offered by the 1970s music industry, exemplified by Gerrit Graham’s hilariously camp glam-rock star. Jessica Harper (Suspiria) appears in her first major role 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, not least because it was so clearly a labour of love.
DISC ONE (BLU-RAY):
• NEW Audio Commentary with Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham and the Juicy Fruits (Archie Hahn, Jeffrey Comanor and Harold Oblong aka Peter Eibling)
• NEW Audio Commentary with Production Designer Jack Fisk
• NEW Interview with director Brian DePalma
• NEW Interview with Paul Williams talking about the music of PHANTOM
• NEW Interview with Make-up Effects wizard Tom Burman discussing the Phantom Helmet
DISC TWO (DVD):
• Paradise Regained – documentary on the making of the film featuring director Brian DePalma, Producer Edward R. Pressman, William Finley, Paul Williams, Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham and more…
• Interview with Paul Williams moderated by Guillermo Del Toro
• Interview with costume designer Rosanna Norton
• NEW Interview with producer Edward R. Pressman • NEW Interview with drummer Gary Mallaber
• NEW Alvin’s Art and Technique – a look at the neon poster
• NEW Phantom of the Paradise Biography by Gerrit Graham - 1974 Publicity Sheet written by and read by Graham
• Alternate Takes
• Swan Song Outtake Footage
• Radio Spots
• TV Spots
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery
