Like many of the influential movies in my youth I wasn’t old enough to catch the Phantom of the Paradise in it’s original theatrical run, which was 1974. I did however catch it with a back to back showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show just a couple of years later at my local Drive-In. I immediately fell in love with this campy Brian De Palma directed masterpiece. This is one of those movies, much like last week’s Poseidon Adventure, that I can just pop into VCR (Unfortunately I have been unable to get my hands on a DVD version) and just let the smile spread on my face as I get into the music and very enjoyable performances by Paul Williams, William Finley, and Jessica Harper. If you’ve not had the pleasure of watching the Phantom of the Paradise then make sure to add it to your Netflix queue and prepare for a cheesy but incredibly enjoyable film. Hey, as a bonus the film has an uncredited vocal introduction by none other than Rod Serling!
A quick side story, for much of my youth I had desperately wanted to pick up the music for this film, and in early 2004 I was able to pick up the CD when the music store I was working for got in a bulk shipment of .99 CD’s.
@0:32 Richard Simmons trying a blonde look.
@0:18 Thought it was two chicks making out, but then realized one of them was Paul Williams!
Wow, that and Rocky Horror in one bill? No wonder we share a wavelength.
Watched this terrific flick again a month or two ago, while in a DePalma movie marathon mode.
First saw this on midnight TV in the late 70s and loved its weird editing, Paul Williams (I think he and the Muppets had collectively worked their magic on me by that time – so I knew he was a cool dude), and the scary face make-up, shot up close and personal, so as to creep you out (love when movies do that – Hammer took this to heart).
Also loved Jessica Harper’s odd arm-flapping dance, which was supposed to be hip (?).
DePalma is an underrated director of cinematic gems.
@AtariAdventureSquare Yeah, it was an odd choice for my dad to take me too, but I am sure glad he did.
A few years after that we attended an all-night marathon of movies and Rocky Horror was followed by Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards. I might have to do a post about that movie in the future. :)
@InfomericalReviewer Man, that’s Gerrit Graham from the under appreciated comedy classic Used Cars…among other things. :)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0334057/