Phantom of the Paradise: Difference between revisions

{{quote|''"He sold his soul for rock n' roll!"''|Tagline}}

 

 

Winslow Leach is an aspiring singer/songwriter who's quite thrilled when powerful music producer, Swan ([[Paul Williams]], who wrote all the film's songs), expresses an interest in using his music -- a rock version of ''[[Faust]]'' -- to open The Paradise, the ultimate rock theater. However, Winslow quickly finds out that Swan wants absolutely nothing to do with him after taking his music. While Winslow gets lucky the first time he sneaks into Swan's mansion (by meeting Phoenix, a cute wannabe singer), he isn't so fortunate the second time, where he's beaten up by Swan's men, framed for drug dealing, and sent to prison for life.

 

Compare and contrast ''[[The Rocky Horror Picture Show]]'', another 1970s rock musical that tackles horror themes (albeit in a much spoofier manner).

{{tropelist}}

* {{spoiler|[[A Chat with Satan]]: Satan talks to Swan when he attempts to kill himself in a bathtub.}}

* [[Playing Against Type]]: Paul Williams as Swan. Williams' on-screen appearances are usually as much friendlier characters, but moreover, his best known songwriting efforts are tunes such as [[A Star Is Born|"Evergreen"]] and [[The Muppet Movie|"The Rainbow Connection"]], which are '''worlds''' away from the grimmer, even cynical tunes here.

** For example, here's the chorus of "The Hell of It":

''I'm convinced that I'd wind up burning too. }}

* [[Government Drug Enforcement|Record Company Drug Enforcement]]: Death Records does this with all their musicians. For example, when one of the "Beach Bums" complains that he's too sick to sing, Philibin just shoves some pills down his throat and shoves him back on stage.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Danny Peary Cult Movies List]]

[[Category:Film]]