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Phantom of the Paradise​

Brian De Palma  •   USA  • ​  1974
91 mins  •  HD  •   M violence

A disfigured composer seeks revenge on a powerful, exploitative music producer in this one-of-a-kind glam-rock, horror musical reworking of The Phantom of the Opera. 
​
“A spectacular celebration of horror movie nostalgia” – Hollywood Reporter
DIRECTOR: Brian De Palma
PRODUCER: Edward Pressman
 ​    
PRODUCTION CO: Harbor Productions
​​
SCREENPLAY: Brian De Palma
PHOTOGRAPHY: Larry Pizer
EDITOR: Paul Hirsch
MUSIC: Paul Williams
WITH: Paul Williams (Swan), William Finley (Winslow Leach/the Phantom), Archie Hahn, Jeffrey Comanor, Harold Oblong (the Juicy Fruits/the Beach Bums/the Undeads), George Memmoli (Arnold Philbin), Gerrit Graham (Beef), Jessica Harper (Phoenix) 

REVIEWS

“This Faustian horror/trash-rock/revenge musical from director Brian De Palma is one of the most technically impressive and energetically gonzo films of the sick ‘70s. The always-bizarre William Finley stars as the titular character, a songwriter ripped off and badly wronged by a Phil Spector-like music mogul named Swan (Paul Williams). When Swan sets his sights on the woman of the Phantom’s dreams (Suspiria’s Jessica Harper) things are going to get weird. This is De Palma’s testament to everything he loves in popular cinema, a stylistic exercise with few peers, and a great time at the movies.”

– Austin Film Society


“Brian De Palma’s Faustian fulmination against the soulless corporatization of art and artist, Phantom of the Paradise stands as the fullest expression of the filmmaker’s penchant for anti-establishment satire… Hitchcock is here, of course, in the funniest Psycho parody ever filmed, but most of the allusions in this baroque fantasy are paraded with an eye for gothic classicism: Faust, The Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray, among others, provide the canvas onto which De Palma splashes his overwhelming filmic mojo.”

– Fernando F Croce, Slant


“The film is a one-of-a-kind entertainment, with a kinetic, breakneck wit.” – Pauline Kael, New Yorker
​


FILM SOCIETY SCREENINGS

Dunedin
Wednesday, 11 March, 7.30pm

Whanganui   
Monday, 23 March, 7.00pm

Palmerston North

Wednesday, 06 May, 6.00pm

​​Wellington  
Monday, 08 June, 6.00pm

Wellington  

Monday, 08 June, 8.30pm

Auckland
​Tuesday, 27 October, 6.15pm



MUSICAL NOT MUSICAL >> ​

Film Societies of Aotearoa New Zealand

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New Zealand Federation of Film Societies  |  PO Box 9544, Te Aro, Wellington, NZ  
Phone: +64 4 385 0162  |  Fax: +64 4 801 7304  |  Email: [email protected]
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • SOCIETIES
    • AUCKLAND
    • HAMILTON
    • TAURANGA
    • NEW PLYMOUTH
    • WHANGANUI
    • PALMERSTON NORTH
    • CARTERTON
    • WELLINGTON
    • NELSON
    • CANTERBURY
    • TIMARU
    • OAMARU
    • QUEENSTOWN
    • DUNEDIN
    • WESTPORT
  • 2026 SEASON
    • MIKHAIL KALATOZOV
    • HONG KONG CLASSICS
    • MUSICAL NOT MUSICAL
    • 70s THRILLERS
    • CONTEMPORARY JAPAN
    • KIWI CINEMA
    • RETRO CLASSICS
    • CULT FAVOURITES
    • FRENCH CONNECTIONS
    • GERMAN CINEMA
    • WORLD CINEMA