"... with a crush on [Paul] Williams' suave, satanic character..."

November 3, 2024 5:46 AM

Winnipeggers recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of a Brian De Palma comedy/horror/rock opera movie spectacle that was a hit in the city (and in Paris) and a flop everywhere else in the world.
posted by sardonyx (35 comments total)

Love this movie.
posted by doctornemo at 6:01 AM on November 3 [3 favorites]

It is a movie that is better than it has any right to be.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:05 AM on November 3 [1 favorite]

Yeah, that was kind of a stinkeroo...
posted by Czjewel at 6:10 AM on November 3

For some reason I'm reminded of a time that The Gods Must Be Crazy inexplicably ran at one theater in Ottawa for something like three years.
posted by mhoye at 6:16 AM on November 3 [2 favorites]

I was at the Edmonton screening pre-Halloween (w/Paul Williams in attendance). IT WAS GREAT! :D
posted by mazola at 6:47 AM on November 3 [6 favorites]

one of my favorite movies, perhaps because it IS such a genre-defying mash-up
posted by graywyvern at 6:56 AM on November 3 [3 favorites]

I was reading this too earlier this week and was quite charmed. Our local indie cinema ran it for a few nights a few months ago but I could not convince anyone to go see it with me. (I have never seen it.)

To me, this small fervent fan group feels like how true "cult movies" are made. Not by collective widespread nostalgia, but by these amazing folks who find something that speaks to them and create a modest community around it.
posted by Kitteh at 7:14 AM on November 3 [2 favorites]

It's my favorite movie. I have an autographed photo of Paul Williams as Swan on display in my living room.

(Release the Swan Song cut!)
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:18 AM on November 3 [8 favorites]

It's an odd film - not good, not bad, it kind of transcends classification in such simple terms. Definitely worth watching at least a few times. I love that there are such die-hard super-fans. Winnipeggers - wear your fandom with pride!
posted by davidmsc at 7:28 AM on November 3 [4 favorites]

Having watched the trailer, I can see why it might not have received the reception that some people feel it deserves. It’s sort of an Ed Wood version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Yikes …
posted by JustSayNoDawg at 7:35 AM on November 3

am I a synth nerd now when I recognized that still as shot inside TONTO?
posted by scruss at 7:37 AM on November 3 [7 favorites]

It’s sort of an Ed Wood version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

That actually sounds amazing.
posted by jzb at 7:42 AM on November 3 [4 favorites]

It's actually quite competently made. Some innovative technique even! It's De Palma!

It is strange tho', but by design and endearingly so.
posted by mazola at 7:49 AM on November 3 [5 favorites]

Some one needs to do a three-way mashup of this with Phantom of the Park and Paradise Theatre!

Also, the celebration was at Guess Who’s theatre?
posted by TedW at 8:16 AM on November 3 [2 favorites]

One of my closest friends is in Winnipeg at this moment for this very reason. I really should watch this movie.

And the Burton Cummings Theater is just killing me!
posted by slogger at 8:49 AM on November 3 [2 favorites]

I guess I was fourteen when Phantom of the Paradise first showed up in town. I went with a friend and we loved it as only fourteen year olds could. Some violence, some sex, some gothic horror stuff, great f**ing music!!! Friend immediately bought the soundtrack (on 8-track tape) which we poured over for a few days, then went back and saw the movie again. And damn, we would've seen it a third time if it had lasted more than a week or three in the local theatres, which it didn't, not being Winnipeg.

I think I've only seen it once since (video rental) and it just wasn't the same. One can't be fourteen forever, I guess. But that Paul Williams song at the end will never grow old.

... and because it randomly showed up at the bottom of that CBC page: nothing says Happy Halloween like a Giant pumpkin exploding after a 60-metre fall
posted by philip-random at 9:12 AM on November 3 [7 favorites]

Filmed at The Majestic Theatre in Dallas in 1973. Loved it since I saw it on TV when I was young in the mid 70s. Had the pleasure of seeing screened at The Majestic a few years back.
posted by ericthegardener at 9:38 AM on November 3 [1 favorite]

But that Paul Williams song at the end will never grow old .

Apparently "The Hell of It" was originally written/scored for Beef's funeral (early script, not included in final film). Was to include a little girl tap dancing on his grave during the musical outro.
posted by mazola at 9:39 AM on November 3 [4 favorites]

that musical outro is perhaps my favourite part.
posted by philip-random at 10:00 AM on November 3 [3 favorites]

I saw this when it came out, in Phoenix. I was in love with everything Rock and Roll and this made the list, though, not as good as the next years Rocky Horror it still has a place in my heart. Also, a young Jessica Harper! OMG my little teenage heart nearly exploded.
posted by evilDoug at 10:26 AM on November 3

Jessica Harper's performance of "Old Souls" is my favorite moment in this movie.
posted by abraxasaxarba at 10:39 AM on November 3 [1 favorite]

Until today I did not realize Phantom of the Paradise and KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park were completely different movies
posted by Jon_Evil at 10:39 AM on November 3 [6 favorites]

Thirding evilDoug and abraxasaxarba: That little dance Jessica Harper did as she finished the song, those magnificent eyebrows, aargh! I was mesmerized.....

I think I saw it - or I'd like to think I saw it - at the Rex theater in Paris, during the annual sci-fi and horror film festival. Watching her sing, under a simulated night sky, the rowdy crowd went silent. It was a vivid teenage memory.
posted by Bigbootay. Tay! Tay! Blam! Aargh... at 10:54 AM on November 3 [5 favorites]

I somehow keep stumbling into friend-groups wherein this movie is A Very Big Deal.

Which tells me I'm doing at least one thing right.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 10:56 AM on November 3 [12 favorites]

JUSTICE FOR BEEF
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 11:09 AM on November 3 [9 favorites]

The history of Phantompalooza, the how and why, is a detailed and delightful read.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:02 PM on November 3 [1 favorite]

I love the idea of a movie being inexplicably, hugely popular in one area, to the bafflement of the world at large. That one area being Winnipeg also feels exactly right, somehow.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 1:40 PM on November 3 [7 favorites]

the Paris of middle Canada.
posted by philip-random at 6:47 PM on November 3 [3 favorites]

Guy Maddin would agree with you, philip-random....
posted by Bigbootay. Tay! Tay! Blam! Aargh... at 9:25 PM on November 3 [6 favorites]

Having watched the trailer, I can see why it might not have received the reception that some people feel it deserves.

Having judged its cover, I can see why the book might not have received the reception that some people feel it deserves.
posted by Dokterrock at 11:15 PM on November 3

Speaking of "Rocky Horror Picture Show," Richard O'Brien had to recast Janet for its semi-sequel "Shock Treatment." He loved "Phantom Of The Paradise" so he immediately snatched up Jessica Harper and gave her a bunch of great songs to sing. The movie (which you can watch for free on YouTube) is a mess but the soundtrack is glorious.
posted by HunterFelt at 1:50 AM on November 4

Just got back into town and now Metafilter is making me watch this film tonight!

Not to be a drag, but I've never been a fan of Rocky Horror Picture Show. It has some outstanding performances, a few great musical numbers, and its heart is in the right place, but as a movie I find that it is poorly paced and drags and is essentially a mess. Not enjoyable to watch from start to finish. You're better off watching a clip reel from that movie. Hope I don't feel the same about Phantom of the Paradise.

I was a little kid in the 70s and I remember Paul Williams as an odd little guy who make walk-on appearances in various sitcoms. And played piano. I knew he was a musician, but mostly I knew him from awkwardly walking on set to enormous applause of say, "The Odd Couple" (TV show) and performing a song after blandly reading some lines. As a kid, he mystified me.
posted by SoberHighland at 7:04 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]

I was a little kid in the 70s and I remember Paul Williams as an odd little guy... As a kid, he mystified me.
So, you never realized "Paul Williams" was the human disguise of Doctor Zaius.

As for the Phantom of the Paradise, I can proudly declare that when this very post led me to mention the 50 year anniversary to my 15 year old, she told me she was just talking about the show with her voice teacher. She said she told her teacher that Jessica Harper has a "low, clear voice like Karen Carpenter." It sounds like they might be working on "Old Souls" soon.
posted by house-goblin at 9:52 AM on November 4 [2 favorites]

The scene that sealed it for me.....
posted by Bigbootay. Tay! Tay! Blam! Aargh... at 11:51 AM on November 4 [1 favorite]

But that Paul Williams song at the end will never grow old .

Also: that's because Swan's deal-with-the-devil was to never grow old? :D
posted by mazola at 9:30 AM on November 6 [1 favorite]