IMDb > Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
Phantom of the Paradise
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Phantom of the Paradise (1974) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   4,923 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Brian De Palma
Writer:
Brian De Palma (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Phantom of the Paradise on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
31 October 1974 (USA) more
Tagline:
The music made him do it! more
Plot:
A disfigured musician sells his soul for the woman he loves so that she will perform his music. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(6 articles)
Cool Stuff: Product Placement T-Shirt
 (From Slash Film. 21 September 2009, 7:00 AM, PDT)

Toronto’s got The (Edgar) Wright Stuff
 (From Fangoria. 24 February 2009, 2:26 PM, PST)

User Comments:
Belongs in The Unnamable Top-Ten List with "This is Spinal Tap" more (126 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

William Finley ... Winslow / The Phantom
Paul Williams ... Swan
Jessica Harper ... Phoenix
Gerrit Graham ... Beef
George Memmoli ... Philbin
Archie Hahn ... The Juicy Fruits / The Beach Bums / The Undeads
Jeffrey Comanor ... The Juicy Fruits / The Beach Bums / The Undeads
Peter Elbling ... The Juicy Fruits / The Beach Bums / The Undeads (as Harold Oblong)
Colin Cameron ... Band
David Garland ... Band
Gary Mallaber ... Band
Art Munson ... Band
Mary Margaret Amato ... Swan's Entourage
Rand Bridges ... Swan's Entourage
James Bohan ... Swan's Entourage
Herb Pacheco ... Assassin
Jennifer Ashley ... Groupie
Janit Baldwin ... Groupie

Janus Blythe ... Groupie (as Janis Eve Lynn)
Katherine Mastellos ... Groupie
Robin Mattson ... Groupie
Patrice Rohmer ... Groupie
Ruthy Ross ... Groupie (as Ruthey Ross)
Cheryl Smith ... Groupie
April Troy ... Groupie
Walter Foster ... Cop
Peter Harrell ... Cop
Troy Haskins ... Judge
Gene Gross ... Warden
Henry Calvert ... Nightwatchman

Ken Carpenter ... Stagehand
Sam Forney ... Stagehand
Leslie Brewer ... Surfgirl
Celia Derr ... Surfgirl
Linda Larimer ... Surfgirl
Roseanne Romine ... Surfgirl
Nydia Amagas ... Dancer
Sara Ballantine ... Dancer
Kristi Bird ... Dancer
Cathy Buttner ... Dancer
Linda Cox ... Dancer
Jane DeFord ... Dancer
Bibi Hansen ... Dancer
Robin Jeep ... Dancer
Deen Summers ... Dancer
Judy Washington ... Dancer
Susan Weiser ... Dancer
Janet Savarino ... Singing Twin
Jean Savarino ... Singing Twin
Keith Allison ... Country & Western Singer
Bobby Birkenfeld ... Guy
Sandy Catton ... Black Singers (as Sandy Catton & friends)
William Donovan ... Reporter
Edmund Lane ... Reporter (as Scott Lane)
Dennis Olivieri ... Reporter
Adam Wade ... Reporter
Nancy Moses ... Back-Up Singer
Diana Walden ... Back-Up Singer
Sherri Adeline ... Girl in Ticket Line
Carol O'Leary ... Betty Lou
Marty Bongfeldt ... Mini-bopper (as Marty Bongfeld)
Coleen Crudden ... Mini-bopper
Bridgett Dunn ... Mini-bopper
William Shephard ... Rock Freak
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Shelly Desai ... Dental Health Volunteer #1 (uncredited)
Ray Kennedy ... Beef (singing voice) (uncredited)

Rod Serling ... Introductory Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
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Directed by
Brian De Palma 
 
Writing credits
Brian De Palma (written by)

Produced by
Michael Arciaga .... associate producer
Gustave M. Berne .... executive producer (as Gustave Berne)
Jeffrey L. Hayes .... associate producer (as Jeffrey Hayes)
Paul Lewis .... associate producer
Edward R. Pressman .... producer
Lynn Pressman-Raymond .... assistant producer (as Lynn Raymond)
Bill Scott .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Paul Williams 
 
Cinematography by
Larry Pizer (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Paul Hirsch 
 
Casting by
Sylvia Fay 
Gino Havens 
Peggy Taylor 
 
Production Design by
Jack Fisk 
 
Costume Design by
Rosanna Norton 
 
Makeup Department
John Chambers .... makeup designer
Rolf Miller .... makeup artist
Anna Sugano .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Gary Kent .... unit manager
Thomas Lightburn .... unit manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael J. Dmytryk .... assistant director (as Michael Dmytryk)
Robert Enrietto .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Michel Levesque .... construction coordinator (as Michael Levesque)
Erik L. Nelson .... property master (as Erik Nelson)
Sissy Spacek .... set dresser
Brian Swain .... construction coordinator
 
Sound Department
Harriet Fidlow .... assistant sound editor (as Harriet Glickstein)
Al Gramaglia .... sound mixer
Dan Sable .... sound editor
David Schneiderman .... boom operator
James M. Tanenbaum .... sound (as James Tanenbaum)
 
Special Effects by
Greg Auer .... special effects
 
Stunts
Andy Epper .... stunt double: Winslow (as Andrew Epper)
James Gambino .... stunt double: Swan
Jim Lovelett .... stunt double: Winslow
Steven Richmond .... stunt double: Swan
 
Camera and Electrical Department
John L. Black .... grip (as John Black)
Terry Bowen .... second assistant camera
Richard Cronn .... best boy
Sean Doyle .... assistant camera
Robert Elfstrom .... special photography for wedding
Cary Griffith .... grip
Tim Griffith .... gaffer
Maurice Horton .... electrician
Bruce Kaye .... second assistant camera
Paul Marcus .... electrician
Jack Palinkas .... key grip
James Signorelli .... special photography for wedding
Darryl Smith .... electrician
Mike Taylor .... grip
Ronnie Taylor .... camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)
Philip Sloan .... electrician: Dallas (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Peter Jamison .... associate costume designer
 
Editorial Department
Paul Hirsch .... montage
 
Music Department
Michael Arciaga .... music supervisor
Jules Chaikin .... music supervisor
John Fox .... assistant music editor
Ed Norton .... music editor
George Aliceson Tipton .... composer: additional score
George Aliceson Tipton .... conductor: additional scoring
Paul Williams .... music producer
 
Other crew
Alexa Bodrero .... assistant to director
Ken Carpenter .... production assistant
Judith Cohen .... production secretary
Adrian Cumming .... production assistant
J. Daniel Dusek .... production assistant (as Dan Dusek)
Peter Elbling .... choreographer (as Harold Oblong)
Karen Gilbert .... production assistant
Deborah Howe .... assistant to producer
Cassandra Kaye .... script supervisor
William Shephard .... choreographer for wedding
Stanley Weiser .... production assistant
Edward Summer .... marketing consultant (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Phantom (USA) (working title)
Phantom of the Fillmore (USA) (working title)
more
Runtime:
92 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Movielab)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Iceland:14 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1996) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Director Brian De Palma originally considered the popular group Sha-Na-Na for the roles of the Juicy Fruits, but the group was not only very big at the time, but he found them too difficult to work with. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the bathtub, Swan mentions that Saturday, November 19, 1953, was the day he wanted to commit suicide. 19 November 1953 was on a Thursday. more
Quotes:
Beef: There really is a phantom. He was just in my shower. He threatened my life. He said his music was for Phoenix. Only she can sing it. Anyone else who tries, dies. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Doogie Howser, M.D.: It's a Wonderful Laugh (#3.12)" (1991) more
Soundtrack:
Faust more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
19 out of 25 people found the following comment useful.
Belongs in The Unnamable Top-Ten List with "This is Spinal Tap", 19 November 2005
10/10
Author: Dave_Violence from New York City

My father wouldn't let me see this in 1974 (I was 11) and I recall him reporting a coworker's opinion that the film should have been rated "R."

So finally, in 2005, I see the film at age 42.

The film is disturbing on a variety of levels. First and foremost, I realized that most of the players are now in their late 50's and 60's. Disturbing, why? Well, because there's a band out there called "the Undead" (Bobby Steele, ex-Misfits) who, turns out, stole (or did he?) his name from Phantom of the Paradise's "the Undeads" Likewise, the Undeads in this film were doing in 1974 what Scandinavian death metal bands _started_ doing in the early 1990's. Furthermore, did the Damned's Dave Vanian rip off the Undead's gimmick?

I felt uneasy realizing that, had I seen the movie when it came out, I probably wouldn't have gotten any of the jokes; I wouldn't have laughed out loud at Beef, the lesbian jokes, the parody of self-important wimpy rockers. And I wouldn't have appreciated the successful composite of Phantom of the Opera, Faust, Picture of Dorian Gray, etc.

The acting is top-notch - the only way "camp" gets laughs. Paul Williams's Swan is the most black-hearted villain I've seen.

The wait was worth it for me on this one.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
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Why do they have to remake it? ginapulai
music from the wedding chainsaw2
Question about Swan (spoiler) ColtraneandFlash
Juicy Fruits / Beach Bums Question Electric_Mayhem_86
Cowboy country singer ColtraneandFlash
any1 found this scary!! erol_123
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