Thoughts from the committee
Last year we had The Phantom of the Opera, but this year, we jump forward 50 years from 1925 to glam rock, Faustian bargains, Brian De Palma, phantoms in the wings of the music hall, Beach Boys parody songs… Phantom of the Paradise is hard to explain, but trust us: it’s a riot and will be one of the most fun screenings of 2026.
Winslow (William Finley), a gifted songwriter, is chewed up by the music industry and reborn as a masked phantom, haunting a lurid new concert hall run by the mysterious producer, Swan (Paul Williams). In particular, Winslow wants his songs to be performed by the hot new star, Phoenix (Suspiria’s Jessica Harper in her debut role). From there, all bets are off: glam-rock numbers, split screens, camp horror, and satire so sharp it still stings fifty years later. Brian De Palma directs like he’s just been let loose in a costume warehouse, while Paul Williams supplies songs that veer from 50s bubblegum pop to operatic lament.
A flop on release, the film slowly found its audience and grew into a cult obsession – particularly in places far from Hollywood’s orbit. A sort of slow burn Rocky Horror, half rock opera, half revenge fantasy, Phantom of the Paradise is a delirious takedown of fame, art, and the price of selling your soul.
“There is enough camp for a boyscout jamboree in Phantom of the Paradise, a gorgeously funny movie that successfully manages to combine a satire of the disparate worlds of rock music and horror films.” – Desmond Ryan, The Philadelphia Inquirer