Tag: Jessica harper

Phantom of the Paradise – Five Star Favorites

Phantom of the Paradise is a 1974 movie directed by Brian De Palma.

WHAT HAPPENS?

A disfigured composer trades his soul to an evil record producer to have his music heard.

ONE LINE REVIEW

Phantom of the Paradise is an eclectic, campy, bizarre, brilliant and beautiful work of art.

THE ACTORS

Paul Williams stars as the enigmatic record producer Swan, who is searching to find “a new sound” to open his rock theatre, The Paradise. Williams is a smarmy, manipulative creation – an ode to rock n’ roll Machiavellian power brokers. He easily discards as human collateral the pop sensations he creates. Yet, there’s a goofy vulnerability underlying his character – Williams lustfully grins as the Phantom’s murderous rampage causes a ratings sensation.

William Finley plays the Phantom, largely to comic effect. It’s a campy, physically ludicrous character in a movie that never takes itself too seriously. Finley contorts his awkward body into cramped, dystopian hallways and fires comic-shaped lightning bolts from among the rafters of Swan’s theatre.

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Suspiria

Suspiria is a 1977 movie directed by Dario Argento.

Suspiria tells the story of Suzy Bannion, an American who travels to Germany to attend a famous dance academy. An odd series of occult events leads her to discover that the academy is actually a witches’ coven.

Here’s my one-line review of Suspiria: Dario Argento is a master of style and mood…and everything else is secondary.

In other words, there’s a lot about Suspiria that doesn’t make sense. But that’s also not the point.

From its opening seconds, Suspiria is enveloped in a haunting, pulsing – sometimes howling swirl of electronic sounds. The Italian band Goblin create an extraordinary soundtrack that instantly creates tension. The sinister tone carries into the Tanz Academy, which is a brilliant visual creation.

Argento’s vision is a symmetry of terror featuring direct homages to the occult. The patterns create an uneasy feeling – a sort of epileptic response. It’s a direct assault on our senses and a stunning visceral achievement.

The opening scenes involving departed student Pat Hingle are exceptional. There is gore, carefully paced suspense and brilliant imagery couched in an ample supply of campiness.

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