Musical Mondays - Week 14 - Phantom of the Paradise

[Cameron H. 23786]

Um, huh?

 

We watched:

 

[Cameron H. 23786]

And now, I present to you - Phoenix!

 

 

 

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

For all of its many faults, I thought this movie was WAY better than either of these Phantom movies...

 

[Cameron H. 23786]

For all of its many faults, I thought this movie was WAY better than either of these Phantom movies...

 

 

"Faults?"

[SaraK 1980]

I watched this late last night after like three glasses of wine and spent like five minutes wondering if the main character was a really young Judge Reinhold behind those huge coke bottle glasses. Then I remembered this was shot in the 70s.

 

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

"Faults?"

That was actually an ETA emendation, because I thought you would all take me to task for claiming this movie to be amazing. So that qualifier was a concession to the fact that it's not perfect, but I stand by my statement that it's fantastic.

[Cam Bert 8145]

Quick poll, which is better Swan/Paul Williams with his long hair:

 

Or Swan/Paul Williams with his wig short hair:

 

Maybe it's just because it was the 70s and that, but short hair is much better I think.

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

The bath Paul Williams is supposed to be his Dorian Grey picture, right? So this is what Swan looks like 25 years older, but it also assumes that he's had a haircut and is starting to get more conservative. They should have gone whole hog and given him a baldcap like Charlie Sheen at the end of 'Being John Malkovich'.

 

 

For me, bathtub Dorian Grey swan looked like Richie Benaud, a venerable Australian cricket commentator...

 

 

Also, the fact that bathtub Dorian Grey swan doesn't have his glasses, does this mean that in the next 25 years Swan will get Lasik?

[tomspanks 9039]

And now, I present to you - Phoenix!

 

 

 

 

For a split second, I thought that maybe they filmed her doing the dance moves in reverse and then played the film backwards.

[SaraK 1980]

Bathtub swan was better, and I enjoyed that his suicide tape had so many camera angles in his bathroom. Not too thought out though, since in theory he wouldn't be around to edit that footage together. Guess it worked out for him though.

[tomspanks 9039]

Also, the fact that bathtub Dorian Grey swan doesn't have his glasses, does this mean that in the next 25 years Swan will get Lasik?

 

I thought tub Dorian Swan was him 25 years younger?

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

 

I thought tub Dorian Swan was him 25 years younger?

No, the videotape was taken 25 years ago but the video ages while he stays the same age. Hence the middle-aged lady saying she dated him at high school, and he still looks the same. But the video has done his aging for him, and if you destroy the video he'll die, exactly like in Wilde's novel.

[Cam Bert 8145]

Here's something I still not sure if I fully get or not. So we open on what must be Swan's house band the Juicyfruits. They are these greaser types. That's fine. They are mentioned again afterwards a few times specifically when the Paradise is about to open the radio claims the Juicyfruits will be performing the Faust song. Cut to them in the theater but in blond wigs singing a decidedly un-Faustian song. Now according to the credits these are the Beach Bums. Yet, their car that was used as a prop has a license plate that reads "JUICY-FRUITS." So are the Beach Bums suppose to be a new band or just a rebranding of the Juicyfruits? Odd that you'd promote them and then do an image change on them. Also when Swan hires Meat the Juicyfruits are back but now they're the Undeads? Again they're bandaged so this is suppose to be them right yet they've just rebranded yet again? What is most interesting about all this is that they change the singer with each reinterpretation.

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

 

For a split second, I thought that maybe they filmed her doing the dance moves in reverse and then played the film backwards.

Like this scene!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtxSmxHvUBk

[tomspanks 9039]

No, the videotape was taken 25 years ago but the video ages while he stays the same age. Hence the middle-aged lady saying she dated him at high school, and he still looks the same. But the video has done his aging for him, and if you destroy the video he'll die, exactly like in Wilde's novel.

 

But then why didn't he look like his face was melting in the video as when he was unmasked at the wedding?

[tomspanks 9039]

Here's something I still not sure if I fully get or not. So we open on what must be Swan's house band the Juicyfruits. They are these greaser types. That's fine. They are mentioned again afterwards a few times specifically when the Paradise is about to open the radio claims the Juicyfruits will be performing the Faust song. Cut to them in the theater but in blond wigs singing a decidedly un-Faustian song. Now according to the credits these are the Beach Bums. Yet, their car that was used as a prop has a license plate that reads "JUICY-FRUITS." So are the Beach Bums suppose to be a new band or just a rebranding of the Juicyfruits? Odd that you'd promote them and then do an image change on them. Also when Swan hires Meat the Juicyfruits are back but now they're the Undeads? Again they're bandaged so this is suppose to be them right yet they've just rebranded yet again? What is most interesting about all this is that they change the singer with each reinterpretation.

 

They were the same group of guys, different band names.

 

Fun fact - the lead Juicyfruit was in This is Spinal tap.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkE-S_WbUJE

 

Oh, and Sissy Spacek was a set dresser.

[Cam Bert 8145]

 

They were the same group of guys, different band names.

 

Fun fact - the lead Juicyfruit was in This is Spinal tap.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkE-S_WbUJE

 

Oh, and Sissy Spacek was a set dresser.

Yes! Archie Hahn who is also a regular in Joe Dante movies.

 

Still why so many image changes? I get them changing to match Meat but why switch to a Beach Boys band?

[tomspanks 9039]

Still why so many image changes? I get them changing to match Meat but why switch to a Beach Boys band?

 

LOL MEAT

[Cam Bert 8145]

 

LOL MEAT

Just realised that his name was Beef not Meat. If only I had read CakeBug's signature sooner...

[Cameron H. 23786]

Quick poll...

 

Personally, I'm team Sheep Dog mullet over short hair. He gives off a creepy "What if Mickey Rooney and Truman Capote had a son that turned out to be a pedophile" vibe with the short hair.

[Cameron H. 23786]

Just realised that his name was Beef not Meat. If only I had read CakeBug's signature sooner...

 

Didn't you mention Beef in your Letteboxd review?

 

J'accuse!

[tomspanks 9039]

Maybe you guys can answer some of my questions. Help me understand this movie!

 

Swan made a deal with the devil and that gives him the power to make similar deals (with the same contract forms) with other people? Who gets the souls then?

 

Swan's move in bed is to lie still like a corpse? And that drives Phoenix wild? Enough to marry him?

 

Why did Meat do his makeup and paint his face BEFORE getting into the shower? Speaking of Meat, was he doing a "flamboyant" accent?

 

Why would Winslow keep going back to Swan? Get a lawyer instead!

[Cam Bert 8145]

 

Didn't you mention Beef in your Letteboxd review?

 

J'accuse!

And his overly affected gay voice, yes! Which I guess will go to answer tom's question a bit. I get that he's suppose to be the glam questionable sexuality type rocker of that era. Like a David Bowie type. Except Brain De Palma or the actor decided to play him very gay stereotype. In my mind the actor is doing his best to try to adopt the gay lisp, but instead comes off as a more over the top Buddy Cole.

[SaraK 1980]

Why would Winslow keep going back to Swan? Get a lawyer instead!

 

I would highly recommend (a) not signing a handwritten contract with weird calligraphy and (b.) not asking the person who has already screwed you over once to clarify parts of said contract. I'm not sure why Winslow though Swan would be truthful then. Also (c.) when reading through contract, don't skip huge portions. That's how you wind up undead.

 

Also in regards to Phoenix - she went from 'singer with principles' to 'drug addicted superstar' real quick. The second she got a microphone she was willing to do anything?

 

Did anyone notice in the final battle (?) scene, there was a guy in a red Hawaiian shirt that was suddenly in like every shot. Was he someone important? I think he stabbed Swan at some point too

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

Just realised that his name was Beef not Meat. If only I had read CakeBug's signature sooner...

Beef's great-great-great (etc.) grandson shows up in Idiocracy. Apparently he has a superiority complex.