Phantom of the Paradise

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Price: $538.55   

Phantom of the Paradise Review

The movie synopsis:In the 1974 film PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, William Finley stars as Winslow Leach, a very talented composer who is working on a rock opera based on FAUST. Pop composer Paul Williams plays Swan, an aloof and mysterious record producer who has made the careers of many popular rock musicians. [For the youngsters reading this, a record is, like, an antique version of a music CD.] Swan has built the Paradise, a massive enclosed amphitheater that will be used to showcase the many bands and musicians under his auspices, but he wants to find new material and new talent for the extravagant gala he is planning for opening night. Enter Winslow--who wants Swan to consider his FAUST material for the Paradise grand-opening--and an attractive and talented young female singer named Phoenix (played by the cute Jessica Harper, here in her film debut). While waiting to audition for Swan, Winslow and Phoenix meet and...well, it's love at first sight. Unbeknownst to the two lovebirds, though, is their imminent appointment with destiny--and with the evil Swan. Swan indeed wants Winslow's music for the theater debut, but he wants to present it as his own work, and with knowledge of the feelings that the composer and singer have for each other, he uses Phoenix as leverage to manipulate Winslow like marionette. So Swan steals Winslow's work, then arranges for Winslow to get arrested on a bogus drug-possession charge. In prison, Winslow learns of Swan's manipulation, which spurs him to escape and, soon after, to break into Swan's record factory and destroy the machines cranking out recordings of his stolen music. However, in a freak accident, Winslow's head gets caught in a hot record press and his face is thereby mutilated. He flees from the scene and finds his way to the Paradise, where he swipes a really cool costume, sets up house, and then starts lurking around incognito. When he begins causing mayhem and thwarting the efforts of Swan and his theater staff, Winslow is dubbed The Phantom of the Paradise. And now the real fun begins....He's been beaten, mutilated, maimed, and framed, but he's not gonna let Swan keep him from his music or from the woman he loves.The review:On the surface, Brian De Palma's excellent PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE may seem like little more than a send-up of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, but it is much more complex than that. It is actually a very hip, very surreal satire of the depravity and decadence in the rock-and-roll music industry of the 1970s--specifically the two sub-genres known as Concept Rock and Glitter Rock--as well as a humorous yet affectionate homage to several classic horror stories and movies such as PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, PSYCHO, FRANKENSTEIN, FAUST, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, and many others.De Palma's directing style for this film is sometimes very unique and inventive (of course, it doesn't hurt that he is directing his own material). Especially nice is his effective use of the split-screen technique in a few key scenes, and the frenetic cuts and camera angles he uses for some scenes--especially the musical performances inside the Paradise--convey the genuine atmosphere of a 1970s-era rock concert.The sets are outrageously exaggerated in layout and color, especially the set for the inside of the Paradise theater. In many ways, the overall look of the movie harkens back to the silent German Expressionist films, specifically METROPOLIS and THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI. That isn't to say that it looks too old-fashioned. Indeed, the bright sets, surreal costumes, and extravagant staging are all honest reflections of the performances and ostensibly flamboyant lifestyles of the 1970s rock artists like Glitter Rock's Alice Cooper or David Bowie and the Concept-Rock band Jethro Tull. By the way, those aforementioned sets were designed and dressed by Sissy Spacek, who a few years later would start on the road to greater fame playing the title role in the horror film CARRIE (1976).The acting in PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE is also outstanding. Paul Williams exudes a perfect air of smarminess as the evil music impresario, Swan. In real life, Williams has composed and produced many successful pop songs for groups like The Carpenters and Three Dog Night, and this inside knowledge of the music industry only adds to the realism of his performance. Incidentally, Williams also wrote or co-wrote the music and score for PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE. As Winslow Leach, William Finley creates a very convincing naive and nerdy musician (as well as a naive and nerdy Phantom!), and pretty Jessica Harper does a fine job in her debut role as an up-and-coming singer and dancer (the object of Winslow's love). But it is the over-the-top performance of Gerrit Graham that really steals the show. Graham plays Beef, a Glitter-Rock singer whose stage persona is that of a big, tough-and-buff Frankenstein's-monster type. Off stage, however, Beef is a stereotypical homosexual queen, and Graham really chews the scenery as he plays the character to great humorous effect. Don't get the idea that Graham is merely poking fun at homosexuals, though; he is really satirizing the misconception, especially prevalent in the 1970s, that all Glitter-Rock artists are gay. (One of the best and funniest scenes in the film is a takeoff on the shower scene from PSYCHO, with Graham's Beef replacing the Janet Leigh character and Finley's Phantom filling in for Norman Bates.)PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE is one of those nearly forgotten gems that is a must-see for horror fans and admirers of director De Palma.The DVD from Twentieth Century Fox offers a nice anamorphic widescreen transfer of the film, but little by way of extras (in fact, the theatrical trailer only). However, it is very reasonably priced, so fans of horror & satire have no excuse for not adding this film to their collections. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews� Was this review helpful to you?�Yes No Report abuse | PermalinkComment Comments (3)

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In the loop

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In the loop Review

"War is unforeseeable." It was an off-the-cuff comment by British government official, Simon Foster that brought down the wrath of the Prime Minister's chief enforcer and attack dog, Malcolm Tucker. In trying to dig his way out, Simon is then caught in another off-the-cuff interview talking about "climbing the mountain of conflict." In the meantime, US government official, Karen Clarke and General George Miller are hoping to short circuit mounting pressure for war on the US side. Thinking they've identified a like-minded Brit, they invite Simon to Washington to attend some conferences. Simon is sick of the know-it-all attitude of long-time staffer, Judy, so he takes the new hire, Toby. When Toby leeks details about the secret war committee meeting to CNN, the whole fiasco becomes a media feeding frenzy. Malcolm is less than pleased. He doesn't like to "learn anything about a British government official on TV unless they've died." And if words could kill, Simon would die a very brutal death, indeed.

If rough language offends you, do NOT go to In the Loop... consider yourself warned! For those who enjoy scathingly funny, take-no-prisoners dialog, In the Loop is high art. While the style of In the Loop is decidedly British, I believe American audiences, for the most part, will get on board with this one. Some of the accents are a bit difficult, but not impossible. It is impossible, however, to catch every line because of the unrelenting, rapid-fire pace of the dialogue. But in the end, most will catch more than enough to enjoy this film.

As I left the theatre, I overheard several conversations about wanting to stay and watch it again. This is an intensely funny movie... assuming it's your kind of humor... and you'll come away wanting to remember some of your favorite lines. But the filmmakers don't give you enough time to process one laugh line before firing the next one. This one will be on my want-to-own DVD list.

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Creature Comforts [VHS]

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Price: $500.88   

Creature Comforts [VHS] Review

Being a "Wallace and Gromit" fan I recently bought this video, since Nick Park's first Oscar winner, "Creature Comforts," is featured. That 5 min skit focuses on interviews with claymation animals in a zoo about their impressions of zoo life. A creative and entertaining offering. It's easy to see why it was a winner. Younger children may not appreciate the extremely dry British humor of "Creature Comforts" though. It's still 5 stars in my book. "Creature Comforts" is, by the way, the only Nick Park offering on the tape.The next offering, "Wat's Pig," is a nearly silent story of royalty, a stolen twin heir to the throne, and what happens to each of the twins as they grow. This is probably the piece that is most entertaining to viewers of all ages, though it lacks some of the fundamental charm of characters like "Wallace and Gromit." A 4 star offering in my book. Good but not fabulous.The third offering, "Not Without My Handbag," is a dark claymation offering, featuring the devil who recruits new inhabitants of hell by having them sign incredibly complicated lease agreements for appliances. This is a rather grizzly flick that is not at all suitable for younger children (maybe younger than 10 yrs or so), even though it is filmed in a medium typically earmarked for them. The story is interesting, but I don't plan to watch it many if any more times. It probably does deserve some critical acclaim, but this is NOT a film for children...I can alreay hear the wailing from bad dreams in the middle of the night if my children were to watch it.The fourth flick, "Adam," is a somewhat comical silent film depicting the creation of a being on a small planet. It does have some good sight gags, and Adam -- the main character -- has a personality that you soon get to know. I have to admit that I wasn't too jazzed to see that the animator chose to make Adam anatomically correct (though not overtly so). If that had not been the case, I would say that this film is fair game for the younger set. But, as it stands, we chose not to show this one to our kids either. It is, nevertheless, still an entertaining offering, especially as Adam interacts with his small planet. I'd say that the first show is definitely 5 stars, while the others are in the 3.5 to 4 star range, for an overall rating of 4 stars for the entire tape.This tape is best reserved for the adult claymation fan, rather than for viewing by younger children.4 stars.Alan Holyoak Help other customers find the most helpful reviews� Was this review helpful to you?�Yes No Report abuse | PermalinkComment Comment

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Shabach

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Shabach Review

When I am up, down or don't know what's going on I just put this CD in and I am good to go. Awesome!

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Universal Casino [blu Ray] [w/public Enemies Sneak Peek]

You looking to find the "Universal Casino [blu Ray] [w/public Enemies Sneak Peek]" Good news! You can purchase Universal Casino [blu Ray] [w/public Enemies Sneak Peek] with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

   

Product Description

Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci star in director Martin Scorsese's riveting look at how blind ambition, white-hot passion and 24-karat greed toppled an empire. Las Vegas, 1973, is the setting for this fact-based story about the Mob's multimillion-dollar casino operation, where fortunes and lives were made and lost with a roll of the dice.

Universal Casino [blu Ray] [w/public Enemies Sneak Peek] Review

This new "Special Edition" is a watered down version of last year's Anniversary Edition. Usually this is a bad thing. However, since Universal can't seem to figure out how to make a DVD-18 work properly, it's actually good they have seen fit to release this title as a single-sided, dual-layered DVD. Unfortunately, in doing so they have dropped most of the extras found on the Anniversary Edition. Still found on this release are the deleted scenes, the commentary and one of the featurettes.

Why they didn't decide to do 2 DVD-9's for this is beyond comprehension, but at least they've dropped the list price a few dollars.

My rating is for the overall the release, although in my opinion both the film and the transfer on this release get 5 stars. Colors are vivid and rich, and detail is very fine.

In closing, if you're not a "special features" junkie, definitely get this release, as it's much more likely to play properly. If you must have the Anniversary Edition, make sure you play the disc right away, because most likely, it will have problems.

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Spider-Man [Blu-ray]

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Spider-Man [Blu-ray] Review

What can I possibly say but WOW! This movie is truly a dream come true for a long time Spider-man fan like me. Not only was the movie made but the movie was made RIGHT! Many directors and artists in Hollywood claim to be fans of comic book heroes, but when it comes time for them to actually put it together they fail miserably. But not here. Sam Rami is a TRUE Spider-man fan-- and he did what a true fan would do. He stayed true to the source and to the material. He captured the essence of Spider-man and his history. He didn't decide to pretentiously add his own mark like Tim Burton did with the laughable Batman movie. Rami stayed true to the comic. This is the Spider-man I read about month for the last 13 years.I really did not think that anyone could top the X-Men, but Rami has and I don't just mean because of the special effets. I also mean in terms of the plot and character development. This is not a long drawn out movie filled with pointless violence. It is a well plotted story that moves effortlessly from point to point. Who would have thought that so much could be fit into two hours? And the end, I won't give it away , but who on earth would have thought that it would have ended that way. Instead of going for the same old boring cliche Hollywood ending--Rami tacks on an original one which hints towards the future.Tobey Maguire was not my first choice to play Peter Parker. But boy does he deliver! I understand that he worked hard to get this part and boy does it show! He plays Peter just the way he was portrayed in the book! Kristen Dunst also was excellent,I did not think that she could pull off the part of Mary Jane. She's a lovely girl but not the super-model that MJ is in the comic book. But I was pleasantly surprised with what was done with the character.After being disapointed with the unseeminly endless rubish that Hollywood has produced lately I am now, in the words of Mr. Stan Lee, a true believer. Thanks Sam Rami for not butchering a character I consider to be like a brother and restoring my faith that there are film makers out there who actually care about film making! Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?�Yes No Report abuse | PermalinkComment�Comment

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