The reason why, Swan's face is like that. Is not because he's aging rapidly, but it is because the tapes were being BURNED! His face is supposed to show how he is dying the way the tapes are dying. He isn't aging rapidly he's being burned alive without fire! His face doesn't look aged it looks burned. Everyone keeps on saying that it's because he's "aging" but I just don't see what you see. He's clearly being burned alive.
Two things. One is that I always got the impression that Swan's face is melting because the videos are burning: That the destruction of the videos doesn't end his pact, it kills him. The other is that I'm counting it as my own personal mini-sin that Gerrit Graham is dubbed. He was willing, able, and pushing for singing Beef's parts himself, and should have been given the chance.
it was actually Paul Williams' idea to play Swan. Brian DePalma originally wanted him to play Winslow but he said he'd rather play Swan because he thought Swan was a more interesting character.
I didn't know that. I did hear they were considering Mick Jagger, who later said he wished he'd heard about that because he probably would have done it.
@@NuclearProstate I also get a kick out of the fact that Swan was supposed to be named Spectre (as a pun on "spectre", or ghost/phantom, and the soon-to-be notorious record exec Phil Spector) or Dorian (the allusion THERE should be obvious).
I don’t think it’s fair to criticize this movie based on how well it adapted the phantom story. Yes, it uses that story, but De Palma took it and made it very much his own. It’s a very smart commentary on the music industry and how creators are treated. By the end, it accomplishes something different. IMO, it works very well. Phantom of the Paradise was ahead of its time
Actually, I think he has more in common with another formerly innocent young man disfigured by a greater villain, who wears an ominous mask and depends on an artificial voice box to speak with a deep voice...and Brian De Palma and George Lucas ARE friends, and Brian did make some contributions to Star Wars (including helping to write the opening crawl)...
Having Paul Williams as your devilish businessman for the evening is kind of brilliant in hindsight, seeing as how he'd later go on to play (arguably) the best Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot to date. (Like the film, he even had his own bird motif.)
Also note worthy to mention that this movie came out a year before the already popular and sure-to-be-successful film adaptation of Rocky Horror Picture Show, and was pretty fast-paced by 70s movie standards. Compared to Suspiria, this movie was moving a mile a minute and can still hold up today against most, if not all, other Phantom adaptations. The visual effects did age badly, but the fast pace the movie brings is pretty nice and makes the film easier to watch today. The range in music genres that is touched on in the film also speaks volumes for Paul Williams as a composer. Everyone who worked on this movie did phenomenal.
Honestly there's something hilarious in the fact that the best musical movie adaptation of PTO is only 1/3 PTO, with the other 2/3ds being Faust and The Picture of Dorian Grey
I'm always glad to see her; aside from being entertaining in her own right, she brings out a side of Diva that doesn't show up when the only people she can talk to are the bailiff and the audience. Though I do agree that she's best kept an occasional treat, someone people want to see more of, instead of bringing her in often enough that everything she brings to the table gets frustrating enough that we want her to burn in Diva's background.
wait, i just realized beef is the carlotta... what is it about carlottas and being the saving grace of phantom of the operas? [side eyes minnei driver in Phantom of the Opera (2006)]
Adelaide Abashov actresses (and actors) getting to go ham on being petty drama queens means they’re having fun. An actor having a good time tends to come through the screen and the audience empathizes with that joy.
I think it's really interesting for this channel to take the angle of an Angel and a Demon still being friends. Donna obviously cares for Diva trying to push her towards the right direction.
@Mullerornis Which is part of why Diva resents her presence, which is at least part of why I like Diva. Annoying characters are much more tolerable when other characters find them equally annoying.
It's not really an adaptation of Phantom of the Opera. It's more derived from the story of Faust and a bit of commentary on the music industry, which isn't all that subtle when you think about it.
I've always liked the design of the Phantom himself. He kind of looks like how I would imagine a cross between Marilyn Manson and Femto from Berserk. Before his "transformation" so to speak he looks kind of like a cross between Warren Zevon and Elton John. Both of those are meant as a good thing from me. :)
You should have done some sentencing. * The authors of the Hays code should be sentenced to the pain of censorship, via eternity of tattooing themselves and having their skin burned off by victorians. * Those who sued and caused damage to art should be sentenced accordingly. For the crime of killing other people's art to protect their own, they should be sentenced to eternity of being forced to live on a TH-camr salary and exclusively reviewing Disney movies, so they have to watch as their art is harmed by others protecting their own in the form of copyright strikes. * The cops should be extradited to the 9th circle for their betrayal against justice. As a novel variation, they should be shrinkwraped in pre-cooked bacon packages before they are sealed in the ice. * For his crime of extreme sexual harassment in the workplace, Swan should be reincarnated as unremovable and uncleanable shag carpet in a porn theater.
I can't help but wonder--this was three years before the release of Star Wars, and Brian De Palma and George Lucas were friends. A young man disfigured in an accident, wearing a black costume and ominous-looking mask, speaking in a deep voice through an artificial voice box...and Brian was a help on other aspects of Star Wars...
At least this movie helped get De Palma be the director of ‘Carrie’ 2 years later where he really honed his horror roots; ‘Sisters’ is an equally skilled horror film
It's among my favorites, actually, so I'm not objective here. I could see how a musical-lover maybe won't find it satisfying, but as a piece of art it's truly priceless. I don't find it flawed for being structured in a strange schizophrenic way. Who says a movie can only be one thing? Teachers in film school, maybe, but following rules can be so restrictive. Pushing for absurdity in that sense really made something unique here, and that doesn't happen often by following conventional methods, that were used to see in movies. Your review isn't wrong or bad, but I feel like it's a bit backwards to judge a work like this as if it was just any movie, or a straight up adaptation. Ps: Old souls was your favorite song in the soundtrack?? What??? (I'm joking... a little) Mine are Faust (Paul Williams) and The Hell of it. >w>; I really enjoyed him in that role, it seems. Haha...
This movie sounds interesting to check out, a fun and kind of campy take on the Phantom of the Opera. It is also cool to see Brian De Palma master his craft through this movie, the split screen technique is what makes the prom scene in Carrie one the best cinematic works for a scene. I guess that I take a more optimistic outlook on Winslow’s fate because while it didn’t make him look all that intelligent, he didn’t know that he was signing away his soul when he signed the contract, I feel like that sort of Faustian deal should only work if the party selling their soul knows exactly what they are getting into, it was why it was argued that Phoenix signing the contract wouldn’t work because she was wasted and didn’t know what she was getting into, it is why consent can only work when you know exactly what you are getting into. There is also the fact that Winslow did die to save the woman he loved and to defeat a bigger threat which would give him more points in his favor, it was why Charlie was able to get out of Hell in All Dogs Go to Heaven, his sacrifice to save Anne-Marie earned him the right to go to Heaven. Also this is a reflection of the Faust story and in the most well known version which is the Goethe version Faust actually does end up going to Heaven because he feels remorse over what he does and tries to do penance for the wrongs he did during life which lets him go to Heaven and be reunited with the woman he loved. So I guess his fate is probably left up to the viewer to decide, but with all that I can think of I can believe that in spite of the wrongs he did Winslow earned his salvation when he protected Phoenix and defeated Swan who was the greater evil, but I also believe that because of Winslow’s ignorance about what was in the contract it should have rendered the contract null and void too. I also find it rather stupid that these Phantom adaptations have Erik’s/the Phantom’s disfigurement to be caused by an accident (or caused by him being sold to the devil like in the Robert Englund version) instead of having him be born with it, it feels more tragic when he is born with it and becomes the way he is because of the injustices that he faced in life. But then you also have the Dario Argento version of Phantom of the Opera where he isn’t even disfigured and is just some really creepy and psychotic dude who has a rat fetish (trust me it is as disturbing as it sounds).
75 reviews ad 20K subs. Congrats, Diva (and Donna). You've earned them. I never quite understood Phantom of the Paradise. As someone who read Leroux's novel but identified most strongly with the Lloyd Webber musical, Paradise's story seems like it got bored with its own story halfway through and decided to pull in other Gothic horror-themed things, like Faust ad Dorian Gray. I feel like the film itself was chasing the Rocky Horror aesthetic bandwagon, but never quite schieved the same status. I am digging the tidbits and hints of history about Diva and Donna. It's neat, and lends some interesting dimensions to our demonic hostess. Looking forward to the holiday special! ^_^
It preceeded RHPS by about a year or two, so whatever it is i'ts not a copycat (though I did get those vibes too at first, especially during Beef's Frankenstein number).
As she said, it precedes Rocky Horror so it wasn't chasing any bandwagon. Also, Did you miss the very beginning when Winslow was talking about Faust and his operetta was about Faust and how the whole thing was about the music industry which people say they sell their souls to? It didn't get bored of its own premise...it took awhile for him to become disfigured after so much torture from the record producers (the suffering that leads him to his Faustian bargain)...the phantom bit was really just a small piece
I like the idea of Phoenix being the lead and Winslow as the second. I'd probably recommend only having Winslow meet Phoenix when she first auditions, keep the focus mainly on Phoenix as she tries to get a part in the contata, have Phantom Winslow come in whenever he tries to bomb the juicy fruits and continue on while again keeping the focus on Phoenix and having winslow being a mysterious figure as he only comes in when it's important in the story like him signing the contract, attacking Beef, and the ending, and pull a Sweeney's wife with Winslow and have Phoenix recognize him after he dies without showing the audience that it was Winslow till then.
Okay, I have to admit, this was actually pretty good. If mostly for the developments in Diva and Donna's backstory. I still unironically love the hell out of this movie, though. :) Good job with the review! Can't wait to see what you have next.
For real. My guess is that reviewing and watching lots of movies makes them better at recognizing tropes and such. Hell, they're also better at analysis than many professional reviewers. (Look up Rex Reed's review of _Phantom of the Paradise_ if you want a good cry sometime.)
How did I forget about Phantom of the Paradise? Thank you for this memory trip. (Not that I was alive in the 70s, but for some reason I've seen this film multiple times during my childhood.)
Sing Prima Donna once more! I really like this musical and I'm so glad you finally gave this one a look! Phantom's Theme (Beauty and the Beast) is my personal favorite track.
18:54: Seriously, Donna. Diva's just pissed that the movie takes the skill that she and her coworkers worked hard to achieve is being treated as entirely unneeded. Who needs subtlety and charisma when you can just toss carrots at them? 24:45: ...Um, Diva? You left the microphones on...Diva? 1:10: "Have you _read_ the Song of Solomon lately?" I love a good Bible joke...an attitude not usually shared by Bible-thumpers, for some reason. 10:00: Thanks, Donna! I love a good bit of trivia.
1:10 Which is sad really. G.K. Chesterton said the mark of a good faith is that you can laugh at it. Just because I believe in God doesn’t mean I lack a sense of humor.
@@ThePa1riot Unfortunately, religions trend towards being controlled by the people who take them seriously for the same reason that governments trend towards being controlled by politically-active, and the nature of religion* gives those in control (ie, the no-fun crowd) to defend their position and smite offenders with moral certitude. *Or at least Abrahamic religions-I'm not sure how true that is for less-centralized faiths like basically every non-Abrahamic religion.
I was ready to throw hands when I saw this video. I love this movie. It's not perfect, but it's so fun and odball, and the setpieces are so fantastical and bizarre. Especially on such a small budget, this movie does a lot right.
I've always hoped that one day you would cover this. I mean even your "boss" makes an appearance in it. Such an amazingly bizarre film! And it was good to see Donna again! :D
Okay, that neon lighting bolt scene scared the shit out of me as a child, what was my mom doing taking me to see this? God bless her because this movie is one of the best to ever do it, musical horror. Extra props to Depalma and the whole cast, bravo!
Yeah, I watched the review long before I watched the movie and I was STILL startled by the fuckin' lightning bolt. I expected to fall, I didn't expect it to shock him!
Your content is all I've been watching since I discovered you a couple days ago; I love it. So sad I hadn't found you sooner. Keep up the incredible work, Diva!
I bet Winslow spent a significant amount of time in purgatory. Dude was already hair-trigger well before he met Phoenix. He probably got a reduced sentence for self-sacrifice, but I imagine a few murders and terrorizing his peer didn't go over well.
You failed to account for how the passage of time influenced Phoenix's decision to sell out. I think it was a year that passed from the time she first met Swan and the time she replaced Beef on stage. That's one more year she's spent as an undiscovered singer...or should I say, she's come one year closer to becoming a never to be discovered singer.
Also fun fact They modified an actual record press with rubber parts and a safety bar. However, the safety bar broke and nearly crushed the actors head in. So if those screams sound so real it’s because they are. 9:32.
Have seen this movie a couple hundred times....I had unlimited access to the reels back in the seventies, and would binge watch it for hours at a time. Still have the poster on my wall, and Death Records t-shirt.
Seems like DePalma tried to stack the deck when it comes Phantom adaptations. We're talking about a "deal with the devil" sandwich here; the bread is Phantom of the Opera with Faust and Dorian Grey being the meat and cheese. Add to that Paradise Lost as the mayonnaise and you'd have a film that sounds tasty but is actually high in cholesterol.
I dunno, I think Paul nailed being Swan. Sure, someone else could have done a knock-the-ball-out-of-the-park kind of job, but the juxtaposition between his and Winslow's hight and his background of being a actual renoned songwriter just works well in a parody. A short man holds all the cards over everyone, and even though he does get defeated, no one wins. Swan got 50 years of being a famous, powerful man, and despite his strength (Winslow breaks through a brick wall and metal sheet door ) Swan controls it all. He can't be harmed, not until his deal with the devil is burnt and his face melts off. Swan steals the show, his slimy grin just sticks with you
I first saw Phantom of the Paradise at the age of 12 when I caught it at the monthly Los Angeles Comic Convention. I hadn't seen anything like it before and I imagine it had a profound effect on me.
I've thought this for awhile, but I hope there becomes a trend of Diva and Donna reviewing movies which have both good qualities and bad ones, so we can get a better variety of movies in some episodes. Plus, I just like having both sides have an argument for a case.
At the end of the movie, Swans face looks the way it does because the tapes have been burned and so Swan's face becomes burned as well. So it isn't age - it's fire. Love your Musical Hells! I have watched every single one!
Ah, memories. My friends and I went to see POTP when it premiered. We sat in the front row of the theatre (why? lord knows) and passed around a bottle of sangria that we somehow snuck in. I loved the film, but yeah, Paul Williams always looks like Paul Williams.
On the DVD of Carrie, Brian de Palma thought that the split screen usage didn't quite work. I haven't seen this film, so I don't know how the usage compares. Ironically, Sissy Spacek worked as a set decorator on this film.
First time of me even hearing of this movie to be honest and the banter between you too such a delight I've only recently started watching many of your early reviews and have binge watched a lot of them good work Diva and Donna your first of me meeting you quite delightful,
I'm shocked that Diva likes Phoenix's songs. Paw Dugan wasn't a fan them. Meanwhile, couldn't the other reason for movies not showing The Phantom's deformity as natural because the Hays Code had also forbade any birth scenes? Also, is it me or this film a prequel to "The Apple"? Think about it; Pheonix could've ended up pregnant by Swan before his death. And that baby could've been either Alfie or Bibi. After strange circumstances, the kid grows up in Canada and the rest is history. Not to mention the films are both about corrupted music industries that are (somehow) in league with the devil and screw over the meek main lead while grooming the leading lady.
The movie may not be great, but someone sure did a good job preserving it! The quality is amazing! I miss the days before movies got grey and washed out looking.
The joke: "There is a starlet so dumb that she slept with the screenwriter in hopes of advancing her career.” I can see why you didn't want Donna to hear the joke. Nobody needs her to go off on a screed about the immorality of 1) sex outside of marriage 2) sexual favors for career advancements and its related predatory behaviors 3) the belittlement of the original work's creator or 4) all of the above.
I love watching all your reviews; it's just fun getting a different perspective on them :) I'd super love to hear your opinion on Galavant the TV musical series. It is definitely one of my favorites ^^ even if you tear it apart, I think you'd enjoy the ride!
And lo, the demoness Diva opened the gift on that hollowed morning...revealing a VHS tape of George and the Christmas Star. As it was written and foretold, Diva climbed the hierarchy of the Abyss, becoming an Infernal Princess for the sole purpose of tearing Donna from the Heavens and subjecting her to the worst music wrought by man: "The Most Wanted Music". -Fin.
“You can’t erase a lifetime of evil with one selfless act” All Dogs Go To Heaven will like to politely disagree. (PS: I wouldn’t mind a revoew of this. It is kinda like Phantom of Paradise and Rock and Rule in regards to a troubled but good film)
You know, this review doesn't hold up very well. The charm of Phantom is exactly that it is all over the place, yet still hangs together - works as a comedy, musical, thriller, horror, fantasy, allegory and all. Critiquing it for what it very successfully and intentionally does, is just showing you're kind in the corner of neatly squared off run of the mill genre pictures. Don't think De Palma EVER did that. The movie's getting more and more love (like a LOT of De Palma's movies) each year, and all well deserved. Save the sins for.....well Cats, Burton's Sweeney, Marshall's Into the woods and Nine......now those are bad adaptions.
I think all Versions and parodies of phantom of the opera should include masquerade. Its the best song. Its a break from all the darkness but still sinister. I dont care if you don't agree
I just revisited Phantom on Broadway this weekend; the timing of this review couldn't be more perfect! It was great seeing Diva with Donna again. They play off each other spectacularly and I love me some good backstory hints. ^^
The first time I saw Donna was in her case of Portal 2 but had she appeared before then at all? PS I also really enjoyed the review and I hope you have a Happy Halloween, Diva!
This is one of my favorite movies. It's really interesting and thought-provoking. Imperfect, yeah, but not horrible. I wish a lot of the songs were longer. I just want to see more Beef rocking out to "Life At Last", I'll be honest.
Leach, Swan, Phoenix...did de Palma have a bird fetish while he was doing this movie? Also, I just realised this movie has “What if Raoul and Erik were the same person?” as it’s central fan fiction conceit.
The chemistry! The implied backstory! The cult classic I need to put on my watch list! .... and I suspect talking like an angel for long stretches of time would wind up hurting... (And, oh hey there cult classic film that's really interesting but also doesn't realize that it's female lead has a potentially more interesting narrative to focus on)
The reason why, Swan's face is like that. Is not because he's aging rapidly, but it is because the tapes were being BURNED! His face is supposed to show how he is dying the way the tapes are dying. He isn't aging rapidly he's being burned alive without fire! His face doesn't look aged it looks burned. Everyone keeps on saying that it's because he's "aging" but I just don't see what you see. He's clearly being burned alive.
Thank you!
Some just don't know how to read the room when it comes to spontaneous combustion.
Finally someone gets it
All of this
Yeah I’m surprised she didn’t notice that.
I wouldn't mind you reviewing more movies that fall the "weird and imperfect, but not awful" rather than straight up bad.
Kinda like Sweeney Todd?
@@soaribb32 Or Captain Invincible. Christopher Lee is always in season!
Two things. One is that I always got the impression that Swan's face is melting because the videos are burning: That the destruction of the videos doesn't end his pact, it kills him.
The other is that I'm counting it as my own personal mini-sin that Gerrit Graham is dubbed. He was willing, able, and pushing for singing Beef's parts himself, and should have been given the chance.
"you can sing it better than any bitch"
... you don't know how right you are Goliath ..
Paul williams did, after the shower scene regret not giving him a chance. He says it in multiple interviews.
"I just got hit over the head by the subtext"
Girl... You have NEVER made me laugh so hard.
it was actually Paul Williams' idea to play Swan. Brian DePalma originally wanted him to play Winslow but he said he'd rather play Swan because he thought Swan was a more interesting character.
That, and Williams would have a really hard time being physically intimidating for the Phantom persona...
true
(yay! you replied to my comment! I love your reviews!)
On the Blu Ray extras they say that David Bowie was considered for Swan at one point.
I didn't know that. I did hear they were considering Mick Jagger, who later said he wished he'd heard about that because he probably would have done it.
@@NuclearProstate I also get a kick out of the fact that Swan was supposed to be named Spectre (as a pun on "spectre", or ghost/phantom, and the soon-to-be notorious record exec Phil Spector) or Dorian (the allusion THERE should be obvious).
Donna rejoins her infernal counterpart *just* as the internet is set abuzz by the Good Omens teaser trailer. Coincidence? I think *not*!
Nina Avins to be giant asshole
Donna is awesome
I don’t think it’s fair to criticize this movie based on how well it adapted the phantom story. Yes, it uses that story, but De Palma took it and made it very much his own. It’s a very smart commentary on the music industry and how creators are treated. By the end, it accomplishes something different. IMO, it works very well. Phantom of the Paradise was ahead of its time
James Deplazes This ^
17:00: Robotic voice, murderous threats, plunger attachment? Winslow Leach is a Dalek; pass it on.
EX-TERMINATE
YES! glad I wasn't the only one having this thought
Most possibly an inspiration for Darth Vader's Voice Box
I was just gonna say the same thing!
Actually, I think he has more in common with another formerly innocent young man disfigured by a greater villain, who wears an ominous mask and depends on an artificial voice box to speak with a deep voice...and Brian De Palma and George Lucas ARE friends, and Brian did make some contributions to Star Wars (including helping to write the opening crawl)...
Having Paul Williams as your devilish businessman for the evening is kind of brilliant in hindsight, seeing as how he'd later go on to play (arguably) the best Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot to date. (Like the film, he even had his own bird motif.)
Also note worthy to mention that this movie came out a year before the already popular and sure-to-be-successful film adaptation of Rocky Horror Picture Show, and was pretty fast-paced by 70s movie standards. Compared to Suspiria, this movie was moving a mile a minute and can still hold up today against most, if not all, other Phantom adaptations.
The visual effects did age badly, but the fast pace the movie brings is pretty nice and makes the film easier to watch today. The range in music genres that is touched on in the film also speaks volumes for Paul Williams as a composer. Everyone who worked on this movie did phenomenal.
That's true. Even with the many edits, they had to make due to Led Zepplin's manager suing them over the fictional record company's name
Honestly there's something hilarious in the fact that the best musical movie adaptation of PTO is only 1/3 PTO, with the other 2/3ds being Faust and The Picture of Dorian Grey
Well, hello, Donna. Always nice to see you... in moderation.
I'm always glad to see her; aside from being entertaining in her own right, she brings out a side of Diva that doesn't show up when the only people she can talk to are the bailiff and the audience.
Though I do agree that she's best kept an occasional treat, someone people want to see more of, instead of bringing her in often enough that everything she brings to the table gets frustrating enough that we want her to burn in Diva's background.
wait, i just realized beef is the carlotta... what is it about carlottas and being the saving grace of phantom of the operas? [side eyes minnei driver in Phantom of the Opera (2006)]
Adelaide Abashov actresses (and actors) getting to go ham on being petty drama queens means they’re having fun. An actor having a good time tends to come through the screen and the audience empathizes with that joy.
The primadonna is always well suited for melodrama
Andrew Lloyd Webber's The PHANTOM of the OPERA was made in 2004 not in 2006
@@jswatch9270 lmao yeah i always get that wrong, i blame marie antoinette 2006
@@saccharinesilk ok
I think it's really interesting for this channel to take the angle of an Angel and a Demon still being friends. Donna obviously cares for Diva trying to push her towards the right direction.
The dynamic between the two is great, because, snark aside, Donna hasn't given up on her.
@Mullerornis Which is part of why Diva resents her presence, which is at least part of why I like Diva. Annoying characters are much more tolerable when other characters find them equally annoying.
I love the Naked Gun facepalm clip! Glad you got it in this one! Also, loving the backstory plot you have going, can't wait to see where it goes!
This is such an unusual adaptation of The Phantom of the opera. It's always such a treat to see Donna!
It's not really an adaptation of Phantom of the Opera. It's more derived from the story of Faust and a bit of commentary on the music industry, which isn't all that subtle when you think about it.
It looks weird. I want to see it
@@scaryplague I see it as all of those things. It's like Phantom of the Opera had a baby with Faust and it was raised by anti-music industry
@@SuperSwordman1 And with a hint of Dorian Grey.
@@shaynabarnhard2274 right of course. Can't believe I forgot to mention that
Omg you should do Emo The Musical in your next review. That movie’s actual literal garbage.
Oh god, some friends and I watched it at a party, and we had a grand ol' time lampooning it! XD
I've always liked the design of the Phantom himself. He kind of looks like how I would imagine a cross between Marilyn Manson and Femto from Berserk. Before his "transformation" so to speak he looks kind of like a cross between Warren Zevon and Elton John. Both of those are meant as a good thing from me. :)
You should have done some sentencing.
* The authors of the Hays code should be sentenced to the pain of censorship, via eternity of tattooing themselves and having their skin burned off by victorians.
* Those who sued and caused damage to art should be sentenced accordingly. For the crime of killing other people's art to protect their own, they should be sentenced to eternity of being forced to live on a TH-camr salary and exclusively reviewing Disney movies, so they have to watch as their art is harmed by others protecting their own in the form of copyright strikes.
* The cops should be extradited to the 9th circle for their betrayal against justice. As a novel variation, they should be shrinkwraped in pre-cooked bacon packages before they are sealed in the ice.
* For his crime of extreme sexual harassment in the workplace, Swan should be reincarnated as unremovable and uncleanable shag carpet in a porn theater.
I think Disney movies are too safe. Let's make the Lord Zeppelin exclusively review bootleg movies and shows and not the bearable kind.
My theory as to where Winslow went, is that he was placed in the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth to atone for his sins through reincarnation.
That would be so meaningful with the lyrics of Old Souls!
I can't help but wonder--this was three years before the release of Star Wars, and Brian De Palma and George Lucas were friends. A young man disfigured in an accident, wearing a black costume and ominous-looking mask, speaking in a deep voice through an artificial voice box...and Brian was a help on other aspects of Star Wars...
Holy crap, I never thought of that! Coincidence? Maybe not!
A little fun fact this movie was part of a midnight Double Feature with The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
At least this movie helped get De Palma be the director of ‘Carrie’ 2 years later where he really honed his horror roots; ‘Sisters’ is an equally skilled horror film
It's among my favorites, actually, so I'm not objective here. I could see how a musical-lover maybe won't find it satisfying, but as a piece of art it's truly priceless. I don't find it flawed for being structured in a strange schizophrenic way. Who says a movie can only be one thing? Teachers in film school, maybe, but following rules can be so restrictive. Pushing for absurdity in that sense really made something unique here, and that doesn't happen often by following conventional methods, that were used to see in movies.
Your review isn't wrong or bad, but I feel like it's a bit backwards to judge a work like this as if it was just any movie, or a straight up adaptation.
Ps: Old souls was your favorite song in the soundtrack?? What??? (I'm joking... a little) Mine are Faust (Paul Williams) and The Hell of it. >w>; I really enjoyed him in that role, it seems. Haha...
You should do “Quest for Camelot”.
Yeah definitely.
Or just "Camelot."
Axol The Axolotl Diva has already done Camelot
@@cybertek3188 Indeed!
@@alexyverr4389 Not THAT Camelot. The animated Warner Bros movie from 98 with Cary Elwes, Pierce Brosnan, Eric Idle and Gary Oldman.
Oh I am an idiot. I *just* got that Donna's name is a reference to Prima Donna
This movie sounds interesting to check out, a fun and kind of campy take on the Phantom of the Opera. It is also cool to see Brian De Palma master his craft through this movie, the split screen technique is what makes the prom scene in Carrie one the best cinematic works for a scene. I guess that I take a more optimistic outlook on Winslow’s fate because while it didn’t make him look all that intelligent, he didn’t know that he was signing away his soul when he signed the contract, I feel like that sort of Faustian deal should only work if the party selling their soul knows exactly what they are getting into, it was why it was argued that Phoenix signing the contract wouldn’t work because she was wasted and didn’t know what she was getting into, it is why consent can only work when you know exactly what you are getting into. There is also the fact that Winslow did die to save the woman he loved and to defeat a bigger threat which would give him more points in his favor, it was why Charlie was able to get out of Hell in All Dogs Go to Heaven, his sacrifice to save Anne-Marie earned him the right to go to Heaven. Also this is a reflection of the Faust story and in the most well known version which is the Goethe version Faust actually does end up going to Heaven because he feels remorse over what he does and tries to do penance for the wrongs he did during life which lets him go to Heaven and be reunited with the woman he loved. So I guess his fate is probably left up to the viewer to decide, but with all that I can think of I can believe that in spite of the wrongs he did Winslow earned his salvation when he protected Phoenix and defeated Swan who was the greater evil, but I also believe that because of Winslow’s ignorance about what was in the contract it should have rendered the contract null and void too. I also find it rather stupid that these Phantom adaptations have Erik’s/the Phantom’s disfigurement to be caused by an accident (or caused by him being sold to the devil like in the Robert Englund version) instead of having him be born with it, it feels more tragic when he is born with it and becomes the way he is because of the injustices that he faced in life. But then you also have the Dario Argento version of Phantom of the Opera where he isn’t even disfigured and is just some really creepy and psychotic dude who has a rat fetish (trust me it is as disturbing as it sounds).
75 reviews ad 20K subs. Congrats, Diva (and Donna). You've earned them.
I never quite understood Phantom of the Paradise. As someone who read Leroux's novel but identified most strongly with the Lloyd Webber musical, Paradise's story seems like it got bored with its own story halfway through and decided to pull in other Gothic horror-themed things, like Faust ad Dorian Gray. I feel like the film itself was chasing the Rocky Horror aesthetic bandwagon, but never quite schieved the same status.
I am digging the tidbits and hints of history about Diva and Donna. It's neat, and lends some interesting dimensions to our demonic hostess. Looking forward to the holiday special! ^_^
It preceeded RHPS by about a year or two, so whatever it is i'ts not a copycat (though I did get those vibes too at first, especially during Beef's Frankenstein number).
As she said, it precedes Rocky Horror so it wasn't chasing any bandwagon. Also, Did you miss the very beginning when Winslow was talking about Faust and his operetta was about Faust and how the whole thing was about the music industry which people say they sell their souls to? It didn't get bored of its own premise...it took awhile for him to become disfigured after so much torture from the record producers (the suffering that leads him to his Faustian bargain)...the phantom bit was really just a small piece
The whole episode was a gem but the genuine moments between Diva and Donna at the end...I'm not sniffling, not at all *heart continues melting*
I like the idea of Phoenix being the lead and Winslow as the second. I'd probably recommend only having Winslow meet Phoenix when she first auditions, keep the focus mainly on Phoenix as she tries to get a part in the contata, have Phantom Winslow come in whenever he tries to bomb the juicy fruits and continue on while again keeping the focus on Phoenix and having winslow being a mysterious figure as he only comes in when it's important in the story like him signing the contract, attacking Beef, and the ending, and pull a Sweeney's wife with Winslow and have Phoenix recognize him after he dies without showing the audience that it was Winslow till then.
Okay, I have to admit, this was actually pretty good. If mostly for the developments in Diva and Donna's backstory.
I still unironically love the hell out of this movie, though. :)
Good job with the review! Can't wait to see what you have next.
For real. My guess is that reviewing and watching lots of movies makes them better at recognizing tropes and such. Hell, they're also better at analysis than many professional reviewers.
(Look up Rex Reed's review of _Phantom of the Paradise_ if you want a good cry sometime.)
How did I forget about Phantom of the Paradise? Thank you for this memory trip.
(Not that I was alive in the 70s, but for some reason I've seen this film multiple times during my childhood.)
Same here
I don't know what my parents were thinking when they showed me this film as a child, but I'm glad they did.
I found this channel not too long ago and I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. Thank you for making these videos.
Sing Prima Donna once more! I really like this musical and I'm so glad you finally gave this one a look! Phantom's Theme (Beauty and the Beast) is my personal favorite track.
18:54: Seriously, Donna. Diva's just pissed that the movie takes the skill that she and her coworkers worked hard to achieve is being treated as entirely unneeded. Who needs subtlety and charisma when you can just toss carrots at them?
24:45: ...Um, Diva? You left the microphones on...Diva?
1:10: "Have you _read_ the Song of Solomon lately?" I love a good Bible joke...an attitude not usually shared by Bible-thumpers, for some reason.
10:00: Thanks, Donna! I love a good bit of trivia.
"Have you read the Song of Solomon lately?" Yeah, even the Bible clearly states that Sex is very pleasurable, as long as we don't take it for granted.
And as long as it takes place within marriage. The bible also does say "the body is NOT for fornication"
Timothy McLean I think you're taking this pretty seriously.
1:10 Which is sad really. G.K. Chesterton said the mark of a good faith is that you can laugh at it. Just because I believe in God doesn’t mean I lack a sense of humor.
@@ThePa1riot Unfortunately, religions trend towards being controlled by the people who take them seriously for the same reason that governments trend towards being controlled by politically-active, and the nature of religion* gives those in control (ie, the no-fun crowd) to defend their position and smite offenders with moral certitude.
*Or at least Abrahamic religions-I'm not sure how true that is for less-centralized faiths like basically every non-Abrahamic religion.
Another great review, Diva Inferna. I’m glad you liked most of it. Even with the goofy bits, it’s one of my favorites.
I was ready to throw hands when I saw this video. I love this movie. It's not perfect, but it's so fun and odball, and the setpieces are so fantastical and bizarre. Especially on such a small budget, this movie does a lot right.
I've always hoped that one day you would cover this. I mean even your "boss" makes an appearance in it. Such an amazingly bizarre film! And it was good to see Donna again! :D
I love how Donna has a mid-Atlantic accent. It's so fitting.
Okay, that neon lighting bolt scene scared the shit out of me as a child, what was my mom doing taking me to see this? God bless her because this movie is one of the best to ever do it, musical horror. Extra props to Depalma and the whole cast, bravo!
Yeah, I watched the review long before I watched the movie and I was STILL startled by the fuckin' lightning bolt. I expected to fall, I didn't expect it to shock him!
Your content is all I've been watching since I discovered you a couple days ago; I love it. So sad I hadn't found you sooner. Keep up the incredible work, Diva!
I bet Winslow spent a significant amount of time in purgatory. Dude was already hair-trigger well before he met Phoenix. He probably got a reduced sentence for self-sacrifice, but I imagine a few murders and terrorizing his peer didn't go over well.
You introduced me to this movie, and I cannot thank you enough. It's a weirdly beautiful piece of art.
This is one of my favorite Phantom adaptations for its weirdness. I loved the dual perspective take on it. I hope Donna returns for Christmas!
You failed to account for how the passage of time influenced Phoenix's decision to sell out. I think it was a year that passed from the time she first met Swan and the time she replaced Beef on stage. That's one more year she's spent as an undiscovered singer...or should I say, she's come one year closer to becoming a never to be discovered singer.
Also fun fact They modified an actual record press with rubber parts and a safety bar. However, the safety bar broke and nearly crushed the actors head in. So if those screams sound so real it’s because they are. 9:32.
There's a deleted scene where it shows that record plant scene in it's entirety.
I love all the callbacks to Diva’s “Phantom of the Opera” review in this video! 😊
Have seen this movie a couple hundred times....I had unlimited access to the reels back in the seventies, and would binge watch it for hours at a time. Still have the poster on my wall, and Death Records t-shirt.
0:35 Maybe next time try something other than whispering, like morse code.
Seems like DePalma tried to stack the deck when it comes Phantom adaptations. We're talking about a "deal with the devil" sandwich here; the bread is Phantom of the Opera with Faust and Dorian Grey being the meat and cheese. Add to that Paradise Lost as the mayonnaise and you'd have a film that sounds tasty but is actually high in cholesterol.
I dunno, I think Paul nailed being Swan. Sure, someone else could have done a knock-the-ball-out-of-the-park kind of job, but the juxtaposition between his and Winslow's hight and his background of being a actual renoned songwriter just works well in a parody. A short man holds all the cards over everyone, and even though he does get defeated, no one wins. Swan got 50 years of being a famous, powerful man, and despite his strength (Winslow breaks through a brick wall and metal sheet door ) Swan controls it all. He can't be harmed, not until his deal with the devil is burnt and his face melts off. Swan steals the show, his slimy grin just sticks with you
I first saw Phantom of the Paradise at the age of 12 when I caught it at the monthly Los Angeles Comic Convention. I hadn't seen anything like it before and I imagine it had a profound effect on me.
Spectacular job on this one I was genuinely intrigued to see where you would go with this one but by the heads of Cerberus you nailed it!!!
I've thought this for awhile, but I hope there becomes a trend of Diva and Donna reviewing movies which have both good qualities and bad ones, so we can get a better variety of movies in some episodes. Plus, I just like having both sides have an argument for a case.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time and I'm so glad you reviewed!!
And after that Phoenix turned to dance, leading her to go study in a dance academy in Freiburg...
THE IRISES!
At the end of the movie, Swans face looks the way it does because the tapes have been burned and so Swan's face becomes burned as well. So it isn't age - it's fire. Love your Musical Hells! I have watched every single one!
Paul Williams wrote all of the music for the movie..so it's kind of a poetic irony that his character stole the music from someone else.
I'd love to see a review on Sing (2016). It's a hollow cash grab for sure, but I also really enjoy the cast.
Ah, memories. My friends and I went to see POTP when it premiered. We sat in the front row of the theatre (why? lord knows) and passed around a bottle of sangria that we somehow snuck in. I loved the film, but yeah, Paul Williams always looks like Paul Williams.
"...he can even make a retro-50s group a sensation..."
Well, in all fairness, when this came out Sha Na Na was pretty big.
As well as Happy Days having made Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock a chart topper again.
I can't wait to see what that present is
Please do RENT next, your videos are freaking hilarious and It'd be amazing to hear you rip into that dumpster fire movie
She did do rent but TH-cam keeps taking it down. I think she has a link to it if you search for it.
Does anyone think of Griffith when Winslow goes into his Phantom costume? That bird helmet is pretty damn similar
Now that you pointed it out, I can't unsee it
You are not alone.
Potp did well in Japan I do believe, and it's one of Miura's inspirations
@@KaguraLioness groovy
On the DVD of Carrie, Brian de Palma thought that the split screen usage didn't quite work. I haven't seen this film, so I don't know how the usage compares. Ironically, Sissy Spacek worked as a set decorator on this film.
First time of me even hearing of this movie to be honest and the banter between you too such a delight I've only recently started watching many of your early reviews and have binge watched a lot of them good work Diva and Donna your first of me meeting you quite delightful,
I love your series. Its actually inspired me to attempt my hand at writing a musical.
I think your problem with his disfigurement is a bit more complicated than mine.
Mine is “He should be missing a head.”
I'm shocked that Diva likes Phoenix's songs. Paw Dugan wasn't a fan them. Meanwhile, couldn't the other reason for movies not showing The Phantom's deformity as natural because the Hays Code had also forbade any birth scenes? Also, is it me or this film a prequel to "The Apple"? Think about it; Pheonix could've ended up pregnant by Swan before his death. And that baby could've been either Alfie or Bibi. After strange circumstances, the kid grows up in Canada and the rest is history. Not to mention the films are both about corrupted music industries that are (somehow) in league with the devil and screw over the meek main lead while grooming the leading lady.
The movie may not be great, but someone sure did a good job preserving it! The quality is amazing! I miss the days before movies got grey and washed out looking.
I freaking LOVED this movie when I saw it in my first year of college. So weird & wonderful. This reminded me that I should rewatch it :)
20K Sub Special! Congrats on 20K subs, Diva!
I discovered your channel recently, and I loved it. Hope you keep reviewing all kinds of musicals
XO from Brazil
The joke: "There is a starlet so dumb that she slept with the screenwriter in hopes of advancing her career.”
I can see why you didn't want Donna to hear the joke. Nobody needs her to go off on a screed about the immorality of 1) sex outside of marriage 2) sexual favors for career advancements and its related predatory behaviors 3) the belittlement of the original work's creator or 4) all of the above.
Not so much "didn't want her to hear" as "didn't want to waste time explaining it to her."
@@MusicalHell That too. :)
I must say, this Phantom is sure rocking the Griffin cosplay :P
YES! I am so excited for the next case!
Isn't Paul William's also the guy who voiced Animated Series Penguin
The very same one
I love watching all your reviews; it's just fun getting a different perspective on them :)
I'd super love to hear your opinion on Galavant the TV musical series. It is definitely one of my favorites ^^ even if you tear it apart, I think you'd enjoy the ride!
And lo, the demoness Diva opened the gift on that hollowed morning...revealing a VHS tape of George and the Christmas Star. As it was written and foretold, Diva climbed the hierarchy of the Abyss, becoming an Infernal Princess for the sole purpose of tearing Donna from the Heavens and subjecting her to the worst music wrought by man: "The Most Wanted Music".
-Fin.
Getting such a kick out of a new generation finding this flick...because it FINALLY got a Blu-ray in 2014. Welcome, children. Just sign right here...
“You can’t erase a lifetime of evil with one selfless act”
All Dogs Go To Heaven will like to politely disagree.
(PS: I wouldn’t mind a revoew of this. It is kinda like Phantom of Paradise and Rock and Rule in regards to a troubled but good film)
You know, this review doesn't hold up very well.
The charm of Phantom is exactly that it is all over the place, yet still hangs together - works as a comedy, musical, thriller, horror, fantasy, allegory and all.
Critiquing it for what it very successfully and intentionally does, is just showing you're kind in the corner of neatly squared off run of the mill genre pictures.
Don't think De Palma EVER did that.
The movie's getting more and more love (like a LOT of De Palma's movies) each year, and all well deserved.
Save the sins for.....well Cats, Burton's Sweeney, Marshall's Into the woods and Nine......now those are bad adaptions.
This is a great review. I love the back and forth between the Angel and the demoness!
I think all Versions and parodies of phantom of the opera should include masquerade.
Its the best song. Its a break from all the darkness but still sinister.
I dont care if you don't agree
...do not open until christmas...how many bad christmas musicals are there...
Do not open until after Christmas might have been more appropriate...
@@MusicalHell probably...but opening a present just left there like that feels like a bad omen ironically considering who left it
Perhaps it's a Christmas musical which has multiple saving graces and makes Diva realize she's redeemable.
@@VelvetCondoms or its the two musical versions of a christmas carol
Paul Williams's soundtrack for PHANTOM is just awesome!
I just revisited Phantom on Broadway this weekend; the timing of this review couldn't be more perfect!
It was great seeing Diva with Donna again. They play off each other spectacularly and I love me some good backstory hints. ^^
How do you not even mention that Williams wrote all the songs and provides the Phantom's singing voice when it's cleared up by the machine?
DOLBYS!
It's good to see you again Donna.
The first time I saw Donna was in her case of Portal 2 but had she appeared before then at all?
PS I also really enjoyed the review and I hope you have a Happy Halloween, Diva!
I love how Diva says "here" every time she means to say hell.
There’s still one Phantom I’d love to see you cover: the 1989 one starring Robert Englund. I call it Phantom Krueger
Can I just say - I’m not even a big “musicals” fan, but yours is one of my favorite TH-cam review series. 😊
Loved this review!! Very unique. Winslow WAS pretty dim...even when he hulked up in anger.
Hello Donna, Nice to see you again.
I don't know why Donna's popular. Diva's the brilliant, snarky reviewer. So much so, I almost want to kiss her.
Let’s face it. Diva is a charismatically snarky character, but Donna is also a creatively angelic character! Both are the best!
This is one of my favorite movies. It's really interesting and thought-provoking. Imperfect, yeah, but not horrible. I wish a lot of the songs were longer. I just want to see more Beef rocking out to "Life At Last", I'll be honest.
Yes thank you for reviewing this honestly I love this movie it's weird has good songs and a lot of it could have been better but it still holds up
3:19 Winslow moves and sounds like Elton John doing his best Ray Charles impression.
Leach, Swan, Phoenix...did de Palma have a bird fetish while he was doing this movie?
Also, I just realised this movie has “What if Raoul and Erik were the same person?” as it’s central fan fiction conceit.
People accused him of copying Hitchcock. Remember the snl skit "the clams"?
The chemistry! The implied backstory! The cult classic I need to put on my watch list! .... and I suspect talking like an angel for long stretches of time would wind up hurting...
(And, oh hey there cult classic film that's really interesting but also doesn't realize that it's female lead has a potentially more interesting narrative to focus on)
Movie and soundtrack has saved my lives many a times. Perfect for a Guardian Demon