Spotlight: Phantom of the Paradise Blu ray

[RSS]

I haven't done a spotlight review since the winter, mostly because honestly, I don't buy that many new things these days and people rarely send me review stuff. Lucky for me, something crossed my path I just couldn't avoid.


Ever since my (largely irresponsible) older cousin let me watch Phantom of the Paradise at the tender age of 7, I've been a devoted fan of this wicked rock and roll horror satire. Heck, as I type this I'm wearing a Phantom T Shirt (which was unintentional) and I often use a Death Records lighter, I'm hooked I tells ya!

This spotlight isn't about the film itself, if you're reading this I'm assuming you dig the film or are just very bored.


Since that initial viewing I've owned Phantom in every format possible, VHS, laser disk and the rather bare bones (and run of the mill) DVD format but when this was announced I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough.

Scream Factory really went all out with the love on this one, the film on Blu Ray is a total joy, I found myself noticing things I'd never seen before and I've seen this movie a bunch people.

The joy for me were the extras, which include:

• Deleted Scenes
• New audio commentary
• Interviews with Brian De Palma, Paul Williams and several key production people.
• Director Guillermo Del Toro (a noted fan) sits down with Paul Williams for an additional interview
• A great documentary that I hadn't seen before called Paradise Regained

Perhaps my favourite tidbit was this little short of the late William Finley hawking his Medicom action figure.

The only word of caution I would give is, this is not a DVD combo pack, you do not get the movie on DVD here. The DVD is just extras, so please don't expect to get two versions of the film itself.

Otherwise, if you're a fan like me, this is an early Christmas present. I cannot recommend this enough, I honestly feel like I'm being rewarded by the cosmos for this one. Thanks Scream Factory!

Click here to get it on Amazon (and send me a shiny nickel in the process!)

View my previous Spotlights.

For more Fashion Mockery and 70's toy love visit us at Plaid Stallions.com


More...

[PNGwynne]

Thanks for posting this--it sounds great; I have the earlier DVD release.

[palitoy]

Thanks for posting this--it sounds great; I have the earlier DVD release.

This makes that DVD look like a third generation Betamax tape.

[cjefferys]

Great news, I'll be picking this up. All these years later, I still can't believe Medicom actually made that figure, that was totally out of left field!

Trivia: the original name of the record label in the film was Swan Song, but Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant threatened a lawsuit because a vanity label for Led Zep was created only months earlier with the same name. So De Palma and his editor had to scramble to change as much of the Swan Song references as they could at the last minute (changing the record label in the film to Death Records), that must have been a tremendous PITA. I hear that some of the original unaltered footage is on the new disc though, maybe in the supplimental material?

[PNGwynne]

This makes that DVD look like a third generation Betamax tape.

lol That's quite an endorsement.

Always interested in Paul Williams, and curious about the deleted scenes.

[J.B.]

Love the movie and the figure.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I REALLY need to see this movie. I vaguely recall catching a snippet of it on a Saturday afternoon TV broadcast in the mid to late 80s.

Chris