Phantom of the Paradise

Play trailer

Phantom of the Paradise

PG

1974

1h 32m

Musical

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

68 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

After record producer Swan (Paul Williams) steals the music of songwriter Winslow Leach (William Finley) and gives it to one of his bands, Leach sneaks into Swan's offices. Catching Leach, Swan frames him for dealing drugs, which lands him in prison. After Leach breaks out and again attempts to sabotage Swan's empire, an accident crushes his face. Leach then dons a costume and becomes the Phantom, intent on ruining Swan while saving singer Phoenix (Jessica Harper) from a terrible fate.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Brian De Palma's subversive streak is on full display in Phantom of the Paradise, an ebullient rock opera that rhapsodizes creativity when it isn't seething with disdain for the music industry.

Read Critics Reviews

Andrew Sarris

Village Voice

De Palma has mixed too many of his styles in Phantom of the Paradise, but this is still a movie to be seen and heard.

Jun 27, 2023

Full Review

Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

A crazy, savage film -- iconoclastic and truly liberating.

Jun 27, 2023

Full Review

Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

De Palma, who can't tell a plain story, does something that a couple of generations of student and underground filmmakers have been trying to do and nobody else has ever brought off. He creates a new Guignol, in a modern idiom.

Jun 27, 2023

Full Review

Alan Jones

Radio Times

This being a De Palma film, the Hitchcock references are in abundance, including the wittiest Psycho shower scene send-up ever. And Sissy Spacek dressed the sets!

Rated: 4/5

Jul 2, 2025

Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

...filters highbrow influences through colored 1970s strobe lights.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 29, 2024

Full Review

Noah Gittell

Washington City Paper

Brian De Palma’s 1974 pastiche is a near-psychedelic experience built not on freaky visual effects but on pure passion and unadulterated artistry.

Mar 29, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jack F

One of my all time favorites. Definitely a gem, which means not many know about it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/17/25

Full Review

Jason H

The music in this movie is excellent.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/12/25

Full Review

Noel L

This was Phantom of the Opera meets The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The songs were entertaining, the special effects were on point for it's time, and the acting wasn't half bad

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/24/25

Full Review

Blu B

All Time Classic. It's a Musical, comedy, and horror mixed with a hint of Rocky Horror Picture Show (Although this came first), arthouse, and New Hollywood style to it and you get one of the most bizarre, crazy, super freakin creative, lighting in a bottle, masterfully written and layered, incredibly executed, and awesome things I've ever seen Just like R.H.P.S. this needs to be seen to be believed and understood. Everyone should give this a try once. You know as crazy as it is I feel like it ironcically is more grounded in fundamentals than R.H.P.S. is too.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/12/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Unfunny in 1 hour and 32 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/20/25

Full Review

Nick O

I’m guessing DePalma had cocaine and LSD figured into the budget for this truly bizarre rock opera/horror musical that is Phantom Of The Opera meets Ziggy Stardust era Bowie but way weirder!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/25/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Brian De Palma

Director

Paul Williams

Swan

William Finley

Winslow

Jessica Harper

Phoenix

George Memmoli

Philbin

Gerrit Graham

Beef

FM

20%

62%

FM

Watchlist

Thank God It's Friday

36%

34%

Thank God It's Friday

Watchlist

Funny Lady

55%

54%

Funny Lady

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Funny Lady

Fun in Acapulco

57%

51%

Fun in Acapulco

Watchlist

Grease 2

37%

53%

Grease 2

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

After record producer Swan (Paul Williams) steals the music of songwriter Winslow Leach (William Finley) and gives it to one of his bands, Leach sneaks into Swan's offices. Catching Leach, Swan frames him for dealing drugs, which lands him in prison. After Leach breaks out and again attempts to sabotage Swan's empire, an accident crushes his face. Leach then dons a costume and becomes the Phantom, intent on ruining Swan while saving singer Phoenix (Jessica Harper) from a terrible fate.

Director: Brian De Palma
Producer: Edward R. Pressman
Screenwriter: Brian De Palma
Production Co: Harbor Productions, Pressman-Williams Enterprises
Rating: PG
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 31, 1974, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Stereo

Most Popular at Home Now