Phantom of the Paradise

Phantom of the Paradise is very much your typical weird, trippy, insane musical from the 1970s. Directed by Brian De Palma and starring William Finlay, Paul Williams and Jessica Harper the film tells the story of a rejected musical composer (Winslow Leach/The Phantom) who becomes disfigured after a horrific accident and enacts his revenge on a record tycoon (Swan) that betrayed him to get a young singer (Phoenix) that he befriends to perform his music. All the typical trappings of 70s psychedelic schlock are there but Phantom of the Paradise is also a fascinating exploration on the relationships between the artists in the industry and the eventual product that is created between the two.

The film opens with the semantics of a dead bird a symbol used throughout the film. Through this opening the film paints Swan up to be some sort of God which is somewhat ironic as he is effectively the devil in the film. It goes on to state that he created his own Xanadu, a place of great or ideal magnificent and beauty. The final line in the opening states “this film is the story of that search of that sound of the man who made it, the girl who sang it and it monster who stole it” which takes up a new meaning by the end of the film. The opening sequence consists of a song about Swan’s entrance into the music industry. As the song paints him up as a god, Swan is shown as both the devil and the puppet master controlling all around him. As this is going on, Winslow sticks his name over the juicy fruits logo the band that is currently playing the opening song. This scene is used order to demonstrate the dualistic nature to Winslow’s character as the film both showcases the recognition for the real artist behind the scenes but also showcases it as a man who is incapable to see his music is anything else but his own artistic expression and therefore cannot understand the necessary commercialisation of music. The song showcases the idea of immortality through death and to create art Swan has sold his soul to the devil. The fact that we do not see Swans face yet further orchestrates this idea of a puppet master as he effectively states that they need more fresh meat to be pumped out of the industry witch shows in his eyes the artist is just a disposable commodity. The cantata Winslow writes about Faust encapsulates the story of the film and the idea of selling your soul for a chance of playing, as Phantom of the Paradise is effectively a retelling of Faust.

The story of Faust is as follows. Faust is bored and depressed with his life as a scholar. After an attempt to take his own life, he calls on the Devil for further knowledge and magic powers with which to indulge all the pleasure and knowledge of the world. In response, the Devil’s representative, Mephistopheles, appears. He makes a bargain with Faust: Mephistopheles will serve Faust with his magic powers for a set number of years, but at the end of the term, the Devil will claim Faust’s soul, and Faust will be eternally enslaved. During the term of the bargain, Faust makes use of Mephistopheles in various ways. In Goethe’s drama, and many subsequent versions of the story, Mephistopheles helps Faust seduce a beautiful and innocent girl, usually named Gretchen, whose life is ultimately destroyed when she gives birth to Faust’s illegitimate son. Realizing this unholy act, she drowns the child and is held for murder. However, Gretchen’s innocence saves her in the end, and she enters Heaven after execution. In Goethe’s rendition, Faust is saved by God via his constant striving — in combination with Gretchen’s pleadings with God in the form of the eternal feminine. However, in the early tales, Faust is irrevocably corrupted and believes his sins cannot be forgiven; when the term ends, the Devil carries him off to Hell.

The song also showcases the artificiality of the film by calling this place The Paradise. The film showcases the battle between the creator and the producer as the industry just wants the next big thing and the artist is unwilling to change their artistic vision. This is showcased by Winston attacking the guy says his music will be given to the commercial pop band in the film The Juicy Fruits showcasing that he is unwilling to compromise his artistic vision and therefore want to achieve anything within the industry. Swan’s record label is called Death Records, featuring the logo of a dead bird. This further reinforces the idea of the industry killing the artist and using them as a lifeless puppets in order to create a commercially successful product as well as giving hints to the idea of Swan being dead and selling his soul to the devil for eternal life. The dead bird logo is again showed at the record company building further highlighting the idea of the industry being symbolic of capturing young stars and ultimately destroying them, this idea is further showcased with the “never to be seen” document that the receptionist looked at for Winslow causing him to be kicked out. Within this scene a song about meeting the devil is played again linking into the idea of a Faustian narrative throughout the film.

In the audition scene we are show a lot of different singers interpreting his music in their original way but ultimately forgetting the artist’s original intention. Winslow however finds the ideal vessel for his product in the form of Phoenix a young girl who is auditioning for Swan again showcasing more bird symbolism within the film. Phoenix showcases the best and idealised product of both the creator and the producer in the form of a perfect singer as well as showcasing the purity of a young star when Winslow says she should be a lead singer and not a backing singer she herself states “I don’t care where I sing this music”. Winslow ultimately helps Phoenix for his own gain as he believes that she is the best choice of seemingly idealistic and creative format.

In the auditions for the girls to the scene they are ultimately taken into a room where they have sex with Swan as no singing occurs. This highlights the idea of the artist being a tool for the managers and producers however Winslow has a similar outlook in the opposite direction has he does not care about her as a person but her voice. This further indicates the idea of stars being factory processed objects that producers and companies create. Swan having sex with them in a big bed parallels infamous cases and accounts that a lot of young stars must do to get into the industry. Swan then exits from the door as he is exiting from hell further indicating his devil -like persona within the film, as the girls flaunt and swoon over him to get his attention. Winslow is found out impersonating one of the girls and is kicked out and ultimately framed for drug charges where he is sentenced to life in prison. This scene further indicates the idea of the industry being a puppet master that controls you.

Whilst in prison which is ironically called Sing Sing considering what happens at the beginning of this scene, as Winslow’s teeth are removed when affecting his speech as a cruel ironic punishment at the hands of Swan which is further indicated by him having to pack Juicy Fruit albums showing that he is in his own personal hell. Winslow escapes symbolically rejecting the corporate industry in favour of artistic freedom. Winslow then goes on a rampage attacking Swan by damaging his involvement within the industry as he rampages through death records destroying property. He tries to destroy the record pressing machines Swan’s source of power, as in a moment of dark comedic irony the record press kills Winslow by crushing his head. The device that has been used to manufacture the commercialised bastardisation of his art has now seemingly killed him literally as well as metaphorically. However, Winslow survives. Severely scarred from the instant, he walks into the sea as it seems as if the industry has taken the life of yet another artist.

In the following scene a newspaper reads “Paradise gates open Juicy Fruits premiere Swans Faust” with a little article at the bottom of the page about Winslow’s death. Showcasing the position of the artist within the over dominating presence of the industry.

What follows is a POV Slasher movie-esque scene as the now deformed Winston haunts The Paradise as the phantom. As he enters the entrance to The Paradise it is reminiscent of a Slasher movie villain aesthetic which is further exemplified by the costume and mask that Winslow dorms. The split screen in this scene shows the calm before the storm as a typical musical scene of people singing is shown aside Winslow planting a timebomb in the car as The Juicy Fruits go out on it creating tension through binary opposition. A calm before the storm situation is created as the car rides out towards the stage before the disequilibrium happens of the car bomb exploding like a terrorist attack killing The Juicy Fruits. This exemplifies a case in point throughout Phantom of the Paradise that neither Winslow or Swan is necessarily painted as the good or bad guy, as blowing up the car killing The Juicy Fruits just because they destroyed his artistic vision does not excuse his act of terrorism and mass murder. When Winslow confronts Swan, he is calm further showcasing his role of puppet master which is further showcased by Swan effectively scaring away Winslow showcasing the power he holds. Ultimately the two strike up a bargain to make Phoenix the start of The Paradise. As they audition Swans voice is heard as if from a dark abyss controlling the Paradise as he states “will you give me your voice”, this creates a double meaning later on in the film as he wants to use her as a factory product for his own gain. The song Phoenix sings is ultimately about the bleeding heart of the artist and how the industry takes you over and how you are ultimately controlled. This change showcases a certain level of irony as Winslow’s original ideas of railing against the establishment are now corrupted through Swan as they work together in order to create Phoenix as a factory made product of what both of them want and not what she wants. This is further showcased by Winslow rewriting his music, which is going against his original ideals. Swan even uses his own technology to recreate Winslow’s voice again exacting his control over the artist. This could even be a parallel to auto tuning which a lot of producers do to refine and create their own vision of the star’s voice.

Swan makes Winslow sign a contract linked with his own blood. There are clear parallels within this scene to making a deal with the devil as well as the showcasing of the retelling of Faust with the idea of deals and contracts. This idea is further exemplified when Swan listens back to his recording of Winslow as he hears the screams of the souls of his victims. The song is ultimately about Winslow’s obsession with Phoenix. The idea of him wanting her to sing this showcases a kind of redemption for the character as he has made a deal with the devil therefore losing his identity, but he still wants to create his art. However, Swan goes back on his word and gets another singer to sing the music to make it the most commercially viable. Meanwhile Winston slaves away at the music showcasing the idea of the tortured artist being looked up under the control of the industry as his selling his soul to the devil in order to become really popular witch is what Swan says the performance is about during a press junket is effectively what happened to Winslow. From this the new singer Beef who will sing Phoenix’s music appears from a coffin like a Frankenstein’s monster stitched together by the industry. This idea of Swan controlling Winslow’s music is further evidenced by beef singing his music badly and ultimately having to rework it. This comes to a head in the shower scene further re-enforcing the idea of the Phantom of the Paradise haunting the place in a psycho-esque scene were the phantom attacks Beef with a plunger in the shower, as the Phantom does not want to compromise his artistic expression.

In the musical sequences that follow the song that plays is about Swan being the puppet master and controlling them all, as well as linking to the idea that both Swan and Winslow are supernatural forces. Beef is then revealed as the new creation symbolising the product of Swan i.e. the producers and the companies without any consideration in what Winslow as the artist wants. This results in Winslow killing Beef to exact revenge on his music. This again goes into the dualistic nature of Phantom of the Paradise as although Swan has perverted and corrupted the artist’s original vision that does not give Winslow the right to commit murder upon a bad singer and musician but ultimately an innocent man.

This results in Phoenix singing the song on stage to the crowd. The song is about the idea of music as a sort of possession and reincarnation as well as the idea of selling your soul to the devil which perfectly encapsulates the dynamic between Winslow as the composer and Swan is the producer. Swan uses and manipulates Phoenix to create his perfect factory image of a music star, as shown when Phoenix is mobbed by fans. Winslow accosts Phoenix trying to make her runaway as he wants to Protect her. Phoenix however, sub comes to the fame and stardom basking in its glow and is ultimately afraid of Winslow. Phoenix ends up sleeping with Swan mirroring how a lot of young female stars must get into the entertainment industry as the song our love that plays over the song becomes twisted and perverted within the context of what is happening. In typical fashion for a Gothic horror romance Winslow kills himself. However, under the contract he made with Swan he can no longer die meaning his soul is bound as he tries to kill Swan it also showcases that he is under this contract to again showcasing the twisted Gothic horror romance tragedy of Phantom of the Paradise. Swan’s plan is to marry Phoenix to bind her soul to have her voice and then assassinate her as she will serve no further purpose. Winston, however, discovers the tragedy relating to Swan. In his recordings he finds out that he is afraid to grow old and die and just become another forgotten figure left in the annals of time. However, he makes a deal with the devil in order to stay young forever as Swan seals this pact with blood the same way Swan did with Winslow and Phoenix, as his name suggests he will always be a beautiful swan. Swan wants to kill Phoenix as then her soul and voice will be bound to him forever, as the Phantom destroys the tapes of Swan both to protect Phoenix but also a representation of his music. By destroying tapes of himself Winslow is ultimately destroying and railing against the record industry and the mainstream producers and companies that have a monopoly and control over the artists. However, the message of Phantom of the Paradise seems to be that none of it matters if the art gets out there and reaches and effects people in some way. As Winslow disrupts the assassination making the assassin kill the Pope the crowd still watches cheers laps it up as just another form of entertainment. Swan is unmasked both literally and metaphorically as the monster he is showcasing the ugly duckling behind his exterior. As Swan tries to kill Phoenix to collect her voice Winslow kills Swan killing them both as he is carried away to be consumed and martyred by the masses. Winslow is finally unmasked but shown not as the monster but as the man he once was as his face is recognised by Phoenix. As both the creator and the producer are now dead the product of Phoenix has finally transformed into an artist as she will like the name suggests rises from the ashes in order to carry on, as showcased by the crowd still dancing as it doesn’t matter as long as the art is out there making the creators immortal no matter what. The closing song is ultimately about Winslow’s and Swan’s feelings to one another as they both hate each other, and they glad they are both dead however now the music can continue in the form of Phoenix. In the opening states “this film is the story of that search of that sound of the man who made it, the girl who sang it and it monster who stole it” however now it is reviled that the man was referring to Winslow/The Phantom and the monster was referring to Swan.

Phantom of the Paradise explores the relationship between the creator and the producer and how both are ultimately needed to create a statement to represent and change the artistic landscape of our culture and society for the better.