[idoneus1957]

I once read a review of Phantom of the Paradise in a film book where the guy didn't like it all. That surprised me because I like it a lot. I read in an article in the New York Times last year that the movie has acquired a cult following.
The movie is the story of the Phantom of the Opera set in a rock palace. Paul Williams, who wrote the songs in the movie, plays the evil rock mogul Swan.
William Finlay, whose association with Brian de Palma goes all the way back to de Palma's legendary student film Woton's Wake, plays a naive rock composer whose music is stolen by Swan. In his quest for vengeance, he gets horribly disfigured, and then haunt Swan's new rock palace The Paradise. The usual stuff.

Let's see...Gerrit Graham plays Beef, the outlandish performer whom Swan chooses to headline his new rock palace. Graham is probably best known for his performance in Used Cars.

One of my major reasons for liking the movie is Jessica Harper. What a knockout. Among her other acting credits, check her out in a weird little film called Inserts, in which Richard Dreyfus plays a porno film director. [!]