‘Phantom Of The Paradise’ To Be Adapted Into A Stage Musical By Star Paul Williams
First reported by MovieMaker, a chorus of joy rang across the entire spectrum of cult cinema fandom when it was announced that the 1974 Horror Comedy Musical, The Phantom of the Paradise, is being adapted into a stage musical by none other than the film’s star, Paul Williams and Sam Pressman, whose the son of the film’s late producer, Ed Pressman.
There has been talk of bringing the cult classic romp to the stage since the film’s director and burgeoning legend, Brian De Palma (Carrie, Dressed To Kill, Scarface. The Untouchables, Carlito’s Way) scripted a prospective adaptation back in 1987.
Sam Pressman, who inherited his father’s production company, Pressman Film, after his death in 2023, told MovieMaker that him and Williams have been talking to different writers to pen the script, including author Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho, The Shards), but it’s still unclear how much involvement De Palma will have with the finished product.
“We certainly want Brian to feel honored,” Pressman said. “I went to go see Brian last fall, to talk about the dream. Phantom was an early and significant film for him and I’d say the favorite film of my father in his career. I think the chaos and originality of the whole experience was deeply inspiring.”
Based on the classic novel, The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, but with a twist of Faust and Dorian Gray added to the mix, Phantom of the Paradise tells the story of a man named Winslow Leach (William Finley). Winslow is an unfortunate soul with a prodigious talent for music, but with a face that looks like he’s legally prohibited from coming near school playgrounds.
His fortunes change when his music is heard by big-time producer, Swan (Paul Williams). The music guru tries stealing Winslow’s music, but underestimates his tenacity, and that’s when he strikes a deal that has diabolical consequences for the spectacled songwriter. Phantom of the Paradise wasn’t a box office hit when it was released into theaters, but it has since became a beloved underground classic that rivals another midnight screening staple from the same era, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The movie has attracted generations of Phantom freaks over the past five decades, but nowhere near as rabid as the ones in Winnipeg, which resulted in a 2019 documentary about the town’s obsession with the seventies psychedelic romp.
Before becoming Swan, Williams was already playing the role of music producer with hit songs such as Three Dog Night’s “An Old Fashioned Love Song”, along with “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays” by The Carpenters, just to name a few. “I’m excited about having a chance to deliver what fans have been suggesting for years… POTP as a stage musical,” Williams told MovieMaker. “I think it’s time has come!”
His performance as Swan is the one role that the majority of people recognize him from on sight, but most readers will remember him from an even more iconic rogue from the gallery of pop culture. That’s because Williams provided the voice for The Penguin in the groundbreaking, and eternally celebrated Batman: The Animated Series.
Being extremely active with the fans online, he’s overjoyed to share with them his rebirth of a story that countless weirdos have cherished their entire lives, and it seems that the reaction has touched Swan in a part of his soul that he obviously didn’t sell to the devil in that contract.
“Well, I’m a mess reading your responses to this news,” Williams said, in a response to an Instagram post by BroadwayWorld. “You know you deserve the credit for this remarkable opportunity…. 50 years ago … to quote the producer/studio legend Sam Goldwyn … when Phantom opened ‘they stayed away in droves!’ … but a few crazy people loved it so much they showed it to all of their friends, even if they had to tie them to a chair to make them watch it… And some of those victims became enthusiasts and… Look what you did. Look what you did. You kept it alive and this time we’re actually moving forward towards POTP on stage Grateful past language and… As we say in recovery… ‘More will be revealed!’”
Williams finished, “There’s so many people to thank and I will in time, but I wanted to go with all of you. You made me teary! That’s a Paulielama standing ovation!! Blessings and thanks”
No word yet on when the production is supposed to start, nor whose name is written on what contracts, but Phantom of the Paradise is available to rent on Prime, and here is the obligatory trailer:
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