Phantom of the Paradise

Chalk up yet another cult favorite that I'd never heard of until now. Luckily, there's the company Shout Factory to present the Blu-ray debut of "Phantom of the Paradise." The film is part of the long and spotty resume of Brian DePalma, and this bizarre mix of horror, comedy, rock music, and weird shenanigans departs from his usual horror movie shtick.

A spoof of "Phantom of the Opera," the glam rock era, and of horror movies in general, the 1974 "Phantom of the Paradise" appears to be trippy in 2014 but overall entertains in the sheer over-the-top fashion DePalma got famous for. It was nominated for Academy Awards for its musical score, penned by Paul Williams.

By now, you've heard me say how generous Shout/Scream Factory can be with their Blu-ray and DVD releases. "Phantom of the Opera" not only fills up the Blu-ray with brand new interviews from Brian DePalma, Paul Williams, and make-up effects artist Tom Burman, but a second disc contains a whopping eleven more bonus features. The 2-disc set really does define the "Collector's Edition" tag shown prominently on the cover.

"Paradise Regained" documents the making of "Phantom of the Paradise," and should be watched for an insight into the entire filming process. At 50 minutes, it's just about the right amount of running time. Paul Williams' 70 minutes (and then some) interview (moderated by Guillermo Del Toro) may seem too long, but you'll find out everything about the quirky entertainer. Rounding out the set are multiple audio commentaries, radio and TV spots, and a stills gallery.

"Phantom of the Paradise"
Blu-ray & DVD Combo Pack
www.shoutfactory.com