Phantom of the Paradise~A Retrospective

Phantom - of theParadise
{A Retrospective}

-One Winnipeg fan takes a Phond look back at the ULTIMATE De Palma classic! By Joanna Oznowicz-Davis

In Memoriam

This project is dedicated to the memory

Of George Terry Memmoli {Philbin}

August 3/1938- May 20/1985

HEY,GEORGE!
Wish ya couldve been here! We had a blast!!!!

P*O*T*P* cast (April 29th/2006 (Garrick TheatreWINNIPEG,Manitoba) Right to left, top. William Finley, paul williams, Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham Bottomright to left Archie Hahn, Peter Elbling (Harold Oblong), (Dr) Jeff Comanor.

WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!

*Dedications/Acknowledgements*
To begin with. NONE of the events or stories, detailed in this project, would have been possible but for one mans aversion to soul-less elevator MUZ-ak

. De Palma on the set

Writer-director Brian De Palma so shrewdly channeled his frustration with the system into THE MOST UNIQUE version of the David vs Goliath story, this side of a Cecil B. De Mille epic! OUR UNDYING GRATITUDE!!! Deborah Znaty~ France-based film-maker extraordinaire, and her crew, who commemorated PHANTOMs 30th anniversary in STYLE! From cover to content, the 2 dvd special edition is the pride and joy of

fans, cast and producers alike! Merci beaucoup, Deborah! At the same time, though , the mind boggles as to why the movies original distributor (20th Century Fox)has yet to catch onto the growing popularity of this classic. Phantoms survived every home-movie format, from Beta (remember that?) to vhs, to Lazer disc and now dvd. So, whats the hold-up?

Keith Urlich, New York-based columnist, who was kind enough to assist with some of the research for this project, despite his own workload. Thank you, kind sir. Winnipeg Free Press columnist David Sanderson, whose article on {Phan-pal founder} Gloria Dignazio, back in December of 04, got the snowball rolling. We owe ya, man! BIG TIME!!! From that article came the inspiration for an anniversary screening of the movie at the Garrick Theatre, and the pieces began to fall into place. The end-results, of course, were nothing short of MIRACULOUS!!!!! To that end. THANK YOUS to GLORIA DIGNAZIO, DOUG CARLSON, MIKE {Phantom-stalker} NAVIS, DEL PANNU, ERIC SKODDIS, ZIPPY, ARI KAHAN, ROD WARKENTIN, and EVERYONE who put their hearts, SOULS, time, bank cards and heaven only knows what else, to this LABOR OF LOVE. A thousand poets, writing for a thousand years would describe but a fraction of our collective gratitude. We you

FINALLY!!! The moment so many of us once thought of

as no more than a distant fantasy..PHANTOMPALOOZA!!!

Countless THANKS to William Finley and Gerrit

Graham for their bravery in taking a dive into the deep end of the pool and then inviting the rest of the cast to join in!

You helped make it happen! From I dont Know-w-w to Lets do this again! And so, we did!

, Jessica Harper, (Dr.) Jeff Comanor, Peter Elbling and

Archie Hahn and Paul Williams.you guys made Phanpal 2 a bona-fide REUNION!!! Almost too much to take in! Hopefully, the experience was as immensely rewarding for you as it was for us! PHENOMENAL!!!!

The other woman in Robs life. Jessica Harper. Ssshhhh! Its a secret!

~Honorable mentions and other credits~

While many general movie pictures were obtained online, images of the event itself were donated by fans and organizers who wanted to share their favorite memories with the world! For all who have photos they just HAD to keep to themselves,TOTALLY UNDERSTOOD! To everyone who donated stories, recollections and anecdotes, not sure all of them will get used, but theyre all appreciated anyway.

 Last but not least, to our PARENTS, who loved us enough to endure it all! {YOU HAVE OVERCOME!}

SONG CREDITS

Considering the cinematic theme of this project, it would be the height of rude NOT to acknowledge the songwriter(s) of the soundtrack of our lives. Phantom of the Paradise (all selections implied) 1974Words and music by Winslow Leach and paul williams Blackbird~ P.McCartney/J.Lennon Copyright year unknown to author. Taint Nobodys Bizzness if I do~ P.Graninger/E.Robbins, from the original soundtrack recording LADY SINGS THE BLUES. 1972 I will Remember You~ A.Grant/G.Chapman/K.Thomas 1991 Happy Anniversary~ W.Hannah/J. Barbera

Approx

mid-60s {From episode The Hot PianoThe FLINTSTONES}. New lyrics composed by author. This is One of those Moments (Yentl) Marilyn and Alan Bergman/Michel Legrand 1984 Old Souls (Phantom of the Paradise) 1974. Words and Music: W. Leach

~Works Consulted~

Not even the most dedicated cinemaphile knows EVERYTHING movie-related, and so, this author would like to thank everyone whose writings have contributed much info to this project.

*****Doug Carlson {WHY WINNIPEG?1975 Phantom Phenomenon} 2006, who did most of the (research) work so I wouldnt have to. THANKS, DOUG! But seriously, folks., for those of us who grew up during that magical time, Dougs recollections make for a fun-filled saunter down memory lane. Who wants nostalgia anymore? I do, I DO!

***** Chris Poggiali, Edwin Samuelson and William Finley (Phantom Unmasked) October 2006 FANGORIA magazine.

Let me tell you what you can do with that pen.

*****Swanarchives.org~~ for the passel of research expertise related to the movie!

***** To all those internet sites/articles dealing with Brian De Palma and this under-rated gem. Kudos!!!

The Juicy Fruits, LIVEatThe Garrick

~CONTENTS~ Prologue The Oddest Beatles Tribute10 Chapter One Ya know, it seems like just Yesterday..12. Chapter Two.Destiny takes an Elevator Ride20

Chapter Three..All the Devils that disturbed me33 Chapter Four..The Movie that Ate WINNIPEG90 *Chapter FiveHello, Im Winslow Leach {profile on the character, the actor and the director}*..102 Chapter Six Our Ultimate Rock Palace....113 {Cast and fans finally reunite at the theatre where the romance began} Epilogue*Well Remember You, Forever {Memories set to music}*
118

A musically historical moment {April 29th/06}

The Oddest Beatles Tribute

Its a question that was asked, no doubt, a thousand times, to each one of the Beatles, during their glory days; Did you ever imagine youd be as famous as youve become? The answer, after a while, was probably a pat, Everyone imagines days like these, but no one ever really believes its gonna happen. And it WAS a wild ride! From the hungry days, playing Liverpool pubs to their premiere on The Ed Sullivan Show, before THOUSANDS of screaming teenagers, and then stepping onto the filed at Shay Stadium to deafening cheers and blinding flash-bulbs. The lads from Liverpool found fame, but what about later on, once the concerts were over and the albums were recorded and the autographs were signed? After all, fame doesnt last forever. And considering how relatively easy it is to acquire these days, the issue becomes one of LASTING IMPACT. Once all the trappings of fame are passed, what, if anything, is remembered of the person or group or movie, years after the applause dies down and the awards are collecting dust on trophy shelves? To music fans, young and old, The Beatles have, in fact, left a lasting legacy. Their songs are funny, thoughtprovoking, peaceful, angry; reaching us at just about every facet of our emotional/religio-political culture. And when a particular kind of music or a movie connects with people, any retooling or remake of said song or movie, no matter

how well-intentioned the producer, is not well-received by the people who grew up with the music or film, and associate it with aspects of their lives. Aspiring director/screenwriter Brian De Palma, as so many other young adults of his generation (60s), connected with the fab four. Whether their musical message railed against the futility of war (We Can Work It Out) or told stories about the human condition, on a tragic note (Elenor Rigby, Fool on the Hill) or just meandered, care-free, through a musical meadow like Strawberry Fields, the songs were stories, set to music. The soundtrack of Brian's generation. For Brian, despite early critical success with projects like Wotons Wake and The Responsive Eye, getting a foot in the door of film producers was no minor miracle for this Beatles fan. If his projects werent rejected outright, they were re-structured and credited to someone else within the system. As fed up as the would-be film-maker already was; not knowing how to deal with these pirates in high places, a single, seemingly mundane event, like ...oh...getting into an elevator, for example, would change so much for him as well for a generation of kids whose great accomplishments of that time included not having to eat vegetables. This book is the story of this man, his movie, and THE most UNLIKELY success story youre ever likely to read about.on screen and off!!

~Chapter One~
Ya Know, it Seems Like Just Yesterday

"Our Paths have crossed and parted. This love affair was started long, long ago!" ~Old Souls~ Words and Music: W. Leach

When youre a kid, Christmas comes once, every ten years. When youre a teenager, it moves a bit faster; say, every five years. By the time you get into your twenties, its around the corner at about the right time, and then, suddenly, its every other month! One minute youre complaining about the heat and the mosquitoes and wasps, next minute, the weather folks are speculating about snow accumulations. THAT is how fast the time goes! And if someone doesnt slow down the Carrousel of Time, this passengers gonna need a barf bag! Two years ago, yours truly was sitting at a desk, early in the morning, ready for a computer class; browsing an internet website in the meantime. It was the winter of 2004 (November-ish) and in another month, a longtime favorite movie would be celebrating its 30th Anniversary. {Phantom

of the Paradise, just in case theres any doubt}.

All right, so maybe celebrating is too strong a word at the time. Apart from some Brian De Palma fans waxing

nostalgic on-line, there wouldnt be much more by way of commemoration, other than fond recollections and discussions about how old fans were when they first saw the movie, and insights about the vices and Virtues of the movies hero, Winslow Leach. That was especially enjoyable! Still, a sense of forlorn resignation in the pit of my gut told me that these discussions (on Brian De Palma fan forum) were the closest any of us would get to expressing thanks to the director for his awesome contribution to our young adolescence. Then, December arrived, and one Thursdays entertainment supplement DeTourcarried an interesting article on Phantom of the Paradise collector Gloria Dignazio, and son Colin, who had matching Death Records T-shirts and just about everything else related to the movie! Hallelujah! Peggers still remembered!!!! And apparently Mr. Sanderson was of the opinion that the 30th anniversary of this film should be properly celebrated. Agreed! But how? The answer to that question would come about a week later, when a snippet in the same paper suggested that the new owners of the Garrick Theatre (Now Garrick CENTRE) might like to screen POTP for a special night, mark the occasion of the films 30th b.day. Cool. And yet, no second thoughts were given to the likelihood of Phantom returning to his Winnipeg HOME. So time trudged on. Christmas gave way to New years and 2005 was here. No more mention of the movie returning. Sigh. Shrug and move on. The DePalma forum would be Phantoms fans only venue for recollection, and we contented ourselves with that. But THENsomething was starting to. happen. A few posts discussing actor William Finley posed the possibility of getting in touch with the actor, via e-mail, just to say THANKS. And one guy, who went by the pseudonym

Michu began inquiring of board members, how Mr. Finley might be contacted. Hmmm. Spooky. Suggesting the NYC phone directory, there was mild concern that advice had been offered to someone who could take his appreciation for the movie and the actor just a smidge too far. Ive heard of Phantom stalkers, but whoever heard of stalking a phantom? The semi-teasing reply was posted. With that, the matter seemed to go away. It was one thing, after all, to play with the idea of meeting the man whod created the mentor of many aspiring artists and underdogs, but the fact that he was difficult to find on any sites proved the man valued his privacy or just decided to leave the acting bit. Sadly, good actors arent always afforded the publicity Hollywood heaps on pretty boys . Not saying these 'pretty boys' cant act, but such talents are usually over-shadowed by the fawning of fans and media droolers. Whatever. Once all personal attempts to find the actor failed, it was time to concede defeat and move on. If Mr. Finley read the De Palma site, hed know that he and the character were appreciated and that would have to be the end of it.

~Oh, Me of Little Faith~

Theres a song from the movie *Yentl with an opening line that goes, There are moments you remember all your life. There are moments you wait for and dream of all your life. This is one of those moments. Monday, March 7th, 2005 would be just that moment. It wasnt something any of us could have expected because only the mind can play such fantasy games. Real life just does NOT happen that way! And, so, as I tucked myself into the desk in my computer at 7:45 in the morning and logged into the De Palma site, seeing the post

PHANTOMPALOOZA triggered curiosity and.. oh, all rightHOPE! There, I said it! But hoping for something that cant happen is worse than not hoping at all. So, doing my dead-level best to rein in my imagination, hands and eyes worked to uncover something the brain would take a few minutes to wrap itself around.

Phantompalooza

The very picture I saw that very day.

There it was. Every dream every POTP fan dared dream but never dared truly BELIEVE in, because miracles like this simply were NOT the order of everyday life. With that, and moms dire prediction ringing in my ears, I shut my eyes tight for just a second or two. As soon as they opened again, theyd see something else. They had to! (Wonder how many other De Palma devotees were doing that very thing at the same moment?). Hoping to God their eyes werent deceiving them and yet TERRIFIED that this embryonic hope would miscarry in a tide of tears as soon as eyes opened to find us in our beds; awakened from a beautiful hallucination by the

music of the clock radio. There oughtta be a law about jerking people around before ten oclock in the morning! Especially on a MONDAY! After all, You know the old saying, If something sounds/seems too good to be true. But no one was being jerked around. And when these Monday morning eyes opened, they were staring at the same images and copy they saw before they clamped themselves shut, in disbelief. And as the surreal reality of it all began to sink in, something else happened. This author has only the vaguest recollection of something that could have been a shriek, emitting from my mouth, and reaching my ears, as well as the computer techs, who was startled by the noise. Who would need to be shrieking in a computer room? Whats the matter? Whatever was said couldnt have made much sense. How do you make sense when your grey cells are trying to process something as major as this!? Jabbering some kind of nonsense, Im sure, I bolted from the computer room and down the hall to the lounge, where a couple of friends were talking. Out it poured. Supposedly, thats the first step to making something REALLY REAL. Tell someone. Thing is, how does one speak when your mind isnt even sure of the words its allowing your mouth to form? Somehow though, there had to be a measure of coherence as I dont recall being restrained and/or carted off to a hospital Psyche ward. This, as Martha Stewart would say, is a good thing. Eventually returning to the classroom, my thoughts were a BIT more organized and I was able to compose the ONLY reply that did justice to the occasion.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As irony would have it, the gentleman who posted the glad tidings was the same guy who, only a month or so earlier, was searching for ways to contact Mr. Finley. This author refers to the bearer of those glad tidings as Phantom Stalker on the Acknowledgements page if that helps. In any case, the remainder of that day was a happy blur. So help me, if my English Lit instructor had taught the class stark naked, but for a pair of theatrical angels wings, it never occurred to me to notice! And from that morning on, just about everything was focused towards getting that ticket and waiting for April 23rd. Heaven help the world leader or terrorist who put any stumbling blocks in the way! OY! This would be the longest two months of my life!!! Of ANY of our lives! Recalling the Friday before THE event was another cause for fond smiles. About 9:00 or ten that morning, I had my walkman radio tuned to 99.9 Bob FM where Pete and Harry were talking to Gerrit Graham, who apparently has a thing for early morning donuts. Dont we all? There was talk, of course, about our movie, and why it wasnt treated better by 20th Century Fox, as far as distribution in the home video market. Fox did what it did for the sake of getting the movie to home video. However, as the formats went from video, to dvd, which affords movie distributors more space for extras and behind the scenes stuff, 20th Century Fox made no such effort for Phantom of the Paradise. Shame! Then, for some odd reason, I will NEVER be able to wrap my head around, there was some talk about the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Someone HELP me with this, PLEASE, because I have not a clue as to why Phantom of the Paradise is continually compared to that flick! I dont get it!!! While Phantom had many layers, RHPS had but one story. Thats what happens when people look no further than what they can see. Heck, we (peggers) got phantom at ten. We understood the artists struggle, and, with subsequent viewings, also

learned a bit more about the underlying literary references. Oh well. Anywho, in connection with the RHPS, Mr. Graham did happen to mention that No one in their right minds would try to follow Tim Curry! This is true. Two songs that I did like from RHPS (towards the end of the movie) displayed Tims delicious vocal style. Passed the musical and surreal aspects, however, there is very little or nothing to connect the movies, as far as depth of storyline. Oh well. The close of the interview segued into Life at Last and I spent every available moment on line, yapping with Phantom phans who were chomping at the bit for this momentous day. I even made sure I got any assignments finished and handed in by the end of the day so NOTHING would intrude on this weekend. Then, suddenly, there it was. Saturday, April 23rd.2005. And its a safe assumption that there were more than a few people in Winnipeg, walking around with their stomachs in their socks! Squish, squish. Not telling our parents where we were off to, for fear theyd dampen our mood. But how could they?! WE WON!!! In spite of the disparaging comments and all the sarcastic chortling we had to endure, from people who forgot what it was like to be young, or thought their youthful pursuits were somehow, more worthy than ours, we could look back on those days, mentally split-screen that time with the day present, and smile. Let our folks say what they wanted. They only WISH they had been able to do what we accomplished, thirty years later! THANKS to the selfless (and, in an ironically wonderful way, SELFISH) dedication of a group of people who wanted to relive a simpler and exceptionally fond time of their lives, {and share it with the rest of us}, two cast members of an under-appreciated cinema classic would FINALLY have the chance to bask in the collective gratitude of those who DID appreciate them and their contribution to

our musical upbringing. Two sold-out shows cant be wrong, can they? On a personal note, what made that day EXTRA EXTRA special was the one chance- of- a lifetime to say THANK YOU by way of getting both books of Faust autographed by the man who introduced this author to the character/story in the first place. I HUGGED WINSLOW LEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course there are well over a thousand more euphoric anecdotes, similar to that, as a result of both Phan-Pal celebrations. A few samplings may even be included as part of a future chapter. For the time being, however, itll have to be enough to say that it all went TOOOOOOO FAST! From anxiously looking forward to meeting people we NEVER imagined wed see, face to face, in the very theatre we met in the first place, to wondering if it happened at all, and then coping with the harsh reality of our first Phantom-less April in three yearsmakes you feel that much more sympathetic towards Alzheimers patients. Seems like all this fan wants to do is keep looking back. (Not safe when it comes to crossing the street, let me tell ya!) Seriously, though, If you think about it, it IS kinda funny, if only in a tragically ironic way. I mean,Cmon! How big a mess must this world be in when the safest(?) place to be is a rock-music theatre that hosted a car bomb explosion in the middle of a song, the electrocution of a singer, strangling of a lighting technician, the shooting of a priest, the choking of a bride, (by her groom), the public defacing and killing of a powerful music producer, (no, NOT Simon Cowell, but hope springs eternal), and the heartbreaking death of a herohow BAD must things be when the home of such unfortunate happenings can be

considered SAFE? I mean, we aint talkin about a stroll down Sesame Street here! Thing is, though, that, with the sad exception of George, everyone else is still alive. No one actually died there. And the new memories we have, to add to the collection weve already stored away, making Swans musical death trap a lot easier to deal with than watching the evening news!

Phan-Pal founder Gloria Dignazio . Aero Theatre, Los Angeles, 2005

~Chapter Two~

Destiny Takes An Elevator Ride

{There aint nothin I can do. Nothin I can say, that folks dont criticize me. But Im gonna do what I want to, anyway. And I

dont care what people say...} -Taint nobodys Bizzness (Lady Sings the Blues) P.Graninger/E.Robbins

When mulling over the structure this book might take, the opening line of the above-mentioned song circled around and around this author's head. And when I finally dug up the album, and listened to that song, it just solidified the decision. Throughout his career, Brian De Palma has had more than his share of detractors. Establishment types and movie critics, whose fondest collective wish has always been that De Palma had followed his fathers footsteps and gone into medicine, rather than finding new ways of making them miserable, which, according to them (one in particular) is what De Palmas purpose has been, for as long as hed been making movies. Had the wanna-be movie-maker given up as soon as he hit his first snag, its certain that at least one critic would have been only too happy to steer the kid in the direction of his fathers med school. Even going so far as to pay for Brians full tuition. And while its mere speculation, its fair to say that, on more difficult days, De Palma entertained the same thoughts. Who hasnt, at more trying times, wondered what their lives would be like, if they just gave up with the idiotic dream, that seems to take them nowhere, and simply pursue the path of least resistance? How much easier life would be? Easier, perhaps, but would it mean anything? Yet, there is an inner voice that compels all creative souls forward, through the winters of discouragement; writers block, rejection letters and even unscrupulous power-brokers with

sticky fingers. Somehow, in spite of it all, the hardiest of lot manage to make it through to the completion of their dreams, or die in the process of trying. When Brian De Palma entered the elevator that fateful day in 1969, his frustration was at a steady simmer. If he wasnt ignored by one producer he was being swindled by another. That elevator was either taking him to or from yet another fools errand, no doubt making him wonder what the point was, in pursing the course he was taking. Where WAS the glamour in banging ones head against the wall? They do it in Psychiatric hospitals all the time.

And then came hope..

Cutting through his internal quagmire, Brians ears picked up on a sound that struck him as familiar but not quite right. Realizing he was listening to a Beatles song, he couldnt decide whether to be disgusted or relieved. Bit of both? After all, if someone was willing to mutilate such a piece of musical literature, no one was safe! De Palma was no longer simply connected to the group, simply because he liked their music, there was now an artistic kinship. Still in all, what a lousy way to connect! The song he was being forced to listen to had been drained of its life by a musically-correct organization, who wanted to be able to use popular music without offending the ridership of the various business establishments. With that goal in mind, the song was re-arranged, sans any rock influence, and funneled into elevators, to ease the awkward silence in closed-in places. This was all well and good, if you were the PARENT of a Beatles fan, but not so great if you liked the actual song, as was.

Brian De Palma was one of the latter, and having to endure the mechanical droning of a song that was now a shell of its former, vivacious self was like visiting an Alzheimers patient who was a teacher or parent or best friend. The body is still present, but the soul was gone! Bad enough such tragedies befell friends and parents and good teachers, but to inflict such atrocity on a song, for whatever inane reason, was WRONG! It stole the heart from the music and robbed the musician/songwriter of his/her reason for having written it. While he stewed over the butchered Beatles song, Brian was equally puzzled about his own-gut reaction to the abuse and wondered what he would have done if the misused song was his. Feeling powerless to retaliate for the wrong committed against him, the very IDEA of SOMEONE finally evening the score on behalf of the creative community, felt liberating! WHAT IF.? The nucleus from whence all scripts and novels are spawned. An Oskar Schindler for artists, whom, after being screwed over, himself, decides that enough was enough! Ooooh, what a lovely idea. And the more Brian pondered it, the more he liked it.

Musics answer to Oskar Schindler?

~Steven Spielbergs gonna love this!~

With his Oksar being a swindled tunesmith (see also: songwriter/composer) De Palma saw no sense in starting from scratch, as the central story had already existed for seven decades at least. Gaston Lerouxs Phantom of the Opera would provide perfect backdrop for the film-makers personal expos of a power-struggle, between one who had it all, (and wanted more) and the other with nothing left to lose. Again, nothing extraordinary, but for a guy with issues with the system at large, and a vivid imagination, the stakes could be made considerably higher than a body of music.

~Ink isnt worth anything to me, Winslow.~

Anytime youre creating a character, it makes it easier to envision and hear what your character will say when you have a particular actor/actress in mind for a given role, almost assisting in the writing process when their mental presence takes the writer in directions he/she knows the actor is suitable to. For Brian, the casting of the title role was a cinch. William Finley, who hed known since his days at Columbia University, had a flair for character performances. Previously cast in Sisters, Murder a la Mod and Wotons wake, Finley couldnt be pigeon-holed to one kind of role. Seeing him in Sisters, youd be hard-pressed to imagine him as a nave songwriter, whod been swindled out of his lifes work. And looking at Winslow, whod ever think, That guy made Margot Kidders life a living Hell. At least in the movie! {Sisters} There Is also some resemblance to Swan in his title role performance in Dionysus in 69. Another factor in Finleys favor was his long-time friendship with De Palma, which helped him understand where the film-maker was coming from. And it might surprise a few phans to learn that Mr. Finleys dabbled in songwriting, himself; composing the

lyrics for two songs from Wotons Wake as well as performing the song he wrote for Murder a la Mod. That helped lend authenticity to his performance. Now add to those credentials the bonus feature of his actually understanding FAUST because he already read it! Sweet deal! Actor and character were truly meant for each other! *** It should be pointed out, before anything else, that this author has no desire or intention of delving into the legalities of what it took to get Phantom from script to the screen. Needless to say, a whole lot of stuff went on. Hurdles were leapt, legal obstacles over-come, one way or another and, as the old saying goes, it all came out in the wash. The fact that this book is even being attempted is proof that, whatever needed to be done got done and the end result has been enjoyed by movie fans for 30 years. And so back to the script.. Dealing with the villain of the piece, Brian was not content to travel well-worn paths. In past incarnations of the story, phantoms nemesis was the proprietor of a music hall/ opera house who used the songwriters music as part of a new production. Of course he took credit for work that wasnt his, which is where most of the conflicts, in previous versions, stemmed from. No difference with De Palmas offering, with the exception of two points. The incorporation of the music theme into the central story. The nature of the villain himself.

~The Music. Listen to the music. ~

First, the songs; the very heart of the entire PHANTOM... Project over all. One of the reasons for the title characters issues.

In every progressive rendition of the story, the songwriter in the movie wrote his body of songs about a literary character, who was based on a real-life person. Someone whose life and work had a message that resonated with the songwriter. In one of the movies, the songs revolved around St. John (Bible) and another cantata told the story of Joan of Arc. More often than not, though, it was Faust. Simply because the tragedy dealt with our human condition. Where we are, what we want and how far were willing to go to get what were sure we need to be happy. Its ageless, and more timely now than ever. Having already decided that his version would revolve around the current music industry, the idea of incorporating the Faust narrative into the movie, itself, was inspired! Letting life imitate art. And, of course, if youre gonna have Faust, you gotta have a devil! Right? (if youre familiar with the Left Behind series, think Nicolae Carpathia with a record company!) Oh, this was too sweet! De Palmas view of the system and those in power very much resembled Fausts devil. {What do you want? How can we help? What are you willing to give us to get it?}. DELICIOUS! Question is, how to go about finding this musical Mephistopheles. Answer: The same way most of us find what were looking for. By accident, of course! To that end, Brians search let him to the lot of A&M Records, where he arranged to meet with Michael Arciaga, with whom he could possibly seek out for contenders for the role of leading villain. En route, he passed Paul Williams, who heading out for the day. By this time in history, Williams had all but abandoned the idea of his death-march acting career and had begun pursuing more successful craft as a songwriter. Right then and there, De Palma couldnt have cared less if Williams was writing songs or installing plumbing, all he knew wasthis guy was IT! Mephistopheles to William Finleys Faust. Upon learning who Williams was, its easy to imagine Brian laughing as his mind pasted

Paul into the character he was still toying with! What luck! Not only had he found his bad guy, but Paul had also agreed to provide the movies songs. In the single best piece of ironic casting in movie history, the songwriter would, in essence, be stealing his own songs! Ya gotta love it!

~Always the one you LEAST suspect~

Everyone of us girls remembers the first time we saw SWAN. This author surely does! That hair! The boyish smile that could melt ice cream! To quote Fanny Brice. Hullo, Gorgeous! And talk about EYE CANDY! If our eyes had teeth, theyd be full of cavities, for all the sweets wed just taken in! And that, folks ,was the game plan. Had Swan been played by George Burns, or Jimmy Stewart, or even Charleton Heston, it just wouldnt have been as effective. Paul, on the other hand, pulled it off. As innocent-looking as the proverbial Boy Scout, no one would suspect him of any duplicitous dealings. This appearance of supposed innocence, camouflaging duplicity was something that appealed to De Palma, whose view of the entertainment industry over-all, was tainted by bad past experiences. If you listen to, or read his interviews, that view hasnt softened too much by time and personal successes.

To De Palmas thinking, as long as there were people around, greedy enough to profit from other peoples talent and efforts, and/ or artists who were willing to sell their talent and themselves for the lure of celebrity and want of the DOLLAR ALMIGHTY, then thered always be SWANs. In this environment, TRUE artistry (people who have a talent they are willing to share with the world, with or without financial compensation) suffers. That Mr. Williams was able to play SWAN with such conviction might indicate he had a run-in or two with characters of his kind in the past. Without going into specifics, this author can state that Mr. Williams second classic musical remake would have him in contact with a SWAN of the female persuasion, a few years later, with, sad to say, less- than- impressive results on his part. Put it to you this way; As a songwriter, Mr. Williams is okay, but when it counts, hes no Winslow Leach.

~PHOE-NIXxx!~

With the two central characters lined up, the matter of the leading lady was his next dilemma to ponder. Who could carry it? Letting his mind scroll down the list of possible contenders of the day, songstress Linda Ronstadt became his most viable possibility for the role of the initially innocent but ambitious Phoenix. Oh, she could act, and she was also an established name, but that experience proved to be as much a problem as an asset. Brian wanted Phoenix to be completely innocent to the ways of show biz, which meant that a new comer was necessary. So, while not discarding Ronstadt just yet, Brian wentbird-hunting.

His search would end at a theatre where Dr. Selavys Magic Theatre {A wacky, off-Broadway musical} played host to a collection of talented young performers. It was a young singer/dancer, Jessica Harper ,though, who caught the directors ear and eye. Talented enough to know her way around a stage, and yet, Jessica possessed a certain quality...that look which said that she could work. The bonus, in yet another ironic twist, was that Jessica had NO movie experience. Shed feel as out of place in front of a camera as her character felt amidst her sudden stardom at the Paradise. Excellent. And to win the role over established performers like Ronstadt was none too shabby either. Finding his Philbin on the other hand, was a little less of a hassle. Being friends with actor/director Martin Scorsesee, De Palma simply inquired after him for possible actors for the role. Philbins an interesting character. While he isnt the one who steals Winslows music, he did take it, and while not being responsible for having carried out Beefs execution, he was culpable for the rock stars getting killed. (by preventing him from fleeing the haunted theatre.) So Philbin wasnt merely SWANS right-hand-man, he was also Brians, and De Palma was searching for someone who would fit into the environment that he (and, by extension, SWAN) had created. Once again, luck was with De Palma, when Scorsesee

introduced his friend and fellow movie-maker to George Memmoli, who hed previously worked with, in Mean Streets.

By NO stretch of the imagination could this guy be compared to the likes of sayWAYLAND SMITHERS! (The Simpsons). Apart from the differences in their PHYSICALITY, Arnold Philbin was nobodys Yes man. When worse came to worst, (Beefs public execution), he wasnt afraid to call spade a spade.

Im tellin you! With that freak on the loose, the Paradise is finished!

How many of the rest of us would still have jobs if we took that same tone with our bosses? Try it and see if we arent all standing on the same unemployment line! Contrasting the blood-feud between Swan and the notquite- LATE Winslow Leach, Philbin had his own cross to bear in Beef, an over-the-top ego-manic/drama QUEEN. As soon as the casting shell-game sorted itself out, Gerrit Graham had

the part he was born for! Like William Finley, Gerrit and Brian had a long-standing working relationship, with projects like Hi,MOM, Greetings, Get to Know Your Rabbit and Home Movies. With G.s talent for Improv, and Brians knowledge of said talent, Mr. Graham was given a certain amount of wiggle room with his character, which, of course, Mr. Graham took full advantage of. The results of which are seen on screen. Both Beefs wardrobe and some of the zaniest dialogue in the movie were created by the actor. In addition, Gerrit and George Memmoli were given some latitude to play with their characters storyline and G. was quick to credit George, at BOTH Phantompalooza celebrations, with helping to create some of the movies most memorable scenes. A comedic counter-balance to the fight-to-the-death grudge match between Winslow and Swan.

~Back to the Beginning~

Last but HARDLY least, the guys who opened the movie in the first place. The JUICY FRUITS! Theirs is an other incongruous tale, and youll find out in a minute just why.

When he began the casting process, De Palma was hoping to be able to work with a real group and perused every possibility, from the Rolling Stones to Sha-Na-Na. The Stones, he decided, just wouldnt be able to withstand the creative restrictions of a movie schedule, and Sha-Na-Na were having their own inter-personal issues. So, the director was forced to look elsewhere. But WHERE???? This is where it gets bizarre! In the midst of his search, Brian was prompted, by friend William Finley (Winslow) to check out a play called Lemmings, where he was introduced to actors/ singers Peter Elbling and Archie Hahn. Amazing how things work out when youre not expecting it, huh? De Palma took an immediate liking to the Performers and they were welcomed on-board. The last member of the trio was introduced to Brian by Paul Williams (SWAN). Figure out the irony yet? Yup. The Juicy Fruits were formed by the very actors whose characters would be fighting ABOUT them. Well, that, among umother things.

Escalating games of creative one-upmanship aside, Brian couldnt be happier. As well as being singers, all three men (Archie, Jeff and Pete/Harold)had a flair for improvisational

comedy, which fit their roles to a T. SO Brian pretty much left them to their own devices, pointed a camera at them and watched the magic.

~Lights, Cameras, Carnage!~

At last, everything and everyone was together. It was time to start making a movie! Ya gotta wonder, though, if, during the process, Brian didnt take a long look at how/why all of this was happening and have a good laugh. Disheartened and frustrated, all he did was get into an elevator one day, only to learn that HE wasnt the only one being screwed-over by the system. Veterans and novices alike could be, and were, taken to the cleaners by an industry that used Entertainment as a commodity. A product that fans and would-be stars seemed to go to great lengths to find. Using the system, itself, De Palma pondered, on film, the extent to which both fans and stars were willing to go, in order to entertain and to be entertained. The next chapter will delve into the story, itself; offering personal insights, fond memories and perhaps a theory or two as to why the movie is more popular now than when it first came out. Go figure.

France fan designed this 30th Anniversary poster. Bravo, Alex!

~Chapter Three~
All the Devils that Disturbed Me.

~Phantoms Theme {Beauty and the Beast~} W.Leach

What started with an elevator ride, taken by a disgruntled screenwriter/director, back in 1969, would culminate in a movie, that, 30 years later, is more popular than it was when it first came out; meriting a S.E. by a France-based film group, and director Deborah Znaty. So whats all the fuss about? Why the big deal about a movie from thirty years back? As far as some people are concerned, Phantom of the paradise is a movie made in the early 70s and thats the start and finish of it. It would make no difference to them if this was a book about The Flintstones. But then, how many Flintstones fans can imagine Barney Rubble, bloody-faced, trying to choke Betty to death? Nope. Anyway, there is so much more to this movie that what many

people have seen, if they bothered to watch it at all. Lazily, many general movie fans have compared POTP to Rocky Horror Picture Show. A far-reaching generalization to be sure. About the ONLY commonality the two movies share is their surrealistic feel. Believe it or not, RHPS is LOOSELY based on the Mary Shelly classic, Frankenstein. However, compared to Richard OBriens interpretation, Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein was one of the four Gospels! At the outset, Phantom of the paradise is a modern take on Gaston Lerouxs Phantom of the Opera; using the popular music of the day, rather than Opera. Okay, theres that. Then again, as Winslow would say, Its more. Its much more. Sure enough.. Aside from the obvious connection, De Palma added both Faust {Goethe and Marlowe} as well as Oscar Wildes Picture of Dorian Gray in an intricate literary weave; incorporating De Palmas views on the powers-that-be in the entertainment industry, as well as the dangers of blind ambition, easy celebrity and ANYTHING for the sake of entertainment. As one De Palma buff suggested, many of those same themes, satirized by the director, are more relevant NOW than they were when the movie was made. On the other hand, the Death Records logo (dead bird) seems serene next to the skull and cross-bones you see on clothes and accessories kids wear these days.

~Ive HEARD that voice before!~

Accompanied by the low hum of an organ and the sight of a falling dead bird (ANIMATED, not real, for all animal rights folks) , Twilight Zone creator Rod Serlings eerily quiet volume introduces audiences to a man who went by the singular name. SWANregaling us with a synopsis of the man and his life in music.

.He wrote and produced his first gold record at fourteen. In the years since then, hes won so many others that he once tried to deposit them in Fort Knox.
Its odd, though, after all the talk about Swan, the last line seems to change direction. From a monologue about one of the most powerful men in music to the briefest description about the saga soon to unfold before us

This film is the story of that search, of that sound. Of the man who made it, the girl who sang it and the monster who stole it.
So what happened to Swan? THAT is the question that would only be answered as the movie progressed. But for now, a little music.. From the gloomy sight of a falling bird to the much more pleasing sights and sounds of The Juicy Fruits performing a classic hit, Goodbye Eddie, Goodbye. Its an fascinating song, about an aspiring singer, Eddie Mitty, from Jersey, whos step-sister, Mary-Louise will die if she doesnt get an operation. Knowing that celeb deaths are big for business, Eddie arranges his suicide to ensure that his final album will sell big time, thus allowing his sister to get the necessary surgery. Sad song, if you really listen to it. However, as Philbin would state, mid-movie, As long as it sounds good, nobodys gonna care what its about. All around the night club, teens danced to the lively music, not knowing or caring that the title character of the song just offed himself to save his sisters life! A point that would be borne out in more graphic detail as the story unfolds. As long as people are entertained, the life or death of the entertainer is of little consequence, unless, of course, that persons life and/or death are as entertaining if not more so, than any of the staged concerts or movies.

The song ends on a high note, in more than one sense, and the guys exit the floor to cheers, ONCE Swan seals the performance with his signature three-clap approval, of course. Once theyre gone, our attention is turned to Swans immediate assistant, Philbin, whos bemoaning his recent break-up with a girl named Annette, who he found in a church choir. Philbin in church? Whod have thunk it? Anywho, hes going on about how he helped transform the girl, with Swans help, of course, to a chart-topping diva, who decided she didnt care for the life of the rich and famous, and so she dumped both Philbin and her producer to go giving free concerts for starving Gook Orphans! {She was more than a piece to me. She was the light of my life! }. His next statement proves that guys are as capable as women are, of vindictive behavior. Swan is listening (we assume, because, for the moment, hes only a voice). From his vantage point, however, we can see what Philbin cant. A tall, wiry young man, pushing a small piano and situating it in THE most strategic spot on the floor, sos to be seen by the man in the glass-encased private balcony seat. See, the words gone out, that Swans looking for a new musical sound with which to open his musical palace, the Paradise, and whoever this kid is, hes sure keen to show the master-music-maker that hes got what Swan is looking for. The song captures the producers attention, even if the songwriter doesnt, and Swan sends Philbin to schmooze the aspiring performer out of his lifes work. Had Philbin seen what Swan and we, (the audience) were witness to, he might have thought twice about his fools errand, but he didnt. One has to wonder, though, how much Swan cared about his employee and personal assistant; knowing that someone who could push a piano could do some serious damage to a person, should he be provoked. And he was. Finding the lanky Mr. Winslow Leach in a room that Philbin, himself, could just manage his way into, Swans lackey schmoozes the hopeful but clueless songwriter into

handing over his work. But not before hitting ONE major speed bump. Leach may not have had the first idea of what he was letting himself in for, but what he lacked in street-smarts, he more than made up for, in artistic temper. At the very HINT that his cantata (based on the Faust legend,) could conceivably be performed by The Juicy Fruits, Winslow loses it! Just! Plowing Philbin into a wall and pinning him there, the songwriter issues the ultimatum that those grease balls wouldnt be permitted to lay tonsil one on a single note of any song in the body of work. Amazingly, Philbin doesnt walk out, which should have set off warning bells right there! Cmon! Think about it! Most producers dont tend to promote talent when that talent is issuing threats while physically assaulting their production staff! But hope springs eternal. Winslow must have believed Swan was so impressed by him that he wouldnt let him go, no matter what. You can hardly blame him, though. Everyone with a dream wants to believe that they have that certain it that a record company, book publisher, or art gallery would go to any lengths to display. So the commonsense radar doesnt always click in at the right moment. If it had, there wouldnt have been much in the way of a movie now, would there? Readily forgiving Winslow for the outburst, Philbin showers the songwriter with promises of Swans producing his first album, even as his chubby, ringed fingers tap the Faust manuscript like a musician on a piano. He was playin the songwriter the same way.

~Home Sweet Hell~

Well, guess what? A month goes by without so much as a letter or a phone call from Philbin or anyone associated with Death Records. Concerned but likely putting the matter down to

miscommunication, Winslow investigates the matter for himself, by going to the office of the record company. Minutes later, hes chased out of the building by two powerfully-built guys in jean-jackets. Not your usual office security staff. Something was definitely NOT kosher here. But he would not be deterred! Hailing a cab, Winslow follows Swans limo, from the office building to his home, where he is forced to scale a wall to avoid running into anymore guards. Once inside the mansion, the composer is faced with a whole new situation, but one a lot more to his liking. Probably a hundred women or more, lining a long, winding staircase, and all of them singing his song! Nice! Well, sorta. Most of the women were okay. Some sounded like they were in pain and a few sang like they might have dragged themselves out of a sick bed to make it to the audition. At the immediate moment, it only mattered that they were singing HIS song! Thats gotta be good. Right?

Ascending the musical stairway, on his way to Swan, Winslows ear catches another voice amid the cacophony of untrained tones. A cooing dove in the same company with honking geese. Taking the stairs to the source of the voice, Winslow finds a beautiful young woman and picks up the song where shes singing. Puzzled but impressed, the girl asks Howd you know it went like that? Winslow wastes no time informing her; I wrote the song. Odd, his name isnt on the sheet music. Hes also a tad confused as to why Swan is auditioning chorus girls for a song thats meant for only one vocal. His. Surprise! Swans opening his rock palace with the very songs his associate got from Winslow a month earlier. So why not tell him? Surprises are nice, but he wouldnt have minded some input as to how his music would be performed. Still, this would be a good start. This girl could sing and she was pretty. So when hes asked for his help, in getting her a part

in the chorus, at least, Winslow has no problem adapting to the change. Youre not doing this just to be nice, are you? I never let my personal desires influence my esthetic judgment. What does that mean? It means I think youre terrific! Delighted with the prospect of being assisted, in her endeavors by the guy who had provided the songs, the girl reciprocates the kind words with a grateful hug. The all-too-brief shot at romance is interrupted, unfortunately, when one of Swans many minions appears to announce that more girls would be seen for an audition, and the girl, in turn, helps to get Winslow in to see Swan. Well, at least she tries. Stopped by the guard, Winslows informed that Swan was only seeing girls. When he attempts, yet again, to explain that Swan is auditioning female vocalists with music he composed, hes just about flung down the stairs. The girls cushion his fall, however, and Winslow is able to right himself as this lovely, but as yet, nameless girl is escorted to her audition. Winslow is able to sneak to the room, what with the guards otherwise engaged, and hears something which bares no resemblance to anything musical. When the door opens, that same girl, happy and hopeful moments earlier is now upset to the point of tears; brushing Winslow off in a rush to leave the place, even before he can get her name. Goodbye Shangri-La . Hes not allowed to mourn the loss for long, however, as Swans ever-present pests are on his case again.

How DRASTICALLY their lives Would be changed when all was said and done!

Again, ya gotta give the kid an A for persistence and bravery, if not horse sense. Generally, when two burly guys are walking towards you, you run. For Winslow Leach, however, the time for running had ended. Hed been stalled and chased off for long enough. He had to meet Swan and get things ironed out, come hell or high water! Interestingly, the guards finally seemed willing to assist Mr. Leach in his endeavor. Possibly because it would get the songwriter out of their hair, or maybe they liked the kids spunk. ORcould be they just wanted him to hear it from Swan, himself. No matter how it got done, Winslow Leach would no longer be their problem. So this gesture was a small price to pay for peace. If this nut was daring enough to want to meet with someone who clearly wanted nothing to do with him, And in an old-womans nightgown no less! WHATEVER! Ya know, regardless of what was or ever would be said about Winslow Leach, the word coward did not enter into the conversation. Not even Swan could deny the songwriters tenacity. Buttenacity or not, the producer wanted no more to do with the meddlesome musician. He had the songs, they were his. So when Winslow summoned Swans attention, from amidst a pile of female fawners, the Napoleon of modern music smiled down on his prey and ever so calmly instructed; Get this fag out of here.

No sooner did Winslow manage his way out of the bed and to the producers side before he was hefted over the shoulder of the mans body guard and carried from the room. Whatever became of him, the girls in the water-bed couldnt have cared less. When Swan asked for the Telephone, they didnt ask. They only wanted him. He, on the other hand, wanted assurances that this LEACH would no longer be a thorn in his side, and took steps to make certain that said end-result was reached. Then, and only then, would he be able to enjoy his musical conquest. And speaking of conquests, it should be pointed out that De Palma gives us no clue as to whether Winslow is the first or 11th or 101st songwriter Swan swindled out of his lifes work. We only know that hes the last, just as it should be. You dont steal the lifes work off someone, whod sacrificed who-knows-what, and expect to escape with no retribution. Then again, if youre a guy like Swan, your power and over-inflated sense of self-importance will convince you that you have that right. UNTIL/unless someone goes to extraordinary means to adjust your views on the matter and not before. Mind you, knowing what we know about the impresario, Swan had to be SURE that he could never be destroyed by anyone OTHER than the one who gave him his power to begin with. Certain to the point of being downright cocky about it! Ah, but remember Mr. Swan, where the Titanic is, and THAT was the ship they called UNSINKABLE. .

~SING SING~

By the time hed wrapped his head around what had actually happened, Winslows standing before a judge, who brings down the gavel on a life sentence. And, needless to say, his pleas of innocence go unheard, in view of his drug influence.

No doubt its assumed that if hes peddling the stuff, hes gotta be using! How else do you explain the kids paranoia? Like someone of Swans musical stature needs to be pilfering music of a nobody like Winslow Leach! An allegation on a par with saying that Paul Williams stole my diary poems to write Weve only Just Begun. Oh, so THATS where it went! (Ha, ha!) Sorry. Couldnt resist! Anyway, that was it. Whatever gut instincts he may have ignored before were proven as Winslow stood in an office, with eight other inmates, listening to the prison warden talk about some kind of dental program the prisoners would be taking part in, on a volunteer basis. And by volunteer, we mean drafted. With no choice in the matter. Hed just lost his music, his freedom, and he was about to lose his teeth! Once again, any protestings of innocence fell on deaf ears. That little monster had set him up good! But NOT for long! On a work detail in the prison assembly line, Winslows ear catches what none of the other prisoners either hear or care about. A guard, holding a transistor radio, makes his rounds down own end of a conveyer belt while listening in on an announcement of musically epic proportions

.And get this, kids! You can see the Juicy Fruits, Live, at the grand opening of the paradise. Thats right! Swans rock palace is set to open, and with this dynamite new sound. So lets hear it; The Juicy Fruits singing SWANS FAUST!.

And there goes the bell for round 1! The next thing the guard knows, hes on the table, being beaten by the very radio he was just listening to, as inmates look on. Some amused, many puzzled, as the assailant thunders down the long counter, screaming all the way, whilst over-turning boxes, and eluding capture by tobogganing down the access chute into a waiting delivery truck. Tumbling out of the box, in the middle of a busy city street, Winslows rage shows no sign of ebbing as he exits the elevator (in the Death Records office) running. Sending the gold records crashing to the ground, Leach ransacks Swans private room with two guards in pursuit, while the once cool receptionist looks on, a tad freaked out. Whether she realizes this was the same person she had evicted from the building, half a year earlier, who knows. Does it matter? Hes still a crazy man, wrecking an office! Once more, however, Winslow eludes capture as he rushes from the office to Swans record factory. After all, whats the sense in destroying everything else of Swans without doing damage to the source of his empire? The processing factory HAD to be trashed, and properly! One outfit at a time! Jimmying the pad-locked door to the record plant with relative ease, Winslow charges into the heart of Swans empire, trashing and ransacking to the symphonic pulse of George Aliceson Tiptons cinema score! Every time Ium.sorta watch PART of this scene, I can almost imagine the composer/conductor working the orchestra and his arms to the breaking point. Who knew so much could be accomplished with a violin and piano!? Guess what they say is true; Less IS more! Surveying and then sweeping a table full of records onto the floor, Winslow turns to the maker of his mutilated music, and prepares to feed the processing machine one SPICY meatball! Glancing into the machine for a fixture as he fishes a parcel of dynamite sticks out of his shirt, the would-be arsonist is caught in the act by a security guard; no doubt notified by a silent alarm tripped when the lock was broken. Something Winslow

didnt consider when he was littering the floor with vinyl. Startled by the voice, he grabs the dynamite in an attempt to bid yet another hasty retreat, but his sleeve catches on the machines power switch, and, in trying to extricate himself, Winslow starts the press. Hoping to yank his sleeve free, he steps away from the machine, only to end up slipping on one of the many records now splayed on the factory floor; sending him, face-first into the machine hed just turned on! Adding insult to excruciating injury, the songwriter ends up scalded by the very same mutilated music he broke into the factory to sabotage! Poetic Justice or Tragic Irony? Depends on who you ask, I guess. But considering Mr. Finley nearly met Winslows fate, in a rehearsal mishap, this author is leaning towards the latter; taking the side of actor and character over the villainy that forces artists into such Situations, (telling stories about corruption in the entertainment hierarchy) which put them in harms way.

~TIDE wont get THAT out!~

Whod have thought the music industry could be THIS much of a headache?!

If youve ever had even MINOR burn accidents, you know how intense the pain can be. (Been there, Done that). Keeping those predicaments in mind, ya gotta sympathize with the poor guy! To have your lifes work swindled by someone you were so sure you could trust; thats bad enough! But after everything else, THIS, as stone-age philosopher Fred Flintstone once phrased it, was the camel that broke (his) straw back. Whaddya do in cases like this? Hope youll survive or pray to die (quickly!)? Whatever he may have been wishing as he stumbled and groped his way towards the oasis of water, this much is fair to assume if Winslow survived his ordeal, Swan would NOT survive HIM!

Mad Tunesmith Bites Bullet

Whether at Swans behest or just reporting what they knew, the word was that Winslow died.sort of. Indicted as a doper ; the brief article gives a snippet of the events that lead up the composers demise(?), and was even so kind as to acknowledge him as a songwriter. The last line of the minor obituary, on the other hand, leaves some room for doubt, as to Winslowsum.condition.

Fleeing police, Leach leaped into the East River. His body was not recovered.

With Leach presumably dead, the issue of whose music is whose becomes moot, (it always was moot to Swan, anyway) and the path is cleared for the producer to revel in his latest triumph. Did he shed any tears for the man whod provided the Paradise with its inaugural success? Dont bet on it. He merely carried on

SUPERVISING Philbins supervision of the rehearsal. Neither of them aware of whats going on right on the doorstep of the music palace. Biker guards and theatre staff scared off by a sight we can only mentally envision by the sound of heavy breathing and uneven rhythm of the footsteps as they limped down and up flights of stairs to the music theatre . Finally, the footsteps stop, momentarily , at a landing where two doors lead to wardrobe rooms. One on the right is for current WARDROBE needs. The room on the left, WARDROBE STORAGE housing costumes from past and for future use. A hand reaches out to the door knob on the left; opening to a wealth of theatric riches! Mardi Gras on hangers! Theres a sense of decisiveness about this man we cant see. Heading to one section of the room, the one hand scopes through a number of outfits before it stops and picks out the one that catches his eye. Right above the costumes is a shelf full of head dresses, masks, etc, and even with only one eye working, (lets face it, we know who this is!) hes still able to see what he wants and thus begins the transformation; set dramatically to the ominous tone of an organ. Given the characters literary roots, it fits. Theres ample temptation, here, to compare Winslows phantom make-over to that of performance-artist, UN-comedian Andy Kaufmans metamorphasizing into obnoxious loungesinger Tony Clifton when he (Andy) needed to vent his anticelebrity frustrations. If you dont see this in the final print, my editor cut it out. Nevertheless, Im taking a shot.. See, in both situations, real and fictional, the transformation is instigated by external situations over which Winslow and Andy felt powerless to control, try as they might. The system had done them both over, one way or another. But while Andys mental line-in-the-sand was crossed, more or less, at his own whim; Winslows physical manifestation was a reflection of his having crossed a point of no return. And while some phans have debated , on movie-based websites, that the mishap in the record

plant was his own doing, he wouldnt have needed to be there, in the first place if not for Swans underhanded tactics. Oh sure, he could have just sat around and stewed about having been ripped off, but who wants to see a movie about a man having an ulcer!? Remember, also, that Winslow was an extension of Brian De Palmas wish fulfillment. De Palma, himself, felt powerless and so Winslow, in essence ,became his Tony Clifton; taking it to the system that had played him . And as humiliated as so many were, when on the receiving end of one of Mr. Cliftons temper tantrums, Swan and company would have wished they had it so easy! And speaking of NOT having it easyrehearsal of the Juicy Fruits version of Swans Faust encountered what could politely be referred to as a hiccup, when, towards the end of the beach-themed number, the car the stars, and a group of girls was riding in, exploded, mere seconds upon reaching the opposite end of the stage. Whether the blast was intended to kill anyone is uncertain. But one objective was a surefire success. It alerted the owner of the Paradise that he wasnt as home-free as he figured. Somehow, the man Swan thought dead was not as LATE as hed hoped.

~Coyses! Foiled again!~

All Right! How was this possible? According to the paper, according to, no doubt, Swans best inside info, there was no way Leach could have survived either the mess the processing machine made of him or having been shot by the security guard, upwards of three times. And what if both stories were true? How does a person come through the other side of something like that still breathing?! All those questions forced themselves through the grey cells of Swans mind even as he stared at the inferno on the stage of his

music theatre. Was it even possible that this could be no more than a fluke? Secluding himself in his personal video room, Swan watched the footage of what the theatre cameras caught. Perhaps the electric eyes of the recorders would find what human eyes missed, which, of course, they did. A masked creature, whod just managed to get caught before camouflaging himself behind a large Swan cut-out. Who else could it be? And what to do about it? Whoever else Swan had dealt with, they knew the power he wielded and when he didnt want to associate with that person, his clues werent difficult to pick up on. What WAS it with this kid???? How do you miss hints like assault and false imprisonment? What WAS it going to take?! We can assume at this juncture, that Swan was a man who possessed a talent for thinking fast on his feet. You dont get far in business, music or otherwise, without perfecting the art of schmoozing for one cause or another. And what better cause than saving your own neck? Literally. Barely out from behind his mirrored portal, the producer was greeted with the sharp edge of a knife to his throat, accompanied by inhuman grunting from the same masked creature he saw on the monitor.

Winslow! So good to see you! Been looking for you everywhere Killing me wont help you.
In almost a blink, the visor to Winslows mask was in Swans hand and the songwriter was retreating in terror of his own reflection. No, the state of this kids face had nothing to do with a gun. Therefore, whatever Swan was going to do or say, he had to make it good. Anyone angry enough to survive something so agonizing was not someone to trifle with. Then, of course, theres the small matter of the blown-up car. A warning shot, perhaps, but what else was in store for anyone who dared cross this crazed composer? In the interests of making sure the Paradise opened, some serious finagling was in order. Convincing Winslow that hed seen the error of his ways, Swan assured the battle-scared

I ll put a whole new group together! You can do your songs your way! Promising words but Winslow wasnt
songwriter

buying. After having been swindled and betrayed by someone he was sure would help him, he was in no hurry to hear anything else Swan had to say. He flees, even as Swans words ringing his ear and mind.

Trust Me!
~DECISIONS, decisions!~

Whether out of curiosity, desperation or BOTH, Winslow takes Swan up on his proposal and eager young women line up to, AT LAST, have the opportunity to properly audition for Swan. At the same time, Winslow is , FINALLY , getting the long-sought-after- break.... to have his musicALMOST performed as he wrote it. With his long-held dream out of reach, Winslow is left to hope that just ONE of the women on the stage below possessed a modicum of musical talent. One by one, however, even this hope is dying a painful death. Whatever these girls were here to do, SINGING was NOT high on the priority list. He had no reason to believe that any of the rest of them would be any better. Until.

Philbin: Whats your name, sweetheart? Girl: Phoenix.

That voice! Her! The girl hed met and promised to help, when he didnt know how helpless he was! PHOENIX! And he WOULD help her! In a single motion, Winslow laid a strong hand on Swans shoulder; the translation of which was altogether selfexplanatory. This is the girl. Mess with her and you go over this balcony! Having already held out an olive branch, Swan was not about to wrench it out of the songwriters grasp. He had bigger plans, after all. In the meantime, there was not too much harm in letting Winslow believe hed won a round. So, he let Phoenix perform Winslows song the way SHE wanted and it was brilliant! Whatever the kids short-comings, he knew talent even if he didnt have any of his own. With the matter of his new star out of the way. sort of, the producer went about creating a more expedient way of communicating with the voiceless musician, by simply manufacturing a voice for him. Apart from making communication easier, it also redeemed Swan, just the slightest bit, in Winslows eye.. for the time being anyway. Of course, the first words or WORD (see also: NAME ) uttered with his reconstructed-voice was that of the only person who could possibly do his music any justice..

~CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS~

Cutting the polite small-talk, the men get down to brass tacks. Swan informs his tormentor that he will, in fact, hire Phoenix, on the proviso that Winslow Stop terrorizing the Paradise . and re-write his body of music, specifically for her. Whether Swan is scheming as he speaks is a pretty safe bet, but hes also working like the very devil (a close relative of his) to gain Winslows trust for as long as he needs it. That is to say, for as long as hes giving the songwriter to finish the new chapter of

his cantata. A week. No pressure there. Still, Winslows not taking the bait.

I dont trust you, Swan. Youve ruined my music before!

JUST your music? News- flash, dear boy! While the new look does work for ya, you werent born with it!

Forget about the Juicy Fruits. Who wants nostalgia anymore?

Back in the day, most of us didnt have the first clue what that word Nostalgia meant and had to ask our parents. Well, its thirty years later and most of us ARE parents. So when Swan happens upon that rhetorical inquiry, the reply sounds like a line from an old gum commercial. Who wants nostalgia anymore.? I do! I DO! Reiterating his mistrust, Winslow is just about brained with a contract, thunked upon the piano console with all the force of a white pages directory being dropped to the floor. When you consider most legal contracts are, at the most, perhaps five pages, Winslow could have put the entire cast of Law and Order on retainer, reading the catalogue he was given!! And the language it was couched in no seasoned lawyer could compete!

The Devils in the details Swans pact Imprisons Winslow in more ways than one.

The party of the first part gives the party of the second part ,and his associates full power , to do with him at their pleasure; to rule, to send, to fetch or carry, him or his; be it either body, soul, flesh, blood or goods.
In everyday people-speak, signing this contract would reduce the signed (I.e. Winslow) to no more than an indentured servant. He does the work, Swan takes the credit. Yeah, yeah. I knowhe was doing that anyway, right? True! On the other hand, WITH the contract signed, the Impresario would have had Winslow in a LEGAL bind that not even Jack McCoy couldve extricated him from! Funny thing, though, about the BLOOD contract. Considering Winslows body of music told the story of a guy who, himself, sold his soul ( complete with blood contract), youd figure he d be just a teensy bit more wary of adding his own signature in his own blood? But who imagines things like this happening in real life. *Sigh* on the other hand, as Swan put it;

What difference does it make? What choice do you have?

Winslow has just been made an offer he can hardly refuse, simply because its the only way hell get his music heard.

~DEAL, or no DEAL? ~

Scanning through the contract, Winslow realizes Swans right. How sad is that? since Swans the one responsible for the songwriter's having no choice. In this instance, however, it's Winslow who would leave the producer with no escape. Issuing the deal-breaker, Winslow insists on two conditions under which he would re-write his music; For starters, Phoenix would perform his songs. Because, as well as promising her his help, she's the only one with the voice and the heart for the songs. The second condition was that Swan have the music performed as written. Period. No more mutilated offerings by over-aged teenagers. Either this condition gets met or no music. THEN where would Swan be? Ha, HA! Come to think of it, though, where would Winslow be? Come on, when you think that the GREATEST SHOWMAN OF HIS TIME was more interested in helping himself than someone who needed him, he was hardly likely to feel obligated to help that same battle-scarred music man if there's no hope of musical reciprocation. And so, the escalating game of one-upmanship commences, with both sides believing themselves to have the upper hand. And theyre both right. And theyre .both WRONG! Winslow, of course, was under the assumption that his intention to kill Swan scared the producer straight and Swan wouldnt dare scam him again without facing serious/DEADLY consequences. Whilst Swan, on the other hand, had a secret that allowed him to get away with whatever he wanted, without fear of consequences. Or so he thought. For the time being, however, a tentative agreement was reached and the papers were signed. On with the show! Winslow wrote while Swan prepared for the big night. Again, though, it

makes you think . How DID Swan explain the bomb incident to Philbin? Not to mention the rest of the cast, who were either scared witless, injured, or both! Surely there had to be more than a few frayed nerves to mend before anymore progress could be made! Somehow or other (*SIGH!), he managed and the matter seemed to fade quickly into memory as preparations moved forward. None of which would have been to Winslows satisfaction, but tough luck for him! The Paradise was HIS,(Swans~of course!) and there was NO way he was gonna be dictated-to by some musical upstart with a Lone Ranger fetish! So as soon as was humanly possible, {or, in SWANs case, IN humanly possible} he auditioned new performers before setting eyes on his new STAR.. Phoenix? Well, she could sing back-up! Heck, she could sing on Broadway and Fifth for all Swan cared! He would hire who HE chose, and that girl, for any number of reasons, was NOT going to open his rock palace! Mad as the producer was, about having to give an inch to Leachs demands, the girl should be so lucky to be invited back at all!!! But, sometimes ya gotta give a little. Which was as much as Swan was willing to acquiesce to. Maybe. On the other hand, ya gotta give it to the guy. No one stays in such a business for too long without knowing how to manipulate people and events to their best advantage. And Swan was a shape-shifter on a par with Andy Kaufman!

~SACRIFICIAL ROCK STAR~

If ONLY he knew!!!!!

When Beef is introduced to the media at the airport, Swan, for some odd reason, made it a point to mention that the songs which would open the Paradise were not HIS creation, but were composed by the LATE Winslow Leach. And, of course, by LATE, he did NOT mean tardy. What took ME forever to figure out was WHY Swan went to all the trouble of stealing Winslows music, only to turn around and acknowledge him to the public? After much puzzling over the years of watching this movie, Ive stumbled on a couple of theories Id like to share..

Swan set out to establish that Winslow was, in fact(?) deceased, as a result of his own desperate actions. To the media, Winslow was a nobody. However, since his publicized death resulted from attempting to sabotage Swans production facilities, the music mogul was distancing himself from the guilt of Winslows allegations by stating Winslow as the songwriter of record. This ,of course, is a moot point to the reporters, as Swan was the man with the power. Winslows name was likely forgotten two seconds after it was mentioned. As Philbin once put it; The

game-plan, exactly! ~GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE~

As was mentioned earlier, Swan didnt get to where he was in his chosen field merely on boyish good looks. The man had a knack for anticipating trends in advance OR in creating the trend everyone else followed. With that in mind, is it at all possible that, in addition to being his star attraction, Beef was also chosen as a human shield? Someone else for Winslow to go gunning for, should it be discovered that the producer did NOT follow through on his promise? Or did it just work out that way? If to no one else but himself, Swan would have to concede that hed met his match. So far, every obstacle that had been placed in the songwriters path had been over-come. Even something which should have spelled C*E*R*T*A*I*N D*E*A*T*H-see also: incident in the record plant. No doubt about it, Winslow Leach was GUMPTION personified! He was also proving to be a human hemorrhoid . At least for Philbins boss. A serious problem in dire need of a drastic solution. A FINAL SOLUTION. Hey, no evil genius works alone! As hell provided Hitler with his answers, it would give its musical equivalent the appropriate response to his currentdilemma. Aye, but one step at a time, now. The primary goal was to get the new music, that Winslow assumed he was writing STRICTLY for the woman he loved. Once that was done, and Winslow no longer served a purpose.well, hed find out at the same time the rest of us did! In the meantime, Swan had other things to tend to. Nothing serious, just that his new star and his chief assistant/right-hand-man couldnt stop sniping at each other. It was like having a couple of over-aged kids who wouldnt move out of the house. Whats an evil record producer to do? Cope. What else? It was the price of showing himself and a certain pain-in-the-butt songwriter who was and would remain in charge! To that end, he encouraged Beef to make the songs his own. Fiddle with lines and rhythm .Give it a beat. Make it completely yours. The instructions practically drip from Swans lips; so hungry is he to royally mess with not only the

original song but every order he was issued. Beef, oddly, has issues with this, figuring the song, as it is, is fine, just not meant for him. And whaddya know, he was right. Interesting point, for those of us in the know, is that, under different circumstances, Winslow and Beef might have gotten along, at least on an artistic basis. Both understood the harmony of music and lyrics and the rock star didnt feel comfortable messing with the over-all integrity of the song. Swan, however, had no interest anything so uppity as lyrical harmony and its almost certain Philbin wouldnt have understood it. He just knew the public, in his own cynical way.

As long as it sounds good, nobodys gonna care what its about. Nobody cares what anythings about. Who listens to lyrics anyway?
Wanna hear a tragic irony? Philbins view is being lived out ,today, in the CHRISTIAN music industry, where the rhythm /beat of songs seems more important than the message being conveyed. If George was still here and able to attend the last Phan-pal reunion, he and I would have had a wonderful talk! . Just thought Id mention that..Any way, on with the story Beef rebuffs Philbins cynical comments with a shot of his own, aimed directly at the waist-line of Swans chief assistant. Philbin, in turn, returns the volley with a single gesture you dont necessarily have to be Italian to understand.

Its Opening Night

A little Mel Brooks intro there however, unlike old-lady shtupping, Nazi-schmoozing Max Bialysock, the Paradises record producer isnt nearly as endearing. And while he doesnt

need to embezzle MONEY to stay in business, he does need music. Someone elses musicwithout permission. That is called Plagiarism; and his methods of attaining his ill-gotten gains are nowhere as musically hilarious as Maxs mode. On a semi-serious note, however, it should be stated that those little old ladies couldnt have provided Swan with the music he needed, even if they were at the Paradise. So, it was back to Winslow, who, as luck would have it, was out like a light; with the finished manuscript as his pillow. With all the patience and care of a new mother picking up her newborn baby, Swan s-l-o-w-l-y slid the sheet music out from under the snoozing composer. Among the many benefits to the pills Swan had been feeding him, when the effect (alertness) finally wore off, the taker of said meds didnt just fall asleep, he/she crashed like a dropped light bulb. And Winslow was O-U-T. Swans only hope was that he stayed that way. just. long. enough. After that? Well, it wouldnt matter, then, would it?

Wake UP!!!!!!
With the new manuscript successfully procured, there was but one more task to complete and the matter, along with the studio, was closed--TIGHT. At LAST! No more put on-civility and phony humility. The idea! As if Swan gave a fleas fingernails about making up for anything! It wasnt his fault the kid couldnt take Go to

Hell for an answer. But hey, if Winslow wanted to think that he had mended his ways, and was prepared to produce the song score to his specifications, then whose hopelessly-nave fault was that? Swan, for his part, did nothing he would apologize for. He got what he wanted, the deal was done! Time to get on with the show.

~Opening Night Jitters~

Its been said that, no matter how long an actor/actress/singer /comedian has been performing, the first live performance of a show is always a tad tense. The imagination runs wild with any number of dooms-day scenarios which, by nights end, are laughed offhopefully. Still, any and all disturbances tend to set nerves on edge. And when youre a cocaine-snorting dramaQUEEN, all those worse fears, imagined or.umnotplay around your head with the distressed frequency of a vampire bat on Espresso. Add to that initial anxiety the knowledge that the songs hes messing with belong to a deceased songwriter, and those vampire bats begin nibbling on his nerve endings. In the meantime,.sequestered in the studio, Winslow begins to come out of a deep sleep only to notice that .yup, his songs are gone. AGAIN!!!

SWAN!!! Bolting out of his chair, Winslow storms to the door of the studio, flings it open and comes face to face with a brick wall.

Ive heard of writers block but THIS is ridiculous!

And there goes the bell for the start of round Two. Well, maybe Bell isnt exactly the most accurate description. The start of this new conflict was rung-in you might say, by one of the most nerve-jarring shrieks in cinema history. And if Beef was on

edge before, This help!

did NOTHING to

Just about jolted out of his own skin, the Rock star exits his dressing room in a panic and giving us, even in his heightened anxiety, or maybe BECAUSE of it, one of the movies most wellloved lines.

What was Tha-a-at?

Whatever enjoyment fans might still derive from that single moment was not shared by Swans second in command. With

enough on his plate with opening night, the last thing Philbin wanted or needed was some sissy-Mary singer with a guilt complex as well as an over-active imagination.

You mean to tell me you didnt hear that shriek? That was something tryin to get out of its premature grave, and I dont wanna be here when it does!
Philbin was having none of it! Whether he heard the shriek and knew enough to ignore it, or he didnt hear it at all, his job was to keep the stars happy but IN LINE, and thats what he did.

Look,

Iron Man, if youre so uptight, take a shower and cool off!

Beef fires back; sashaying into his dressing room, where he consumed a small palette of every rock stars special brand of courage before jumping into the shower. And, as most people do in the shower, he sang. But not just any song. Had he broke into Springtime for Hitler or Dont Rain on My Parade, he might not have endured what ended up occurring, but then, wed also be deprived of the single scary/funniest shower scenes this side of Psycho. Wonder if Hitchcock saw this? Wonder if Janet Leigh saw it? Apparently, to the day she died, the poor woman never showered again, after that movie. Its also rumored that Gerrit Graham had his bathroom door fitted with a deadbolt after Phantom. Oh, he still sings in the shower, but only after making sure the doors been properly secured, with a note of legal permission taped to the outside door. Hey, better safe than sorry, right? **The above bit may or may not be true. Never got around to asking him.** It is fun to imagine, though. *Giggle.*

My pleasure, BONES!

And.on with the story. Rehearsing his remake of the song scored for a chick, The Paradises new star begins to feel a... BIT more comfortable. Loose. Singing in the shower is a freeing experience, after all. And he gets caught up in it. So much so that he doesnt hear the low creaking of the bathroom door. Nor does he see the shadow approaching

Life at Last! Sit and listen while the fun begins! Hearts are broken and the bad guy wins. Sit and listen; all the cutting up is easy and this isnt for the queasy or the weak of heart. Well you had better start for home while theres still Ti

He turns to the door just in time to be greeted with the sight of a creature in a silver mask. And in the time it takes him to realize he has to scream for help, the business end of a plunger is thrust into his face and Beef is pushed against the wall. Eyes bulging in abject fear mingled with the same level of disbelief, as this creature informs him, in no uncertain terms, the consequences of performing this botched version of his song.. It might have gone a little like THIS..

Never sing my music again! Not here. Not anywhere! Do you understand? My music is for Phoenix. Only She can sing it! Anyone else who tries, dies!
The plunger is removed and Beef finishes the scream he started when his mouth was stopped, barely a second before he slides

down the bathtub tile. And you can just imagine what the poor guy must be thinking. Consider it. He had just ingested a generous amount of cocaine after hearing an unearthly scream coming from somewhere within the vast music hall. Whatever that thing was, it meant business! Beef had no intention of sticking around to find out whether this creature from beyond was on the level or not. If he/she/it was serious, death would be a bad way to find out, Oops, I was wrong! Besides, in the mood the guy was in, it was anyones guess what form that death would take. Bomb? Twenty bullets to the back. Beheading. How do you predict space people? The same way you Psycho-analyze Great White Sharksfrom as safe a distance as possible. With that in mind, he was outta there!

If Beef didnt have a potty mouth before, he does now!

In the meantime,. outside the theatre, Philbin and his crew organized the line-ups; making sure fans had their tickets ready so no one was piggy backing off paying viewers. Trusting soul, that guy. Aside from that chore, there had to be something niggling in the back of the mind of Swans chief assistant. The Paradises new star was antsy earlier and, loathe as he was to admit it, Philbin couldnt help but think there HAD to be more to Beefs story. He never did feel comfortable with his boss explanation regarding the car explosion during the Juicy Fruits rehearsal. Then again, as the old saying goes, The show MUST go on! And he was in charge of making sure that

THAT was what happened, even if it meant chaining Swans new star to the stage.which is exactly what it may take. Glancing in the direction of the fire escape, Philbin spies the panicked rock star, dashing around the corner and ready to head down the back stairs and flee to freedom. Couldnt let that happen. By the time Beef found the stairs, Philbin was waiting at the bottom.

Whered you think youre goin, Tinkerbell? Cincinnati, to see my mother!

At this point, Beef is determined that it will take the entire Dallas Cowboys football to keep him from charging out that gate and to freedom. And LIFE. A life that didnt include being assaulted by aliens in the shower! His plans are thwarted, though, when Philbin physically intervenes, pinning the rock star against the wall, a la Winslow.

I know what it is. You want me to tell you what it is? Why dont you tell me what it is! SPEED! Thats what it is!
Speed. Cocaine. Whatever! Either , and definitely BOTH of those drugs have the ability to cloud judgment and likely cause the user to see things that arent there. Like very fashionable, albeit IRATE other-worldly creatures. And so, even if Phil DOES wonder, somewhere in the deep dark recesses of his grey cells, he

doesnt let on. He cant. He simply needs to know that the rock star can physically perform , whatever his issues might be, with aliens and their musical issues.

.Can ya still sing? Sure, I can still sing!

Thats all Philbin needs. Shoving Beef towards the stairs, he escorts the still-unnerved rock star back inside the theatre. The show WILL go on!

With the stage looking like something out of Frankensteins castle, The Juicy Fruits, in full goth regalia, launch into Somebody Super Like You, as they, with the help of their nursing assistants, construct their god out of corpses. Legs, upper body, and, last, but not least, head, to the rabid cheers of fans. At last, the rather large casket is

raised, and the assembled body is infused with life by way of the lightening before its lowered again, as the first song ends.

And when the time comes our stallion rises! RISES!..RISES!!

And voila! There he ismended body, butchered song, and all.

Life At Last! Salutations from the other side!

In the meantime, as the song progresses and nothing has yet gone wrong, someone is watching From the catwallk Winslow ponders his next move. Hed been defied, yet again! OY! What WAS it gonna take to smarten this guy (Swan) up!? Once more, he sacrifices one of his stars to the wrath of someone he knew meant business. Of course, Swan still figures his little song boyd is slowly suffocating in the walled-in studio. And that would have been the case, too, but Mr. Big waited just long enough, didnt he, to employ his latest slimy strategy? Too late. By the time Winslow discovered what Swan had done, the bricks hadnt set yet. There was just enough give in the mortar for the record producers victim to be able to effect a getaway. And now, one more time, the songwriter was forced to employ deadly means to get his point across. Swan had to know hed be next on the list. So why not kill him NOW? Why murder an innocent rock star, who had no way of knowing what hed gotten in the middle of? Had Winslow been thinking clearly at the time, its likely he would have considered that scenario. But, being locked away and left to die slowly does something to a persons rationality. It erodes. Quickly. Anyway, this guy had been warned. He could have left. He didnt. Tough! He was now considered an accomplice and worthy of the same punishment his boss would receive, in due time.

Roast BEEFside order of fear!

Reaching the last of the song, Beef is no longer so nervous. In fact, hes even flirting with his backup performers as he segues into the home-stretch

Im the evil that you created. Getting horny and damn frustrated. Each of you must stop me and try me. All of you might satisfy me.

The singing abruptly becomes screaming as the same lightening bolt, used to bring the singing deity to life is wedged into the stage floor, with enough power to literally cook a man to death. And so it does, with Beefs assassin cackling with delight as his latest victim goes down in flames. With a mini inferno centre stage, and the lights of the rock palace blinking from the sudden power surge, Swan sits in his theatre box, taking it all in, and KNOWING full well whos responsible. Not again!!! And just when he was sure his problem was. taken care of. Yet, even as Swan stares at the carnage below, its the sounds he takes in. Not screaming and fear, but cheering and chanting.

Beef! Beef! We want Beef! We want Beef!

At the same time, Winslow adds yet another body to the count; strangling the lighting tech, even while Philbin goes to coerce Phoenix into performing.

Phoenix, you gotta get out there and sing. Youre crazy! I cant Listen, some maniac killed Beef so YOU could sing. Dont disappoint him or therell be more bodies out there!
As with Beef, Philbin ushers Phoenix to her destiny. The curtain opens and Phoenix is faced with an audience full of rock fans, hyped up from the last performance, and possibly not realizing what happened. The fans, in turn, are stunned to see, instead of their favorite rock star, back from the dead, a young woman. Definitely not a hard rocker. Karen Carpenter at the Paradise. How weird was that. Okay, not actually Karen Carpenter, but the next best thing. Phoenix was the absolute opposite of everything fans had been subjected to, thus far, and the song she sings is utterly counter to everything fans had come to hear. On the other hand, did they also come to see a man electrocuted right in front of them?

..Were old souls, in a new life, baby! They gave us a new life, to live and learn. Some time to touch old friends and still return
Up in the rafters, Winslow is manning the spotlight; keeping it trained on her, every step of the way, and drinking in the song. At LONG last! ! His song, sung by the only person who could do it justice. In addition to which, he had kept his promise. He

said he would help her and he did. Winslow Leach was nothing if not a man of his word. The song ends to thunderous applause. Winslow is thrilled and Phoenix is stunned. Her chance had come! She was a star!

~First, the Bad News~ To my new star. SWAN

the attached card read. Black roses, of all things. Not what most people are accustomed to, after a stunningly successful debut, but such was the nature of the man. And it was nice of him to send flowers at all, given the short notice. How was he to know his rock star would be killed, paving the way for her??? He was sure that problem was...locked up. Entering his new stars dressing room, the first thing Phoenix wants to know isIs Beef?

Dead,

and his reply carries nary an ounce of remorse, or sadness. After all, the mans fiery demise was a hit! Whats to be upset about? And by the time he leaves her dressing room, Swan just about has Phoenix feeling more drunk with the thrill of what fame awaits her

Well record. Well go on tour. There are no words to express what youre going to become. By the time all is said
and done, I can think of at least one word; Traumatized. How bout Catatonic? Yet, for the time being, lets just assume that the sadistic weasel means a single word he says. Maybe he does. But God alone knows how hes gonna leave her when the thrill is

over for fans and star. Novelty is nice, but it gets old in a hurry in this business. One minute, youre Gods gift to creation. Next thing, theyre treatin you like something the dog puked up. Right now, Phoenix is intoxicated with fame and all the future dreams within her grasp. Its all comin true! Still, like getting thrown in a pool, the suddenness of the stardom is something shes not ready for yet. Definitely not the fanaticism of it, that literally pushes at her just outside her dressing room door. Seeking refuge, she finds a guiding hand, waving her in the direction of the fire escape. Desperate for anywhere else to be, she heads to the fire-escape, only to be grabbed by the arm, by the very hand that had seemed to be guiding her to safety; pulling her up to the roof of the Paradise, and to the edge, where shes sure shell get thrown over the side. Instead, the masked man points to the scene below, where Beefs sheeted remains are lead into a waiting ambulance , via wheeled stretcher.

He wouldnt listen to Me!

In Swans waiting limo, Philbin is seriously antsy. Guilt, perhaps? Ever present ciggie in hand, or between lips, he growls;

Cmon! Where Is she?! he mumbles anxiously, half to

himself.

Swan, of course, is more involved in his own success. Quelle surprise Philbin, have you ever seen such a crowd? No,

and I never wanna see another one!

Not listening to his assistant, the producer is lost in his latest triumph. Of course, this too, is Winslows doing. Not that Swan is likely to give him credit for this, either. Does anything get through to this guy?????

Look at them! Theyve really been entertained! They never want the show to stop! *sigh* The Paradise is more magnificent than Ive ever dreamed. Sure, how often is a rock star fried on stage?
sarcasm in there? Just a smidge of

Meanwhile, back up on the roof..

Dont hurt me! I would never hurt you, Phoenix!

The woman is clearly puzzled here. Shed remember meeting a guy like this. So how does he know who she is when she has no recollection of having met him?

Im Winslow, remember?
Ummmm, Winslow? No offence, or anything, but ya look just a tad different than you did the first time you two met. And, by a TAD , of course, I mean DRASTICALLY. Drastically different.

Winslow? But Winslows dead.

Oddly, there is SOME truth to that. Officially, hes still alive, but the kid he once was is gone. A fact he recognizes.

No, not quite. What do you mean? Who are you?! Why do you wear that mask?
His response to Phoenixs desperate question is more stark than she expected. Its also a physical representation of everything hes undergone since they first met.

Because Swans taken my voice, my music, and given me This!

(lifting the visor he reveals the mess Swans record press made of

his face, also representing the mess Swan made of Winslows life!)

And now he wants YOU! But youre all I have left! Phoenix, no ones gonna sing in this Paradise again. No ones gonna sing my Faust again. No one but YOU! Phoenix, leave this place or Swanll destroy you, too!
Interestingly, without even fully knowing it, Winslow hits on something about his enemy that he has yet to discover, with concrete proof. But he senses an evil about the man. An evil that has rubbed off, to a greater or lesser extent, on Winslow. He understands this, in his reaction to Beefs killing. While Swan didnt burst out laughing, he also didnt cry about the loss either. When Winslow pleads, Phoenix, leave this place, or Swanll destroy you, TOO! ; he knows that whoever he once was, he is no more. Any innocence, any dreams, just about everything Winslow once was, FINNI. Over. Kapput! And he doesnt want to see the woman he loves meet that same end. That same woman, however, is too caught up in her upcoming future, to listen to any doomsday reports. If hes got issues with Swan, they were HIS issues, not hers! Shes wanted this for years, and there was no way she was gonna let some freak of nature con her out of every fantasy that was well within her grasp!

Get your hands OFF me!

Phoenix shakes herself free of Winslows grip and races back to the safety of the paradise and Swans limo, where Philbin is warning his boss; Im telling ya!

With that freak on the loose, the Paradise is finished!

The Paradise is just beginning. Tomorrow night, Phoenix will finish Faust. And, Faust will finish Phoenix. (Avec Groucho Marx
finger-cigar affect).

At last, Phoenix shows up and tells Swan and Philbin, The freak that killed Beef is up on the roof! And while Philbin is getting security to search the roof of the rock palace, Swan is comforting Phoenix, by persuading her not to think about this run-in with the crazy creature on the roof. And you can tell she was thinking about it. How can she not? Some strange person ( though Apple -pie NORMAL compared to sayMichael Jackson) just told her he was the same person she recalled meeting a whole life time ago. It couldnt be! Then again, how else would he remember her, or know about a body of music based on a character few others would have written about. Truth be told, FAUST wasnt exactly the big topic of modern-day songs. So

what if..????
Those haunting reminiscences are quickly forgotten, however, at Swans mansion. High on her newfound celebrity, along withwhatever Swan might have introduced to her, Phoenix and her benefactor make out in swans waterbed; with its skylight canopy. Its raining out; with heavy rumblings of thunder and the occasional slash of lightning. However, that doesnt stop Swans shadow. And no, I dont mean Philbin. He was probably at home, smoking himself sick over what happened earlier that evening. Nice to know SOMEONE was feeling a twinge of guilt over a man being roasted to death in front of a live audience. All right, perhaps Winslow was, as well just not at the moment. Anyway, hes only ONE of the people who should have been feeling remorseful. The other party? Not likely. He was too busy celebrating his latest triumph by partaking in another conquest;

Opening Night was, indeed, a smash! A triumph owed, in no small way, to the music, the cleaver escape AND the creative vindictiveness of Mr. Leach. So, what better way to celebrate than to take the last thing Winslow loved, even more than his own music, and Nay, even more than his own .SOUL. The girlPhoenix. Aye, there was THE feather in Swans cap. Having robbed some smart alec kid out of his music, not once, but twice, he got the one trophy that mattered. Without whom none of the rest mattered. Leach stuck to him like well.a LEECH, (sorry, couldnt resist) and, again, even Mr. BIG himself couldnt help but acknowledge that, whatever else about Winslow that drove him around the bend, the boy was NOT a wuss! Nope, a wimp would have made Swans life a lot easier. No weinny would have kept returning again and again, for more and worse punishment, only to, SOMEHOW come through all of it! And no spineless geek would be trespassing on his roof, to find out what his arch-enemy was up to with the love of his (Winslows) life. And, if the stunning success of the early evening wasnt enough, Swan now had the added treat of rubbing THIS in Mr. Leachs face, too

Swan had Winslows; A) Music b) Soul c)Woman

In THAT order. Could this day GET any better?????

Mmmmmmaybe not. See, even a hero comes to the end of his rope. And this was finally the end of Winslows. Sure he had foiled Swan by escaping his latest death trap, only to kill his headlining performer. In the process, the songwriter came to

the harsh realization that the only thing colder than Swan was the audience he entertained. Now, having followed his nemesis to his mansion, Winslow finds the man he once respected, conooddling with the woman Winslow loved. This WAS the limit!! It was enough that hed been robbed of his lifes work and forced, by circumstances, to fight for both his music and the love of his life. Except, now Phoenix; the only thing GOOD to come of this whole disaster, was sunder the spell of this.this.diabolical little weasel!!! Distraught, and at the end of all hope, the war-weary songwriter lets loose a shriek that cuts through the night and almost drowns out the thunder. Then, taking out the same dagger hed nearly sliced into Swans neck with, Winslow plunges the knife into his own chest; collapsing, with a final scream, onto the wet ground of the cobbled roof. At this point, youre likely wondering how Id consider Winslows suicide a down sideat least for Swan. They guy had tried everything he could think of, to get the kid off his case, and at last, Winslow had done the job for him. You think hed be thrilled silly! Go figure some evil geniuses. Umbrella in one hand, contract in the other, Swan approaches the body of the man whod pursued him so relentlessly for so long. If only Winslow had given up when he was told, none of this would be necessary. Alas, none of that matters anymore. Dropping the contract on the wet ground, Swan reaches over and pulls the dagger out of Winslows chest, andlo and behold, the songwriter awakens, as if hed been nudged awake after a nap.only to come face to face with his real nightmare.

Winslow, what a foolish thing to do! The put-on pleasantries are no more. Didnt you read your contract closely? See where is

says, Terms of Agreement? Can you READ what it says? This contract terminates with SWAN..
What was he saying? Since when were Winslows choices any of Swans business? What WAS in that contract he signed..IN BLOOD?????? OH-BOY!

No more suicides, Winslow. You gave up your right to rest in peace when you signed this contract. But if you do find a loop-holeis that what youre thinking? Forget it!.
The music mogul explains that the wound in Winslows chest, now miraculously healed would open and hed bleed to death, should Swan be destroyed. Its a crap shoot. Swans either purposely over-playing his hand, in the warped joy of watching this fly in his web try to unstuck himself, orwas Swan so cocky that he forgot his enemys resoursefulness??? YeahId put money on that. Conceit tends to imprison people into their own little world; oblivious to anyone else, or what theyre capable of, under the right..or wrong circumstances. And in his own one-man world, Swan appeared to have forgotten that the only reason he was arguing with this erstwhile deceased songwriter was that the kid managed to survive one calamity after another . Whos to say he wouldnt get to the bottom of this situation, too, if Swan handed him enough clues? Heaven knows he had the incentive. And just in case he didnt, the producer gave Winslow just the push he needed.

Now get back to work. I need a whole bunch of new love songs for Phoenix. And if you as much as say BOO! to anyone at the Paradise, youll never see Phoenix again!
Next thing he knew, Swan was watching Winslow try to plow that same dagger into his chest. TRY, of course, being the operative word. For whatever reason, though, Winslow could not force the blade in. What in the world was goin on here?! How was that possible?! The knife was real! Hed just inflicted nearly mortal injury on himself before Swan showed up and..

Grabbing the blade of the dagger, with no sign of flinching or blood, Swan pushes the knife out of his chest declares, with a sneer;

Im under contract, too!

Now what was THAT all about?! However BAD matters were, up to this point, they had just taken a serious step in the direction of the BIZZARE! Suddenly, Swan wasnt just a greedy, sticky-fingered business man-- messing people around just because he could. The entire ordeal was officially OMINOUS. So what was next???? He shuddered to think.

~A WEDDING AND THREE FUNERALS~

How soon they forget. One day after Beefs demise, and the poor man is all but forgotten amidst the hype of yet another of Swans mega-productions. This one; featuring his new discovery, Phoenix and the man, himself. Yup, SWAN would take part in this production to close the Faust saga by actually marrying Phoenix on-stage. In Swans limo, Philbin, Phoenix and Swan seem to be oblivious to the tumult right outside the window, as hundreds of fans and media compete with police in order to press the flesh with celebs. Of course, everyone (save the driver, I trust) is stoned out of their ghords! But, of course, Swan is lost in his own little world, yet again. Patting himself on the back for his latest achievement, as reporters shout questions through the teeniest opening of the shaded window.

Hey, Swan, whats this rumor youre gonna wear a mask on stage? How can we shoot ya if you got a mask on, man!? You cant, fools! Philbin, it was genius making the end of the opera a wedding! You mean Faust, instead of burning in hell, he gets the girl?

Considering how much he knew about the literary legend over an hour earlier (movie time), even Winslow might have been impressed at what Swans head honcho took the time to learn. Phoenix, pie-eyed as she is, joins in by laughing gleefully with the man whom, months earlier, she loathed with a passion! (Remember her audition at Swans mansion??) Anywho, that nasty episode is water under the bridge, and, even with the human barracade of fans blocking traffic, the limos occupants are all happy campers.

Meanwhile, inside the palace

security is doing its best to keep the fans at a distance, but theyre no match for a celebrity obsessed public, who are determined to meet their latest American IdolPHOENIX. While fans scurry about the place like demented mice, one man skulks. The incident of the previous night still fresh in his mind, Winslow realizes that he has got to make some discoveries, QUICK! Whoever, WHATever Swan is, hes up to no good, and he has his new performer in his sights for who-knows-what! Strangely, for all the people milling around, Winslow is able to sneak into Swans secret room without even being caught, much less seen. Guess they have other issues to contend with. Their boss is making a rare television appearance and all hands are on deck to ensure that Swan is well protected. Its doubtful Winslows even on the radar. Big mistake; Swan would learn, but not until its too late. Parusing Swans video library, Winslow finally finds what he needs. A tape containing his contract signings over the years. How odd that he would keep such things on tape. Then again, maybe it was goodfor legal matters.

Right. LEGAL matters. And Im Judge Judy!

Even as the producer does his best to dodge cameras, wouldbe musicians and hyper-enthusiastic fans, the one person he cant seem to escape, has come into possession of THE key that would unlock the enigma that was SWAN.

Saturday. November 15th, 1953. Today I have decided to kill myself. Me, being the greatest showman of my time, am recording LIVE, for the Swan Archives..
1953? Not bad for a guy now likely in his mid-forties. He didnt look much different, except for the hair style. So why does a man want to kill himself in the prime of his life, with the whole world at his feet???? People, despondent over the unfairness of life and its cruel jokes, those are the people who opt out. What in the world could a guy like Swan have to be suicidal about????

Why? Simple. Im getting old. And I cant bare to see this beautiful face ravaged by the forces of time! Noif I cant stay young forever, Id rather end it allNOW.
As you can read, Swans ego hasnt changed much. If anything, its gotten bigger. As for ending it all.someone would show up to prove that said theology isnt all together accurate. .As Winslow stares at the monitor, he cant believe what his single good eye is seeing! Swan, this close to slitting his wrist with a strait razor is interrupted.by his own image reflection. AND ITS TALKING BACK!!!!!!!!

Why not? What? Stay young forever. Im real, and Ill leave if you want. But you did call me..
At this point, Swans as freaked as Winslow. And even if the 20 year old music maker is baked out of his mind, Winslow was completely sober and he was witnessing the same thing!!! This reflection was offering Swan the chance at actual IMMORTALITY. Eternal youth. Oh, come on!!!! That happens in movies and Oscar Wilde novels! Yet, how else could Winslow explai.. Nah! This was impossible!!!

What IS gonna happen?

For openers, youre going to look like me, forever.

At this point, Swans reactions are a mix of Yeah, right! and genuine curiosity. If, in fact, hed hit the mother load and found exactly what he needed to keep his party goin, of course hed grab it! Hed be nuts NOT to!!! Mind you, there is that old saying.If something appears too good to be true.

Not that staying young forever wasnt possible, but what would be the cost of his hearts desire?

I guess youre supposed to be the devil. I go by many names. And you will make me young forever? This image will age in your place. This picture gets old instead of me??

Yes, and you must watch it everyday, just to see how lucky you are And the tape, from which the picture comes, must be guarded at all costs. Why? Oh, when it goesyou go.
Its no coincidence that this demonic doppleganger didnt mention where Swan would, indeed, end up going, if the contract should be nullified. Swan, for his part, didnt ask. BAAAAAAD idea, to use the mother of all understatements! See, even as he sat in his tub, conversating with Satan, Swan had no thoughts that if Satan, the devil, mephistophes, etc. existed, then perhaps GOD did, too, and if so, what was he playing with here???? Talk about your hang-overs, huh? Even if he was utterly potted out of his tree, imagine Swan waking up the next day, wondering why he had a band-aid on his finger and finding a white-pages sized contract on his bedside table? Still, arrogant little worm that he was, he had the gall to shrug his decision off as nothing more than a free face-lift.

What do I have to do? Its all here. Just read it carefully and sign at the bottom. In blood. Blood? My blood?

Well ya aint using mine!

Messy, I know. But its the only way I can bind you. Tradition. . What do you have to lose? Nothing. Ya know, I was gonna use this {razor} on my wrist. Your soul is damn near the way. What soul?
While Winslow was in the middle of trying to wrap his mind around that revelation, more rude awakenings would follow. None of the least of which was his own signing and the full impact of what hed done. Terrific!! Having written a body of work about that very story, he ends up playing the title character after all. And it was nothing to sing about!

But the worst was yet to come.PHOENIX!!!

Just sign and itll be all legal! Til death do us part? Dont you think youre rushing things a little?

Hurry up and sign! You dont wanna be late for your own funWEDDING, do you, girl?

No sooner is her fate sealed in blood before Swan could be heard, though not seen, talking to two men. Both of whom Winslow immediately recognized as Philbin and the guy who hauled him out of Swans mansion, a whole lifetime ago.

Remember, she must be hit just as Philbin says Till death do you part. Wait a minute. This may be none of my business or anything, but if youre gonna kill her, why do it here? Tonight? An assassination, Live, on television; coast to coast? THATS entertainment!
Just about to fling the video monitor into the tape room, Winslows eye and ear catches another sight and sound. Noise. Music. Various t.v. screens capture activity in different parts of the palace. On the floor of the Paradise, the party was well under way. On another monitor, Winslow saw himself, as he was being captured by the camera somewhere in the room. Suddenly, his eye was caught by the sight of a man, entering a room carrying

a brief case. In the case were the pieces of a rifle he began to assemble in full view of the camera. When he was finally able to tear his attention away from the screen, Winslow flings the single t.v into the video room, where it bursts into flames; consuming the videos that contained Swans image. By the time the fire was in full flame, Winslow was out the door and half way down the hall!!!

~Get

this party started.~

Music played. Women, in bird costume--complete with head dresses, danced around a giant lily pad, in the centre of which, Philbin stood, in full priestly garb, waiting for the bride and groom. The audience, of course, was ready for anything and everything Swan had to offer. After opening night, anything was possible! The anticipation of possibilities was enough excuse for a party!

And so they partied, even as Phoenix danced up the centre stage; lead by her brides maids in fowl attire, as the crowd cheered. No longer afraid, she drank in the adoration that worked on her like a drug. Oh, what fun! What joy! She had arrived!!!! And the man, to which she owed all of her current and future happiness was waiting for her at the altar; emerging from a

rising platform, dressed in white, right down to the MASK??? Dare she ask what was that about? Vanity! Of course. But geez! Yad think that a man in the public eye for as long as Swan had been, would learn how to cope with such aspects of the business. Oh, whatever! Considering everything he had done for her, Phoenix wasnt about to quibble about idiosyncrasies of the ultra-powerful. Given a month, shed likely be acting the same way. Ascending the stairs of the oversized lilypad, Phoenix is greeted by her groom and they move to the centre of the giant water flower to Philbin, who opens a Bible and begins the wedding service.

Do you, Phoenix, take Swan to be your lawfully wedded husband. From this day forward? For better or worse? For richer or poorer? In sickness and in health? I do.

And do you, Swan, take Phoenix to be your lawfully wedded wife? From this day forward? For better or worse? For richer or poorer? In sickness and in health? Til DEATH
CRACK!!! A shot rings out and Philbin goes down with a bullet intended for Phoenix!!!! What was goin on here??? As if he didnt already know. By the time Swan realizes whats goin on, the place is in chaos! Phoenix has rushed to Philbins aid and the audience has poured onto the stage. Suddenly, the king of calm, cool and collected in no longer in control and hes very worried!!!

Frantically, he scans all around him for the one responsible. There could only be ONE culprit! But where was he???? Glancing up, Swan is aware of movement coming towards him. But before he realizes what the movement is, a sudden yanking motion pulls the producer to one side, nearly knocking him off the platform. Locating his glasses, Swan does his best to avoid cameras as he looks at the mayhem surrounding him. Distracted from his concerns by a hand on his shoulder, Swan turns to see a distraught Phoenix, who recoils at the very sight of him.

Oh, my God! Your face! Whats happened to your face?

The full impact of her words hits the music man like a ton of bricks and he knows his time is up.

WINSLOW!!!!!
Phoenix wails; terrified at the suddenly tragic turn of events. This was supposed to be a night of celebrations, but, again, it was all going so very wrong!! Then, to make matters even WORSE, a bloody-faced man she thought to be her backer now had his hands at her throat.

I dont understand!

Ladies, just a hintwhen your wedding ends like THIS, the marriage doesnt have much of a future.

Your voice, remember? You promised me your voice! Our contract, remember?!
With the most manic tone in his voice and the sinister glare in his eyes, the man shed trusted with her life and future was doing his dead level best to put an end to both! Unbenownst to Phoenix, though, in the midst of all the insanity, help was on the way! Pushing his way through the crazed crowd, Winslow grabs the beaked head dress off one of the dancers and heads for centre stage. Despite the Malay, Winslows spotted by a fan who does likewise. Not that Winslow cares at the moment. He has one priority in two parts; A) Saving Phoenix. B) Destroying a longtime enemy in order to effect that rescue.

~Mind if I cut in??? ~

At last reaching the stage, Winslow breaks in between Swan and Phoenix; plunging the beak-end of the head-dress into Swans chest. Screaming in unearthly agony, Swans grip on Phoenix is broken, entirely and the woman flees for safety. Almost oblivious to Phoenix, Winslow lunges at his enemy a couple more times, while cameras hone in on the bloody escapade. Imagine catching this on Entertainment Tonight?! Then, as Swan, goes down, Winslow is made, painfully, aware that his own life is on the edge. The wound in his chest is opened and Winslow can no longer concern himself with his enemy. This is all well and good, as a couple of the more enthusiastic members of the audience have begun taking an active role in what they may or may not have believed to be part of the show. In the end, the man whod used death as a source of entertainment would end up as chum for those same media sharks. Sadly, there would be no celebrating the end of his enemy since the end of Swan meant the end of him as well. Removing his mask, (to have it grabbed by yet another avid fan) Winslow desperately seeks help from Phoenix, who is stunned and horrified at the scene unfolding in front of her. For this writers part, however, I confess, by the time the movie was over, Swan wasnt the only one who wanted to wring her neck, okay?!

Hel-LOOO!!!! Dying hero! Guy just saved your life! Ya MIGHT wanna return the favor!!!
Honestly, this scene in the movie is officially my LEAST favorite! While it does work for the movie, it is so sad and

depressing and INFURIATING! By the time she finally figures out who it is, poor Winslows already died; after using his last ounce of strength to try to see her one last time! The answer to WHY is best left to God and Dr. Phil. And when the light at last goes on, and she whispers, Winslow I find myself shouting at the t.v. ;

NO!!? REALLY??? And here was me thinking it was David Cassidy/David Bowie/ Alice Cooper/ Barry Manilow. Pick one.
In other words; Well,

Duh!?

The very last image of this wedding is that of a distraught Phoenix; weeping over the dead body of her REAL mentor, as the audience looks on, not sure where the show is supposed to go from there. From that point, a brilliant aerial view dissolves into the flaming body of the Death Records bird (animated, for any animal rights people who might be reading this), to the opening beat of the closing song of the saga; which segues into the most imaginative cast listing in all of the movies I can recall ever seeing. A sentiment that is shared by most of the fans of this story. Even as I write this, I can hear the upbeat and yet ominous carnival of the damned -type score running through the minds ear, while Winslow, back from the brink, sits at his piano, playing us out, as the saying goes. If you are a life-long fan of this movie, I do hope I havent ruined it for you. On the other hand, if youre brand new to the story, perhaps this fractured version has left you wanting more details. In that case, check it out. This story was created out of anger, frustration and possibly even LOATHING by someone whod been messed-over

and wanted, somehow, to chuck back a bit of what had been thrown at him. Whod ever imagine that something borne out of anger and frustration could end up making so many people so happy???? Hey! Thats show biz.

FAMILY Photo at HOME (Garrick Theatre) April 29th/06

Top-leftPeter Elbling, Mike Navis, Gerrit Graham, Jessica Harper, paul williams, William Finley, (Dr.) Jeffrey Commanor, Archie Hahn. Bottom-left (not sure), Zippy Doug Carlson, Ari Kahan, Gloria Dignazio, Del Pannu, Rod Warkentin.

~Chapter Four~

The Movie that Ate Winnipeg

Can it be that it was all so simple then? Or has Time. ~M. Hamlisch/ A. Bergman/M. Bergman.

For me, as with so many others, it began on a dull Sunday in January of 1975. With only one t.v. in the house, and that turned to a football game, there was little to keep us (four) kids occupied. And so, wanting to be able to watch his football game without the shuffling of restless feet around the house, our father gave mom the money to take us to the movies, if, for no other reason than to get us out of the house. Great! That solved one problem, but mom was still sure that the decision of WHAT movie to see would start off a whole new debate, which would likely scuttle the plans for an outting altogether. Much to her surprise, however, mom would be wrong. See, like so many other kids/pre-teens, wed heard about this movie that everyone else had seen. It was the talk of the school and the ad in the paper only fueled the flames of curiosity. What was underneath that dazzling mask? What happened to the guy who was wearing it? And what about those Osmond-shiny teeth? Those factors, as well as the commercials that played at just about every program break were causing an almost literal rash of intrigue among pre-teens. We simply HAD to see it. Plus, the thrill of being able to relate to the full-fledged teen set, with their brand of stick it to the

man music was just too much of a temptation. Phantom of the Paradise would mark many a kids first tentative steps, from childfriendly matinees to the closest thing resembling grown-up fare! It was an opportunity we just could not turn down! And so, with the loan hold-out being my brother, who wanted to seewhatever else, the majority (female vote) went to the three females.

Girl- power rulz!

For her part, mom didnt care what we saw, more or less, so long as it got her away from the ultra-boredom of football and kept us quiet for a few hours. Dad was so delighted to get us out of the house on a Sunday that he paid for a taxi where a bus would have been far less expensive. Hey, whatever! We were finally going to see this movie!!!! Id finally be part of the In-crowd. The day was even co-operating in the mostunique fashion. The first sign that this was going to be an exceptional occasion was when the cab parked in the back lane instead of the front, where it just seemed to make more sense. And as I trudged through the snow, to the cab, looking at the overcast sky, something told me that day would be remembered for a very long time. And it was. Im writing about it right now. Thirty-two years later. I even recall mom getting into a bit of a tiff with the cab driver over his parking in the back lane instead of the front. But that was quickly resolved.

Mom, it doesnt matter. Lets go to the movies!

And away we went. My mom, my two sisters, (Sherri was only 5 at the time) and my hold-out brother, who would have to wait for another time to see whatever he wanted.

~TICKET TO DESTINY~

I dont recall how much it cost to go to the movies in those days. Definitely less than it does today; that goes without saying. Then again, I wasnt in charge of money, just living off it. So I just assumed it was available, whether our parents worked for it or robbed banks. At that particular moment in time, I couldnt have cared less how it was attained, so long as I had the chance to stand in the lobby of the Garrick Theatre and wait to enter the Garrick One. Believe it or not, I was so anxious about this that even popcorn didnt hold any appeal. Didnt think Id be able to keep it down. That was how hyped I was! {NOTE: As I write this, Im smiling at a picture of the the cast

of this same movie, as they stand in the same spot that was occupied, thirty years back, by theatre seats. Which, miracle of miracles, was where we sat! } Seriously! By the time we arrived, the
theatre was nearly full. My baby sister might have sat on moms knee for some of the movie. Just asked her. She doesnt remember. Heck, at that point, mom could have sat on Shers knee and I wouldnt have cared. Except for the crying that would have gotten in the way of the movie. Joanne, now are you sure you dont want any popcorn ? I wont get up once the movie starts. Ya aint getting mine! Brothers! Ya gotta love em. No thanks. No popcorn. Another interesting point, as thats usually my first stop at a movie theatre. This occasion was breaking all the rules!

Now, of course it should be mentioned that, while we didnt know each other at the time, many of the people who would go on to comprise Phantompalooza were likely in the very theatre, seeing the movie for maybe THEIR first time, or twenty-first time or 121st time. Though its altogether doubtful that they considered anything as far as 30 years into the future. Never mind the august pleasure of being responsible for getting the very people, who would soon grace the big screen, in this very room, in PERSON!!! Nah! A trip to the moon and back for a school field trip would have seemed more within our grasp. Our parents telling us we would be moving to Disneyland, to LIVETHAT was possible. But we never even entertained the notion as MIRACULOUS as what would take place, three decades later. Brain cells werent built to withstand that kind of unimaginable wonder!

~Evil has a new face!~

Having delved into the story at length last chapter, Ill simply skim over it here, for the purpose of recollection. As the lights dimmed in the theatre, the theme music and logo of 20th Century Fox blares upon

the screen, a frizzon of excitement could be felt. Then.something eerrie..the low hum of an organ could be heard in perfect time with a large bird, floating around, as if falling in slow motion, and gradually changing in color and the opening narrative by Rod Serling. WILD!!!!! Couldnt wait to meet this Swan guy to find out how he came to make his discoveries. Id be temporarily disappointed when I did nt get to see him right away. But at least the movie opened with a song. A definite hook. And I was lured in. Me and about 800 others. But where was the guy in the mask???? Aaahhh.The impatience of youth. The movie moves along and, at long last, after only hearing from the man, thus far, wed finally get to meet him.

Remember this scene? Many a pre-teen girl fell for this adorable demon.

And what a cutie!!!!! Gorgeous blonde hair and the most innocent boyish smirk. The kind you might see on a boy who accidentally broke a neighbors window and wanted to get out of trouble. Who could stay angry at someone with such boyish charm???? Put it to ya this way; if this is what Satan looked like in the Garden of Eden, Eve could be forgiven for falling for his wiles! Not only could this guy have talked me into eating the fruit on the tree, I would have eaten to the ROOTS of the tree!!! To be sure, this charming snakeof sorts, had taken all of us in a con. While we girls were fawning over this devious doll, he managed to swindle and abuse an innocent songwriter right under our very

noses...so to speak After all it was a threatre and the screen was quite large, so, technically, we were under his nose. But anyway, there you have it. The two combatants. which is where the movie really takes off! And everything, from that point on works from that central conflict. Its at the record plant scene where Im indebted {if it hasnt been mentioned already} to composer George Aliceson Tipton, whose music score tips me off that SOMETHING was about to hit the fan! Taking my coat from the back of the chair, I shielded my eyes against what happened to poor Winslow, who would go on to don the mask and outfit we instantly recognize from the commercials and the poster ads in the entertainment section of the paper. As per that sparkling smile? That was already mentioned in the previous chapter, so I won't bore you with further elaboration except to tell you TOOTHPASTE had NOTHING to do with it. Anywho.once the mask went on, the (kid) gloves came off and matters escalate to a bloody finish. By the time all is said and done, one person, of the immediate cast, is left standing. And, as it was in the beginning, the movie ends in song, coincidentally following the same theme, but with the added visuals (three dead people on stage) for added impact.

~WHAT just happened????~

Leaving the theatre, as many just sat and listened to the music, I dont recall what I said, if anything. I only knew that I had NEVER seen anything like that before and hoped NEVER to see anything like it again!!! OY! Thank God for supper. That is, if I could hold it down! Getting a cab home, mom got supper up (shed started it before we left for the theatre). Honest to God, I wouldnt lie to ya. Roast BEEF!!! OY! Now, mom's a great cook, to this day, and, any other time, I would not have the least trouble eating one of her roasts. In fact, it's all she can usually do to STOP ME from eating. But I tell ya, I NEVER had such a hard time choking down a meal as I did that night. No word of a lie! On top of that coincidental misfortune, 0ne song from the movie (OLD

SOULS) latched itself to my brain cells and wouldnt let go. It played over and over and over, but every time it played, I still cried. Back at school on Monday, friends and classmates went on about the movie and were delighted to hear that there was yet another fan among them. While still haunted by the last scene in the movie, the conviction of never seeing this movie again was forgotten and I found myself wanting to see SWAN again, while secretly also looking forward to seeing WINSLOW. On top of which, other fans brought magazines to school full of pictures from the movie, guys had a mad crush on Phoenix and, for class parties, at least ONE copy of the Phantom of the Paradise soundtrack could be found and was heard. Today, its a source of humor that many a teacher in Winnipeg, back in the day, either hummed POTP songs just because of the non-stop exposure to it, or wanted to fling themselves into a record press at the next mention of that movie!! To give you uninitiated readers an idea of what it was like, back then ,take two Simpsons episodesone about the Itchy and Scratchy movie and the other about the YoYo craze, combine those two school yard obsessions in terms of their level of frenzy and deposit that full impact into one movie, and THEN add 50 points to that impact level and you have any Winnipeg school yard in the year 1975.

~Phond Memories~
In gathering research for this book, one of the most enjoyable aspects was reading stories of people whose childhood and early adolescence revolved around Saturday afternoons and evenings at the Garrick Theatre, watching the escalating conflict between Winslow and Swan, and the mayhem that ensued. Of the Phantompalooza crew, Gloria will always remember that first time she went to the movie with a date and two girlfriends when she was around eleven. Whatever she expected going in, the movie exceeded Gloria's wildest imaginings by a LONG shot and today she

confesses to being so enamored of the movie that she barely recalls the rest of that first date. And while , at the time then-present, she probably wouldnt have been able to wrap her head around the notion of doing anything like what she and a group of like-minded phanatics would end up doing, three decades down the road; a movie borne out of frustration and one mans quest for justice can be trusted to bring a smile to Glorias face, no matter how lousy a day might have been. Gloria, in turn, chose to share that smile with fans, causing us to break out in infectious grins that would last for about two years. what another phan-pal Organizer, Mike (Phantom-stalker) Navis recalls with smirking pride, is having to repeat grade five because of his obsession over this movie. Between poster-doodling and his crush on Jessica Harper, Mikes parents would grudgingly make a couple of visits to the principals office to be told that their sons grades were in the toilet because of What of the WHERE?! Of course, he was grounded from seeing his favorite flic until his grades improved drastically. And, eventually, he got from grade five, to grade six, by the skin of my teeth , he recalls with a chuckle. Some years later, Mike would be instrumental in bringing us THE man, himself, when the man I call Phantom-stalker went in search of Mr. Finley by various means. Divine providence, of course, dictated that such a discovery would take place, and, after some personal pondering on Mr. Finleys part, (wondering what he could possibly be letting himself in for) Winslow Leachs alter-ego invited Beefs Alter ego (See also GERRIT GRAHAM)a celebration was had. Another story Mike shared involved him and his brother, playing out the concert scene from the movie, with Mike accidentally breaking his brothers guitar when he tripped, fell over a coffee table and crushed it. Another Phantom-related disaster for his parents to contend with! For his Phantompalooza memory to end all memories Mike would probably choose getting a kiss on the cheek from GerI mean Jessica! Sorry, Gerrit. Just messin with Mikes head. Anyway, It was

ALL Wonderful in every sense of the word, but for a guy, who grew up thinking that being in the same building with Phoenix would be the most DISTANT of far-out fantasies, that moment could rate as otherworldly. That, and being included in an impromptu song Jeff Comanor threw together during a cast reception, about the Phantom crew. 'Upholstery's lead singer was so tickled by Gloria's revelation about Mike's flunking out of grade five because of the movie, that he added a lyric about it on the spot. In a story actually relayed to Mr. Finley ,Curtis Cucmack (Phantompaloozas resident poster boy; having designed some of the artwork for the events) remembers going to see Phantom of the Paradise with his dad and sister, only to flee the theatre in terror at the record plant scene. Its a reaction the actor can relate well to, if only more vividly, because of a mishap that could have gone as bad if not worse than leave Mr. Finley in the same physical mess that befell Winslow. To this day, Ive seen that complete scene ONCE, but only because my brother dared me. {NOTE: Never take a dare from a brother. } Speaking of posters, though, it was and remains an unspeakable source of pride to Curtis when he was asked, by Mr. Finley, if hed autograph one of his posters. This author can attest to said event taking place, as I was less than ten feet away when it happened. None too shabby, huh? Phantompalooza's ONLY NON-'PEGGER, Ari, grew up in a city where he felt like the odd-man-out as far as his admiration for this De Palma classic. While he drank in the story's many subtexts, (Faust, Dorian Gray and De Palma's 'rage against the machine' mood that was felt throughout) his peer group shrugged it off, or grumbled about his 'wasting 92 minutes of their lives' if he invited them over to his house to watch the movie (actual FILM!) on a projector with the help of a large white bedsheet for a screen. In addition to being a fan of the movie, Ari is a collector of all things POTP related and, since his first time seeing the movie, back in the day, has amassed one of the largest and most diverse collections of Phantom of the Paradise memorabilia anywhere; and, so, of course when

he heard about the gala for the movie, and plans to try to get someone from the film to Winnipeg as part of the celebration, he jumped at the chance to offer any help he could to such a worthy cause. Between celebrations, Ari was contacted by the Film company in France, that was working on a Commemorative dvd edition for Phantoms 30th Anniversary and he was only too happy to loan out his first-draft script in addition to some posters as well as a rare Coming Attractions preview, containing deleted scenes, for the documentary project. By the time Phan-Pal 2 was in full gear, this honorary Winnipegger was honored with a full article in the Winnipeg Free Press (~Paradise Found~ by David Sanderson) that went into minor detail on Aris rather extensive PotP collection. Then of course, there was his personal take as to WHY the movie clicked with him. The momentary fanfare was fun, but, in the end, it was a personal thing. To FINALLY be able to be in the theatre that brought back fans from 1975, and share in the mass show of gratitude to the cast, in such a tangible way, for such an amazing movie, made all the dismissive wave-offs from scoffing friends S0ooooo worth while! For this author, apart from the first time seeing the movie, my other favorite, albeit bizarre story involves a snow storm in December of 1976, when the movie was set to play at a community centre as part of the Get the kids OUT of the house over the holidays deal. Dont know if thats what it was called, but that was the plan. Anywho, news of Phantom of the Paradise playing at a readily accessible venue swept Shaughnessy Park (elementary) school in no time and we were ready to go! NO MATTER WHAT!!!! Of course, nature decided to test our resolve on this issue by hitting the city with a snow storm that very day. Mom was sure the show would be cancelled or at least postponed and called North Wood Community Centre to check. Nope. It was still on. But who would show up? As it turned out, the hall was 70% full. There was even a line-up when we got there! Let nature do her worst! Like Winslow, Winnipeg kids would not be stopped from seeing this flic! And WITHOUT adult supervision? what? Are you kidding?! It was like pre-teen paradise!

As Phantompalooza memories go,... as was mentioned before, it was ALL good, but two particular memories stand out... The first and foremost was something that had been all but relegated to distant fantasy until March 7th, O5. And then...April 23rd, 2005, at Idont-know-what-time -pm. I HUGGED WINSLOW LEACH!!!! Nothing tacky or fawning, I just hugged Bill briefly and said Thank You. Its a moment this author will NEVER FORGET. Because of that fateful meeting, I also have in my possession, books one and two of Goethes Faust, signed by the man who introduced me to that classic work of literature. Should my apartment burn down, that will be the first thing I grab before fleeing the building!

~WHY WINNIPEG????~
Two and a half Phantompaloozas later, the cinematic question of the ages remains a mystery. WHY did the prairie city of Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada take to this particular movie in such a huge and lasting way??? Oh sure, a hundred or more theories have been put out there, by cast and fans alike; hypothesizing on everything from our musical heritage and the fact like guys like Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman came out of here, to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and its status as a world renowned cultural treasure. Another theory thats been expounded has to do with how were were tucked into the middle of nowhere, Canada, and so we didnt know we werent supposed to like this flick. Then again, explain France. Theyre hardly tucked into the middle of nowhere, and they got De Palmas edge in that particular movie. Hmmmm??? If I might offer my own take on this 30-something mystery, it is entirely possible that as kids, living in a prairie city, we could relate to Winslows sense of disconnection from the powers-that-be. Wanting

his voice to be heard, but continually pushed down until he gets fed up with the protocols that arent working, and does things his own way. Interestingly enough, in the movie connected book by Bjorne Rostaing, Winslow was given the short name Winnie by a mentor, Carmine Abarno. Winnie, of course, is also the abbreviated name for that most famous honey-loving bear, who is short for Winnipeg. See, just because a majority rules, doesnt necessarily make it right. And, in the case of movies, which are subjective anyway, Winnipeg, like Winslow, didnt know/care to follow the pack. We liked this movie and assumed everyone else had our sense. The fact that they didntwellthats just their hard luck. Following the majority wouldnt have earned us the distinction of Paris of the Prairies, and it certainly would not have given us the honor of having an audience with the cast of Phantom of the Paradise. So take that, Toronto! Whatever the reasons, 30 years later, the rest of the world has finally caught up to us. Winslows name is fondly remembered, as so many POTP sites will attest to. As for the question of WHY WINNIPEG? in connection with this De Palma classicthere may never be a single definitive answer and it doesnt really matter , even if one IS found. Whatever happened back then was just a part of growing up. Finding a touchstone, OUR touchstone reveling in the thrill of our first young-adult venture, and taking part of the memory with us, as we trudged into adulthood. With time speeding up and world events spooking many, the anniversary of this movie became a MUCH NEEDED retreat, for the cast as well as us. A chance to relive and appreciate a time and experience that would help us face whatever was coming down the road. Closer to home, though, it gave fans a long-overdue opportunity to say THANKS for being part of such a magical part of our lives and let the ensemble know that they were and ARE appreciated. With the advent of the internet, which is great when it works, our little love-fest was able to be shared with people from as far away as FRANCE. Winnipeg,

Canada and Paris, France in the same sentence? Who'd have put money on that bet?

~Bears on Broadway~ Manitoba legislature; Winnipeg

Eiffel Tower Paris, France

A mutual friend

~Chapter 5~

Hello, Im Winslow Leach ~Profile of a Hero ~ "Blackbird singing in the dead

of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly...."

~BlackBird~ J. Lennon/P. McCartney

Ya gotta love a man in uniform!

Ya know, as strange as this may read, my favorite and MOSTRESPECTED famed personality, in fact, my Mentor, is a fictional songwriter who 'died' in December 1973. No lie. And that's simply because, of all the songwriters, whose music has passed through these ears, Winslow Leach is the only one, to my knowledge, who's had the gumption to stand up for himself and his work, no matter how overwhelming the odds appeared to be. Like a parent who learns that his child's been abducted, he doesn't worry about how powerful the kidnappers might be, (whether they have ties to the Mafia or Al Quaeda ) he just knows he has to get his 'child' back. Silly? Maybe. But if you know of , or ARE someone who's taken a similar stand to someone in high places for this or any other cause, then you'll be able to relate. And if you're a fan of this movie, then you know the story; Young songwriter, from small-town America ,(in the fan-fiction novel of the same name, Winslow's from Maine) launches into the big city, armed with some money, a three-hundred-page elastic-bound

cantata and a lot of hopes. This determined tunesmith might be a nervous wreck but you'd never know it. So far as he knew...at the time, anyway, the hard work had already been done. YEARS of work, no doubt, went into the research and writing, revising and re-writing of his body of work based on the literary and historical character of Faust. An odd topic for a body of popular music, but, hey! Ya gotta try, right? Nights where ideas flowed like water from a spring or tap, and other days where it was all he could do to remember his name. Warmed-over meals that were hot when initially served. Sleepless nights where he needed to get all his ideas out on paper, for fear of forgetting them. That, and a host of various personal sacrifices at last culminated in a finished work. And he was of the unwavering view that, whoever made it possible for him and his music to be heard by the masses, Winslow would have the final word. And so he would. Whatever particular sins he might have committed, in pursuit of the man who turned his dream into a nightmare, you have to give it to the kid. He didn't back down. Even when he realized who it was he was really dealing with, , and what he'd gotten himself, and the woman he loved, into, Winslow didn't back off or down. He finished the job. He found his enemy's Achilles Heel and zeroed in for the kill. A bizarre coincidence (see also: 'Ironic Twist') worthy of comparison to this classic was a real life situation involving Paul Williams, two years after Phantom... where Mr. Williams found himself in somewhat the same situation as Winslow, facing a female SWAN, in another 70s remake of a cinematic classic. Despite the songs he and Kenny Ascher contributed to the soundtrack of A Star is Born , Thirty years later, Ms. Streisand has yet to offer a single word of acknowledgement to Williams having any involvement, most particularly where the song Evergreen is concerned. (Note the quotes below). On every official Barbra Streisand website, nowhere is Paul listed as the lyricist for that song. Its solo. As in The Juicy Fruits singing SWANS FAUST! Same idea. Sort of. Unfortunately, this is where reality and fiction part company. Whereas, Winslow fought tooth and nail to get back what belonged to him, simply because he lacked the reputation to be able to stand up to Swan on equal creative

footing, Williams had more than enough reputation to be able to hold his own with Mrs. James Brolin. By the time he was brought on board to provide the songs for the movie, Williams had amassed at least ten albums~ written or co-written by him. As of this writing, Barbs sum total collaborations, over a forty year span, would fit an album, possibly two but no more than that! However, in spite of her lack of songwriting expertise, by the time all was said and done, as far as that movie was involved, she had herself and most of her fans thoroughly convinced that she was the SOLE songwriter for that song. And while Columbia Records legally lists Williams as the collaborator for the lyrics of the song, Williams, personally, has made ZERO attempt to PUBLICALLY, face to face, set the record straight, by contesting Ms. Streisands claims of sole authorship. Having paid careful attention to the developments in this coincidental matter, {a la POTP} I would have recalled if any confrontation had taken place regarding this musical MESS. To this authors recollection, the only legal backlash Williams put up was of a financial nature. Apparently, he was the musical supervisor on the A Star is Born project. {Oh sure! And I was the captain on the Titanic!} but was not properly compensated by Babs company, Barwood Films. In a purely MUSICAL vein however, Barbra has been RELENTLESS in her assertions of SOLE authorship of that song. Its been on the public record for pretty much as long as the songs been out, and as far as this author can recall, there has never been any challenge to Barbras bold declarations. And while I dont pretend to know everything about the politics of Hollywood media, I am savvy enough to know that these people LOVE a good blood bath, figuratively or other wise. Sharks in a feeding frenzy! SO IF Mr. Williams HAD stood his ground and refuted Babs claims, the resulting dust-storm would have made it onto the front pages of every Rona Barrett tabloid magazine on the stands! It would have been akin to Winslow ripping off Swans mask; exposing him for what he was. And for an ego such as Barbs, public HUMILIATION is the proverbial pin in the balloon. Pop! Goes the illusion. And Barb would have had to concede defeat through gritted teeth. After all, Williams (for the sake of discussion) had the reputation and the proof to back

up his claim of having written the lyrics. It was a done deal. Slam dunk. A day in court would have lasted all of half an hour. IF that. So pardon me if, after the thunderous SILENCE coming for the SUPPOSED lyricist of the song, this author has finally decided; If ya cant beat em, join em. He cant say he wrote the lyrics to that song while, simultaneously NOT refuting someone elses claim to sole authorship. WHICH IS IT?????? In truth, it doesnt matter anymore. Nearly three decades of playing Winslow Leach to someone who doesnt have the gumption to stand up for what was his, Ive finally come to my senses and am taking Barbras side. Not that she needs my help. But, when you think about it, he didnt need it, either. Not if he had the back bone to face Barbra down and say, NO, Barbra! Thats NOT the way it is!
You wrote the music. I wrote the lyrics. Get that right or you can HUM your way through that song, on the breadline! No one is

invincible. Not evil record producers or egomaniacal singers. But if you let someone bully and brow beat you, they will continue to do so until they either get bored or doing so no longer suits their purpose. Luckily for Mr. Williams, Barb didnt see him as enough of a threat to hassle with. And its possible that she found the scent of fear so nauseating that she just took what she wanted and called it a day. From what we see and hear today, a case could be made for that point, as she struts HER quarry (song) on every stage on the planet, declaring HERSELF the composer and in fact the WINNER in this

UN-battle.
30 Years and Countless UN-contested

Claims later: Evergreen: Love Theme from A Star is Born Words and Music: B. Streisand

And, in fact, this is, at least from a moral stand-point, the way it is.

Legally speaking, Williams may be credited, and therefore paid

for any use of the song. To BARBRAs credit, however, SHE was and remains the one who rallied for the ARTISTIC right to claim the song as her own. And, to paraphrase the song, What Barbra wants, Barbra gets. Especially when the one shes taking it from doesnt have the spine God gave over-cooked spaghetti! *Note the lack of pre-fix at the beginning of the title composer, where Evergreen is concerned, while it DOES appear for the CO-credit on the song I Finally Found Someone. Whoever wrote that article believes, as I have come to, that Ms. Streisand is the RIGHTFUL author (singular) of Evergreen as surely as Winslow Leach wrote Faust! And he did!

*She is the first female *composer ever to win an Academy Award, this for her song, "Evergreen," the love theme from her 1976 hit film, "A Star Is Born." She was nominated again in 1997 as co-composer of "I Finally Found Someone," based on her love theme for her 1996 film as director/producer/star, "The Mirror Has Two Faces."
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I didn't write "Evergreen" as a wedding song... but I'm always touched when someone tells me they proposed to their wife or they played the song as they were walking down the aisle. Listening to music can be a very personal experience.

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*3When I write a song, it's usually out of necessity, like writing "Evergreen" for "A Star Is Born"I just needed a song for the movie! *

BATTLE-SCARRED! Fictional or not, this guy FOUGHT And DIED for the right to have Faust called HIS song!

Point of fact, not only did Mr. Leach endure a WHOLE lot for the sake of his art, but Mr. Finley nearly ended up meeting Winslows same fate, (for music that wasnt even his!) when a rehearsal in the record plant went awry. Whether gutsy, crazy or a bit of both, (its an ACTOR thing) William went through with the scene for the shoot and, thankfully lived to tell the tale. Hilariously enough, the one thing he would NOT do, for Brian or anyone else, was take that tumble into the East River. A stunt guy was used for that part. But he still did more for Williams work than Williams would do for his own work. {Faust: Words and Music: W. Finley (?) } I like it.

~Credit where its Due~

Needless to say, but Ill say it anyway, Winslow owes his life, in no small way to another harried creative soul. Desperate for someone to swoop in and save the creative community from despots who would use his and others talents for their own greedy means, Brian De Palma realized HE wanted to be that hero. So, utilizing the
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screenwriters imagination, and his mounting sense of hopeless frustration, he channeled his aggravation into action and created the hero he was looking for, only under an assumed name and physical persona. Whats a hero, after all, without a new look? And a new name. A name that, on first listen, doesnt sound all that threatening....Especially when the person possessing that name appears more suited to playing basket ball than slamdunking evil record producers.

~A HERO, ...By Any Other Name~

If the concept of an idealistic hero was De Palmas, then the inspiration for his characters personality make-up came from the directors college mentor/instructor at Sarah Lawrence, Mr. Wilford Leach. In addition to being able to learn the craft from a full course in a school with state-of-the-art production facilities, De Palma saw in his instructor a wealth of inspiration that would later prove more than valuable in the construction of his hero's psychological make-up. In fact, 'Winslow Leach' was a tribute, not only to the tenacity of the artistic spirit, but to the man whose generosity and character helped shape De Palma's future.

~A Friend in Need~
College classmates and friends since then, William Finley was De Palma's first choice to play the wronged songwriter with a score to settle. Partly because the actor fit the physical persona of the naive but hopeful young artist and also because, as friends who shared common hopes, Finley could relate to the idea. It also helped the project that

William had a talent for songwriting as well as acting, so he came by the role honestly in that respect as well. According to an article in A )Fangoria magazine, another one of Williams talents is set designing, which earned him a scholarship to the Rhode Island School of Design. (Jim Hensons youngest daughter attended that same prestigious institute). For whatever reason, his dad put the kibosh on his sons plans and William ended up attending Columbia University. All things considered, THANKS, dad! It all comes under the heading of passion. Believing in something and wanting to commit to a cause to the best of your ability. To that end, while POTP fans know and respect the actor through Winslow, Mr. Finley has been equally versatile in other roles, both the serious and the (fun)-silly. His earliest collaboration with De Palma was a student project called Wotons wake; a silent-movie-looking movie with only music and a couple of songs, co-written by Bill. In it, a mad (see also: Looney) sculptor creates a sculpture of a woman from jewelry of women he d killed in order to create the sculpture. His masterpiece comes to life, though, and attempts to flee, sending him on a mad chase for the woman he wanted changed back to the brass from which she was created. Someone once said that if an actor can tell you something about his/her character without saying a word, then the rest is easy. From Wotons Wake, Brian made the most of Bills ability to speak without saying a word when he cast him in another semi-silent role as Otto in Murder A la Mod, where he played a Chaplin-esque character we only hear through inner-dialogue. A practical joker, Otto finds himself in the middle of a real-life murder plot, carried out with his own weapon . If you pay attention, youll see, even in this project, traces of Phantom... in elements of the story and a bit of the dialogue. The idea of death for the sake of entertainment.. Hed kill her if he thought he could get a laugh out of it. and Ottos nervous
A

) Fangoria magazine ~October 2007~ Phantom Unmasked. Pg.s 64-68

giggling over realizing that hed accidentally killed someone with what turned out to be the real (ice) pick rather than a trick pick. Why hes carrying a real ice-pick around...not even Bill was too sure about that when he was asked by Fangoria Magazine (October 2006). Only minutes after accidentally killing the man, though, he (Otto) discovers his murder victim was the same guy who killed his exgirlfriend, for real, and captured on film. Most recently, Mr. Finleys talents for projecting were evidenced in Black Dahlia where he is seen, as George Tilden; (a darker version of Otto), obsessed with Elizabeth Short. And, for the sake of tying up some cinematic loose ends, De Palma has George and the mother of his daughter end up as the killers of the legendary Dahlia. Most Phantom-esque of his movies, however, was a movie that wasnt official a movie. Big help, huh. According to a friend who talked to Mr. Finley, Dionysus in 69 bore the closest resemblance to POTPs soul. In fact a filmed play, the story, based on The Bakkai by Euripides, Dionysus tells the story of a man/god Dionysus, who gets revenge on his mothers betrayers by giving the people of Thebes the freedom they want until they do whatever he says. Most dictatorships work that way. In addition to the audience participation in the project, which lends itself to Phantoms final blood tide, Mr. Finley as Dionysus plays a Swan of sorts to young King Pentheus (WIilliam Shepherd~~ Phantoms rock freak ) . In essence, William/Dionysus tells Pentheus/Shepherd, that he will do as hes asked (restore Pentheus kingdom to order and break the spell of orgiastic liberation cast on the women), but first, Pentheus must submit to the same spell. And if he can resist the charms of Dionysus, he will have what he seeks. This is principally similar to the contract Swan hands to Winslow. After enduring one hell after another to get his music PROPERLY produced, Winslow figures he has Swan where he wants him. If he doesnt get his music produces as he wants it, there will be no more music. Then again, in order for Swan to produce the music, AS WINSLOW WANTS IT DONE, there must be music to produce.

Winslow agrees, as does Pentheus to Dionysus...not realizing that, in agreeing, theyre snared in the very trap they are trying to break out of. Hey, you dont get to be a self-proclaimed god or the biggest thing in music without having a few tricks up your sleeve. (Much to this authors pleasant surprise, Mr. Shepherd is an accomplished classical actor) fights to the death for his right to rule his kingdom, minus distraction or opposition. On the other hand, the subjects of Pentheus kingdom like the freedom this god offers. That is, until the spell is broken and the subjects of this kingdom, (Pentheus mother included) snap out of their daze to realize their king and son is dead...at their hands. Replicating the sudden realization Phoenix comes to, when all hells broken loose around her, and the one who saved her from her supposed benefactor is the same person, (physically, anyway) whod promised to help her, back when... According to one friend, Dionysus in 69, more than any of Mr. De Palmas past projects, planted the seed for what we now know as Phantom of the Paradise. That, coupled with then-current issues would lay the foundation for, EASILY, this authors MOST

RESPECTED musical influence, period.

~AT LONG LAST~

At the eve of Phantoms 30th anniversary (2004) I found myself fantasizing about meeting the man I considered a mentor. After all, most of the lessons I learned about what to do...and NOT do (i.e. hand over your only copy of a lifes work) I learned from Winslow, and, by extension, Brian. For a while, I even imaged that, after selling a screenplay, I would be invited on the Ellen DeGeneres show and shed surprise me with an extra guest....

But alas, that was all just a dream. A vague, one in a trillion hope that would only be realized in my wildest dreams. OR maybe not... See, sometimes, when you least expect it, life turns around and hands us a pleasant surprise. And to finally be able to say THANKS to the man who did so much more than he ever truly realized was an UNBELIEVABLE blessing that still boggles the mind! Mirroring Winslows tenacity, the selfless Phantompalooza crew put heads and hearts together and pulled off nothing less than a miracle for so many whove wanted to express their thanks, lo these three decades. And even if I were to forget every other movie Ive ever seen or song Ive ever heard and/or book Ive ever read, what I will NEVER forget is THAT day, (April 23rd/05); a single hug and a simple thank you. Both LO-O-O-NG OVERDUE. Everything I learned, about standing up for myself and for worthy causes, {personal and artistic} came from 'Winslow', who, of course, was a reflection of the man who created him in the first place. In fact, if you really think about it....Brian De Palma was "Winslow Leach" the whole time. William Finley just played him in the movie.

LONG-OVERDUE BOW! "Winslow " finally gets the recognition he deserves!

"A year from now, no one will remember that movie." Pat Davis (My mom) Spring 1975

~Chapter 6~ Our Ultimate Rock Palace

{Cast and fans congregate where the love affair began} There are Moments you Remember all your life. There are
moments you wait for and dream of all your life. This is one of those moments. One of those Moments (Yentl) Marilyn and Alan Bergman/Michel Legrand 1984

Whats that you were sayin, ma?

Believe it or not, YES it has been 30 years (OY!) since 'Peggers fell in love, en masse, at the Garrick Theatre, and, as every true romance goes, the love never left. It was always there, in the heart of those spent one magical winter and spring within the comfortable confines of that small down-town movie house.... And even after those glory days of pre-adolescence and early teen hood gave way to late teens, graduation, jobs, families and all the rest, that first romance never died. It just...hibernated, waiting for the ideal time to awaken and bloom again. How ironic that the first stirrings of new love would 'awaken' in the dead of yet another Winnipeg Winter: wrapped snuggly within the pages of the Winnipeg Free Press and an article by David Sanderson. Chronicling the story in the De Tour section of Thursday's paper, he detailed, quite enthusiastically, about the Phantom of the Paradise collection owned by life-long phan Gloria Dignazio . Included in said collection were matching Death Records T-shirts, owned by Gloria and her then-ten-year-old son, Colin, as well as posters, the original album and the movie, itself, in every format it has ever been released in! Beta, Vhs, Lazerdisc, (remember those?) and L.D's more successful sibling, the dvd. It's a safe bet that Gloria now owns, thanks to Deborah Znaty, the S.E. dvd. A WHOLE LOT went on since that interview, which we fans were not the least bit aware of, until that magical day, (March 7th /2005) when bleary-but hopeful eyes slowly focused in on the declaration, that thirty years of 'fandom' would miraculously culminate in a meeting with people who had become musical 'gods'/mentors to us! So NATURALLY, tickets to that original event, much to the amazement of the actors, actually SOLD OUT and an afternoon event had to be added to accommodate the over-flow crowd. To say that this was an

eye-opener (per Bill Finley-Fangoria) is an understatement at least. They were actually treated more like the Beatles at Shea Stadium, according to one attendee at the afternoon celebration. And its fitting, too, for...obvious reasons. The fact that they deserve it...that's a given! And you already know about the Beatles connection to this saga well enough. The overwhelming response to the first Phantompalooza would lead, needless to say, but Ill say it anyway, to a second go round, with the ensemble cast, (unfortunately without director Brian De Palma, despite the best efforts of Mr.'s Finley and Graham), though he did send along his best wishes. According to a couple of sources, our favorite director is, like most in his field, someone who prefers just to do the work and move on. It might have been pointed out earlier that, by the time fans see a movie ONCE, the director has seen it from every conceivable angle and has heard different dialogue or the same lines so many times they have nightmares about being locked in their own movies that play on an eternal loop. Every movie-maker's personal HELL. Still, appreciative of our love for the movie, Mr. De Palma did send his blessings along with the cast, for this, the mother of all Phantompaloozas! A celebration that Super-Bowl organizers only WISHED they could compete with, in terms of pure heart! It would be, more than anything else, a family reunion, 30 years in the making! Thankfully, though, unlike most family reunions, no one ended up getting nasty drunk and began re-opening old wounds, either metaphorically or physically; as in Winslows and Swans case! That could have gotten SERIOUSLY UGLY, if you catch my drift, which I know you do.

'Bob Fm' (Pete) with Archie, Pete, And Jeff (April 28,/ 2006)

Performing LIVE (and STAYING that way!!!)"Beef" and the "Juicy Fruits". April 29th, /06

Initially uncertain as to what he was letting himself in for, by the time the first Phan-Pal was in the history books, Mr. Finley had persuaded Doug, Gloria and the gang to attempt a full cast reunion. "When William speaks, we pay attention!" And with the success of the first event being beyond anyone's expectations, the temptation was just to delicious to resist. And so, with vacation times synchronized, the intrepid miracle workers set off to Sunny Californ-I-A to shore up confirmations for the biggest of all gigs, or, failing that, to book reservations for the next rocket trip to the moon. (Hell never find us here!) More hearty chuckles. Confirmations, near misses, bargaining with the devil in the details, and a few panic attacks later, Phantompalooza Two was a solid Go! And if you know anything about the (whatever) way the cast were treated by 20th Century Fox, Winnipeg was a shocker by anyone's estimation! They received star-treatment befitting...say...Leonardo DeCaprio, Kate Winslet and James Cameron at a Titanic premiere! That's all well and good for movies that are being hyped to the rafters for an opening weekend, but for a movie

that came out 30 years earlier, such fanfare was not the custom...well, not for Hollywood anyway. But here? Here, we do things the way they SHOULD be done, especially for those who've long deserved it! Limo ride to the reunion event itself. Posh accommodations, a reception held by those who got the gang here, media coverage, from the city news papers and news casts, (even a full article in Macleans magazine a month later!) None too shabby, huh? Just about every stop that could be pulled out was for what could only be described as the ultimate family reunion! About the only thing we couldnt get done was beyond simple fan influence. Honorary citizenship and stars on a special walkway in front of the Garrick would have topped things nicely, but those prerogatives were the domain for city officials to approve and well, no offense to Mayor Katz, but hes just not in our league. He wouldnt have got it. So, we wait. Hopefully another opportunity will present itself. In the meantime, as the saying goes, it was all good! HIs and hugs were in abundance. Music played into the night and fond memories were relived even and brand new memories were made!

~In

the Presence of Greatness~

It would be impossible to describe the feeling of utter astonishment and accomplishment the Phan-Pal crew felt as these events came together, one step at a time. And to finally be able to bask in the vicarious glory of watching the people they long admired finally getting the tribute they were entitled to, as they (cast) were treated to at least four standing ovations in a single day, coming and going. Not bad! And thats not even including the concerts! How do you say THANK YOU to people~ perfect strangers once upon a time~, who would go to so much effort for both the Cast and the fans who loved this cast, and in turn, would love them for doing something so selfless? Its fair to say that these people will be FONDLY remembered by both cast and fans for as long as we live! What's more,

though, is that they likely accomplished this feat in the face of many who thought they were either dreamin' in technicolor, or just a whee bit unbalanced, don't ya know. After all, the crew weren't getting paid for their efforts. Well, not by monetary means, at least. And to more materialistic types, such endeavors would be considered a waste of time if not a fools errand. Aye, but those devout materialists will never derive the same unspeakable pleasure out of a shopping spree that was had when a group of eccentric Winnipeggers got together, dared to dream big and make those dreams a mild-blowing reality for themselves AND everyone who wanted to share in the mass group hug. Today, all of us who benefited from that heart-felt generosity couldnt imagine anything we could do for those who shared their dream with us. Nothing financial would say it properly. Best I could suggest is if you happen to meet Gloria or Rod or Mike or Doug or Ari, or Zippy or Del, take them out for dinner or invite them to your house for supper or smile and say HI! as you would to any longtime family friend. Considering the gift theyve been gracious enough to bestow on us, only the donation of a kidney could be more generous.

Gerrit and William at Phan Pal 1 (April 2005)

Phantompalooza 2 THE GANGs ALL HERE. April 29th, 2006

~Epilogue~
...So please Remember, I will remember you...

I Will Remember You {A. Grant/G. Chapman /K. Thomas} 1991

Where HAS the time gone? When the idea for this book originally came to me, the first Phantompalooza had just ended (April 23rd/05) and plans were already in the works for the big show, a year later. Now, (*S-I-G-H*) here we are, two and a half Phan-Pals later, and I'm at the end of the (HOPEFULLY) final draft of this project! Wake up the Queen and alert her to Trespassers! Did all of this ACTUALLY even HAPPEN?!?!? Must've. I've got the dvds, the pictures and the autographed copy of Faust (both books) to prove it. Still, when you look back at such a HUGE time of your life, you find yourself in need of reassurance. And, in a way, that's a good thing. That means it retains a sense of 'magic' that separates it from just regular 'good' stuff that occurs. And so, in closing this book, some honorable mentions bear reiterating... Mr. De Palma...how many times and in how many ways can a person say "THANK YOU"? Anyone can get discouraged and fed up with the way things are...but you channeled that aggravation and inspired a generation. Three decades later, the heart of your story is treasured by a larger audience than you had in the first place. Better late than never, huh? Again, our heartfelt admiration for ALWAYS ! To those who dared make miracles happen! (Phantompalooza crew). Ya didn't have to do it, and it's a safe bet that there were many who wondered WHY you were doing it! Two and a half Phantompaloozas later, however, there are so many who will be grateful, for the rest of our lives, that ya did do it!!!

Considering the premise of our favorite movie, it seems appropriate to leave on a ....ha, ha...MUSICAL note. With that in mind, I'd like to close with a couple of songs that connect so comfortably to the occasion; including and especially the new lyrics to a Flintstone's song that were written when the last two years' celebrations were no more than a remote hope. Thanks so much for proving me wrong!

~ Old Souls~
B

Our love is an old love, baby. Its older than all our years. I have seen in strange young eyes Familiar tears.

Old Souls~ from Original Soundtrack Recording Phantom of the Paradise 1974 Words and Music: W. Leach. Honored posthumously.

Were old souls in a new life,baby. touch They gave us a new life to live and learn. Some time to old friends and still return.

Our paths have crossed and parted. This love affair was started long, long ago! This love survives the ages. In its story lives are pages. Fill them up. May ours turn slow.

Our love, is a strong love, baby. We give it all and still receive. And so, with empty arms we must still believe All souls last forever! So we need never fear goodbye!

A kiss when I must go. No tears. In time, We kiss Hello!

It was great seeing Jessica sing in the movie

But even better hearing that same song sung

Live!

THIS picture is proof; MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!

And now, for the song that might have been shared with only a few people, back before such wild and crazy fantasies ever entered our minds as a ever being a reality. "Happy Anniversary" was the song Fred Flintstone sang to his wife, Wilma on, of course, their anniversary, in a Flintstone's episode titled "The Hot Piano" . And while the title and chorus of the song are maintained, the fun of adding new verse lyrics, for the purpose of marking the thirtieth Anniversary of our favorite De Palma classic, was too big a temptation to pass up. In truth, while the song was addressed to 'Winslow' , EVERYONE is implied, even though, regretfully, I couldn't figure out how to fit either the Juicy Fruits or Philbin in. (Sorry, guys! ) Anywho, here it is! Hope ya like it.

Happy

Anniversary

(Original lyrics: W. Hanna/ J. Barbera ~1968~ *New lyrics: J. Oznowicz-Davis)

-Chorus*Oooohh Happy Anniversary! Happy Anniversary! Happy Anniversary! Haaa-Py Anniversary!

Vs. 1 Three Decades back, you caught a culprit. Happy Anniversary. As a crook, he couldn't cut it! Happy Anniversary. Oooooh!

-Chorus-

Vs. 2 Found the girl who made your heart sigh. Happy Anniversary. Too bad she fell for the wrong guy! Happy Anniversary! Ooooh!

-Chorus-

Vs. 3 Fried a Rock Star through and through. (OUCH!) Happy Anniversary! Won't let YOU cook my barbeque but Happy Anniversary! Oooooh!

-chorus-

Vs 4 Swan sure got a mean facelift on Happy Anniversary! Nastier than Tony Clifton. Happy Anniversary! OoooooH!

-chorus-

vs. 5 The music business is the pits. No Happy Anniversary. Killed Swan for the "Hell of It" so HAPPY ANNIVERSARY...OOOOOOOOHHHH....(you go, boy!-spoken/optional)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY . HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY-HAPPY-HAPPY HAVE A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

~The End~

"......So many years, come and gone. and yet the mem'ry is strong. One word we never could learn.; GOODBYE! True love is frozen in time!

"I Will Remember You" {A. Grant/ G. Chapman /K. Thompson}1991

I'll be your champion and you will be mine! I will remember you!

So please remember... I will remember you...."