Phantom of the Paradise at 50: Paul Williams and Ari Kahan on Brian de Palma’s Rock-Opera Stunner

When you think of rock operas, you may think of The Who’s Tommy or Pink Floyd’s The Wall. But Phantom of the Paradise director Brian De Palma thought of The Carpenters.

It was the early 1970s, and De Palma wasn’t yet known for classics like Carrie, Scarface and The Untouchables. He had made counterculture films like 1968’s Greetings and 1970’s Hi Mom with a little-known Robert De Niro and the well-received 1972 horror film Sisters with Margot Kidder. But he wanted a hit. Phantom of the Paradise, he thought, could be his commercial breakthrough.