Swan is a rock god, a former performer turned producer in the world of 1970’s pop. Winslow Leech is a composer looking for his big break. When Swan hears Winslow’s music, all the stars align for a beautiful collaboration of music and art… only problem is Swan doesn’t share the spotlight with anyone.. except, perhaps the beautiful “Phoenix”.
When Swan steals Winslow’s lifes work, all hell breaks loose in the ultimate rock palace.. The Paradise.
This movie combines several classic horror stories..
- Faust
- The story of a German magician who sells his soul to the Devil for fame and power.
- Phantom of the Opera
- A tragic love story of a deformed composer’s love for a young singer
- The Portrait of Dorian Gray.
- Dorian is a beautiful young man, who sells his soul for eternal youth. His portrait ages with the years, and shows the result of his debauchery.
The music is fantastic, of course, all composed by the legendary Paul Williams (if it was a hit in the 70’s.. it was probably written by Paul Williams). The three stories blend together nicely. The acting is good. The effects.. well, it was the 70’s.. they were good for the time.
The Record Press
If the scene at the record press looks good… it’s because William Finley was almost killed, for real. The scene played out just as it was supposed to except for one thing.. William actually fell into the press and the blocks that were supposed to stop it from crushing him.. didn’t work.
The Recording Studio
The elaborate electronics panel and recording studio, where Winslow records his music is a real place. The Record Plant in Los Angeles, CA, has been in business since 1968 and has hosted the likes of: Jimmy Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood mac, John Lennon, Guns’n’Roses, Prince and many more throughout the years.
The Paradise.
The Paradise, itself was the Majestic Theater in Dallas Texas, which is still standing today.
Swansong Records
In the original script, Paul Williams and Brian de Palma had intended for the fictional music studio of Swan’s to be known as Swan Song. However, due to conflicts with the fact that this was an actual label created by Led Zeppelin, the name was changed to Death Records, and the image was changed to that of a dead crow. However, throughout the film, the Death Records label is seen superimposed over former Swan Song record labels. During a particular scene in The Paradise (pictured below), one can even tell that the Swan Song logo was simply left on the banner
