I just don't get it.

I don't think there is any problem there. I don't like musicals, I guess "Grease" was okay because I really liked Olivia Newton John back then.

I like this film a lot, but I wouldn't expect younger folks to like it and certainly wouldn't make them sit through it.

You probably don't like it because your father loves it and made you watch it. I have the same problem with Gone With The Wind. My mom just loved that movie, so naturally, I ended up hating it.

I love this movie; I just saw it because I heard it was very similar to Rocky Horror (which I hate) and Shock Treatment (which I love), and I was very pleased. It's very, very similar to Shock Treatment (besides Jessica Harper playing the heroine in both), and in many ways, ST is somewhat of an uncredited remake. I think the songs are very cool, and being born in 1987, I missed out on the Paul Williams era, and was glad to be introduced to such a cool guy who writes such great songs, like "Faust".

And that's the hell of it!

Most "young 'uns" probably don't/wouldn't like "Phantom". For one thing, if you didn't grow up during in the '70s (which I did), you're not going to be able to really fully appreciate the decadence which suffused that decade. And for another thing, the references to - parodies of - classic works that predated this one are numerous. Besides "Phantom of the Opera", you'd also have to watch "The Twilight Zone" and "Psycho", as well as watch or read "Faust" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray"; there are minor to major nuances of all of them in "POTP". Not to mention the fact that if you've been taking this movie seriously, you've been on the wrong track right out of the gate. Oh, there's some "drama" in it, sure; but on the whole, it's pure, classic camp - plain and simple.

I was 13 when "POTP" first hit theaters back in '74, and I couldn't get enough of it. It horrified me and fascinated me at the same time; I'd never seen anything like it. And now, almost 33 years later (this Halloween will be its 33rd anniversary), it remains one of my top all-time favorites. I've seen it so many times, I know the entire dialogue by heart. (And no, I didn't memorize it intentionally; the dialogue just started "sticking" after so many repeated viewings.) However, my husband - who is 11 years younger than I am, and was just a toddler when "POTP" came out - has watched it with me on a couple of occasions, and like you, he doesn't "get it", either. We're both lifelong huge movie buffs, and we love most of the same movies. But he's at a loss as to why I've always loved this one so much. Even though I've explained the obscure references to him, he thinks it's "silly" (although he does like some of the songs!).

I've talked about this movie with a lot of people over the years, and it definitely seems to be one of those that everyone's either hot or cold about; there's not much "neutral" ground with it. I guess that, in the immortal words of Philbin (R.I.P. George Memmoli), "Ya either dig it or ya don't."

Peace,

Gypsy

"I would never let my personal desires influence my aesthetic judgment." (Winslow Leach - "Phantom of the Paradise")

I was born in '71, and I remember seeing this movie when I was probably too young to watch it, probably towards the end of the '70s (what child under 10 wouldn't be terrified by Winslow's accident scene??). I have always loved the soundtrack and know all the songs by heart.

I guess there's not much to "get" here, really. If you look at it from a current perspective, it is a pretty ridiculous movie. You have to remember that movies capture the Zeitgeist in which they are created, and this movie is pure '70s! I love it, but I would probably not force my kids to watch it unless they show an interest. :-)

Born in 72, discovered it on late nite tv when I was early mid-teens. Have watched it nearly one hundred times since then. I don't know why I love it but I do. I love everything about it. The music, the acting, the story, it's just so perfect for what it is.

BTW a couple years after I saw POTP for the first time, I saw Rocky Horror. I went into it with more then an open mind and I totally hated it and always will.

Any of you POTP fans also have a similar appreciation for the movies "Roadie" or "Polyester"

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I think you just don't like it because it's your father's favorite. It's just a theory, but in general, we tend to find boring the movies/music/books that our parents like. And they tend to find our favorite movies/music/books too weird.

°¤¬~+*-Winslow-*+~¬¤°