content: I am innately suspicious of films that were bombs that later develope cult followings which appears to be the case with "Phantom of the Paradise" after perusing all the 5 star reviews(?!). I enjoyed director Brian DePalma's earlier forays into comedy with "Greetings" and "Hi,Mom" and later with "Scarface" but this film is virtually bereft of any humor, macabre or otherwise. This film does not work as a good rock satire like "This Is Spinal Tap" because it offers nothing resembling insight into that world. It does not work as a horror comedy because it's stabs at macabre humor fall flat. It does not even work as a good comic re-working of "Phantom of the Opera". The acting is nothing to write home about. I don't know what is worse, Paul Williams lame acting or the abysmally forgettable song score he contributed here. I guess this film can be appreciated on some camp level but you have to be in the mood.