Winnipeggers celebrate 50th anniversary of cult classic ‘Phantom of the Paradise’

WINNIPEG – When the American rock musical film “Phantom of the Paradise” was released in theatres in Winnipeg in 1974, Craig Wallace was one of the first to line up on opening day.
Wallace was 12 years old and would go on to watch the cult classic 18 times in the first week it screened in the city.
“I was enthralled with this movie. Matter of fact, one of the songs, ‘Somebody Super Like You’ — the opening chord made me decide to learn guitar,” Wallace said in a recent interview.
“It carved my path in music.”
Fifty years later, Wallace estimates he’s seen the film 600 times and spends part of his time playing in a tribute band called SWANAGE.
The 61-year-old is also one of four organizers putting on special screenings of the film at Winnipeg’s Burton Cummings Theatre this weekend. They’re set to include appearances by some original cast members and an evening concert with SWANAGE playing the soundtrack.
“Phantom of the Paradise” was first released in the United States before making its debut in Winnipeg on Dec. 26, 1974. The Brian De Palma film blends elements of rock music, comedy and horror to create a glam-rock twist on “The Phantom of the Opera.”
The film was critically panned and considered a box office failure everywhere except Winnipeg and Paris. The movie was reportedly in theatres in Winnipeg for more than four months.
In 2005, a group of super fans banded together to put on the first Phantompalooza in Winnipeg to celebrate the film. It ran for two years and included appearances from the film’s stars.
In the years that followed, a number of different events were held in the city to pay homage to the flick.
Winnipeg’s love affair with the cult classic was also the subject of a 2019 documentary called “Phantom of Winnipeg.”
The documentary sets out to understand Winnipeggers fascination with the movie and asks the question fans still field to this day: Why Winnipeg?
Wallace struggles to come up with an answer.
“We just got it,” he said. “You take your best musical, you take your best love story, you take your best horror show, roll them up and double it. It’s a bit of everything.”
Decades later, Rob Warkentin also grapples with explaining the draw the film had in the city.
Warkentin first saw the movie when he was 10 or 11 with his sister and cousin. At the time, he didn’t know he would go on to plan the first Phantompalooza.
“The movie was good. The soundtrack was good. Winnipeg’s a musical town. We appreciated that,” Warkentin said.
His love of the film has led to helping organize other film appreciation events across North America and developing relationships with the cast and their families.
As part of the film’s 50th anniversary, Warkentin is part of a team who organized a public screening of the “Phantom of Winnipeg” documentary on Friday and a Q&A with filmmaker Kevin Smith, who shares Winnipeg’s love of the film and is featured in the documentary.
The evening was to be hosted by Peter Elbling,who played a band member in the movie.
This week’s events were expected to draw thousands from across Manitoba and around the world. Organizers said fans from England, Australia, Japan and Ireland were set to attend.
While Warkentin counts himself as one of many connected to the film, years of fandom have come with a cost.
“I can’t watch it anymore. I have been so inundated for the last 20 years with the promotion of the film,” said Warkentin.
But it’s the relationships he’s formed with the cast and fans that keeps him coming back for more.
“I have a responsibility to the friendships and promoting the movie.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2024.