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The Swan Archives Merchandise Page
The Swan Archives has attempted to obtain and catalogue an example of each item of historically significant Phantom-related officially licensed merchandise.
Fortunately for us, there isn't very much of it. Especially if you ignore (as we do) all those stupid home made Death Records refrigerator magnets, lighters, pillowcases, and wall clocks.
Here's what we've found so far...we're always on the lookout for more.
VINYL
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Promotion copy of vinyl soundtrack album from A&M Records
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Standard-issue vinyl soundtrack album from A&M records
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45rpm "Old Souls," by Jessica Harper from A&M records (this one's a promo copy)
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45rpm "Somebody Super Like You," by Harold Oblong and The Undead from A&M records (this one's a Canadian promo copy)
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45rpm EP from Thailand, with four songs from the movie, from 4Track records
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45rpm EP from Thailand, with four songs from the movie, from Express Songs
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8-TRACK
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| What could be more '70's than a Phantom 8-Track?
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CASSETTE
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How many of these did you wear out?
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CD
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| Standard issue North American CD from A&M Records
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DVD
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Far and away the best edition of Phantom on DVD is this 2-disc special edition from Opening, in France. Although the discs are marked with the Region 2 logo, they're actually region free; they are, however, in the PAL format, so they will play only on PAL-compatible DVD players. This version is the only version with 5.1 Dolby Digital and dts soundtracks, and it's got them in French and English, as well as standard stereo soundtracks. It's 16/9 enhanced, and has plenty of extras, the most significant of which is Deborah Znaty's superb 50 minute documentary featurette, Paradise Regained, which features interviews with Brian De Palma, Paul Hirsch, Paul Williams, William Finley, Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham, Harold Oblong and Archie Hahn, Ed Pressman, and Larry Pizer. It's also got two different theatrical trailers, a ten minute "video postcard" from costume designer Rosanna Norton, and more. Finally, it has much cleaner video than the North American DVD. The North American DVD picture is encrusted with dirt and speckles, while this French special edition is crystal clear and clean. If you are outside France, this item can be ordered from http://www.diabolikdvd.com or http://www.xploitedcinema.com. In June of 2007, this French DVD set was issued in a German version by Capelight Pictures. It's the same as the French version, except with German subtitles and German language soundtrack in place of the French. Available from amazon.de, among others.
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| The North American DVD, in addition to having less than perfect picture and no 5.1 soundtrack, is barebones; it doesn't even have the "theatrical trailer" its packaging claims it has. Instead, it has a random collection of clips that it's trying to pass off as a trailer. It's an embarrassment. Production of this DVD was discontinued in July of 2006, but it remains readily available for the time being.
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| Two variations of the cover on the standard European version.
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| Australian version, mate. This is the same video transfer as the North American version, but has only the English language soundtrack, no French audio track, and no subtitles at all. It has the same non-trailer as the North American edition, too.
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Phantom is one of the discs in this 5 disc De Palma collection from France
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Portuguese version; English language audio, with Portuguese, English, and Spanish subtitles. No trailer or special features, but check out the unique cover art featuring orgy-girl #6!
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VHS
Old North American Key Video version
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Poster advertising the old
North American Key Video version
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French version
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The older French version
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VHD
Here's the very scarce VHD from Japan (which we believe is the only market for which a Phantom VHD was ever created). VHD, or "Video High Density," was a commercially unsuccessful (but kinda cool) format in the early 80's, in which a vinyl grooveless disk was enclosed in a plastic cartridge, emerging from its cocoon only once inside the player. Combine the lack of success of Phantom itself with the dismal failure of VHD as a format, and you can do the math: there aren't very many of these Phantom VHD disks still in existence.
LASERDISC
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| North America
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Japan, 1987 edition
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Japan, 1993 edition
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ACTION FIGURES
These two different Phantom 12" action figures were made in extremely limited numbers by Japan's Medicom Toy Corporation. They're highly detailed, quality pieces of work. There's the suicide version, which comes with a little plastic knife, which you can put in the phantom's hand; and the warning version, which comes with a little toilet plunger (which they call a "vacuum pump".) With both of these, there are removable clothes, the phantom's electronic voicebox, and Death Records diecast metal lapel pins. Also, the detail on the faces on the two versions is different; one has him screaming, while on the other his teeth are clenched.
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| In May of 2007, Medicom released their third Phantom action figure, which they refer to as "Phantom Version 2.0". It comes with both the dagger and the toilet plunger, and an extra right hand. It's pictured here in the box, all minty-fresh.
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The Swan Archives staff is of course eager for the introduction of the Phoenix doll, and hopeful that she'll come in a "singer" version and a "screamer" version. And, if her clothes are removable, we hope there will be detailed instructions; the staff doesn't get out much.
BOOK TIE-IN
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| To say that the paperback novel, by Bjarne Rostaing, is "loosely" based on the screenplay is an understatement. It actually appears to be loosely based on a very early version of the screenplay, as it contains a version of Beef's funeral scene, which was deleted from the scripts pretty early on. It's an interesting read, though: Phoenix, a drug addict, meets Winslow soon after he arrives in New York City, they have a "relationship," she steals his money, etc. It's kinda like fanfiction; takes characters we know, and tells a different story about them.
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Here's the same book, with a slightly different version of the cover.
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SHEET MUSIC
All the songs from the film, arranged for easy/intermediate piano and vocal. Also includes some photos (including several nice on-set shots), and Gerrit Graham's write-up from the A&M presskit. This songbook has been out of print for years. |
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The "library edition" of the sheetmusic; same thing, but in hardcover.
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TRADING CARDS
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| "Cards of Mr. Cinema" was a set of French trading cards published by Images et Leisures. The cards are compiled at the site http://www.monsieurcinema.com, sort of a French version of Internet Movie Database, which had its origins in a French television show called "Mr. Cinema".
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HELMETS
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Limited edition full size replicas of the Phantom's helmet were sold briefly in 2007 by Medicom Toy Co. of Japan, but only sold to buyers in Japan. These helmets were packaged in Medicom's Death Records boxes (see below), so along with the helmet, you got a free box. The Medicom helmets are not as nice, in our opinion, as the ones made by the Guy in Winnipeg. For one thing, the visor isn't easily removable from the helmet, as it is in the film; Medicom loses authenticity points here. Also, the right eyehole on the Medicom helmet isn't really a hole; it's a depression in the helmet, over which a piece of dark plastic has been glued. The helmets made by the Guy in Winnipeg, in contrast, have correctly removable visors, and the right eyehole contains the correctly convex smoky covering.
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INEXPLICABLE CRAP
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The marketing geniuses at Medicom Toy Company of Japan are selling these empty cardboard boxes, but only for delivery in Japan. They're shipped flat, in sets of five, and you unfold them. Shown here with a helmet, so you can get an idea of the size of the boxes. Helmet not included. It's only a matter of time before these guys start selling napkins on which they've scrawled the words Phantom of the Paradise with a crayon.
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And who wouldn't want to cuddle up with a dead bird plushie? Apparently, nobody would: Medicom's latest offering, in early 2008, was this unlikely custom-shaped pillow featuring the Death Records dead bird logo. Unfortunately, the company received very few orders for it, it never got manufactured, and the orders went unfulfilled.
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All inquiries should be directed by email to archivist at swanarchives.org. The words "grand guignol" appear nowhere on this site. All website text, design, and coding is Copyright 2006-2008, Ari the Principal Archivist. No claim is made to the copyrighted works, trademarks or service marks of 20th Century Fox or A&M Records, and The Swan Archives is in no way affiliated with either company.
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