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The Swan Archives has decided to replace our old "Trivia" page (since nothing having anything to do with Swan's legacy could properly be called "trivial") with an up-to-the-minute ticker of Swan-related news. What with Swan having been dead for more than 30 years, we're not expecting it to be particularly challenging to keep up with the fast-breaking bulletins, but when something new does come up, you'll find it here.
April 24, 2008 - Coming Soon: Outtakes/Unused Footage!
Up to now, the only unused footage from Phantom known to exist was a few frames of Winslow's head getting mooshed and his run across the record factory floor, which you can see on our main Production page and our Swan Song Fiasco page, respectively. But, after all these years, we've finally found it: the Swan Archives has located and obtained what we're pretty sure are the only other surviving examples of Phantom outtakes. This newly discovered material (we'd estimate it's around seven or eight minutes' worth) has been in a film can since 1974, and has never before been seen, by anyone. We can't wait to show it to you, and we're busily converting it from 35mm film to digital format for posting here at www.swanarchives.org. We hope to have it up in the next week. If you're on dialup, you might want to invest in a faster internet connection, just for this. UPDATE May 5, 2008: We've posted the footage here.
April 9, 2008 - Larry Pizer Has Died
Cinematographer Larry Pizer died of cancer at the age of 82 this past February. Mr. Pizer was the director of photography on Phantom, and also on the De Palma-shot Bruce Springsteen video, Dancing in the Dark, as well as numerous other features, including Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare. He appears briefly in Paradise Regained, the documentary featurette on Phantom available on the French special edition DVD set from Opening.
February 8, 2007 - R.I.P., John Alvin
Movie poster artist John Alvin, who created the artwork used on Phantom's album cover and original-release posters, died unexpectedly at 59 years old on Wednesday. In addition to his fine work on the Phantom campaign, John was responsible for the marketing art for somewhere around 200 other films, and was a great friend to the Archives, having provided us, from his personal collection, with his original painting of the Phantom artwork. While we knew John only through phone conversations and as a delightful email correspondent, it's a very sad day for us here. Our thoughts are with John's wife and daughter.
December 14, 2007 - Redacted DVD Release Date: February 19, 2008
De Palma's Redacted will be released in the US on DVD on February 19. The DVD will feature a behind the scenes featurette and refugee interviews.
December 4, 2007 - Happy Days Original Cast Recording Available for Pre-Order
The original cast recording of Paul Williams' new stage musical, Happy Days, will be released on January 8, 2008, and is available for preorder from the usual places. The first incarnation of this musical ran for a while at Garry Marshall's Falcon Theater in Burbank, initially with former member of New Kids on the Block Joey McIntyre playing Fonzie; our understanding is that this recording features the cast of the more recent production at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse this past October.
December 3, 2007 - Hopes Continue for New Stage Production
There is A New Hope that movement toward a stage musical production of Phantom (which came close to fruition at one point in the late 1980's) might finally be starting to gain momentum. Over the past couple of years, prodded by producer Gina Rugolo and Donovan Leitch (who is apparently interested in playing the role of Winslow), the various rights-holders have come together towards an agreement that would permit such a project to go forward. Auditions were held in February of 2007 for a workshop/lab which would have been directed in Los Angeles by Brian De Palma, who we understand was pulled away at the last minute when the opportunity to make Redacted fell into place. The principals are still talking enthusiastically about how and where to bring Phantom to the stage, and we wish them godspeed.
November 17, 2007 - Paul Williams to appear at Phantom screening in Los Angeles
The New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles will be screening Phantom and Bugsy Malone on December 2, 2007, and Paul Williams (who of course wrote the songs for Bugsy) will be there for a Q&A. Show starts at 7:30pm. (The sharp-eared will notice that Phantom's Archie Hahn dubs Bugsy's singing voice.)
September 8, 2007 - De Palma wins Best Director at Venice
Brian De Palma has won the Silver Lion award for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival for his work on Redacted. We at the Archives are anticipating a roadtrip to New York to catch this one at the festival there in early October. Meanwhile, we couldn't be happier for Mr. De Palma; congratulations, sir. UPDATE October 10, 2007: Our review of Redacted appears here.
August 25, 2007 - Redacted to play the Festivals
De Palma's latest, Redacted, will get its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and will also be screened at the Deaville Festival of American Film, in France, the Toronto Film Festival, and the New York Film Festival.
August 25, 2007 - Gerrit Graham to appear in Au Pair III
Gerrit was unable to attend Phantompalooza 2.5 earlier this year because he was in Puerto Rico filming a made-for-television film called Au Pair III, which is expected to air sometime this Fall, probably on The ABC Family Channel. Gerrit will be playing a character called Rupert.
April 7, 2007 - Gerrit Graham Canceled
The Phantompalooza Organizing Committee has announced that Gerrit Graham has canceled his scheduled appearance at the next Phantompalooza-sponsored event, due to a late-breaking movie commitment. They promise to provide a substitute programme of interest to Phantom fans, including highlights of previous Phantompaloozas, a live band, a memorabilia auction, and more. See http://www.phantompalooza.ca.
March 26, 2007 - Phantompalooza to present Gerrit Graham in Winnipeg
The Phantompalooza Organizing Committee has announced that the next Phantompalooza-sponsored event is to be an Intimate Evening with Gerrit Graham. The event will take place on April 28, in Winnipeg's Park Theater, which has only a couple hundred seats, so tickets (which go on sale March 30 through TicketWeb and at the Park Theater box office) are expected to sell out quickly. We anticipate that Graham will discuss Phantom and other career highlights, and that clips of his work in other films will be shown. The Organizing Committee will also be using the occasion as a DVD release party, for their collection of footage from prior Phantompaloozas. If the event is anything like those other productions, we can expect a live band, food and (this being Winnipeg) drink, and plenty of surprises. See http://www.phantompalooza.ca.
March 12, 2007 - Medicom Now Selling Empty Death Records Boxes
In perhaps the most shameful exploitation of Phantom fans ever seen, Medicom Toys of Japan is now selling empty boxes. Their Death Records boxes are duplicates of the boxes seen in the record factory. They ship flat, and you unfold them. 3,990 Yen gets you five empty boxes, but they only ship to recipients within Japan. See http://www.medicomtoy.co.jp/WI/0032.cgi?recno=2589.
March 10, 2007 - Paul Williams to appear at Donovan Leitch Femmes and Phantoms show in Los Angeles
Actor Donovan Leitch will be doing a tribute of sorts to the music of Phantom and Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles on March 27, and Paul Williams is scheduled to appear. Tickets available at Ticketmaster or the Roxy box office.
February 27, 2007 - Limited Edition Phantom Helmet Available Briefly
Medicom Toy Company of Japan is offering a limited edition full size reproduction of the Phantom helmet, but only taking orders until March 5, 2007, and only for delivery within Japan.
February 19, 2007 - French Phantom Disc Voted Best of the Year
The French Union of Film Critics tonight has voted Opening's Special Edition DVD of Phantom of the Paradise the best single DVD release of 2006.
January 31, 2007 - Phantompalooza Event Planned for April 28, 2007
Something is brewing in Winnipeg, as the Phantompalooza site has put up a teaser, and April 28 is a date of significance up there. We'll be holding our calendar open. See http://www.phantompalooza.ca.
January 22, 2007 - New Phantom Action Figure Coming from Medicom in April 2007
Medicom Toy Corporation (http://www.medicomtoy.co.jp) , the Japanese toy maker that brought us the limited edition Phantom/Winslow action figures in 1999, has preannounced the release (on April 30, 2007) of their new limited edition Phantom of the Paradise "Version 2" figure. The 12-inch figure will come with dagger and plunger, display stand, and articulated helmet visor so you can lift the faceplate up and see Winslow's scarred face underneath. Available for preorder for $159.99 at http://www.monstersinmotion.com.
January 22, 2007 - Phantom remake rumors just won't die
Producer Ed Pressman's website, http://www.pressman.com , has been listing a remake of Phantom of the Paradise as "coming soon" since before the Earth's crust cooled. As far as we at the Archives know, however, this project is still in the "yeah, and pigs'll fly outta my butt" stage of development. Should anything get more definite, we'll let you know as soon as we know.
January 22, 2007 - De Palma's next project: Redacted
Brian De Palma will be beginning production in early April on Redacted, a montage of stories about soldiers in the Iraq war, emphasizing new media war coverage, like websites, youtube posts, and blogs. Next up after Redacted is The Untouchables: Capone Rising, a prequel to The Untouchables, which will tell the story of Malone's relationship with Capone in both men's younger days.
January 22, 2007 - Paul Williams to play in The Philippines, Escondito
Paul Williams has lined up a series of gigs in the Philippines, from February 10 through February 15, and in Escondito, California on February 17. See http://www.paulwilliamsconnection.org for details. He'll also be serving as a panelist at the ASCAP Expo in Los Angeles, April 19-21.
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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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