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Phantom of the Paradise

Cabaret Cinema

Friday, July 31, 2015
9:30 PM–11:30 PM

1974, US, Brian De Palma, 92 min, English
With Paul Williams, William Finley, and Jessica Harper

Introduced by Elna Baker & Kevin Townley

A disfigured composer sells his soul for the woman he loves so that she will perform his music. However, an evil record tycoon betrays him and steals his music to open his rock palace, The Paradise.

“De Palma employs his love of gadgetry to imaginative effect (making terrific use of split screens and video technology), and casts a satirically beady eye upon the money-hungry foibles of the music industry. Best, in fact, is the cameo by Gerrit Graham as the camp, “˜Producers’-style glamrock star, although Memmoli’s world-weary manager and the piss-take of Alice Cooper are also memorable.” ““ GA, Time Out

About the Speaker

Elna Baker is a writer and comedic storyteller. She’s appeared on This American Life, Prairie Home Companion, The Moth Radio Hour, BBC Radio 4, All Things Considered, WTF with Marc Maron, Studio 360, The Joy Behar Show and in the book The Moth: 50 true stories. She’s written for ELLE, Glamour, Men’s Journal, O Magazine, Rookie, Refinery29, More Magazine and xoJane.com. Her memoir The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance was published by Penguin, earning four stars in People Magazine and the 2010 AML award for best humor writing. She currently scouts stories for This American Life and just finished the YA novel, You Are My Revenge, co-written with Kevin Townley.

KevinTownleyhas performed in Hollywood blockbusters, elementary school cafeterias, and everywhere in between. NY Theatre:GOODBAR(The Public);Shockheaded Peter(Little Shubert);My Deah(Abingdon); withWaterwell:Marco Millions;The King Operetta;#9. Film:Men In Black 3;The Sitter;My Super Ex-Girlfriend. TV:The Following; All threeLaw & Orders. He has written for Rookie and Shambhala Publications and is writing a musical adaptation of Sophocles’Ajaxfor Waterwell. He and Elna are putting the finishing touches on his first novel.The Associated Presshas called him “Magnetic” and “Fabulous” andTheNew Yorkersaid he was a star, but spelled his name wrong, so, who
knows. Check out songs from his band atwww.clashbynight.tv

Tickets: $10.00

Member price: Free

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