Episode #463: 'Phantom of the Paradise' [Listener Pick 2026!]

As a MaxFunDrive milestone goal, we set the challenge that if we got enough new/upgrading/joining supporters of Maximum Film!, one of those folks would get to pick a movie for us to do an episode on. Well, thanks to supporters like Molly, we hit that goal, and this episode is the result: PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (one of Molly's faves) is a 1974 rock musical fantasmagoria from early in writer/director Brian DePalma's career. It's box-office flop-turned cult classic. And it is heavily reliant on the dubious cultural power of songwriter and actor Paul Williams.

As if this episode needed to be MORE special, we also mark the mid-year by naming some of our favorite films of the year so far.

What's Good?

Alonso - oh, let's call it "current events"

Drea - fixing her own portable AC unit

Marissa - Paramount+ (sorry) has a 90s sitcom "live" channel

Kevin - reading Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (dcuniverseinfinite.com/comics/book/supergirl-w…)

ITIDIC
GLAAD Study Shows Drop in LGBTQ Characters in FIlm (hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/glaad-…)
A Look Back at the Pop Culture of 1974… (remindmagazine.com/article/9423/1974-pop-cultu…)

Staff Picks

Drea - Horsegirls (justwatch.com/us/movie/horsegirls)

Alonso - Ishtar (justwatch.com/us/movie/ishtar)

Marissa - Tommy (justwatch.com/us/movie/tommy)

Kevin - River [Rib (justwatch.com/us/movie/river-2023)â, nagarenaide yo] (justwatch.com/us/movie/river-2023)

Kevin at Comic-Con:
Malcolm & Friends Panel: Thursday, 12:30pm, Room 6A (comiccon2026.sched.com/event/2QWZs/malcolm-and…)
The Pitching Hour: Friday, 12pm, Room 32AB (comiccon2026.sched.com/event/2QZrY/the-pitchin…)

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With
Kevin Avery (instagram.com/kevinaverycomedy)
Drea Clark (twitter.com/thedreaclark)
Alonso Duralde (bsky.app/profile/aduralde.bsky.social)
Produced by Marissa Flaxbart (instagram.com/flaxbart)
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher (twitter.com/swish)