Latest news with #PaulWilliams
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Phantom of the Paradise Stage Musical in the Works From Paul Williams, Sam Pressman (Exclusive)
Phantom of the Paradise, the cult classic 1974 Brian de Palma film that reworked Phantom of the Opera and starred songwriting icon Paul Williams as the manipulative music producer known as Swan, is being made into a stage musical by Williams and Sam Pressman, whose father, Ed Pressman, produced the original. 'I'm excited about having a chance to deliver what fans have been suggesting for years… POTP as a stage musical," Williams said in a statement to MovieMaker. "I think it's time has come!' In addition to starring in the film, which De Palma wrote and directed, Williams composed the score and wrote the songs. Pressman told MovieMaker that he and Williams have spoken to multiple potential writers for the stage musical, including American Psycho and The Shards author Bret Easton Ellis — though no commitments have been made. Pressman told MovieMaker that he, Williams and Ellis had "such an amazing dinner — Bret's such a true fan of Phantom and of Paul and it was awesome to introduce the two of them in person." Ellis has also mentioned the meeting on his podcast, though again, nothing is settled in terms of the stage musical's writer. Asked about De Palma's potential involvement in the new stage play, Pressman said there were potentially "different paths... it's just so early." De Palma has been considering a Phantom of the Paradise stage musical for decades. Pressman noted that he recently revisited a libretto, or book, that De Palma wrote for a prospective stage version of the film back in 1987. He has also talked with De Palma. "We certainly wanted Brian to feel honored," Pressman said. "I went to go see Brian last fall, to talk about the dream. Phantom was an early and significant film for him and I'd say the favorite film of my father in his career. I think the chaos and originality of the whole experience was deeply inspiring." Pressman noted that the plan is to open the stage play "not on Broadway" but "building to that stage." Pressman took over his father's company, Pressman Film, after Ed Pressman's death in 2023. Besides Phantom of the Paradise, Pressman Film's credits include Wall Street, The Crow, and Mary Harron's film adaptation of American Psycho. Sam Pressman, an actor and producer who grew up on film sets, has produced films including Harron's recent Daliland and the 2024 The Crow revamp starring Bill Skarsgård. The original Phantom of the Paradise starred William Finley as naive singer-songwriter Winslow Leach, who is tricked by Williams' Swan into sacrificing his life's work. In revenge, Winslow dons a menacing silver mask — which gives his voice a metallic rasp — and terrorizes Swan's new concert hall, The Paradise, while demanding his songs be sung Swan's new protege, a singer named Phoenix, played by soon-to-be Suspiria star Jessica Harper. Williams is one of the most successful and influential songwriters of all, a legend who has worked with everyone from Barbra Streisand to The Carpenters to Daft Punk. His best known songs include the Oscar-nominated "Rainbow Connection" from 1979's The Muppet Movie, and "Evergreen," from the 1976 Streisand version of A Star Is Born. He wrote the lyrics for the song, which won a Grammy and Oscar. At the time de Palma enlisted him for Phantom of the Paradise, he was best known for writing The Carpenters' 'We've Only Just Begun' and 'Rainy Days and Mondays,' as well as Bobby Sherman's "Cried Like a Baby" — and for clowning around on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson. But Phantom of the Paradise let him embrace darkness: His ageless, possibly demonic Swan is like a cult leader, exerting control through musical. De Palma wrote and directed the film long before he became known for classics like Carrie, Scarface and The Untouchables. He was a largely underground filmmaker known for counterculture movies like 1968's Greetings and 1970's Hi Mom, with a then-little-known Robert De Niro, and for the well-received 1972 horror film Sisters, with Margot Kidder. He thought Phantom of the Paradise could be his commercial breakthrough. The film, released by 20th Century Fox. underwhelmed at the box office and received mixed reviews (the Los Angeles Times' Kevin Thomas called it 'delightfully outrageous,' while The New York Times' Vincent Canby said it was 'an elaborate disaster.') But like another groundbreaking mid-'70s rock musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, it soon found a passionate, loyal audience who appreciated its beauty and unapologetic weirdness. (It hasn't played at midnight screenings all over the world for half a century like Rocky Horror, but neither has anything else.) The passionate Phantom of the Paradise fandom includes an intensely dedicated following in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as detailed in the documentary Phantom of Winnipeg. Its biggest fan is almost certainly Ari Kahan, keeper of the The Swan Archives — the most comprehensive Phantom of the Paradise collection ever compiled. Kahan and Williams came together last year for 50th anniversary screenings of Phantom. The film's influence may be even greater than many fans realize — Kahan has said he believes The Phantom was a significant influence on Darth Vader, noting that De Palma and Star Wars creator George Lucas are friends and contemporaries. "Nobody that I know of has asked Lucas to his face, but I do know that there was a preview screening of Phantom on the Fox lot in July of 1974, so, four or five months before the film was released," Kahan told MovieMaker last year. "Lucas was at that screening and was sufficiently impressed by Paul Hirsch's editing — and I assume that based on Brian's recommendation of Hirsch, that Lucas brought him on to edit Star Wars. "I can't imagine that between the voice box and the heavy breathing and the black outfit that some of the Phantom didn't creep into Darth Vader. But I have no hard evidence and nobody that I know has ever admitted to it. Lucas has not responded to MovieMaker's request for comment. Main image: William Finley in Phantom of the Paradise. 20th Century Fox. 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Gizmodo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘The Phantom of the Paradise' Might Find New Life as a Stage Play
The Phantom of the Paradise, the vastly underrated horror-tinged rock opera from the minds of Brian De Palma (Carrie) and Paul Williams (The Muppet Movie), might be getting a new musical adaptation. Movie Maker reports that Williams and Sam Pressman, whose father Ed Pressman produced the 1974 cult film, are currently developing it as a stage production. 'I'm excited about having a chance to deliver what fans have been suggesting for years… POTP as a stage musical,' Williams said in a statement to MovieMaker. 'I think its time has come!' American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis has been approached to pen it (please, no), but he's not committed according to the report. If you've never heard of The Phantom of the Paradise, get thee to a revival theater screening or rent it online—especially if you're a Muppets fan. I know it seems weird to draw a line from 'Rainbow Connection' and 'no cheeses for us meeces' to a glam and gory '70s riff on The Phantom of the Opera, but stay with me for a moment. Not only did the De Palma and Williams musical predate Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway take on the Gaston Leroux novel, but it inspired so many artists we know and love today. After its release Williams went on to become the Muppetational mind behind the music of The Muppet Movie and The Muppet Christmas Carol. Meanwhile, De Palma continued to genre hop from horror to mob movies and started the Mission: Impossible franchise. The Phantom of the Paradise loosely adapts The Phantom of the Opera by way of Faust with a dash of The Picture of Dorian Gray but re-imagined into masterful musical mayhem. It follows a lowly composer named Winslow Leech who chases a deal with the devil in the form of music producer Swan, played by Williams in a tasty turn for the multi-hypenate. (He later also played the Penguin in Batman: The Animated Series.) Thanks to his association with Death Records, Leech's musical talents are ripped away and pressed just like his face into records that don't give him credit for his songs. This includes the tunes that transform Leech's crush Phoenix, the ingenue played by Jessica Harper (Suspiria), into a pop star. Vowing revenge he becomes the Phantom of the Paradise and violently haunts every artist Swan tries to give his music to, until they enter a deal that Leech's music will only go to Phoenix. And from there things get real messy and bloody, but man, the needle drops are legendary. So legendary that the film, much like its creative minds behind it, also inspired artists across mediums too. Guillermo del Toro is a vocal fan of the film and has been instrumental in making sure it stays in the horror zeitgeist. He even has one of the Phantom's helmets in his Bleak House collection, which I totally didn't imagine pulling a heist for at the LACMA when it was on display there. The film has also become a touchstone for other musicians. One that really struck me personally was finding out that My Chemical Romance was heavily inspired by the film. I didn't see it until I was an adult, which I deserve a shame circle for as a Phantom of the Opera Universal Monsters and original novel fan—but I knew MCR's The Black Parade. The no-skips album is essentially a rock opera and it made total sense to find out Gerard Way was heavily influenced by Phantom in its creation. If anything, Way should write the book for Williams' upcoming staging and star in it too. Another act that's come under Phantom's spell offers an even more fun realization: Daft Punk. Down to the helmets, aesthetic, and sound of the Phantom, that movie really gave us the greatest electronic duo to ever spin. Williams actually appeared on Random Access Memories track 'Touch,' which sounds like it was yanked from a time machine as a Phantom of the Paradise B-side. The Phantom of the Paradise was ahead of its time and the announcement of its stage musical gives me hope it will find its audience. If they modernize it, I wouldn't hate it because I see the vision. The themes are timeless even in our digital age where content creators with talent who try to build a following get ripped off by artificial influencers with clout. That can be very Leech/Phantom versus Swan-coded for sure. Williams is a stone cold legend and his music mastery is a gift that's still giving—he headlined Coachella this year with Yo Gabba Gabba! While the report mentioned De Palma has been approached about the staging, he's not an announced part of it. 'We certainly want Brian to feel honored,' Pressman said in the article. 'I went to go see Brian last fall, to talk about the dream. Phantom was an early and significant film for him and I'd say the favorite film of my father in his career. I think the chaos and originality of the whole experience was deeply inspiring.'
Medscape
4 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Harm Reduction in Alcohol Use Disorder: Lessons From Sex Ed
This transcript has been edited for clarity. Matthew F. Watto, MD: Welcome back to The Curbsiders . I'm Dr Matthew Frank Watto, here with my great friend and America's primary care physician, Dr Paul Nelson Williams. We had an awesome episode with Dr Stephen Holt and our addiction medicine crew, where we had a higher-level focus on medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD), mainly in the outpatient setting. Paul, I think it's important to start off by saying that when we were young people coming up in this field, abstinence was pretty much the only approach in the treatment of AUD. The attitude was that if your patient was unable to reach absolute abstinence, you were a failure. We were also probably calling it "alcoholism" at the time. But now, I think we're starting to take a more realistic, patient-centered, and evidence-based approach by recognizing that abstinence is not realistic for everybody. Instead, just a reduction in alcohol use can improve outcomes, including mortality. You really have to meet the patient where they are in the process. And yes — for many patients, achieving complete abstinence would be most optimal for their overall health, but it may not be in the cards for them, and a reduction in use is worth shooting for. Anything to say about that, Paul? Paul N. Williams, MD: It's all true. I think keeping things patient-centered is always important. We also need to recognize that even if the patient's goal is abstinence, it's really hard. These medications are effective but they're far from perfect. Accept that there may be returns to use and that you may not be able to achieve complete abstinence; be okay with that outcome and support the patient throughout the process. It's critical to avoid viewing it as a treatment failure, regardless of what your patient's goals might be. Watto: We have three FDA-approved medications: Naltrexone (oral or intramuscular), disulfiram, and acamprosate. Paul, I was not familiar with targeted therapy. I thought you had to take these medications every day or once a month. Teach me something, Paul. Williams: With AUD, there are often triggers of alcohol use, and often patients can anticipate what these triggers might be. On the episode we talked about Thanksgiving dinner — where we know an uncle's going to get us angry — or the anniversary of a loved one's death or being in a social situation. There are times when someone will know and recognize that they're going to be more likely to drink alcohol. So rather than being on chronic medication, patients can take medications in advance of whatever this occasion might be to help reduce their potential for use. That can be done with naltrexone — the Sinclair Method — and it sounds like the data are especially good for nalmefene, but it's a European medication that is not approved in the United States. Dr Holt and our colleague, Carolyn Chan, also mentioned doing this with disulfiram as well. This method of taking medication in anticipation of a known trigger — maybe a day or two before — can help patients be less likely to drink alcohol during that time, and can help them avoid all the burdens and hassles that come with being on a chronic medication. It's a neat technique that is not used as commonly as it could be, at least in my experience. Watto: It sounded like Dr Holt advises patients to start the medication a couple days before the known trigger and to continue using the medication until they feel like things are settled again. But Paul, Dr Holt loves disulfiram — I was shocked! I did not know this about him, and I thought no one was using disulfiram anymore. Have you prescribed it, and did you know that it was still "in vogue"? Williams: I have prescribed it, but I don't know if it's "in vogue." It's got a bad reputation and it's not necessarily my first line, but Dr Holt has a lot of enthusiasm for it and he makes a really interesting point. He brought up the fact that the studies that looked at disulfiram were randomized, double-blinded control trials. However, if you're a participant who believes that what you're taking (placebo or not) might make you deathly ill when you drink alcohol, that potential of severe illness will inevitably change patient behavior, regardless of what treatment arm they fall into. That kind of defeats the purpose of studying the efficacy of disulfiram in comparison to placebo. But when you actually look at the results of open-label trials — where patients knew what treatment arm they were randomized into and participants receiving the placebo knew there wasn't a real threat of severe illness — there's good evidence for disulfiram's efficacy in an observed setting. Dr Holt had a lot of personal success with disulfiram, so he was a big advocate for it. Our conversation certainly made me more inclined to prescribe it than I had been prior to the episode, but it's probably still not my first choice. Watto: I thought that was a really smart point about how, typically, randomized, blinded trials are our gold standard, but in this case the placebo becomes very strong in a blinded setting when the patient is not sure whether their treatment will cause them to get horribly ill if they drink. The standard dose of disulfiram is 250 mg. If patients don't become sick after drinking at that dose, Dr Holt said he would up the dose to 500 mg. That usually isn't common, but some patients just don't have that typical response at the standard dose and must be metabolizing alcohol some other way. However, most patients need to be really careful. Patients should avoid all alcohol-containing products, including mouthwash, vanilla extract, and many types of aftershave. The contraindications for disulfiram include: Pregnancy Cognitive impairment, as patients may not remember if they took their medications or not Severe cardiovascular disease, as a reaction can cause ischemia Advanced liver disease (eg, cirrhosis with Child-Pugh class B or C) Dr Holt would still use disulfiram for patients with mild cirrhosis who are considered Child-Pugh class A but recommends following the liver closely. I looked disulfiram up on LiverTox and there is some concern about acute medication-induced hepatitis that could be really serious. So, if a patient already has a sick liver at baseline, you probably don't want to give them this medication. Williams: Beyond the fact that I feel like this medication sometimes feels a little bit moralistic or kind of punitive for people who are drinking, as though it's just a sort of built-in punishment, my larger concern with prescribing disulfiram is the potential for hepatotoxicity. However, that may have been overstated in my brain. Watto: If I had a patient without contraindications, I would at least have a conversation to see if it's the right person, because it does take drinking off the table. Even if they're having cravings, they know they'll get violently ill if they drink and they don't want to end up in an ER for IV fluids because they're vomiting. I think it works, but it requires a little bit of a tricky conversation. But I do think this episode made me reconsider disulfiram as an agent to prescribe. Williams: It goes back to your original point of shared decision-making: We need to make sure we're making informed decisions together and matching treatments with patients' goals. If a patient is interested in disulfiram after a detailed conversation, I would not try to talk them out of it. I'm more inclined to reach for it now after speaking with Dr Holt. Watto: So, Paul, what off-label medications might listeners consider for AUD treatment? Williams: There's a bazillion, and there have been lots of small studies looking at different options and combinations. If you're unable to use the FDA-approved medications, topiramate is the one medication Dr Holt would reach for. It's even highlighted in the Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense guidelines. It can be a tricky medication because it has to be titrated slowly; we're talking about increments of 25 mg. As such, you have to have a patient who can follow directions, is committed to taking a medication, and is fairly well organized, which is not always the case when someone has an underlying AUD. There's also a lot of intolerable side effects for a lot of folks; patients might experience somnolence and paresthesias, so you have to be a little bit cautious with those. However, topiramate does have evidence to support its use. We talk a good bit about gabapentin as well, Matt. It's something that we've all prescribed for a million different reasons. Dr Holt is a fan of it, specifically for alcohol withdrawal, but also there is some evidence for its use with AUD. It seems helpful, especially in combination with, say, naltrexone. I'm more inclined to reach for that. We touched briefly on baclofen, and I've known people who have been enthusiastic about it as an option. There is evidence to support its use, but it's not one we talked too much about this episode. Watto: We also talked a little bit about combination therapy. There's not really strong evidence for it. I know you mentioned that sometimes you might use naltrexone and gabapentin together, but the evidence overall for something like naltrexone and acamprosate didn't seem to pan out. Williams: It's not well supported — correct.
Wales Online
4 days ago
- General
- Wales Online
Pigeons will avoid your garden if you place one thing they hate in it
Pigeons will avoid your garden if you place one thing they hate in it Pigeons can cause havoc in gardens by eating plants or leaving droppings on patios but there's an easy way to deter them using one simple product (Image: DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) via Getty Images ) Pigeons can be a real bother, particularly when they choose to nest in your garden or balcony, wreaking havoc on your plants and leaving unsightly droppings on your patio. However, before resorting to harsh chemicals or deterrents, there's an unexpectedly effective solution that's non-toxic, unobtrusive, and highly disliked by pigeons. This solution is optical gel, a deterrent that operates on multiple sensory levels, keeping pigeons and other nuisance birds at bay. Unlike spikes or netting, which can be both challenging to install and visually unappealing, optical gel comes in small, pre-filled dishes that are quick to position and barely noticeable. OVO Control suggests that optical gel is the perfect choice for gardens, balconies, fences, and other outdoor areas where you want to deter birds without changing the look of your garden, reports Devon Live. The gel cleverly targets pigeons using a combination of sight, smell, and touch, emitting ultraviolet (UV) light that birds can see but humans cannot. Love dreamy Welsh homes? Sign up to our newsletter here This UV glow appears as a fire to pigeons, triggering a strong avoidance response as the birds think the area is dangerous. Citronella and peppermint oil that optical gel contains are offensive to birds. Article continues below The pigeons that are determined to land in your garden, they'll find the gel sticky and uncomfortable, discouraging them from returning. Adding certain plants to your garden can also serve as a natural bird repellent. Bird Control experts at Hawkeye suggest that planting peppermint, marigold, and lavender will not only add to the vibrancy of your garden but also create an inhospitable environment for pigeons. One of the most effective deterrents is scents as pigeons have a keen sense of smell. The strong aromas emitted by these plants are generally disliked by birds, deterring them from settling in the area. As well as warding off insects from edible plants, Marigolds also deter various bird species from invading landscapes. Pigeons are known to steer clear of marigolds, according to advice from the Martha Stewart website. Article continues below To ensure pigeons don't become regular visitors, maintaining cleanliness in the environment is crucial, experts say. "Regularly cleaning up food waste and removing pigeon droppings can significantly reduce the chances of pigeons returning," they recommend.
Daily Record
12-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Air India crash 'surprising' detail spotted by flight expert after tragedy
Experts have been scouring footage of the crash which took place just five minutes after takeoff. The devastating crash of an Air India flight destined for London's Gatwick Airport, leaving aviation specialists astounded. The aircraft burst into flames following a signal loss and plummeted into a residential zone in Ahmedabad, western India, a mere five minutes after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. While it is premature to ascertain the exact cause of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner's crash so soon after take-off, experts are noting that such incidents are rare during this flight phase. Prof John McDermid, Lloyd's Register Chair of Safety at the University of York, commented: "Take-off and landing are the most dangerous phases of flight - accidents from cruise are very unusual. "However, that said, it's surprising that the accident occurred before the aircraft had even got to 200 metres altitude.", reports the Mirror. "Pilots can abort take-off until quite late in the take-off roll, so it seems like the problem occurred very suddenly in the final part of the take-off roll, or shortly after take-off, and was sufficiently serious to be unmanageable." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Nevertheless, weather conditions do not appear to have played a role in the tragedy. Prof Paul Williams, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading, observed: "At the time of the departure, the weather conditions at the airport appear to have been very good. "It was a dry and sunny day in Ahmedabad, with temperatures near 40°C. There was good visibility and light winds from the west. There was no bad weather in the vicinity. There is no indication at this stage that turbulence or other weather conditions were a factor in the crash." Prof Graham Braithwaite, Director of Aerospace and Aviation at Cranfield University, commented: "This is the first major accident involving the 787. Take off is a critical stage because the aircraft is still accelerating and any problem-solving requires a rapid response." The aircraft reportedly issued a "mayday" call shortly after takeoff, signalling an emergency, before communication ceased. Air India released a statement saying: "The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals." Authorities said earlier they did not expect to find any survivors from the incident. But miraculously, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived the crash. Sharing details of the terrifying experience, he told the Hindustan Times: "When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital."
