The Phantom of Winnipeg
Thursday, October 31st, 2024
Doors 7 pm
Event 8 pm
$19.74 plus fees

Malcolm Ingram and Sean Stanley’s affectionate and charming Phantom of Winnipeg is perched somewhere between The People vs. George Lucas and Guy Maddin’s My Winnipeg, celebrating the restorative pleasures of obsessive fandom ― and the eccentricities of one of Canada’s most unique metropolises. Brian De Palma’s cult 1974 classic Phantom of the Paradise was a substantial box office failure in every city it was released in … save Winnipeg, where it played, seemingly forever, at the Garrick Theatre. Indeed, the film was such a local hit that fans (most of them between eight and 12 years of age) were crestfallen when they travelled outside the city and realised others didn’t share their enthusiasm. For years they kept the faith, refusing to believe the film was bad or could be dismissed as camp, alone and usually with no awareness that others felt the same way ― until the arrival of the internet. When superfan Michael Navis’s story about being held back in elementary school because he spent his time doodling and obsessing about the movie goes viral, the hordes of Phantom fans realised they weren’t alone, leading to several triumphant and raucous cast reunion screenings. The film boasts interviews with key creators (including composer and star Paul Williams, actors Gerrit Graham and Peter Elbling, and producer Ed Pressman), but its focus is on the fans and their deep, unshakable devotion to the film. Along the way we meet Dean Hunter, lead singer for the Phantom tribute band Swanage; super enthusiastic guitar player Craig Wallace; and the vivacious Gloria Dignazio. The fans’ devotion was rewarded in myriad often heartwarming ways. Transgender fan Shandi Strong found inspiration in the film’s most controversial character Beef, while Candassy Cross, who was shuttled between different foster homes, found solace in the Phantom community. (Bob Johnson, the manager at the Garrick, would let her in, whether she had enough money or not.)
STEVE GRAVESTOCK


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On the night of the show, your tickets will be waiting at the ticket window anytime after door time.  Please note that these are e-tickets, so if you have purchased multiple tickets, your entire party will need to be there at pick up.  Please have your Photo ID ready on entry into the venue.