Episode 142 - Phantom of the Angry Inch

Settle in for some seriously good stuff this time in the cave...we are going to rock out with some visionary, risky, brave and thoroughly entertaining films. We start off with 1974's The Phantom of the Paradise from legendary filmmaker Brian DePalma, which takes several sources and mixes them together with the music ( and solid acting ) of Paul Williams, to create a truly incredible combination.  It is partly the story of Faust with some Dorian Gray and a whole lot of the Phantom of the Opera, and, strangely enough, it all really works. Maybe the music isn't quite as memorable as it might've been in 1974 but the overall package and also the tone are not-to-be-missed. And speaking of works of art that you MUST see, let's move on to our second film, 2001's Hedwig and the Angry Inch, from the infinitely talented John Cameron Mitchell who directs, co-writes and stars as Hedwig him/herself. This movie is really hard to explain and even harder to turn away from once it starts. Everything works, everything is willing to challenge the viewer, and there are constant tugs at your heart as you learn all about Hedwig and how he/she came to have an angry inch. You simply MUST see it, and if you already have...go watch it again! You're welcome ;)Send us your thoughts on the show and recommendations for future episodes to [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also reach us on Facebook, Instagram, Letterboxd. YouTube.