When French robots Daft Punk, nee Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel Christo de Homem, were making the press rounds for their latest masterpiece, the luxuriously expansive Random Access Memories, they frequently cited Brian De Palma‘s “Phantom of the Paradise” as a chief influence: not only was ‘Phantom’ star/composer Paul Williams featured in the album’s centerpiece, “Touch,” but he provided lyrics for another song and served as a major for the band’s mysteriously helmeted look. So when a Pitchfork profile let casually slip that the band was talking to De Palma about doing something, it was cause for excitement. Sadly, it looks like it’s not happening after all.
De Palma A La Mod points out that, according to a Twitter conversation involving Nick De Semlyen, a reviews editor for British movie magazine Empire, and “The World’s End” director Edgar Wright (of course), De Palma “was going to direct a music vid for the Paul Williams track but it didn’t work out.” Of course the question begs to be asked – how did this not work out? The robots are clearly obsessed with his work and it’s not like De Palma has all that much going on these days. Everyone that works with Daft Punk seems to have their brand totally rejuvenated. And while a few European critics are hailing De Palma’s new film “Passion” (out here in August) as a new classic from the master of suspense, something tells us stateside critics won’t be as kind.
This should have happened… and could have been amazing… But, alas, it is not meant to be. Sad robots.