Gene Levitt, born in the early 1940s, transitioned from a newspaper reporter in Chicago to a director in the 1970s. He directed The Phantom of Hollywood (1974), a film that captures the essence of the grindhouse era with its blend of horror and satire. Levitt's background in television writing and production, including work on series like Fantasy Island, enriched his storytelling, allowing him to craft a film that resonates with fans of cult cinema. His unique perspective on Hollywood's darker side remains a notable contribution to the genre.
The Phantom of Hollywood
Murders taking place on the back lot of Worldwide Studios turn out to be the work of a disfigured actor who has been living there for years and will stop at nothing to cease the sale of the back lot to developers. The film seems to place a lot of emphasis on the chalk outline and one character is even heard to quip, "We're going to be running out of chalk," while standing over a murder scene in a dry pool on the set.
