Phantasm

E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Horrorphile - October 2007

Phantasm

October 29th 2007 04:36

A phantasm is an apparition, a ghostly vision, or spectre. It’s also a creation of the imagination, a fantasy. Don Coscarelli’s cult classic Phantasm (1978) is exactly that; a feverish phantasy dealing with the spectre of death. It fuses science-fiction, mystery and horror into a genre all of its own. No other movie is like Phantasm. It exists in its own weird and wonderful alternate universe.

I first saw the movie when I was an impressionable teenager. It was the Australasian release on VHS known as The Never Dead (“If this one doesn’t scare you, you’re already dead!”). The movie’s imagery and overall mood have stuck with me forever. It’s one of those movies that defy description; flawed and dodgy, yet ingenious and mesmerising.

The basic premise has young teenager Mike (Michael Baldwin) and his twentysomething brother Jody (Bill Thornbury) living together as orphans. A buddy of Jody’s has recently died and Mike spies on Jody acting as a pallbearer at the funeral in Morningside Cemetery. Through his binoculars Mike notices the mortician, The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), lifting the coffin by himself and heaving it into the hearse. Very creepy.

Phantasm Angus Scrimm and Reggie Bannister

Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man with Reggie Bannister as Reggie the ice cream man

Mike takes matters into his own hands and investigates further only to discover weird hooded dwarfs darting behind tombstones. Inside the cemetery mausoleum Mike witnesses all manner of violent weirdness. He enlists his brother, and his brother’s mate Reggie (Reggie Bannister), to try and get to the bottom of it. After finding a dwarfed version of Tommy, the friend of Jody’s who’d died, the three gung-ho their way into further supernatural trouble, whilst being pursued by The Tall Man.

Phantasm Bill Thornbury and Kathy Lester

Jody (Bill Thornbury) is seduced by the mysterious Lady in Lavender (Katy Lester)

Don Coscarelli achieved a remarkable multi-feat with Phantasm. Not only did he write and direct the feature, he also produced, shot and edited the movie himself. His mother Kate Coscarelli was production designer, costume designer and make-up (under different pseudonyms). In fact key members of the crew doubled in other capacities, very much a skeleton crew-cum family affair.

Jody experiences a frightening vision

The movie was made for around $US300,000. It made millions. Coscarelli went on to make the embarrassing supernatural sword and sandal mess The Beastmaster, and then returned for several Phantasm sequels, none of which are any good. Phantasm is so rich in wacky horror ideas and so damn curiously effective with its atmosphere that Coscarelli can rest on its laurels for decades to come.

The infamous Silver Sphere

The acting is bad news, seriously bad. The dialogue is no better. But the screenplay twists and turns like a high fever bad dream. There are numerous great scenes, but the one that I love the best is when Mike is being chased by The Tall Man through the ante rooms in the funeral home and manages to slam a heavy door just before the ghoulish suited man grabs him. Mike leans against the door catching his breath. There is a flapping sound and the camera pans slowly to the right to reveal The Tall Man’s hand half squashed by the door, his fingers flapping. It’s a nightmarish image. Mike uses his knife and slices off several of the fingers. The Tall Man howls from behind the door. Sickly yellow blood spurts out and the fingers continue to wriggle on the floor. Mike picks up one of them and pops it into his breast pocket. Eeeugh!

The MPAA weren't very happy about this sequence

There are many sillyisms and plot holes and you could drive an ice-cream truck through, but I just can’t seem to let these ruin the experience that is Phantasm. The movie is like some strange teddy bear demon. He’s evil and wrong, but so damn endearing. He thrills and chills despite his stuffing falling out. Even the hokey-as-all-hell “It’s all a dream” cliché gets a solid work-out … and works.

Mike (Michael Baldwin) slices off a few evil fingers

There are other tidbits that add to the movie’s cult appeal; there’s the brief, but nifty jam between Jody and Reggie on acoustic guitars on the porch (Sittin’ Here at Midnight), there’s Jody’s humdinger muscle car, a black Hemi Cuda, there’s the sensational synth score from Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrove (on the DVD there’s an audio extra “disco version” of the main theme which was released as a very limited edition 12” single on blood-splattered yellow vinyl as promotion in the UK at the time of the movie’s release).

Reggie gets in Phantasmic tune

Considering the movie’s low budget, and despite the inherent restraints this imposed on the production (filming took a year), Phantasm transcends its limitations. Cheesy insect effects aside, atrocious no name acting aside, bizarre screenplay logic aside, it’s the deep trash parading as high art, or perhaps its high art sleeping in the gutter, either way Phantasm rocks!

Fear the Silver Sphere!

Here's the original theatrical trailer:

And I couldn't resist, for the dedicated, here is the most famous eight minutes of the movie (turn off the lights and feel the fear):

105

Vote

Subscribe to this blog

Email this post to a friend

Go to the Orble Film Channel

Start your own blog

[ Link ]

Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

Related Posts:

Relate This Post

[ Previous - Alien ]

[ Next - Videodrome ]

Comments

12 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Cibbuano

October 29th 2007 22:21

Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

sweet- I've heard you mention that silver sphere scene before...

Comment by Bryn

October 30th 2007 03:29

Horrorphile

Hey Cibby, whew, at least someone has decided to comment, sheesh, I was getting concerned this little gem was gonna be utterly ignored .... You may remember seeing it on VHS with its Aussie title The Never Dead.

Comment by JohnDoe

November 1st 2007 00:51

Film & TV on DVD

Great review of a horror curio that satisfies.

When I first saw this in the early 80's it became an instant fave for it's imaganitive visuals. Now I really need to see it on DVD as the pan n scan VHS always harsh.

Comment by Bryn

November 1st 2007 01:38

Horrorphile

JD, you can borrow my copy. Some neat extras.

Comment by Miswanderlust

November 2nd 2007 12:46

Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy

Bryn
One of my favorites! Great review!
Mis

Comment by Bryn

November 3rd 2007 01:05

Horrorphile

Mis, yeah, a Golden Oldie, or should I say I Silver Oldie

Comment by Damo

November 5th 2007 03:47

I saw P3 some time back and thought it was okay but I haven't seen P1 or P2.
I also read that there is a P4 but know nothing about it.

So when my narrow minded video shop gets it in I will see this for sure.

Comment by Bryn

November 5th 2007 23:31

Horrorphile

Damo, yes, apparently Coscarelli is making a fourth ... I seem to remember watching the first sequel, but it paled in comparison ... tried to be too clever.

Comment by Anonymous

November 11th 2007 22:16

Really late to the party here, but seeing as Phantasm is my favorite surreal horror flick, I just wanted to say thanks for the perfect review. Now I just need to find my copy again soon.

-lilith

Comment by Bryn

November 13th 2007 04:42

Horrorphile

lilith,
thankyou for the props! I knew I'd see you here soon enough ... good luck finding your copy!

Comment by Ruth Moratz

September 18th 2008 05:38

Treasure Hunt Adventure
Lilac Blue's Pad

Yes I know I'm really late commenting on this but I had to.
I love this movie. I can't even count how many times my friends and I sat through this movie at the theater. Way back in the old days when they didn't clear the theater between shows, we would sit there all day watching it. I guess I'm giving away my age with that comment.

Back then I lived near where this was filmed and we would drive by the mausoleum at night and scare ourselves nearly to death. There was also this spot near there nicknamed 'gravity hill'. You would park at the bottom, put the car in neutral and watch as it rolled uphill (or appeared to). It really added to the creepiness of the whole thing. Ah, the good old days.

Comment by Bryn

September 18th 2008 07:37

Horrorphile

Ruth, there's never too late to post comments on my blog, and yes, this movie is up in my top five all-time fave horrors ... I sure hope they never try to remake it. I never really followed the sequels, perahps the first sequel, but it wasn't very memorable ...
I'm envious you got to hang out near the location it was filmed at ... creepy alright!
gravity hill?? sounds very ... er, phantasmogorical!

(btw i'm not such a spring chicken myself ...)

[ Previous - Alien ]

[ Next - Videodrome ]

Add A Comment

To create a fully formatted comment please click here.

CLICK HERE TO LOGIN | CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Name or Orble Tag

Home Page (optional)

Comments

Notify me of replies

Notify extra people about this comment

Is this a private comment?

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this comment

One per line max of 30

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this private comment thread. Only the people in this list will be able to see or reply to your comment.

One per line max of 30

Your Name
(for the email going out to the above list, it can be different to your Orble Tag)

Your Email Address

(optional)

(required for reply notification)

Submit

February 2010

4 Posts

January 2010

12 Posts

December 2009

13 Posts