I think that Phantasm was a big surprise hit back in '79 for different reasons than why it has endured as a cult movie to this day.
Sure, the special effects haven't aged as well as some, but they were remarkable for a low-budget movie made only two years after Star Wars came out. At the time, Phantasm did not come across as a low budget movie at all and I think it shocked everybody. It's taken decades and many technical developments in SFX along the way to finally make this movie's technical limitations more glaringly obvious. At the time? There wasn't a 12-year old in the country who didn't think it was impressive.
Phantasm was bizarre enough and had enough shock moments to scare and thrill young viewers, and the killer silver balls were such a unique cinematic experience that nobody else has even tried to emulate them in a similar horror film.
But while Coscarelli was able to brilliantly evoke and convey his unique nightmare vision of the strange tall man, the mysterious silver balls, and grave-robbing interdimensional evil cloaked dwarves, what makes this film endure is what I believe is the human element.
As opposed to the shallow, vapid, teen slasher flicks to follow it, Phantasm's characters are allowed to develop into involving, three dimensional people. I believe that is what gives this movie some legs, and what has allowed for relevant Phantasm sequels (ii- iv). There is a unique, profound sadness in Mike Pearson's compulsive need to follow his big brother around after the deaths of both of their parents. And in the end, there is an even deeper sadness when the audience realizes that his big brother Jody has been dead all along as well. The characters are allowed to show and feel emotional depth-- sorrow, fear, anger, frustration. They aren't cardboard props to be slashed by the villain. They're intrepid, resourceful, and you can't help but like them and relate to them... especially when they're just sittin' on the porch strummin' the guitar and singing some tunes.
Phantasm's surrealness is only reinforced when it is made the backdrop of such normal human characters and behavior. Otherwise, cloaked dark dwarves and flying silver balls would seem quite random and stupid if put in the context of your typical teen slasher flick (another sorority/campfire bimbofest, anyone?). This is where most of the low-budget cookie-cutter horror films fail nowadays.
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Phantasm (Special Edition)
A. Michael Baldwin
(Actor),
Bill Thornbury
(Actor),
Don Coscarelli
(Director, Writer)
&
0
more Rated: Format: DVD
R
IMDb6.6/10.0
$21.65$21.65
$7.67$7.67
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| Genre | Horror |
| Format | Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Widescreen, NTSC |
| Contributor | Ralph Richmond, Angus Scrimm, Terrie Kalbus, Kathy Lester, David Arntzen, Myrtle Scotton, Mary Ellen Shaw, Bill Cone, Bill Thornbury, Kenneth V. Jones, A. Michael Baldwin, Susan Harper, Lynn Eastman, Don Coscarelli, Laura Mann, Reggie Bannister See more |
| Language | English |
| Runtime | 1 hour and 28 minutes |
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Product Description
Phantasm (Widescreen)
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 1.85:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : R (Restricted)
- Product Dimensions : 7.5 x 5.38 x 0.6 inches; 0.01 Ounces
- Director : Don Coscarelli
- Media Format : Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Widescreen, NTSC
- Run time : 1 hour and 28 minutes
- Release date : September 28, 1999
- Actors : A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Kathy Lester, Terrie Kalbus
- Subtitles: : English, French
- Language : English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
- Studio : MGM
- ASIN : 0792841344
- Writers : Don Coscarelli
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: #99,390 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #3,697 in Horror (Movies & TV)
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2006
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2004
I became intrigued with this movie way back before DVDs even existed. I liked it so much I had the word 'PHANTASM' tattooed on my arm.
In a way it's all weird science fiction but yet in a way it deals with real emotions and experiences. The fears that the main character has about his family come alive in his own mind in a most unique way. That seems to be the underlying message that I figured out when I just watched it again recently on DVD.
I wonder about how somebody could think of creating a movie like this. This would be someone who has a very vivid and active imagination and most likely experienced some of the things that happen in the movie.
It's like all these people are trying to unravel the mysteries about their lives, good and evil, life and death, etc..
Interestingly the older brother and Reggie have a rock band but Reggie has a day job driving an ice cream truck.
Jeff Marzano
The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Season 1
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Gojira / Godzilla Deluxe Collector's Edition (Gojira/Godzilla [1954] / Godzilla, King of the Monsters [1956])
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla / Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
The Manster
In a way it's all weird science fiction but yet in a way it deals with real emotions and experiences. The fears that the main character has about his family come alive in his own mind in a most unique way. That seems to be the underlying message that I figured out when I just watched it again recently on DVD.
I wonder about how somebody could think of creating a movie like this. This would be someone who has a very vivid and active imagination and most likely experienced some of the things that happen in the movie.
It's like all these people are trying to unravel the mysteries about their lives, good and evil, life and death, etc..
Interestingly the older brother and Reggie have a rock band but Reggie has a day job driving an ice cream truck.
Jeff Marzano
The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Season 1
The Thing from Another World
The Thing (Collector's Edition)
The Blob - Criterion Collection
Voodoo Island/The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (Midnite Movies Double Feature)
The Night Stalker/The Night Strangler (Double Feature)
Gojira / Godzilla Deluxe Collector's Edition (Gojira/Godzilla [1954] / Godzilla, King of the Monsters [1956])
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla / Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
The Manster
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2005
The original Phantasm is back, this time on DVD, and you've never seen it this way before. It is packed with extras including home video footage taken while the movie was being shot back in 1979, lengthy deleted scenes, audio commentary by director Don Coscareli and actor Reggie Bannister, theatrical trailers, and much much more.
Phantasm the film presents us with a novel concept in the horror genre;funeral homes. Mortuaries, the american way of death, and bad dreams were not popular in horror movies at the time. Most horror films released during the late seventies and throughout the eighties involved slasher killings, Coscareli's movie deviates from this.
Phantasm is a must see for all fans of the horror genre. It surpasses cult classic status. Filmed by a very young Don Coscareli it has a magnificent cast and crew. It is truly an unforgetably terrifying film. A new frontier for horror-film makers.
Phantasm the film presents us with a novel concept in the horror genre;funeral homes. Mortuaries, the american way of death, and bad dreams were not popular in horror movies at the time. Most horror films released during the late seventies and throughout the eighties involved slasher killings, Coscareli's movie deviates from this.
Phantasm is a must see for all fans of the horror genre. It surpasses cult classic status. Filmed by a very young Don Coscareli it has a magnificent cast and crew. It is truly an unforgetably terrifying film. A new frontier for horror-film makers.
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2016
A masterpiece of a horror film from 1979...the same year that gave us the first 'Alien'. From the opening kill to the 'BOY!' ending by the Tall Man & everything in between (the small but powerful dwarfs, the flying killer silver balls, the otherworldly dimension, etc.), this is an iconic movie that more than equals the likes of 'Halloween', 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre', 'Friday the 13th' & even the 'Nightmare On Elm St.' films, & deserves a place in your library. This review is dedicated to the loving memory of the Tall Man himself Angus Scrimm, who unfortunately passed away on January 9th, 2016.
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2012
They just don't make them like this anymore, mortuaries, cemeteries, big tall scary man, spheres attacking people and pure sheer evil. This is not a hack 'em slash 'em movie. Thank goodness for that. Instead this is a movie that really frightens and thats what a horror movie should do. Try watching this for the first time at home by yourself at night in the dark, I bet after one third of the movie is through you'll want someone around. This was considered a B movie but became a smash hit with the public. I won't say the acting is great, but the concept of this thriller is awesome. If you want to come close to dying of fright, then get this dvd, it won't disappoint.
Top reviews from other countries
L.J.F.64
3.0 out of 5 stars
If you like playing with balls, keep your head out the way with these!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2015
Two brothers and there friend decide to investigate a creepy "tall man" undertaker, when it seems he is connected to killings and deadly sliver spheres.
Highly atmospheric horror thriller that'll keep many genre fans enthralled. Encompassing several horror elements including, supernatural, zombie, sci-fi and even stalk'n'slash and doing a very good job in all. The biggest standout is the very creepy atmosphere that the film maintains throughout, the brilliant soundtrack adds to this, its understated but always there and makes its presence known when needed. The set-pieces are another strong point, the attack sequence in the car is excellent and very intense and scary as is the climax, the low budget was used very well, not made for much but it does have a bigger budget feel and standard that many of its contemporaries don't. Acting wise everyone does a fine job, A. Michael Baldwin as our young hero stands out as does (quite literally) Angus Scrimm as the the malevolent "tall man". The writing and story are decent particularly in the first half where the story unfolds very well but after 30-35mins the story becomes far less interesting, the set-pieces and pace never let up and the scares do keep coming but for me the story just couldn't hold as much interest and my mind did start to wonder as the less enthralling supernatural element became more prominent.
A very good horror with much to admire (especially young director/producer/editor Don Coscarelli), more mass appeal than might be initially thought, although there is a fare bit of blood it's far from extreme of offensive and can be easily enjoyed. Placed on the Section 3 nasty list probably because of the sphere's gory brain drilling sequence's, but with the authorities at the time it could have been the cemetery romance that offended them!
Highly atmospheric horror thriller that'll keep many genre fans enthralled. Encompassing several horror elements including, supernatural, zombie, sci-fi and even stalk'n'slash and doing a very good job in all. The biggest standout is the very creepy atmosphere that the film maintains throughout, the brilliant soundtrack adds to this, its understated but always there and makes its presence known when needed. The set-pieces are another strong point, the attack sequence in the car is excellent and very intense and scary as is the climax, the low budget was used very well, not made for much but it does have a bigger budget feel and standard that many of its contemporaries don't. Acting wise everyone does a fine job, A. Michael Baldwin as our young hero stands out as does (quite literally) Angus Scrimm as the the malevolent "tall man". The writing and story are decent particularly in the first half where the story unfolds very well but after 30-35mins the story becomes far less interesting, the set-pieces and pace never let up and the scares do keep coming but for me the story just couldn't hold as much interest and my mind did start to wonder as the less enthralling supernatural element became more prominent.
A very good horror with much to admire (especially young director/producer/editor Don Coscarelli), more mass appeal than might be initially thought, although there is a fare bit of blood it's far from extreme of offensive and can be easily enjoyed. Placed on the Section 3 nasty list probably because of the sphere's gory brain drilling sequence's, but with the authorities at the time it could have been the cemetery romance that offended them!
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anton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic atmosphere. Up there with the best horror films ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 18, 2018
Cult film. Fantastic atmosphere. Up there with the best horror films of the time.
Bennny boy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2016
This is a classic movie!
Jay Robitaille
5.0 out of 5 stars
The thrill of challenging an overpowered boogeyman and not waiting to make every error possible to basically let him kill you.
Reviewed in Canada on July 4, 2016
As a casually enthusiastic fan of Nightmare on Elm Street, I am perhaps more impressed with this little nugget. It was a movie that came before Inception or Nightmare on Elm Street and messed with your perception of reality in the context of the story. What is most impressive is how the child protagonist is exceptionally proactive and arms himself well for a fight and is not just a flighty little victim to entertain the tall man.



