Media Reviewed: UK DVD (Anchor Bay)
Director: Don Coscarelli
Starring: A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Angus Scrimm
Mysterious things are going on in the small town of Morningside. A boy, Michael, first senses something strange is going on when he sees a mysterious, tall undertaker lifting a heavy coffin by himself into the back of a Hearse. His curiosity gets the better of him and he investigates, meeting psychotic hooded dwarves, a severed finger that turns into a giant fly and flying spheres that drill into their victim's head and discovering a dimensional portal located in the town's mausoleum. Soon his brother and their friend get involved, determined to put an end to the evil goings on.
Phantasm is a one-of-a-kind gem in the horror genre and, indeed, the sci-fi genre. It has a compelling, if not necessarily well written plot and an eerie atmosphere that hasn't been replicated to this day, all set to a wonderful score by Fred Myrow. It's a very low budget film, but what it lacks in production values it easily makes up for in imagination and innovation. Don Coscarelli, only in his early twenties at the time, manages to create a vision that is truly his, with a bizarre, nightmarish logic all of its own.
The chemistry between the cast is also one of the film's strong points. Whilst not outstanding actors by any means, Baldwin and Thornbury are believable as Michael and Jody, the Pearson brothers and Bannister is great as the likeable ice cream man, Reggie. A scene between Jody and Reggie in which they play a song together is a nice touch and introduces a plot device used later on in the film.
The last of the main cast members, Angus Scrimm, is outstanding as the infamous Tall Man and helps in creating a villain that is up there with Englund's Freddy Krueger and Lugosi's Dracula. The Tall Man is truly a great presence in the film, managing to be both enigmatic and frightening and his legion of evil dwarves and killer flying spheres all add to the enduring originality of Phantasm.
Phantasm is a horror classic and whilst not flawless is quirky and endearing as well as mysterious and chilling. What works so well for Phantasm is its originality and imagination, it creates an experience that you can't find anywhere else and its iconic villain as well as the chemistry between the cast raise it onto another level for low budget horror of the era.
Three sequels have spawned from the original and due to the imagination and care of director Don Coscarelli the series has remained intriguing and entertaining throughout.
Phantasm is a one-of-a-kind gem in the horror genre and, indeed, the sci-fi genre. It has a compelling, if not necessarily well written plot and an eerie atmosphere that hasn't been replicated to this day, all set to a wonderful score by Fred Myrow. It's a very low budget film, but what it lacks in production values it easily makes up for in imagination and innovation. Don Coscarelli, only in his early twenties at the time, manages to create a vision that is truly his, with a bizarre, nightmarish logic all of its own.
The chemistry between the cast is also one of the film's strong points. Whilst not outstanding actors by any means, Baldwin and Thornbury are believable as Michael and Jody, the Pearson brothers and Bannister is great as the likeable ice cream man, Reggie. A scene between Jody and Reggie in which they play a song together is a nice touch and introduces a plot device used later on in the film.
The last of the main cast members, Angus Scrimm, is outstanding as the infamous Tall Man and helps in creating a villain that is up there with Englund's Freddy Krueger and Lugosi's Dracula. The Tall Man is truly a great presence in the film, managing to be both enigmatic and frightening and his legion of evil dwarves and killer flying spheres all add to the enduring originality of Phantasm.
Phantasm is a horror classic and whilst not flawless is quirky and endearing as well as mysterious and chilling. What works so well for Phantasm is its originality and imagination, it creates an experience that you can't find anywhere else and its iconic villain as well as the chemistry between the cast raise it onto another level for low budget horror of the era.
Three sequels have spawned from the original and due to the imagination and care of director Don Coscarelli the series has remained intriguing and entertaining throughout.
Excellent
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