Phantasm (1979)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Don Coscarelli

Writer:

Don Coscarelli (writer)

Release Date:

28 March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

If this one doesn't scare you, you're already dead!

Plot:

A young boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave robber known only as the Tall Man, who keeps a mysterious arsenal of terrible weapons with him.

Plot Keywords:

Tall Man | Funeral | Nightmare | Young Boy | Ice Cream Man

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

A. Michael Baldwin	...	Michael 'Mike' Pearson (as Michael Baldwin)
Bill Thornbury	...	Jody Pearson
Reggie Bannister	...	Reggie
Kathy Lester	...	Lady in Lavender
Terrie Kalbus	...	Fortuneteller's Granddaughter
Kenneth V. Jones	...	Caretaker (as Ken Jones)
Susan Harper	...	Girlfriend
Lynn Eastman-Rossi	...	Sally (as Lynn Eastman)
David Arntzen	...	Toby
Ralph Richmond	...	Bartender
Bill Cone	...	Tommy
Laura Mann	...	Double Lavender
Mary Ellen Shaw	...	Fortuneteller
Myrtle Scotton	...	Maid
Angus Scrimm	...	The Tall Man

Also Known As:

The Never Dead (Australia)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video re-rating) (2005) | UK:18 (video rating) (1989) | UK:X (original rating) | Norway:16 (video rental version) | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (cut) | Germany:(Banned) (2002) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:PG (heavily cut) | Italy:VM14 (new rating) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) (VHS) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Dunsmuir House & Gardens - 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, California, USA

Company:

New Breed Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The copyright date shown during the closing credits of this film says MCMLXXVII (1977)

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the flying sphere hits the caretaker in the forehead, you can see wires in the front that's holding it up. Don Coscarelli says in the DVD commentary that it was a reverse shot where the ball was actually pulled away, thus revealing the wires.

Quotes:

Reggie: Hi guys. Heh heh, just thought I'd come over and see what was going on before the kids got out of summer school. Hey Mike, you want to ride along with me today? It's pretty warm outside and the ice cream's going to be flying fast and furious. Remember how good you were at crowd control last time? Hey, what's going on here?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Soundtrack:

Sittin' Here At Midnight

Another Horror Classic, And With Good Reason

A teenage boy (Michael Baldwin) stumbles upon a plot by a very tall mortuary worker (Angus Scrimm) to steal dead bodies and turn them into midget slaves for an alien world. With the help of his brother, the boy hopes to cut the tall man down to size.

28 years later, Don Coscarelli is now seen as a master of horror and Angus Scrimm somewhat of a horror icon (though to a lesser degree than, say, Robert Englund). While the plot I've outlined above may sound silly, the actual execution of this idea makes it clear why this film has really lodged itself in horror history and spawned numerous sequels (all starring Scrimm).

This film captures the feeling of the late 1970s and early 1980s horror with the young boy stumbling upon a plot of large, sinister proportions. Horror geared towards the youth of a generation who have parents who may not believe them (or in this case, an older brother). I really like this sense, much like "The Goonies", "The Monster Squad" and "Lost Boys" -- a kid's film without being childish.

"Phantasm" has become known for the silver balls, and believe me -- when Angus Scrimm puts one of his balls in your face, you won't be happy about it. A bloody mess is all you'll get! I really enjoyed the effect of this (remember, this is 1979 when effects still took some creativity).

Now, some things I didn't understand. For example, why are the midgets bleeding macaroni and cheese instead of blood? And more importantly, why does the tall man have to transform into a woman to stab people in the cemetery? If he's super strong and has those silver balls, he really doesn't have to be very sneaky about the whole ordeal, does he?

But, seriously, check this film out. Roughly in the same time period as "Halloween", you are left with a similar feeling. Only this one is more light-hearted and "feel good" and less "the embodiment of evil". I suppose it depends on your personal taste or your mood for the day. Myself, I like a little bit of the unusual thrown in to a movie just to keep me guessing.