Phantasm II (1988)

Director:

Don Coscarelli

Writer (WGA):

Don Coscarelli (written by)

Release Date:

8 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Now, the horrifying truth is about to be revealed...and all it took was a little digging.

Plot:

Mike, now released from a psychiatric hospital, continues his journey to stop the evil Tall Man from his grim work.

Plot Keywords:

Tall Man | Psychiatric Hospital | Oregon | Sphere | Cemetery

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

James LeGros	...	Mike
Reggie Bannister	...	Reggie
Angus Scrimm	...	The Tall Man
Paula Irvine	...	Liz
Samantha Phillips	...	Alchemy
Kenneth Tigar	...	Father Meyers
Ruth C. Engel	...	Grandma
Mark Anthony Major	...	Mortician
Rubin Kushner	...	Grandpa
Stacey Travis	...	Jeri
J. Patrick McNamara	...	Psychologist
A. Michael Baldwin	...	Young Mike
Amanda Gray	...	Background Player
Elizabeth Quezada	...	Background Player
Lauren Gray	...	Background Player

Also Known As:

Phantasm II: The Never Dead Part Two (Australia) (video box title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:PG (heavily cut) | Italy:VM14 | Australia:R | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:(Banned)

Company:

Spacegate Productions

Trivia:

Brad Pitt auditioned for the role of Mike.

Goofs:

Continuity: The guitar missing from fireplace when Reggie returns for the shotgun; it reappears after he turns the gas on.

Quotes:

[the Tall Man is planning to inject Liz with embalming fluid, which Reggie has spiked with acid]
Mike: Hey!
[the Tall Man glances up]
Mike: Suck on this!
[Mike releases a captured silver sphere, which flies directly to the Tall Man's head and inserts a drill into the front of his skull. A yellowish fluid flies from the back of the sphere, but after it stops, the Tall Man rips the sphere from his head & crushes it like a beer can]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Storm (2005)

Reggie Rules, and LeGros is an Improvement

While it isn't the iconic horror film it's predecessor was, Phantasm II is backed by better production values, a cool apocalyptic premise and a stand-out improvement in James LeGros replacing Baldwin. There is a reason why LeGros has appeared in a great deal more than Baldwin (including a hilarious parody of Brad Pitt in Living in Oblivion) and shows it here in spades. Frankly I feel this was as good or better than the first but the required shock ending that punctuates each of the films in this series has grown tiresome and makes each feel like they do not truly stand on their own as their own experience. Nevertheless, the entire series is original, imaginative and involving. Phantasm II really should have capped off the series with it's big budget backing, as the very next film in the series felt a lot like Alien 3 where the film picks up characters from the second film discarded in a very unfortunate and disappointing manner...but I digress. Phantasm II is solid, quad barrel shotgun monster blasting fun and a must see for monster movie fans everywhere!