Phantoms (1998)

Director:

Joe Chappelle

Writers (WGA):

Dean R. Koontz (novel)
Dean R. Koontz (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Horror | Drama

Tagline:

For centuries they told us the terror would come from above. We've been looking the wrong way.

Plot:

150 dead and 350 missing in the tiny mountain town of Snowfield, Colorado. And that's only the beginning...

Plot Keywords:

Colorado | Town | Small Town | Shotgun | Gory Violence

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Ben Affleck	...	Sheriff Bryce Hammond
Peter O'Toole	...	Dr. Timothy Flyte
Rose McGowan	...	Lisa Pailey
Joanna Going	...	Jennifer Pailey, M.D.
Liev Schreiber	...	Deputy Stuart 'Stu' Wargle
Nicky Katt	...	Deputy Steve Shanning
Clifton Powell	...	Gen. Leland Copperfield
Rick Otto	...	Scientist Lockland
Valerie Chow	...	Scientist Yamaguchi (as Rachel Shane)
Adam Nelson	...	Scientist Burke
John Hammil	...	Scientist Talbot
John Scott Clough	...	Scientist Shane
Michael DeLorenzo	...	Soldier Velazquez (as Michael Delorenzo)
William Hahn	...	Scientist Borman
Robert Himber	...	Scientist Walker

Also Known As:

Dean Koontz's Phantoms (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sci-fi violence/gore and language.

Runtime:

96 min | Argentina:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Colorado, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

The "flatworm theory" used in the movie (that flatworms can eat the remains of their own kind and absorb their knowledge) is based on actual tests given to flatworms which involved seeing how quickly they would make the "correct" turn at a Y-intersection after eating the previous experimenters. The results were more inconclusive than the film says.

Goofs:

Continuity: Everyone goes into the lab and it begins to snow. Jennifer, Lisa, Bryce, and Flynt are the only people left in town. Yet, when Flynt leaves the lab later, there are footprints and tracks in the snow.

Quotes:

Tunnel Boy: [holding vials of virus] You always had an urge to shoot little boys?
Sheriff Bryce Hammond: No. This time, I'm gonna miss.
[shoots vials]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in An Evening with Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

FALL

One of the best horror movies of 1998!!!!!!

The cast and special effects lift this unique (and very much underrated) horror movie that also sports a interesting plot and some effectively creepy scenes. I give this movie 4 stars out of 5.