Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)

Director:

Don Coscarelli

Writers (WGA):

Don Coscarelli (characters)
Don Coscarelli (written by)

Release Date:

13 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The sequel with balls!

Plot:

Taking off immediately where the last one ended, in this episode Mike travels across dimensions and time fleeing from the Tall Man...

Plot Keywords:

Tall Man | Undead | Sequel | Roman Numbered Sequel | Good Versus Evil

Cast

A. Michael Baldwin	...	Mike
Reggie Bannister	...	Reggie
Bill Thornbury	...	Jody
Heidi Marnhout	...	Jennifer
Bob Ivy	...	Demon Trooper
Angus Scrimm	...	The Tall Man / Dr. Jebediah Morningside
Christopher L. Stone	...	Music & Dwarf Creatures (voice) (as Christopher Stone)
Chloe Kay	...	Background Player
Sylvia Flammer	...	Background Player
David Gasster	...	Background Player
Sasha Kassel	...	Background Player
Aidan Kassel	...	Background Player
Eric Avary	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Andy John	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
George A. Craig	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Steven C. Kassel	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Robert Gates	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Todd Mecklem	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Jason Jacobs	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Michael Perkins	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Colin Jessup	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Stanley Potter	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Bret Schweinfurth	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman
Robert Tomaszewski	...	13th Morningside Volunteer Infantryman

Directed by
Don Coscarelli

Writing credits (WGA)
Don Coscarelli		(characters)
Don Coscarelli		(written by)

Produced by
A. Michael Baldwin	....	co-producer
Don Coscarelli	....	producer

Original Music by
Christopher L. Stone

Cinematography by
Chris Chomyn

Film Editing by
Scott J. Gill

Production Design by
Naython Vane		(as Naython Williams)

Art Direction by
Mike Roth		(as Michael Roth)

Set Decoration by
Bret Schweinfurth		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Shelley Kay

Makeup Department
Melanie Marangakis	....	makeup artist
Soo-Jin Yoon	....	chief hair stylist
Soo-Jin Yoon	....	chief makeup artist

Production Management
Rosa Gonzalez	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeff Shiffman	....	first assistant director
Dawn Stewart	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Kristen Deem	....	property master (as Carol Deem)

Sound Department
Stud Brentler	....	boom operator
Smith Craig	....	dialogue re-recording mixer
Bryan Franklin	....	dialogue editor
Jerry Gilbert	....	project manager
Michael Kreple	....	adr editor
Michael Kreple	....	adr mixer
Michael Kreple	....	adr supervisor
Greg Louden	....	foley artist
Greg Mauer	....	foley editor
Greg Mauer	....	foley recordist
Jacqueline Meijer	....	project coordinator
Paul N.J. Ottosson	....	sound design editor
Paul N.J. Ottosson	....	sound effects supervisor
Rick Owens	....	foley artist
Andy Potvin	....	dolby sound consultant
Paul Ratajczak	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Ratajczak	....	sound supervisor
Enzo Treppa	....	sound mixer
Steve Tushar	....	sound effects editor
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jonathan Wales	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Gary Beal	....	pyrotechnician (as Gary Beall)
Howard Berger	....	shop supervisor: KNB EFX Group
Kamar Bitar	....	coordinator: KNB EFX Group
Gino Crognale	....	sculptor: KNB EFX Group
Michael Deak	....	shop supervisor: KNB EFX Group (as Mike Deak)
Chris Hanson	....	sculptor: KNB EFX Group
Steve Hartman	....	mold department: KNB EFX Group
Chiz Hasegawa	....	coordinator: KNB EFX Group
Garrett Immel	....	sculptor: KNB EFX Group (as Garret Immel)
Robert Kurtzman	....	shop supervisor: KNB EFX Group (as Bob Kurtzman)
Gigi Fast Elk Porter	....	special effects makeup coordinator (as Roberta 'Gigi' Porter)
Brian Rae	....	mold department: KNB EFX Group
Karrie Ralston	....	purchasing: KNB EFX Group
Henrik von Ryzin	....	sculptor: KNB EFX Group (as Henrik Van Ryzin)
Bill Zahn	....	sculptor: KNB EFX Group

Visual Effects by
Robin Berman	....	compositor: Desert Gates
Robin Berman	....	title sequence designer
Alex Harman	....	3d animator
David Klemens	....	creative director
David Merrell	....	lead animator
D. Kerry Prior	....	visual effects creator: sphere effects

Stunts
Bob Ivy	....	stunt coordinator
Bob Ivy	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Dan Ayers	....	steadicam operator
Precy C. Betiong	....	first assistant camera (as Precy Betiong)
Colin Hudson	....	steadicam operator
Adam Janeiro	....	chief lighting technician
Scott Libolt	....	still photographer
Peyton Skelton	....	chief lighting technician
Daniel Trachtenberg	....	key grip
Daniel Vecchione	....	best boy electric
Joe Waistell	....	first assistant camera (as Joe Waistel)
Justin Zaharczuk	....	second assistant camera
Adam Janeiro	....	director of photography: additional photography (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kristen Deem	....	costumer (as Jessica Morgenseit)

Editorial Department
Garen Alaverdian	....	lightworks technician
Ryan Davidson	....	post production supervisor
Bobby Gates	....	assistant editor (as Robert Gates)
Donald Milne	....	assistant editor
Robert Tomaszewski	....	telecine colorist
Jim Williams	....	color timer

Music Department
Jon Lewin	....	music editor
Steve Morrell	....	composer: additional music (as Steven Morrell)
Fred Myrow	....	composer: theme music (as Fredric Myrow)
Daniel Schweiger	....	temporary soundtrack
Malcolm Seagrave	....	composer: theme music

Other crew
Alan Carlson	....	animal handler: scorpion
Alan Carlson	....	animal handler: tortoise
Kristen Deem	....	script supervisor
Starlet Derby	....	production assistant
Christopher Malinowski	....	production assistant (as Chris Malinowski)
Sara McCaffree	....	production assistant
Jason R. Savage	....	production coordinator (as Jason Savage)
David Sharlein	....	production assistant
Dawn Stewart	....	key set production assistant
Brent Studler	....	key set production assistant
Guy Thorpe	....	funeral coach coordinator
Guy Thorpe	....	hearse coordinator
Lonnie Ramati	....	production business affairs (uncredited)

Thanks
Roger Avary	....	special thanks
Jennifer Bross	....	special thanks
David G. Brown	....	special thanks
Jeff Conner	....	special thanks
Richard Elkin	....	special thanks
Sam Gasster	....	special thanks
Bill Jenkins	....	special thanks
Paul Pepperman	....	special thanks
Roberto A. Quezada	....	special thanks
Leonard Shapiro	....	special thanks

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• AVU-Video-Vertriebs-GmbH (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Beam Entertainment (????) (Japan) (DVD)
• Creative Axa Co. Ltd. (????) (Japan) (DVD)
• Highlight Video (????) (Germany) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Orion Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Silver Sphere Corporation
• Sociedad General de Derechos Audiovisuales (SOGEDASA) (2001) (Spain) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Electric Eye
• K.N.B. Effects Group (special make-up)

Other Companies

• Bo-Bo's Bonanza  catering
• Cinematte  opticals
• Energy Film Library  stock footage
• FotoKem  color
• Ground Control Studios  post-production sound
• Hollywood Title  end titles
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutting
• Nick Vasu  camera: end title
• Otto Nemenz International  cameras (as Otto Nemenz)
• Runway Edtorial  lightworks

Also Known As:

"Phantasm IV: Infinity" - USA (alternative title)
"Phantasm: oblIVion" - USA (video title)

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence/gore and some strong language

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | Germany:16 (cut) | Germany:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2007) | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Trivia:

In the sequence showing Mike, Reggie, and Jody playing guitar and sitting on the hood of a car, the same actors A. Michael Baldwin, Reggie Bannister, and Bill Thornbury are actually the ones playing the part. No younger actors were used at all.

Goofs:

Continuity: Jennifer's custom Maverick has nice new tires & hubcaps, but after the car flips they are replaced by plain, cheaper ones.

Quotes:

Jennifer:Hey, we're not done yet.
Reggie:Sorry baby, but yes we are.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Soundtrack:

Have You Seen It?

Surprisingly Good

A horror movie that is fourth in a series should be terrible. This one actually stands on its own as a good movie, though perhaps not great as fourth in the series.

As other users have commented, this movie does not answer questions about the Phantasm series. It shows a little background on the tall man, and that's it.

On the other hand, looking at it as a stand-alone-movie, it works! It has very coherent and often beautiful art direction. There are very few characters (I assume to save money), but that works. It keeps the movie from bogging down in goofy dialogue and laughable characters like Phantasm III.

The movie actually gets rather artful at times. Just observe the desert scenes with the field of metal rods to see what I mean. The Tall Man doesn't seem too threatening in this one. He come across much more as a constant pressure instead of an acute danger.

The individual characters aren't really developed any more than the previous films. They are reaching archetypal roles of heros, seekers, fighters, etc.

This is not a slasher film. It almost is not a horror movie. Oddly enough, it is almost stepping out of its low-brow beginnings (except for the breast scene in the hotel) and nearly reaching art movie status. I would love to see Phantasm V taken further in this vein. Unfortunately, I think this is the last of the series. Enjoy it if you can find it!