Phantasm Returns
September 21, 2016 9:34 AM Subscribe
1979 film Phantasm has been a bit of a cult masterpiece [original trailer] for nearly 40 years. JJ Abrams is a fan and has collaborated with the writer/director Don Coscarelli to do a 4K remaster of the film. It will appear in theaters and VOD in theaters on Oct 7, along with apparently the 5th and final film in the series, Phantasm: Ravager, written by Coscarelli.
Phantasm II was written and directed by Coscarelli and released in 1988. Phantasm III: Lord Of The Dead was a direct-to-video release in 1994, again written and directed by Coscarelli. The ultra-low-budget Phantasm IV: Oblivion was also released direct-to-video in 1998, against written and directed by Coscarelli.
Phantasm: Ravager is directed by David Hartman, and is the only film in the series which is not directed by Coscarelli. The Phantasm series is remarkable for having many of the same actors portray the same roles for nearly 4 decades.
Phantasm II was written and directed by Coscarelli and released in 1988. Phantasm III: Lord Of The Dead was a direct-to-video release in 1994, again written and directed by Coscarelli. The ultra-low-budget Phantasm IV: Oblivion was also released direct-to-video in 1998, against written and directed by Coscarelli.
Phantasm: Ravager is directed by David Hartman, and is the only film in the series which is not directed by Coscarelli. The Phantasm series is remarkable for having many of the same actors portray the same roles for nearly 4 decades.
No Reggie Bannister, no deal.
Holy crap, he's 70 years old. But still...
posted by Splunge at 10:14 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Holy crap, he's 70 years old. But still...
posted by Splunge at 10:14 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
The haircuts scare me most.
Huh, I've been wearing my hair that way for 40 years.
posted by humboldt32 at 10:15 AM on September 21, 2016
Huh, I've been wearing my hair that way for 40 years.
posted by humboldt32 at 10:15 AM on September 21, 2016
No Reggie Bannister, no deal.
WTF are you on about? He's in the movie.
posted by hippybear at 10:20 AM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
WTF are you on about? He's in the movie.
posted by hippybear at 10:20 AM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
I hope he duct-tapes a few more shotguns together for this one. I think eight barrels would really do the trick.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 10:23 AM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by paper chromatographologist at 10:23 AM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
Wow, Ravager actually looks pretty decent. There's even a genuinely creepy shot or two in the trailer (the woman kind of floating through the mausoleum is very good). I haven't seen any of the movies beyond the first, are they worth checking out?
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 10:26 AM on September 21, 2016
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 10:26 AM on September 21, 2016
hippybear: "No Reggie Bannister, no deal.
WTF are you on about? He's in the movie."
So now we read everything before commenting? You used to be cool man. :)
posted by Splunge at 10:27 AM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
WTF are you on about? He's in the movie."
So now we read everything before commenting? You used to be cool man. :)
posted by Splunge at 10:27 AM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
Apparently it was shot in 2012/2013 so even Angus Scrimm (who has since died) is in it.
In my day job I've met many [minor] celebrities and show biz types over the years but the only actor that I was legitimately giddy to meet was Angus Scrimm. Who disappointingly was slightly shorter than me. He was a very lovely man and humoured me when I asked him if he'd take a picture with me where he was making the Tall Man evil face and was strangling me. He was the best.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:27 AM on September 21, 2016 [6 favorites]
In my day job I've met many [minor] celebrities and show biz types over the years but the only actor that I was legitimately giddy to meet was Angus Scrimm. Who disappointingly was slightly shorter than me. He was a very lovely man and humoured me when I asked him if he'd take a picture with me where he was making the Tall Man evil face and was strangling me. He was the best.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:27 AM on September 21, 2016 [6 favorites]
I haven't seen any of the movies beyond the first, are they worth checking out?
I haven't seen Phantasm II since it was in the theater, and I remember being as befuddled and creeped-out by it as I was by the first movie. That might be a recommendation? I haven't seen the others. I remember seeing the preview for Phantasm III in the theater at one point, but it never got a theatrical release, so I lost track of it.
I think many of them are on YouTube (legally? not? I don't know), so maybe you can catch up with them there.
posted by hippybear at 10:29 AM on September 21, 2016
I haven't seen Phantasm II since it was in the theater, and I remember being as befuddled and creeped-out by it as I was by the first movie. That might be a recommendation? I haven't seen the others. I remember seeing the preview for Phantasm III in the theater at one point, but it never got a theatrical release, so I lost track of it.
I think many of them are on YouTube (legally? not? I don't know), so maybe you can catch up with them there.
posted by hippybear at 10:29 AM on September 21, 2016
I was legitimately giddy to meet was Angus Scrimm.
Nope, nope, nope. That would not be the emotion I would be experiencing. Nope.
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:30 AM on September 21, 2016
Nope, nope, nope. That would not be the emotion I would be experiencing. Nope.
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:30 AM on September 21, 2016
Based on the trailer, Ravager should have been titled Phantasm V: The Biggest Ball of All.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:31 AM on September 21, 2016
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:31 AM on September 21, 2016
I haven't seen any of the movies beyond the first, are they worth checking out?
Bearing in mind that the first one is unique in it's own way and that the latter ones have a bit of a different taste and feel, in a bit more commercial/clean way if not altogether bad, I'd say yes but don't go into it with sky-high hopes or you'll be disappointed. That's as best I can recall anyway. I think one of them was noticeably worse than the rest but I can't for the life of me really differentiate between them in my mind, the first one excepted, since it's been so long since I saw them.
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2016
Bearing in mind that the first one is unique in it's own way and that the latter ones have a bit of a different taste and feel, in a bit more commercial/clean way if not altogether bad, I'd say yes but don't go into it with sky-high hopes or you'll be disappointed. That's as best I can recall anyway. I think one of them was noticeably worse than the rest but I can't for the life of me really differentiate between them in my mind, the first one excepted, since it's been so long since I saw them.
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2016
Nope, nope, nope.
Charming and grandfatherly. I talked with him about Singing in the Rain!
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:34 AM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
Charming and grandfatherly. I talked with him about Singing in the Rain!
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:34 AM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
I'm looking forward to the 4K restoration and the new entry in the franchise. The original Phantasm is one of those low budget cinematic fever dreams where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It's a series of creepy/scary set pieces barely strung together by plot that are better in concept than in execution and there's multiple points in the film where you're like "This doesn't make any fucking sense" yet when you walk out of the theater (or for many people, turn off the TV) the first time you've seen it, you're like "THIS SHIT IS CRAZY-BANANA-NUTS COOL!"
BOY!
posted by KingEdRa at 10:37 AM on September 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
BOY!
posted by KingEdRa at 10:37 AM on September 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
Phantasm will never really end. As long as there's a middle-aged balding ice cream man strummin' his guitar on a porch somewhere... As long as there's a guy looking up at the camera with panties in his teeth... as long as there's a guy pretending he's capturing a super-strong demonic fly by waving a sweatshirt around... Phantasm still lives. It lives in the hearts of everyone.
(I love Phantasm)
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:43 AM on September 21, 2016 [8 favorites]
(I love Phantasm)
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:43 AM on September 21, 2016 [8 favorites]
Charming and grandfatherly. I talked with him about Singing in the Rain!
It was only a dream.
posted by Etrigan at 10:46 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
It was only a dream.
posted by Etrigan at 10:46 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
(I love Phantasm)
It is the greatest!
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:50 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
It is the greatest!
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:50 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Ummmm yessss. Really hoping I get into the showing at Fantastic Fest this weekend.
posted by naju at 11:10 AM on September 21, 2016
posted by naju at 11:10 AM on September 21, 2016
The Bizarre Mythology & Family Drama of Phantasm
(It's Phantasm Week at Daily Grindhouse, so plenty of other stuff there to dig into)
posted by naju at 11:14 AM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
(It's Phantasm Week at Daily Grindhouse, so plenty of other stuff there to dig into)
posted by naju at 11:14 AM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
God damn, this makes me happy - thanks for the heads up, hippybear.
posted by ryanshepard at 11:41 AM on September 21, 2016
posted by ryanshepard at 11:41 AM on September 21, 2016
I've never seen Phantasm, but Coscarelli's Bubba Hotep is some kind of masterpiece.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 11:53 AM on September 21, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 11:53 AM on September 21, 2016 [7 favorites]
The best part of Phantasm was how freaking scary the tv commercial was when I was a little kid. And the one for Legend of Boggy Creek. "Mom! It's on again! Turn off the TV!"
posted by valkane at 11:58 AM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by valkane at 11:58 AM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
One of the things you learn from the supplements on existing Phantasm discs is that they spent a lot of the budget on high quality 35mm film stock. Remastering in 4K might yield a better image than you'd expect from a shoestring horror movies from the 1970s.
posted by Flexagon at 12:03 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Flexagon at 12:03 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I worked with Angus Scrimm, The Tall Man, whose real name was Lawrence Guy, on a number of projects - many films and in several audio plays. The man couldn't have been more of an old school gentleman. He would remember every person's name he worked with, remember every line from his projects (and recite them to the delight of convention goers), and was always up for interesting new projects and collaborations. In another life, before Phantasm, he won a grammy for writing liner notes (I think he even wrote some for The Beatles).
Relevant self-link (though not my youtube account): I made a super weird, 3 minute experimental film for Halloween 3 years ago in which candies and pumpkins flicker by as Angus, and a young child, recite the name of each one. I offered to pay him, but he did it for free, to welcome me to Los Angeles. I saw him once after that, a few months before he passed away, at a screening of I SELL THE DEAD (a film I worked on that he had a role in) at the Arclight. It was an off night, not a lot of folks out, but he sat up in front of the huge, mostly empty auditorium and regaled everyone with memories of his violin teacher from 75 years before (including his name!). The man was super sharp, right up until the end.
I can't wait to see him in his final Phantasm performance. No matter how charmed everyone is by Angus the gentleman - it's still remarkably terrifying to see him on screen as The Tall Man.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 12:17 PM on September 21, 2016 [19 favorites]
Relevant self-link (though not my youtube account): I made a super weird, 3 minute experimental film for Halloween 3 years ago in which candies and pumpkins flicker by as Angus, and a young child, recite the name of each one. I offered to pay him, but he did it for free, to welcome me to Los Angeles. I saw him once after that, a few months before he passed away, at a screening of I SELL THE DEAD (a film I worked on that he had a role in) at the Arclight. It was an off night, not a lot of folks out, but he sat up in front of the huge, mostly empty auditorium and regaled everyone with memories of his violin teacher from 75 years before (including his name!). The man was super sharp, right up until the end.
I can't wait to see him in his final Phantasm performance. No matter how charmed everyone is by Angus the gentleman - it's still remarkably terrifying to see him on screen as The Tall Man.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 12:17 PM on September 21, 2016 [19 favorites]
Was this really the poster for the original Phantasm?
posted by pxe2000 at 12:17 PM on September 21, 2016
posted by pxe2000 at 12:17 PM on September 21, 2016
pxe2000: that link doesn't work for me, not sure if it's me or them.
posted by RolandOfEld at 1:27 PM on September 21, 2016
posted by RolandOfEld at 1:27 PM on September 21, 2016
I worked on home video releases of Phantasm and Phantasm III (Phantasm II was owned by Universal and wasn't available to our client at the time). Very weird films. I've commented before on how they don't make a lick of sense.
And the trailer for the new one definitely suffers from CGI-tis. There was a fantastic sequence in Phantasm: OblIVion featuring a deserted Wilshire Boulevard. They did it live at sunrise on Thanksgiving morning with no permits, and had ten minutes to get the practical shot. Based on the trailer, I'm pretty sure there is none of that in Phantasm: Ravager.
For me, the best line of the series is "You think when you die you go to Heaven? You come to us."
posted by infinitewindow at 1:28 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
And the trailer for the new one definitely suffers from CGI-tis. There was a fantastic sequence in Phantasm: OblIVion featuring a deserted Wilshire Boulevard. They did it live at sunrise on Thanksgiving morning with no permits, and had ten minutes to get the practical shot. Based on the trailer, I'm pretty sure there is none of that in Phantasm: Ravager.
For me, the best line of the series is "You think when you die you go to Heaven? You come to us."
posted by infinitewindow at 1:28 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm reminded that just after the Phantasm promos, the original Alien promos came out. These, only shortly proceeded by the Magic promos.
It was a rough time to be 13.
posted by humboldt32 at 2:06 PM on September 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
It was a rough time to be 13.
posted by humboldt32 at 2:06 PM on September 21, 2016 [4 favorites]
phantasm is so good. i don't know if a remaster is good though, lets you see how cheap the sets are! but what a great movie. great soundtrack.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYY
posted by beefetish at 4:02 PM on September 21, 2016
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYY
posted by beefetish at 4:02 PM on September 21, 2016
And thus began my lifelong quest to own and restore a (black) 1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 4:28 PM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by BitterOldPunk at 4:28 PM on September 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
I like just saying Hemi.
posted by clavdivs at 4:34 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by clavdivs at 4:34 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I haven't seen any of the movies beyond the first, are they worth checking out?
Check out the second one out, but keep in mind the first one had a non-sensical plot and they only get worse as the sequels go on.
posted by P.o.B. at 4:40 PM on September 21, 2016
Check out the second one out, but keep in mind the first one had a non-sensical plot and they only get worse as the sequels go on.
posted by P.o.B. at 4:40 PM on September 21, 2016
to do a 4K remaster of the film
What? Why?
That being said, I will totally watch a remastered phantasm.
Buuutt, it just kinda seems like trying to recreate Ween's "The Pod" with the New York Philharmonic.
Which I would also be into.
Its been a couple years, i made my family watch it on Christmas a while back, they couldn't get into it, so I had to tell them that they were really just using earth as a transdimensional midget farm, which doesn't have a hell of a lot to do with the rest of the movie.
In conclusion, spherical brain seeking bloodsucker balls are a land of contrasts.
posted by lkc at 5:15 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
What? Why?
That being said, I will totally watch a remastered phantasm.
Buuutt, it just kinda seems like trying to recreate Ween's "The Pod" with the New York Philharmonic.
Which I would also be into.
Its been a couple years, i made my family watch it on Christmas a while back, they couldn't get into it, so I had to tell them that they were really just using earth as a transdimensional midget farm, which doesn't have a hell of a lot to do with the rest of the movie.
In conclusion, spherical brain seeking bloodsucker balls are a land of contrasts.
posted by lkc at 5:15 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I haven't seen Phantasm, but I have read the Dark Tower book where the balls from Phantasm are labeled 'Golden Snitch: Harry Potter Model' and used to kill people.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 5:26 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 5:26 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I have read the Dark Tower book where the balls from Phantasm
Huh, I didn't get a Phantasm vibe at all. I really just got sneetchy-AI grenade from that part, but what do I know.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:35 PM on September 21, 2016
Huh, I didn't get a Phantasm vibe at all. I really just got sneetchy-AI grenade from that part, but what do I know.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:35 PM on September 21, 2016
No one remembers Phantasm, because Alien, Halloween, The Shining, Friday the 13th, and Elm Street were all released around the same time. Awful easy to get lost in the shuffle among so many classics. Also American Werewolf in London, and probably others I have forgotten.
God, what a time to be a horror fan.
posted by Beholder at 7:12 PM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
God, what a time to be a horror fan.
posted by Beholder at 7:12 PM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
Thanks indirectly to this post, I have found out that Phantasm and Hellraiser are two separate franchises. I honestly thought that Pinhead and the Cenobites were in the Phantasm universe. This is of course my own fault; that flying bladed ball kept me up at night, just after one glimpse on TV, and I could never bear to watch the movie.
posted by Countess Elena at 7:45 PM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 7:45 PM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
Hellaraiser was a puzzle box that summoned demons to torture you for no reason.
Phatasm was a sphere that chased you and drained your blood because you were a no good bunch of meddling kids.
Hope that helps.
posted by lkc at 4:56 PM on September 22, 2016 [3 favorites]
Phatasm was a sphere that chased you and drained your blood because you were a no good bunch of meddling kids.
Hope that helps.
posted by lkc at 4:56 PM on September 22, 2016 [3 favorites]
Hellaraiser was a puzzle box that summoned demons to torture you for no reason.
The original Hellraiser (not the sequels) was a fascinating exploration of BDSM urges taken to a supernatural extreme, where maybe, just maybe, if you could actually ride along the edge of finding pleasure in pain far enough and long enough and exquisitely enough, you would transcend the mortal plane. The Cenobites had done this, and Frank was trying to do this, only he "wasn't doing it right" and ended up trapped in a non-existence before being brought back by his daughter, which summoned the Cenobites to ultimately claim Frank who they feel should be their plaything.
It's a fascinating movie. i haven't watched it in a long time, so can't get into real details with the allegory, but it's probably worth rewatching at some point.
posted by hippybear at 12:24 AM on September 23, 2016 [2 favorites]
The original Hellraiser (not the sequels) was a fascinating exploration of BDSM urges taken to a supernatural extreme, where maybe, just maybe, if you could actually ride along the edge of finding pleasure in pain far enough and long enough and exquisitely enough, you would transcend the mortal plane. The Cenobites had done this, and Frank was trying to do this, only he "wasn't doing it right" and ended up trapped in a non-existence before being brought back by his daughter, which summoned the Cenobites to ultimately claim Frank who they feel should be their plaything.
It's a fascinating movie. i haven't watched it in a long time, so can't get into real details with the allegory, but it's probably worth rewatching at some point.
posted by hippybear at 12:24 AM on September 23, 2016 [2 favorites]
I saw the remastered print this weekend...I wish I could comment on the picture, but the theater was so hot and humid that my glasses were fogging up the whole time. The sound was fantastic though...You've never heard the score sound this good.
posted by doctornecessiter at 9:31 AM on September 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by doctornecessiter at 9:31 AM on September 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
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I think I read that the actor behind The Tall Man recently passed away, at some ripe old age obviously, and it stinks that he won't be around to see how this latest one goes... It is pretty amazing that he was able to be in all of them, including the new one, he's pretty impressive in a myriad of ways, that being only one of them.
I can't imagine how the new movie is going to go but I'm pumped about seeing it, thanks for the post!
posted by RolandOfEld at 9:51 AM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]