Reviewed By: Chris Wright, Morehorror.com
Directed By: Don Coscarelli
Written By: Don Coscarelli
Starring: A. Michael Baldwin (Mike), Bill Thornbury (Jody), Reggie Bannister (Reggie), Angus Scrimm (The Tall Man), Kathy Lester (Lady in Lavender), Terrie Kalbus (Fortuneteller’s Granddaughter), Kenneth V. Jones (Caretaker), Susan Harper (Girlfriend), Lynn Eastman-Rossi (Sally), David Arntzen (Toby), Ralph Richmond (Bartender), Bill Cone (Tommy), Laura Mann (Double Lavender), Mary Ellen Shaw (Fortuneteller), Myrtle Scotton (Maid)
Boy!!! A quick way to send children behind the sofa is put this often overlooked Phantasm from Don Coscarelli on your television set. I’d be scared to go to a funeral home if I was up at a young age watching this at night! This movie is must see for fans who like low budget movies. “Halloween” may have gotten the most glory but I think “Phantasm” is a worthy top 5 of the 1970s in terms of low budget.
The story revolves around the young teen Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) who has lost his parents and is living with his brother Jody (Bill Thornbury). He is scared to lose Jody and is terrified when he sees a mysterious Tall Man who seems to have super human strength to lift coffins in to hearses. The plot thickens when Mike, Jody and Reggie (Reggie Bannister) discover flying spheres and deceased bodies being shrunk in to dwarfs being used as slaves. This movie’s plot is bizarre but well done. What can be more interesting than a teenage boy with problems, a guitarist and an ice cream man trying to save the world from evil?
I was pleased at how well done the characters are. The teen Mike is a convincing boy with problems and his older brother Jody is the typical “who cares about the boy, he is just a boy” mentality. Who can forget the Tall Man? Angus Scrimm has a terrifying demeanor and the look on his face is enough to keep even adults awake at night. A lot of low budget horror films just have characters that are just there to die. I sincerely wanted them all to live.
What makes this film work well is the surreal nightmarish nature of it all. I almost felt like I was watching one long dream sequence. Of course it helped that the musical score fit the dream like nature of the movie. I felt like Mike’s imagination was on overload at times as soon as he saw the Tall Man and how everything went to the fritz fast after that. If anything, people should watch for the imagery and freakish nature of the film alone. I don’t know how they pulled it off with the budget but this movie did it all.
This is one of my favorite movies and favorite franchises. There are four movies in this series and soon to be five. The four that are out I have loved but this one is the best. Of course, aren’t originals nearly always the best? I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars and it has a comfortable 6.9/10 on IMDB.