Review #934: Phantasm (1979)

Title: Phantasm
Year: 1979
Director: Don Coscarelli
Country: US
Language: English

When I was younger I had a DVD that highlighted a variety of horror icons, possibly in an attempt to get the viewer to buy each film. It would show 5 minute clips, usually of the most graphic scenes in each picture. One film that stood out, mainly because I had already seen Child's Play, Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween, was Phantasm. Its villain looked particularly menacing and I knew it would be a must-see. 

A teenage boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave robber known only as the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), who keeps a lethal arsenal of terrible weapons with him. 

Filmed on an incredibly low budget, Phantasm's production was stretched out over a period of two years. Writer/Director Don Coscarelli shot on weekends and would change the script slowly overtime to create a more fractured narrative which accounts for the film's dream-like quality. The film is a product of the 70's drug culture. So many scenes will have you asking "What the hell did I just watch!?" 

Much of Phantasm's mystique lies in an atmosphere of madness, very reminiscent of earlier Italian horror. As a viewer we have many questions, some of the plot doesn't make too much sense, but the ambiguity of the subject matter is also what draws an audience to this film. Phantasm delves deep into the macabre, while also giving us heroic child characters that we can relate to. Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) is a rather resourceful kid and played wonderfully by the actor. 

Phantasm has a great boxset with Arrow Video. I would urge fans of the film to pick that up as it is loaded with a tremendous amount of supplemental material. Despite its confusing nature. I must admit to having enjoyed the film and watching it on several occasions. It will endear for decades to come.