it's too late your nerd cred is irreparably damaged and the comments section is lost. It was a nice run but I imagine the next video will be a ukulele apology before vanishing into obscurity. I will miss you mrsundaymovies, i hope Ben from canada lands on his feet
I think this might be the most Mr. Sunday Movies video ever made. It has weird culturally specific Australian anecdotes, a Ben from Canada interjection, a movie very few people have seen, a TV show from the sci Fi network with a failed pilot, and a defenders of the earth cutaway. It's truly everything I want from the weekly planet gang
I love how they’ve given the editors so much creative control that Ben can just interject in this video to give his take on this movie. I love you Ben ❤
Met Billy Zane at a con earlier this year and had to talk to him about The Phantom, specifically working with Patrick McGoohan in one of his last films. He was incredibly kind and I happily got an autographed Phantom headshot!
Billy Zane was kind enough to kill my wife in a tragic car accident in Nevada. It was 1999 and I was stone cold sober, I remember because I strongly desired a stout drink. Billy Zane was driving his classic Chevrolet Corvette, you know the one, when you swerved into my lane, seemingly without any reason, and slammed into my car. Now, my pregnant wife of four years was in the passenger seat without a belt on because it was uncomfortable on 5 and half month pregnant belly and this caused her to go flying into Billy Zane’s handsome and muscular arms. He caught her, but not without a price: her life. Using her soul he was able to repair his car. I was baffled by this and altogether shocked. He whispered to me before driving off “I call that ability ‘Blue Harvest’.” I could hardly believe it because I knew Blue Harvest was also the working title used for George Lucas’s 1977 film Star Wars. I have forgiven Billy Zane though because he’s too handsome for me not to.
The Phantom is also hugely popular in Papua New Guineau, where he's a cultural icon promoting everything from safe sex to literacy after his introduction to the country in the early 1940s, to the point he adorned warriors' shields in the 1970s-1980s Civil War.
We need more Caravan of Garbage episodes that include very specific explanations of Australian cultural stuff - like show bags. I hadn't thought of show bags in years, and hearing Mason talk about them in this was absolutely glorious.
In Brisbane we have the Royal Queensland Show, which we call the Ekka, and the showbags were my favourite part. Twelve-year-old me got the Nightmare On Elm Street showbag... and I still have the plastic glove that was in it!
Ben's interjection comments is exactly why I enjoy this movie despite the criticisms. Billy Zane's performance is really good, he's eloquent, and has a presence. I like that it's a period film and you feel it straight away as well as the adventurous nature of it.
The supporting cast is very good too. Treat Williams makes an excellent villain, and I also appreciate the fact they got James Remar for this. Remar is one of the great B-movie actors, and really underrated.
As a Swede I have to tell you Australians that we Swedes have also claimed Fantomen (The Phantom) as our own. We have surströmming canisters ready to be deployed in Melbourne, Sidney and Adelaide. You have been warned.
The Phantom comic was huge in Sweden. There was sweets, sodas and milk branded with the phantom. And the comics also collected stories from Mandrake, Tom Strong, Linda and Valentine and Jerome K Blanche.
Came here to say this. Also laughted a little when they said autralians likes him because of stockholms syndrome. also: stockholm syndrome is not a thing, the hostages in stockholm took the bankrobbers side because the police was shooting at both of them.
To Ben the Editor: your role for these videos is priceless. Your brilliant video clip references and choices and timing make the comedy of these videos a complete package. You are more than an editor. In my mind you are a producer, and I credit you as such. Thank you!
This channel wouldn't be what it is without the editors. It would still be great, but that bit that elevates it beyond greatness would be missing. Truly masters of their craft. Would be cool to hear more from Ben and Lawrence directly in the future.
The editing of this channel is a big reason why I stick around. The references and gestures Ben puts in, plus IN context, often WITH the actors of the movie? absolute masterclass.
Yep, facts. Generally, I'm not super into podcasts; it's the editors making these into visual media that brought me in & keep me here every week. Good job, editors! (And, OK, also James & Maso 😆)
Bruce Campbell wrote about his experience trying to get this role in his autobiography. He said that was when he realized he was never going to me a major movie star. He was told through the whole casting process that he was a shoe-in and that they were screentesting Billy Zane as a formality. Then he didn't get the part.
Yeah one of few who actually looked pretty much exactly like the comic. I mean they did a 1930s serial film with 90s production value. Its not the real 1930s but its not suppose to be
We have these, too. We call them fairs - county or state-level agricultural festivals that have evolved to have shows and rides and small games and food to a captive audience, who flock to it for the few weeks they're going on, to be sold crap for too much money. They're super fun.
Phantom, The Shadow, Flash Gordon, and Rocketeer are all part of what I call Wholesome Heroes Movies.They all just feel good to watch and each hero feels morally upright.
Superman doesn't count? He's the ultimate in wholesome. And I'd include Batman, too, except for the fact that he killed a few people in the very beginning. But if you're a superhero, don't you have to be, say, the Punisher in order to be "unwholesome?"
I'm 52, I never got how Doc Savage was never remade, newer 1980s 1990s film or TV script. Savage could of had Arnold Schwarzenegger or Dolph Lundgren. In the 2000s maybe The Rock: Dwayne Johnson.
@@LuisSierra42 I concur, these are very classic characters that have shown their appeal through multiple reincarnations. Cyberpunk Phantom 2049, 80s glam Flash Gordon, Mandrake the Magician's turn in musical theater...
My brother and I watched this movie pretty much every week growing up and we loved it. In my late 20s I started watching Dexter with my now wife and I kept telling her how Dexter’s adoptive dad was from The Phantom and all she could say is what the hell is that?? Great review guys!
I’ve always liked the fact that, while the Phantom was among the earliest superheroes in comics (predating Superman), he was typically depicted as having no genuine superpowers, and mostly relying on his intelligence and physical skills (which he originally honed in Burma, Kandahar, Vestibular, and Bengal). However, early on in its inception, Lee Falk had initially planned for him to have the ability to telepathically control animals, and apparently this was going to be brought into the movie with an early draft involving him manipulating elephants, tigers and even a pod of blue whales during the climax, but this idea was ultimately axed due to budget concerns. It was actually because of this that the director ultimately decided to combine “Kandahar” “Vestibular” and “Blue Whale” to derive the movie’s working title of “Blue Harvest” which was coincidentally _also_ the working title for the 1977 film Star Wars.
Ben got it 100% correct and the broadness and cheesiness of it is why I love it. It captures that old Hollywood feel and just takes pleasure in being a big ridiculous adventure without trying to make the character anything more than he is. It's refreshing to see a superhero movie that recognises that it doesn't need to try and validate adult fans who feel embarrassment for enjoying childish things by making it dark and gritty or deeply psychological. It's a man in a purple lycra suit with a horse called Hero and a wolf called Devil, who fights crime and lives in a cave shaped like a giant skull - just go with it.
I used to watch the animated Phantom series as a kid on Saturday mornings, and I even remember the TV spots announcing the film coming out, sometimes in between the actual Phantom episodes, but oddly enough it wasn't until my first celebrity crush with Catherine Zeta-Jones at age 13 with The Mask of Zorro back in '98 a few years after The Phantom's release that I was catching up with her previous movies and finally got to see it on VHS. I enjoyed it far more as a kid than I do now as an adult, but I still do enjoy some aspects - Billy Zane, Zeta-Jones (of course), Patrick McGoohan, the 30's pulp feel, practical FX and stunts, the fact he has a wolf named Devil for an pet dog and animal sidekick, and the Danny Newman score (got the soundtrack at home), excerpts from it actually used for the teaser trailer for Mask of Zorro. And I actually met Billy Zane himself at Fan-Boy Expo in Knoxville, TN in 2019 - he's a pretty cool character himself, very fun to meet!!! Although some people liked him best as the Phantom, I actually told him that I enjoyed his character in Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight the best, and he told me that he actually really had a lot of fun playing that role!!! There are those who love actors when they play heroes, but boy those same actors really have a fun time when they let loose playing villains!😊
You must have missed 24 years ago when nobody could figure out when the new century actually starts. The years 1900 through 1909 are just how long it took to settle it without the benefit of modern calculators.
As have been pointed out by the walrus below, Fantomen (The Phantom) is ingrained in Swedish comic/pop culture, and his suit is blue with red/black striped trunks, which my ultra-biased mind will claim to be superior to the purple suit. All three of you made me really wanna watch this movie, it looks like a really fun time!
7:26 For some reason, I just love the intentionality that goes into using a Mario coin image with a Sonic ring tone. It's the kind of brief, subversive visual gag that barely takes a quarter of a second, but for me adds so much to the presentation. Ben and/or Laurence, thanks.
Billy Zane is great in this movie, the charisma, charm, action start quality, plus not a lot of people can pull off full body purple. I wish they had made more of these, it has a fun Indiana Jones feel.
Yep, it's just a fun movie. Sometimes a movie can just be fun without needing anything else. I've always loved these sorts of movies that involve jungles and temples and lore. It's always been a bit of a mystery to me why they haven't done anything else with it.
Ben is right! Its a wonderful amazing movie reminiscent of the 30's done in such a fun way. That vagueness was what made it so good Mr. Sunday, you can over analyze as much as you want, but some things in life are unexplainable and that's ok :D To quote dune, "The mystery of life isnt a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.
Except for BATMAN RETURNS and DICK TRACY, this is the only movie I can remember seeing and feeling as if I was watching a comic book come to life. It's difficult to perfectly balance the realistic and fantastic components of a live-action pulp fiction adventure, but these films managed to do it.
Imagine being very excited about something called The Phantom and then finding out he doesn't even sing or live in a theater basement. Phantom 2040 was lit though.
James, Mason, thank you for reviewing these movies. There is a disconnect to these movies even when they came out where it's like, 'who actually wants this?" But my Dad was the one who wanted these. The man grew up reading pulp novels and comics and had a real soft spot for these dated comic movies. We weren't close and I didn't know much about him, but after his death, this makes me feel closer to him. Thank you.
I remember watching this as a kid and liking it but after hearing James and Maso talk about it I figured it wouldn't be worth going back and watching. Then Ben popped in and made me very interested in giving this movie another viewing. Thanks Ben!
I remember watching this as a kid and LOVING it. But, I remember watching a Billy Zane interview where he hyped an action scene were The Phantom runs over the roofs of some cars. I was like "That's it?" 🤣
I am not ashamed to admit that I saw this movie 8 or 9 times in the theater, I bought the posters (original one-sheets and all others), and I have it on DVD because it is just that awesome. I also love the other movies you mentioned in this catagorie and I would add Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze as another film that just went off the rails but I loved it anyway.
I saw this in theaters and it was one of my last VHS purchases before the DVD era. My life is enriched by you two. The Australian culture and history knowledge drop was straight up delicious. Finger licking good.
Out of this current run of caravan of garbage, this is the film I’m most familiar with. That was like a walk down memory lane 😂😂😂 incredible work. The Phantom is a 10/10 masterpiece.
In America, when this movie released, 711 had a huge promo for the movie. Buy 1 slurpee, any size, get a legit, made of metal skull ring for FREE. My friends and I all rode our little 10 speed bikes to the nearest 711, bought a slurpee, put on our rings, saw the movie, threw out our rings and... you know, I don't recall what happened to the slurpees, but either way, this movie is great.
The phantom holds a rather nostalgic connection to my childhood and his books were easily one of the brighter times of my childhood. Now, I was excited to watch the movie and loved it sans all the magic and mysticism. However, as your video made its way to the end, I was disappointed by the sheer 'fun making' of the movie by you guys and just then Ben appeared as the savior and said the perfect words. Thank you good sir Ben! You single-handedly made my day!
THANK YOU, BEN! Man, it has been exhausting watching this series of reviews of films that are specifically linked by being "pulpy", and yet they're reviewed and critiqued for not having modern sensibilities where the protagonist is suppose to have inner conflict and the plot should stands up to jaded scrutiny. That's your bad faith more than it is a failing of the films, mates. Seriously, how does Raiders or Wizard of Oz hold up if you try to pick apart the characters' motivations or the integrity of the narrative? They don't. They're not self-conscious of the meta. That's their charm. BEN GETS IT.
Love this series of "you know it when you see it" films. The Phantom has such a weird amount of cut through in Australia. I feel like it was on free to air TV all the time in the early 2000s. Would you guys do one of these on The Mask of Zorro? It sort of fits the mould of "modern adaptation of a pulp hero" except it was successful commercially and critically, although never spawned any sequels. The children yearn for Zorro
There was a sequel to the 1998 Antonio Banderas one, which I assume is the one being referenced. It came out in 2005. There’s been like 50 Zorro movies, so there were sequels to loads of them, lol.
I love Zorro! Such a fun movie! There is a sequel actually (The Legend of Zorro) but it suffers from the same problem as The Mummy sequel in that the main characters have a precocious kid tagging along 😅
I must leave a comment only to support Ben as a creator. Love his music, his channel, can tell he puts all of himself into his work, recently binged his vids again and his little interjection feels just like his video essays it was a lovely surprise ben the editor you are a talented man I love you! James give us a “ben the editors thoughts” doesn’t even have to be every movie but you mention his opinion a lot and we love to hear it read these comments brotha
Phantrivia! The Phantom often appears on the ceremonial shields of tribal people in Papua New Guinea, because GIs stationed there during WW2 shared their Phantom comics with the locals, and they adopted the symbolism of the character into their culture.
After weeks of listening to the "Defenders of the Earth" sting in the Weekly Planet intro, I am shocked to hear more of the theme song. I also had no idea it was a comic book crossover series. My horizons have expanded far beyond my mortal reckoning and I am scared!
Everyone should watch these movies before judging. Everyone in the 90s knew these movies weren’t the greatest, but they still bought the VHS because we loved them anyways. For the 90s they were good pulp comic movies
I hope you know that the algorithm is fighting you guys so hard. I've recently started watching you guys and I can't auto load two videos in a row. It's been years since I've switched to unauto-load next video. You guys are just that entertaining. Keep being yourselves.
Much like The Shadow and The Rocketeer, despite their short comings, all these flicks including The Phantom were the best things I experienced as a kid. They made me fall in love with the Pulp Hero and explore more of them thereafter. I wish these properties were able to reach a trilogy status.
its also the fact they all have the similiar tone, lighting, and PRACTICAL EFFECTS! I'm 35 so hell yeah we had the best of those kinds of flicks growing up till....the 00's ruined it lol
I started vibrating with glee when I realized that they were building to a Defenders of the Earth reference. That was a very smooth one that I appreciate very much.
I really think at the end of the day, I really just want you to watch sky high because I think you’d enjoy it. THATS RIGHT IM BACK BABY! SKY HIGH FOR CARAVAN OF GARBAGE!!!
Fucking great call. If we're doing a trio maybe we can do superhero films that aren't marvel/dc/image etc related. Mystery Men and Chronicle also come to mind
That Ben segment was absolutely phenomenal…like so we’ll explained and thought out. Also, I loved coming to the comments and seeing that EVERYONE agreed.
Ben is right, you guys missed the point on this gem of a movie… but that being said his insubordination is unacceptable and he should be sent to the brig for breaking the chain of command. Hearing a non-Australian accent on this program was quite Frankly disturbing.
You guys should (by which I mean "could") check out the Nordic-specific Phantom comic book stories. The art is often great, and the stories are PHENOMENAL. The story "The Siege of Malta" is one I recommend for example, the artist Kari Leppanen has a great inking style for black and white that really pushes the negative space. Looks gorgeous.
I took my dad to see this movie when it came out. I remember liking it. (Actually I’ve seen all of these movies when they came out except Green Hornet and I remember liking them all. Me and my friends had all the Dick Tracey toys). Anyway, I always wanted to rewatch them, but Ben, yeah you Ben, really REALLY motivated to see it again. Your take is amazing and this is the kind of homage I like in movies.
Dear editor, Part 2. Saying the terrible story is by design is such a silly statement. "No guys you don't understand it doesn't make sense on purpose, it's not like it could be written in an interesting way that shows they're self aware that it's bad. No that would be impossible"!
I don't know if it's just the nostalgia of seeing this film as a child, probably one of the million times it seemed to run on Channel 10 after the footy, but I gotta agree with Ben. This film is great. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a globetrotting adventure film or perhaps seeing Catherine Zeta Jones in tight black leather awakened something in me as a young boy.
Not that he necessarily needs his own 5 minute long segment every video but it would be great to hear what Ben and/or laurence thought of each movie at the end of each video!
I was so excited when this movie came out - my pops used to draw the comic in the late 80s so I pretty much grew up w/ the phantom being the superhero I was most exposed to… thanks for this video, it made me nostalgic!
This is one of my favorite Mr.Sundays video I have seen in a while. Everything clicked and it was so funny but also passionate. I loved it, I don't always watch every caravan of garbage but I am sure glad I watched this one.
I saw this in theaters when I was 7.. I remember thinking I liked it but don't remember a single specific scene.. what I do remember is the theater gave out these awesome iron Phantom skull rings that I wore all the time till I lost it.. most satisfaction I ever got from a promotional handout at the movies!
In the comic the color of the suit was originally labelled as Royal Blue instead of purple as a joke between the coloring artists which led to the working title of this film being Blue Harvest.
The way I SCREAMED “YAAAASSSS” for Ben’s interjection. He’s 100% correct and I always got this as a kid and started verbalizing this during a rewatch in 2020 (the rewatch was because someone called it “trash” actually and I wanted to sharpen my points lol). Underrated film.
Ben's interjection commentary was fantastic. He should chime in more often. And he's right about "The Phantom". AND he's the absolute BOSS of video editing, a true champion of rapid visual gags and whatnots
I like how the Kniferoscope works like Alien Prequel Facehugger Eggs, in that a completely gullible sap has to insert their entire face into the aforementioned contraption for it to be able to work. Chef's kiss.
This is a unique movie, in that it's not very exciting at all, but it's so quaint and inoffensive, and it feels like it's TRYING. You just can't get mad at it, you want to root for it to cross the finish line. And it DOES, but in like fifth place.
It's so nice to hear other people talk about the weird way The Phantom is actually an Australian icon bc I definitely couldn't have explained it to an outsider fr
Shang Tsung & 60
Pin this
it's too late your nerd cred is irreparably damaged and the comments section is lost. It was a nice run but I imagine the next video will be a ukulele apology before vanishing into obscurity. I will miss you mrsundaymovies, i hope Ben from canada lands on his feet
Nup you're fucked, we all heard it
Confusing Shang Tsung for Shao Kahn? You will taste no victory!
This was a helpful video Mr Clement
I think this might be the most Mr. Sunday Movies video ever made. It has weird culturally specific Australian anecdotes, a Ben from Canada interjection, a movie very few people have seen, a TV show from the sci Fi network with a failed pilot, and a defenders of the earth cutaway. It's truly everything I want from the weekly planet gang
Couldve used a cranky knife
@@xxxtkvxxx yeah where was recurring character Cranky knife in this ??
And he made fun of Mr. PRONOUNS. God watching that jackass get roasted is never gonna get old.
confusing Shao Khan and Shang Tsung bothered me. 11:13
@@mrdgenerate really? He misspoke. Pretty common thing most people do.
Ben the editor killed it with his explanation. Great work!
the sarcams was off the charts!
@@steverogers7601he was being very genuine
Ben the editor should become the show host and leave the show hosts to edit sometimes.
I agree he nailed it !!!
That was a beautiful interjection.
James called ‘Shang Tsung’ ‘Shao Khan’, everybody get him! Also Ben’s input is always phenomenal
I think what he meant to say was 'Motaro.' Heh!
GET HIM! 😡😤
Boo this man
FR, TWP editors are ALWAYS on point.
That really ruffled my feathers
I love how they’ve given the editors so much creative control that Ben can just interject in this video to give his take on this movie. I love you Ben ❤
James podcasting shirtless becomes way more funny when you consider the fact that the only person who would see would be Mason
I just assumed they were both naked. Why wear clothes when you don't have to? I'm not.
Love that you added a lil heal versus baby face in the vid . Sometimes he can be a bit much, but can only appreciate the inclusion.
Met Billy Zane at a con earlier this year and had to talk to him about The Phantom, specifically working with Patrick McGoohan in one of his last films. He was incredibly kind and I happily got an autographed Phantom headshot!
Should have asked him about "I woke up early the day I died" 😂
Billy Zane was kind enough to kill my wife in a tragic car accident in Nevada. It was 1999 and I was stone cold sober, I remember because I strongly desired a stout drink. Billy Zane was driving his classic Chevrolet Corvette, you know the one, when you swerved into my lane, seemingly without any reason, and slammed into my car. Now, my pregnant wife of four years was in the passenger seat without a belt on because it was uncomfortable on 5 and half month pregnant belly and this caused her to go flying into Billy Zane’s handsome and muscular arms. He caught her, but not without a price: her life. Using her soul he was able to repair his car. I was baffled by this and altogether shocked. He whispered to me before driving off “I call that ability ‘Blue Harvest’.” I could hardly believe it because I knew Blue Harvest was also the working title used for George Lucas’s 1977 film Star Wars.
I have forgiven Billy Zane though because he’s too handsome for me not to.
@@sanguillotine What the fuck are you smoking..?
I LOVE when Ben gets to interject and throw in his own 2 cents on something. Go editors!
He's completely right though, the Phantom is awesome.
Ben interjecting as Voice of God is always a fun tangent
A bengend…. A leBend? Ledgben? Yea legend ben
Its such a great tonal shift from fun, ridiculous but informative goofs to like a serious film-critique video essay.
@@stephenocalla3708I like it when they don't ben and you just get a shot of him squinting at the camera.
The Phantom is also hugely popular in Papua New Guineau, where he's a cultural icon promoting everything from safe sex to literacy after his introduction to the country in the early 1940s, to the point he adorned warriors' shields in the 1970s-1980s Civil War.
We need more Caravan of Garbage episodes that include very specific explanations of Australian cultural stuff - like show bags. I hadn't thought of show bags in years, and hearing Mason talk about them in this was absolutely glorious.
we need a sequel to the famous Souvlaki Hut commercial rant episode
In Brisbane we have the Royal Queensland Show, which we call the Ekka, and the showbags were my favourite part.
Twelve-year-old me got the Nightmare On Elm Street showbag... and I still have the plastic glove that was in it!
All ripoffs of the (Sydney) royal Easter show. The original and the best.
Ben's interjection comments is exactly why I enjoy this movie despite the criticisms. Billy Zane's performance is really good, he's eloquent, and has a presence. I like that it's a period film and you feel it straight away as well as the adventurous nature of it.
The supporting cast is very good too. Treat Williams makes an excellent villain, and I also appreciate the fact they got James Remar for this. Remar is one of the great B-movie actors, and really underrated.
@@SeasideDetective2 Treat Williams is always a...treat. He is sorely missed. And yes, I enjoy the rest of the cast also.
I really feel like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow should be a part of this pulpy series!
'Sky Captain' and "The Spirit" definitely made me know it when I saw it, and I feel would make wild, classic episodes 😂
All of these movies are better than The Spirit
Tommy guns?
@@Dilemina "Come on. Toilets are ALWAYS funny!" That movie really was terrible.
Agreed
Just that bit of James and Mason improving the villains dialogue over the same second of footage looped, had me in stitches. Nice job Ben
As a Swede I have to tell you Australians that we Swedes have also claimed Fantomen (The Phantom) as our own. We have surströmming canisters ready to be deployed in Melbourne, Sidney and Adelaide. You have been warned.
Yeah but we have Frew comics who have the longest running print run of the Phantom (that includes some reprints of Fantotem)
Can't believe Australia and Sweden are going to war over the Phantom.
@@thebalzan9475 that may be true but did you ever have Fantomenläsk (The Phantom Soda)? Didn’t think so!
@@thebalzan9475 We had him as a mascot for one of our zoos! Also we made him blue which works so much better 😁
Damn straight he's ours! Fantomen Krönika here we go!
The Phantom comic was huge in Sweden. There was sweets, sodas and milk branded with the phantom. And the comics also collected stories from Mandrake, Tom Strong, Linda and Valentine and Jerome K Blanche.
And they're still releasing new comics up to this day here in Sweden. (We also had a Phantom amusement park)
@@jensaversjo316 Shame it's gone... I remember being a young boy and "dared" to talk to the Phantom. Felt like a big boy then.
Came here to say this. Also laughted a little when they said autralians likes him because of stockholms syndrome.
also: stockholm syndrome is not a thing, the hostages in stockholm took the bankrobbers side because the police was shooting at both of them.
I'm Finnish, but the Phantom was such a huge part of my childhood! Unironically just a fantastic comic
It was huge and still is well known in Finland as well. I just recently bought some Phantom beer.
Ben dropping the essay to defend the pulp era hero writing was the best part of this video.
To Ben the Editor: your role for these videos is priceless. Your brilliant video clip references and choices and timing make the comedy of these videos a complete package. You are more than an editor. In my mind you are a producer, and I credit you as such. Thank you!
This channel wouldn't be what it is without the editors. It would still be great, but that bit that elevates it beyond greatness would be missing. Truly masters of their craft.
Would be cool to hear more from Ben and Lawrence directly in the future.
^^
ben was amazing here. per usual. ben 4ever
The editing of this channel is a big reason why I stick around. The references and gestures Ben puts in, plus IN context, often WITH the actors of the movie?
absolute masterclass.
Yep, facts.
Generally, I'm not super into podcasts; it's the editors making these into visual media that brought me in & keep me here every week. Good job, editors!
(And, OK, also James & Maso 😆)
Not even 2 minutes and we're already going deep into Aussielore, it's a certified banger
The more Mr. Sunday I watch, the more I wonder if Australia is actually real.
Bruce Campbell wrote about his experience trying to get this role in his autobiography. He said that was when he realized he was never going to me a major movie star. He was told through the whole casting process that he was a shoe-in and that they were screentesting Billy Zane as a formality. Then he didn't get the part.
That would have been a MUCH better movie.
Especially when Joe Dante was supposed to direct.
@@GamesFromSpace I liked the movie, but Bruce would have nailed it. This wasn't that long after Brisco County Jr.
@@kamdan2011 Joe Dante and Bruce Campbell would have been awesome.
@@simonmandrakejones I think the boys here got it wrong when they said Sam Rami was slated to direct this.
Billy Zane is perfect in this role. It's a shame that Raimi didn't get to direct it. Would probably be up there with darkman and spiderman.
Actor Bruce Campbell of Burn Notice, Evil Dead 🎭 was almost cast as The Phantom. He really wanted the role.
Agreed. If anything, Zane was perfectly cast.
@@DavidLLambertmobile As much as I appreciate Campbell, I wonder if he could have done it without coming across like Ash Williams in purple tights.
The fact that Billy Zane put on the outfit looked at himself in the mirror and thought "yep, we're making this thing." is hilarious to me.
With a body like that, you would.
@@jollygoodfellow3957 lol
@@jollygoodfellow3957 with a body like that, it's an obligation to the world if anything.
@@cl114c0777498dI imagine he looked at his reflection and had a religious experience.
Yeah one of few who actually looked pretty much exactly like the comic. I mean they did a 1930s serial film with 90s production value. Its not the real 1930s but its not suppose to be
I have always unironically loved this movie and I think Ben perfectly articulated why
As a povo Aussie, I grew up on Phantom comics because I was too poor to afford X-Men or Batman. Phantom was MY GUY. I’ll always rep Phantom hard.
For many years they ran the Phantom in the newspaper. I had no idea that in some parts of the world that there were comic books made.
One year I got an X-men comic in my showbag. Felt like I'd won the lottery! :D
i love when Ben jumps in either just a reaction shot or him having a whole take expressed like in this video, good job Ben.
As someone who has grown up in Melbourne I am so glad that they have explained the royal Melbourne show to the largely American audiences.
We have these, too. We call them fairs - county or state-level agricultural festivals that have evolved to have shows and rides and small games and food to a captive audience, who flock to it for the few weeks they're going on, to be sold crap for too much money.
They're super fun.
What do you mean by largely American audiences?
@@jonathanclarke4529😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I mean……..
As a Brit, I enjoy learning obscure facts about Australia from this channel.
@@TheDudeDiary Have you looked into the stats?
Phantom, The Shadow, Flash Gordon, and Rocketeer are all part of what I call Wholesome Heroes Movies.They all just feel good to watch and each hero feels morally upright.
Superman doesn't count? He's the ultimate in wholesome. And I'd include Batman, too, except for the fact that he killed a few people in the very beginning. But if you're a superhero, don't you have to be, say, the Punisher in order to be "unwholesome?"
I'm 52, I never got how Doc Savage was never remade, newer 1980s 1990s film or TV script. Savage could of had Arnold Schwarzenegger or Dolph Lundgren. In the 2000s maybe The Rock: Dwayne Johnson.
The Phantom was definitely the most purple character in Defenders of the Earth most of the time. What an icon.
I think a Defenders of the Earth would work perfectly as a meta parody in the same vein as 21 Jump Street
Now I have that theme song stuck in my head...
@@LuisSierra42 I concur, these are very classic characters that have shown their appeal through multiple reincarnations. Cyberpunk Phantom 2049, 80s glam Flash Gordon, Mandrake the Magician's turn in musical theater...
My brother and I watched this movie pretty much every week growing up and we loved it. In my late 20s I started watching Dexter with my now wife and I kept telling her how Dexter’s adoptive dad was from The Phantom and all she could say is what the hell is that?? Great review guys!
I just imagine Billy Zane seeing Ben's interjection and thinking "See? This guy gets it!'
I’ve always liked the fact that, while the Phantom was among the earliest superheroes in comics (predating Superman), he was typically depicted as having no genuine superpowers, and mostly relying on his intelligence and physical skills (which he originally honed in Burma, Kandahar, Vestibular, and Bengal).
However, early on in its inception, Lee Falk had initially planned for him to have the ability to telepathically control animals, and apparently this was going to be brought into the movie with an early draft involving him manipulating elephants, tigers and even a pod of blue whales during the climax, but this idea was ultimately axed due to budget concerns.
It was actually because of this that the director ultimately decided to combine “Kandahar” “Vestibular” and “Blue Whale” to derive the movie’s working title of “Blue Harvest” which was coincidentally _also_ the working title for the 1977 film Star Wars.
Man. The 'Ben From Canada' part was great. It's a well written aside that takes the video to another place. We are lucky for that guy.
Ben got it 100% correct and the broadness and cheesiness of it is why I love it. It captures that old Hollywood feel and just takes pleasure in being a big ridiculous adventure without trying to make the character anything more than he is. It's refreshing to see a superhero movie that recognises that it doesn't need to try and validate adult fans who feel embarrassment for enjoying childish things by making it dark and gritty or deeply psychological. It's a man in a purple lycra suit with a horse called Hero and a wolf called Devil, who fights crime and lives in a cave shaped like a giant skull - just go with it.
Billy Zane opening a door is my new favorit thing. Thanks Ben!
Stellar editing
I used to watch the animated Phantom series as a kid on Saturday mornings, and I even remember the TV spots announcing the film coming out, sometimes in between the actual Phantom episodes, but oddly enough it wasn't until my first celebrity crush with Catherine Zeta-Jones at age 13 with The Mask of Zorro back in '98 a few years after The Phantom's release that I was catching up with her previous movies and finally got to see it on VHS. I enjoyed it far more as a kid than I do now as an adult, but I still do enjoy some aspects - Billy Zane, Zeta-Jones (of course), Patrick McGoohan, the 30's pulp feel, practical FX and stunts, the fact he has a wolf named Devil for an pet dog and animal sidekick, and the Danny Newman score (got the soundtrack at home), excerpts from it actually used for the teaser trailer for Mask of Zorro.
And I actually met Billy Zane himself at Fan-Boy Expo in Knoxville, TN in 2019 - he's a pretty cool character himself, very fun to meet!!! Although some people liked him best as the Phantom, I actually told him that I enjoyed his character in Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight the best, and he told me that he actually really had a lot of fun playing that role!!! There are those who love actors when they play heroes, but boy those same actors really have a fun time when they let loose playing villains!😊
"He was born in 1872 and died in 1932 which makes him 50." Sorry, it makes him how old, James?
Hey man, I gave up math when I gave up teaching
Our gain is appearantly also Australia's children's gain. 😂
You must have missed 24 years ago when nobody could figure out when the new century actually starts. The years 1900 through 1909 are just how long it took to settle it without the benefit of modern calculators.
Math is for nerds only
As have been pointed out by the walrus below, Fantomen (The Phantom) is ingrained in Swedish comic/pop culture, and his suit is blue with red/black striped trunks, which my ultra-biased mind will claim to be superior to the purple suit.
All three of you made me really wanna watch this movie, it looks like a really fun time!
Billy Zane is terrific in everything he's in.
Dude, Ben, that was awesome btw. Hellz yeah!
Great actor
Tombstone
Ben's interruption was incredible. Feel free to do more of those!
Phortuitous caught me entirely off guard.
7:26 For some reason, I just love the intentionality that goes into using a Mario coin image with a Sonic ring tone. It's the kind of brief, subversive visual gag that barely takes a quarter of a second, but for me adds so much to the presentation. Ben and/or Laurence, thanks.
Thought it was all fun and games until Ben comes in and makes me realize this might be the greatest movie of all time.
Billy Zane is great in this movie, the charisma, charm, action start quality, plus not a lot of people can pull off full body purple. I wish they had made more of these, it has a fun Indiana Jones feel.
Yep, it's just a fun movie. Sometimes a movie can just be fun without needing anything else. I've always loved these sorts of movies that involve jungles and temples and lore. It's always been a bit of a mystery to me why they haven't done anything else with it.
Ben is right! Its a wonderful amazing movie reminiscent of the 30's done in such a fun way. That vagueness was what made it so good Mr. Sunday, you can over analyze as much as you want, but some things in life are unexplainable and that's ok :D To quote dune, "The mystery of life isnt a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.
Except for BATMAN RETURNS and DICK TRACY, this is the only movie I can remember seeing and feeling as if I was watching a comic book come to life. It's difficult to perfectly balance the realistic and fantastic components of a live-action pulp fiction adventure, but these films managed to do it.
Ben, the constant reshowing of the Unbelievable scene was hilarious. I was dying. 😂😂
Ha! It was quite the cheap jungle trick!
Imagine being very excited about something called The Phantom and then finding out he doesn't even sing or live in a theater basement. Phantom 2040 was lit though.
James, Mason, thank you for reviewing these movies. There is a disconnect to these movies even when they came out where it's like, 'who actually wants this?" But my Dad was the one who wanted these. The man grew up reading pulp novels and comics and had a real soft spot for these dated comic movies. We weren't close and I didn't know much about him, but after his death, this makes me feel closer to him. Thank you.
I remember watching this as a kid and liking it but after hearing James and Maso talk about it I figured it wouldn't be worth going back and watching. Then Ben popped in and made me very interested in giving this movie another viewing. Thanks Ben!
The obvious throughline for all of these is that they are based on characters that were popular when the execs at the time were kids
I remember watching this as a kid and LOVING it. But, I remember watching a Billy Zane interview where he hyped an action scene were The Phantom runs over the roofs of some cars. I was like "That's it?" 🤣
I am not ashamed to admit that I saw this movie 8 or 9 times in the theater, I bought the posters (original one-sheets and all others), and I have it on DVD because it is just that awesome. I also love the other movies you mentioned in this catagorie and I would add Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze as another film that just went off the rails but I loved it anyway.
Found the phan
I saw this in theaters and it was one of my last VHS purchases before the DVD era. My life is enriched by you two. The Australian culture and history knowledge drop was straight up delicious. Finger licking good.
Out of this current run of caravan of garbage, this is the film I’m most familiar with. That was like a walk down memory lane 😂😂😂 incredible work. The Phantom is a 10/10 masterpiece.
I watched none of these movies
In America, when this movie released, 711 had a huge promo for the movie. Buy 1 slurpee, any size, get a legit, made of metal skull ring for FREE. My friends and I all rode our little 10 speed bikes to the nearest 711, bought a slurpee, put on our rings, saw the movie, threw out our rings and... you know, I don't recall what happened to the slurpees, but either way, this movie is great.
The phantom holds a rather nostalgic connection to my childhood and his books were easily one of the brighter times of my childhood. Now, I was excited to watch the movie and loved it sans all the magic and mysticism.
However, as your video made its way to the end, I was disappointed by the sheer 'fun making' of the movie by you guys and just then Ben appeared as the savior and said the perfect words.
Thank you good sir Ben! You single-handedly made my day!
Billy Zane has the greatest pose ever as he's "sneaking" up stairs in the pirate layer. Makes me laugh so hard every time.
"Layer"? Like a cake?
@@mybumstudios1989Yes. You'd know that if you'd seen the movie, which nobody has.
THANK YOU, BEN! Man, it has been exhausting watching this series of reviews of films that are specifically linked by being "pulpy", and yet they're reviewed and critiqued for not having modern sensibilities where the protagonist is suppose to have inner conflict and the plot should stands up to jaded scrutiny. That's your bad faith more than it is a failing of the films, mates. Seriously, how does Raiders or Wizard of Oz hold up if you try to pick apart the characters' motivations or the integrity of the narrative? They don't. They're not self-conscious of the meta. That's their charm. BEN GETS IT.
Love this series of "you know it when you see it" films. The Phantom has such a weird amount of cut through in Australia. I feel like it was on free to air TV all the time in the early 2000s.
Would you guys do one of these on The Mask of Zorro? It sort of fits the mould of "modern adaptation of a pulp hero" except it was successful commercially and critically, although never spawned any sequels.
The children yearn for Zorro
I was just thinking about how The Phantom was on Australian TV like every Sunday night back in the late 90s early 00s
I thought Zorro had a sequel...damn
There was a sequel to the 1998 Antonio Banderas one, which I assume is the one being referenced. It came out in 2005.
There’s been like 50 Zorro movies, so there were sequels to loads of them, lol.
I love Zorro! Such a fun movie! There is a sequel actually (The Legend of Zorro) but it suffers from the same problem as The Mummy sequel in that the main characters have a precocious kid tagging along 😅
I loved the Zorro cartoon as a kid. Down in Old California...
Guys! Come on, naming this category is so easy!
“Superhero Noir”
That old timey, you know when you see it, vintage vibes comic book genre.
The Phantom has a weird amount of popularity in Scandinavia too apparently.
I always felt this movie is underappreciated
Was big in Ireland too. I loved the futuristic animated show.
Even had a theme park in Sweden!
I must leave a comment only to support Ben as a creator. Love his music, his channel, can tell he puts all of himself into his work, recently binged his vids again and his little interjection feels just like his video essays it was a lovely surprise ben the editor you are a talented man I love you! James give us a “ben the editors thoughts” doesn’t even have to be every movie but you mention his opinion a lot and we love to hear it read these comments brotha
Phantrivia! The Phantom often appears on the ceremonial shields of tribal people in Papua New Guinea, because GIs stationed there during WW2 shared their Phantom comics with the locals, and they adopted the symbolism of the character into their culture.
Good interjection. Never thought of it as the pulpy hero, but it makes sense. Thanks for the illumination.
After weeks of listening to the "Defenders of the Earth" sting in the Weekly Planet intro, I am shocked to hear more of the theme song. I also had no idea it was a comic book crossover series. My horizons have expanded far beyond my mortal reckoning and I am scared!
"Seaplanes: It can nearly out run a horse! Nearly. That's their slogan." omg I laughed so hard at that.
It's always great hearing Ben talk about superheroes, whether old or new. Thanks Ben
Everyone should watch these movies before judging. Everyone in the 90s knew these movies weren’t the greatest, but they still bought the VHS because we loved them anyways. For the 90s they were good pulp comic movies
I am only here to once again DEMAND the RODNEY CUT
I hope you know that the algorithm is fighting you guys so hard. I've recently started watching you guys and I can't auto load two videos in a row. It's been years since I've switched to unauto-load next video. You guys are just that entertaining. Keep being yourselves.
Been coming in with a *BASED* commentary of his own!!
Best editing on the internet. Great work ben and Laurence.
Much like The Shadow and The Rocketeer, despite their short comings, all these flicks including The Phantom were the best things I experienced as a kid. They made me fall in love with the Pulp Hero and explore more of them thereafter. I wish these properties were able to reach a trilogy status.
And just like those other movies, I have mixed feelings about it not getting a reboot.
its also the fact they all have the similiar tone, lighting, and PRACTICAL EFFECTS! I'm 35 so hell yeah we had the best of those kinds of flicks growing up till....the 00's ruined it lol
@@bsgtrekfan88 Lol, agreed. Here’s hoping for a comeback?
@@SmallSpoonBrigade Yeah, that too. But with the right people. A comeback could be possible.
All classics in the era when CGI was just coming out.
I started vibrating with glee when I realized that they were building to a Defenders of the Earth reference. That was a very smooth one that I appreciate very much.
I really think at the end of the day, I really just want you to watch sky high because I think you’d enjoy it. THATS RIGHT IM BACK BABY! SKY HIGH FOR CARAVAN OF GARBAGE!!!
Fucking great call. If we're doing a trio maybe we can do superhero films that aren't marvel/dc/image etc related. Mystery Men and Chronicle also come to mind
That Ben segment was absolutely phenomenal…like so we’ll explained and thought out. Also, I loved coming to the comments and seeing that EVERYONE agreed.
I hope this series never ends 😂
Ben is right, you guys missed the point on this gem of a movie… but that being said his insubordination is unacceptable and he should be sent to the brig for breaking the chain of command. Hearing a non-Australian accent on this program was quite Frankly disturbing.
You guys should (by which I mean "could") check out the Nordic-specific Phantom comic book stories. The art is often great, and the stories are PHENOMENAL. The story "The Siege of Malta" is one I recommend for example, the artist Kari Leppanen has a great inking style for black and white that really pushes the negative space. Looks gorgeous.
James and Mason: lol we love the Phantom??
Ben: actually it’s really good in its own way
I took my dad to see this movie when it came out. I remember liking it. (Actually I’ve seen all of these movies when they came out except Green Hornet and I remember liking them all. Me and my friends had all the Dick Tracey toys). Anyway, I always wanted to rewatch them, but Ben, yeah you Ben, really REALLY motivated to see it again. Your take is amazing and this is the kind of homage I like in movies.
Dear editor,
Part 2. Saying the terrible story is by design is such a silly statement. "No guys you don't understand it doesn't make sense on purpose, it's not like it could be written in an interesting way that shows they're self aware that it's bad. No that would be impossible"!
I don't know if it's just the nostalgia of seeing this film as a child, probably one of the million times it seemed to run on Channel 10 after the footy, but I gotta agree with Ben. This film is great. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a globetrotting adventure film or perhaps seeing Catherine Zeta Jones in tight black leather awakened something in me as a young boy.
I too have the same memory of staying up late as a kid to watch this on TV haha
Not that he necessarily needs his own 5 minute long segment every video but it would be great to hear what Ben and/or laurence thought of each movie at the end of each video!
I LOVE this movie! the comic book is amazing too!
I was so excited when this movie came out - my pops used to draw the comic in the late 80s so I pretty much grew up w/ the phantom being the superhero I was most exposed to… thanks for this video, it made me nostalgic!
I can never get enough of Ben’s takes on unloved movies. I am subscribed to his channel but there’s never enough of his content for my taste
This is one of my favorite Mr.Sundays video I have seen in a while. Everything clicked and it was so funny but also passionate. I loved it, I don't always watch every caravan of garbage but I am sure glad I watched this one.
I saw this in theaters when I was 7.. I remember thinking I liked it but don't remember a single specific scene.. what I do remember is the theater gave out these awesome iron Phantom skull rings that I wore all the time till I lost it.. most satisfaction I ever got from a promotional handout at the movies!
I love the edited Caravan of Garbage with the cutouts and the footage. Awesome job Ben.
In the comic the color of the suit was originally labelled as Royal Blue instead of purple as a joke between the coloring artists which led to the working title of this film being Blue Harvest.
11:38 That animation of James as the Phantom having kid🤣🤣🤣
Is 1872-1932 not 60? I feel like I’m going insane
The ladies in this film are reason enough to watch it! Katherine Zeta Jones and Kirsty Swanson in their prime! 😍 Sign me up!
The way I SCREAMED “YAAAASSSS” for Ben’s interjection. He’s 100% correct and I always got this as a kid and started verbalizing this during a rewatch in 2020 (the rewatch was because someone called it “trash” actually and I wanted to sharpen my points lol). Underrated film.
Finally, someone (Ben) understands my love for this film.
Ben's interjection commentary was fantastic. He should chime in more often. And he's right about "The Phantom".
AND he's the absolute BOSS of video editing, a true champion of rapid visual gags and whatnots
I like how the Kniferoscope works like Alien Prequel Facehugger Eggs, in that a completely gullible sap has to insert their entire face into the aforementioned contraption for it to be able to work. Chef's kiss.
Ben needs to have more sections of “I have listened to James and Maso in silence for long enough, here is why they’re wrong “ , lovely stuff
Yeah, just what the world needs - more editorialising. 🙄 Just edit the video mate
Ben nailed it with this one 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This is a unique movie, in that it's not very exciting at all, but it's so quaint and inoffensive, and it feels like it's TRYING. You just can't get mad at it, you want to root for it to cross the finish line. And it DOES, but in like fifth place.
Thanks Ben The Editor! I LOVED this movie as a kid.
Ben, you magnificent bastard you did it
It's so nice to hear other people talk about the weird way The Phantom is actually an Australian icon bc I definitely couldn't have explained it to an outsider fr