'Phantasm' probably the coolest horror movie title I've ever heard. The Tall Man used to give me the heebie-jeebies when I was a young boy. Probably more than Voorhees or Krueger would. And he's a cool villain too, having power over interdimensional forces. The elements aren't all inherently supernatural, mostly bordering on the 'weird science'.
That's what makes this film so neat. We don't really know, we know science is involved, we know he's supernatural as a result of this science especially IV goes into his origin.
I was a little disappointed Phantasm didn't get a better rating from the cinema guys. I thought Shaun seemed irritated earlier in the movie viewing. I've met the actors from the film and they were proud of what they accomplished. It was a low budget film inspired from Don Coscaralli's dream. This has to be one of my favorite horror films. I am an actress and would agree the acting wasn't the best, but none of these guys would claim to be an actor. They did an amazing job being funny and likeable for not having training. Editing is intentionally choppy for a dream like effect. This film deserves a second watching to understand the undertones of a boy dealing in his mind with death.
I saw this at the drive in as a 12 year old and it melted my brain. For weeks afterwards my older brother would sneak up behind me and yell “BOY!!!!!”😂
This film is meant to replicate a nightmare being had by a boy who's faced with the concept of death and somewhat gives form to that with the Tall Man. it's still ambiguous as to what's real and what's not but it's a surreal experience regardless. I highly recommend the second one. if you want a more coherent narrative it's more so in the sequel which has an action horror approach
For myself, Phantasm is pure 1970s horror nostalgia. It's got one of the absolute coolest, deadliest movie props of that era, the stainless steel spheres of death. Well executed Jump scares before they were used to ad nauseum in the decades that followed. It's my favorite movie in the series. Your reactions to 1970s sci-fi/horror, and fantasy movies are my favorites to watch from you both.
Phantasm is my all time favorite horror series. Filmed over a 25 year period using the same cast, as the films (and budgets) increased the story became more and more complex and fascinating. By the time you reach the 5th film (called Phantasm: Ravager) you see how the characters have aged and in my case it was a bit like watching my brothers grow up - they became like my own family. When the end of the series comes it has quite an emotional impact. The series is an absolute classic and kept the same producer/director/writer and cast throughout. It's pretty exceptional.
One of the best horror themes ever. Although it came out 10 years later, the sequel of this is good as well, and was a heavy inspiration to Supernatural. Worth a watch.
The sequel, which basically refilms the movie on an A-budget, explains a lot of the Huh-factor of the first film. The fourth film, “Phantasm: OblIVion”, digs up whole reels of deleted scenes from the first movie, that detail more about our young hero, the fortune teller, and his battle against the Tall Man.
Personally, I think Phantasm 2 is the best in the whole series. With a bigger budget, the FX are better,...especially with the iconic silver spheres. Also, Phantasm 2 gives me a sense of unease & dread which the others do not.
Yea, though being a big budget movie, the studio wanted to recast everyone with better actors, and Don Coscarelli refused. They finally pulled rank, said give us ONE big name star ,and you can keep the rest of your cast. So he decided to recast Michael. Then when III came out, he was finally able to bring back the original actor (A Michael Baldwin) for the rest of the movies. To this day, he is still very bitter about it (not to Don Coscarelli but the studio for putting him in that position) and hates Phantasm II.
@@ragabashmoon1551 The studio didn't demand a "big name star." What they demanded was "a working actor." They didn't need a "star" as long as Angus Scrimm was back as the Tall Man, but Universal demanded actors be cast who had worked in the past five or so years.
That's what Phantasm is, you never know what's going in this film, it's so many mysteries and I love the entire series! Got a sub from me for reacting to this!
Im not disagreeing but i find it weird when people say "for an old movie", cause movies like Carrie, The Deer Hunter, Eyes Without A Face, and tons of movies are older than this one, but all those movies are so good they almost seem real. Sorry im nitpicking but i would say this movie was impressive for something so low budget, the times were just fine.
@@robertyeah2259 Exactly. When people say things like it’s “good for an old movie”, or “good for its time”, it’s a slap in the face to movie history. Old movies are awesome! And usually better than new ones.
This film coming out in the 70s, blew peoples minds. It was one of the first "cosmic horror" films to enter the public's imagination. This was a very low-budget picture and a very young director's feature film debut, and it achieved quite a bit of success for itself at the box office. People discovered it at midnight movies and then later, cable and VHS. The sequel has a much larger budget, is a lot more polished and a lot of fun. This one, however will always have a special place in my heart, it represents creative ingenuity and the spirit of independent movie making.
I watched this movie so many times on VHS when I was a kid, and I loved it! I remember 'the grandma' scaring me so badly with the whole box scene. The score is spine-chilling!
He said " acting and writing was not very experienced in the seventies" lol. That's got to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard a reactor say. Please enlighten us on all the Fantastic writing and acting in today's films. Yeah, the endless stream of superhero films and sequels. The seventies is arguably the best decade ever in cinema. Get out of your bubble.
Yeah, this was the era that gave us Taxi Driver, Animal House, The Godfather, The Deer hunter, Apocalypse Now, Close Encounters, The Exorcist, Dawn of the Dead, Alien, Dog day afternoon, Susperia, THX1138, The French Connection, The evening of the Following Day, Two Lane Blacktop, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Exorcist, The Omen, Don't look Now, The Sting, Mash...but yeah, " acting and writing was not very experienced in the seventies". Christ almighty.
This scared me a lot when I saw it as a kid -- but again, I had recently had a lot of family members die and had to attend the funerals. The worst was my father's. Not easy for a 9-year-old. There is a dream-like/nightmare-like quality to having someone so close die and having that loss, as if it wasn't really real and how much I hoped I was just in a nightmare. These are the feelings that this movie resonated within me.
9:27 He is not immune to the cold.Its the only thing that can hurt him. It was shown in deleted scenes of the film showing the Tall Man in pain being around cold. He has the same weakness as the Blob. BTW the balls are his guards. Its explained in later films
This is definitely a "love it" or "hate it" film. I first watched it in the 2010s at the recommendation of my brother-in-law, and I fell in love. I used to have repeating nightmares as a kid - one would always happen in a labyrinthine house or tunnel system, and the other would always involve a relentless pursuer; I couldn't go into the local antique stores for a long time without panic kicking in due to how the cramped and cluttered rooms felt just like the environments in those dreams. I was also introduced to the concept of death fairly young, so the themes of trauma, loss, grief, and nightmares almost felt like coming home, in a weird way. Angus Scrimm, the guy who played the Tall Man, was also such a wholesome guy, and watching his introductory segment before the remastered version brings back memories of watching old movies with my grandfather. I watch through the whole series through every Halloween now - except the second one. I can't stand the second one. Too many changes made to the format to make it Hollywood-friendly, including recasting Mike and forcing an unnecessary romantic subplot. The third movie brought back the original cast and camp, though, so the series is definitely worth watching through at least once. IMO It's best enjoyed alone on a cold night under a warm blanket with a cup of cider or hot chocolate, but I'll be watching it with some friends this year to spread the love!
One of the things that hurts modern audiences when they watch older films is that they have been exposed to so much more graphic content--Saw; The Thing; The Nun. In the 70s the silver ball was very graphic to people who had come out of a more religious and trusting society. It is the same with Carrie (1976); Exorcist, and the Omen, all of which were far more shocking then than now, and for the same reason.
8:10 Tom chose one of the many holy grails of either horror or B-movie horror movie depending on the viewers perspective. Excellent reaction Tom and Shawn 🔥🔥
This film genuinely gave me nightmares as a kid. Still love it, plays like a fever dream of not knowing what's real. It was filmed over the weekends too. Should watch Phantasm 2. Bigger budget and more action.
This movie scared me as a young guy and I think that it is what it is geared for, younger audiences. No one was really watching the acting. The older brother happened to have a hairstyle that we all dreamed of having in the disco era. Seriously. His hair was the best part of the movie. Except the flying balls of death. Yeah, this is good as it gets. No need to waste another hour and a half of your life with these movies. Thanks for the flashback!
I had three major thoughts during your review: 1) I remember when my brother first showed me this film about a decade ago, my thought also was "Evil Jawas?" when the robed figures appeared, and that's still how I think of them. 2) I laughed when Shaun jokingly said, "Fantasia?" when Tom announced Phantasm would be the film y'all would be watching. The first time I ever heard this film mentioned was when I was twelve and the Buffy season 4 episode "Fear Itself" aired and Xander announced during a horror marathon they'd be having that he had rented a terrifying film from the video store and he goes to grab it, and realizes he accidentally grabbed Fantasia, to which Oz responds, "You know, maybe it's because of all the things we've seen over the last couple of years, but hippos in tutus just don't frighten me the way they used to." And Xander yells, "It was supposed to be Phantasm!" 3) Interesting fact: Tom mentioned Phasma was named because of JJ Abrams' love of Phantasm. Abrams loved this film so much in fact that it was on his bucket list to work with Angus Scrimm (the Tall Man) at some point in his career. He got his wish in 2001, when he was able to cast Scrimm in a recurring role on Abrams' show Alias, as SD-6 interrogator Agent McCullough, wherein his famous voice was used to lull agents into a trance in order to extract more covert information from them during debriefings.
You either love this movie, or you don’t lol. One of my favorites from the 1970s! It’s very unique and different and relies on having an imagination to complete the story, which somehow works for it.
To understand this move and really appreciate it for what it was and is, I must say this... The movie is simply a metaphor for a much deeper issue... DEATH. The TALL MAN represents death. The boy is simply someone trying to escape death and as the movie proves... it is NOT POSSIBLE TO DO SO. Death always catches up with you.
The first Phantasm is an acquired taste, very experimental and dreamy. It's a movie I would call objectively terrible in terms of narrative but the fans look past that and enjoying it in an artsy atmosphere way, Suspiria is much the same, not at all about the story but the dreaminess of it all. The Phantasm sequels a lot of fun, they're basically post apocalyptic road trip movies, a mixture of Mad Max and Evil Dead. They drop the experimental style of the first film and go for a cohesive narrative, a mix of horror, action and comedy. You might've seen some of the potential in the different monsters in this movie but thought the experimental surreal nature of the film wasn't able give them their proper time to shine, with the action-horror-comedy hybrid of the sequels you'd likely enjoy the way the monsters are featured in those. If you ever one day dip your toes in the sequels whatever you do don't bother with Phantasm V. It was made a decade or two after IV and it's absolute garbage. Phantasm IV is the real ending of the series.
I watched this movie as a kid, and itt holds a special place for me. I think of it the same way I do the first Evil Dead. Don did what he could with the limitations on him, and went on to make much better films.
A few non stop thrill rides not often reacted to - Return of the Living Dead (1985), Demons (1985) and Re-Animator (1985)! Thanks for another fun reaction lads!
I could be wrong, but I believe what you watched had extra scenes put back in we didn't have originally, which could always throw off pacing. I think the porch jam session, the tall man reacting to the cold from Reggie's ice cream truck, and maybe the using the mine as a trap scenes were added. I'm sure someone can comment with what might be different, it's been a long time since I've thought about the movie. The sequels I don't think are as confusing as this one, with more of a solid plot. Til the fifth one which is prolly as confusing as this if not more so. Each one answers a couple questions as well as give us 50 new questions. I love this series with the balls and the rare tall man quotes. I think part 3 might be my favorite but I'm not sure. 2 and 4 I am also quite fond of. They did recast Mike in 2, but the original comes back afterwards.
Enjoyed the reaction as always! Phantasm is certainly a weird one, it was Don's first ever standalone attempt at horror, and unfortunately many people were turned away from this film and it's sequels due to being confused by the writing. The first movie specifically is more metaphorical than literal, being based around the concept of the fear of death. The Tall Man represents that fear of death for Mike. The ending symbolizes Mike being unable to conquer that fear and is overtaken by it.
I have always wondered about this movie, I am so glad you watched it so I don’t have to. :-) Your reaction video seems like it was more entertaining than the actual movie.
Dream logic is very important to the Phantasm franchise. I think its a classic. I could definitely see you being bigger on the first sequel as it has a actual decent budget and it 'makes more sense' and is a more straight forward mainstream 80s horror film. It's also super fun. It's the Evil Dead 2 of the Phantasm films.
It's kind of an Italian movie from the 70s. Weird images but not a great deal of plot (think the original Susperia). Plus, the music has a very Italian horror movie feel. (and Sean just made the Susperia reference but I'm still posting this) I can't imagine what the original 3 version was like. Loved this movie--saw it in 1980.
"Phantasm" was really the only American horror movie back then that adopted that Italian horror esthetic that threw logic to the wind in favor of style over story.
"Phantasm" plays (and is edited) in the peculiar way that it does because it was originally a three hour movie cut down to 90 minutes, I believe, at the behest of the distributors, Avco Embassy. So its sort of disregard for comprehension is a result of so much of the story being removed. And the ending that's in the film now was not the ending of the three-hour version. The three-hour version just ended with the whole movie being a dream and what was really happening was that Jody was getting married [to the Lady in Lavender] and the Tall Man was the priest marrying them and the whole thing was this adolescent anxiety tale. But when the movie was re-edited so heavily, it required a new ending that threw you off balance because the movie says the whole thing was a dream and then the new ending jumps in and says "Oh no, it wasnt."
This phrase can help you understand some things: 'It is both and neither at the same time.' So for example the end of this movie presents itself as both the nightmare of a teen-age boy struggling with the grief of his entire family dying *and* that explanation just being The Tall Man messing with his mind during another of his attempts to capture Mike for. . . _something,_ but since the film presents both as being true it is both and neither at the same time. It was all just a dream _and_ everything you saw was real *_and_* neither of those is true and it was something else.
Later generations of movie watchers have the excuse of being rather jaded because they grew up with advanced technology they've gotten so use to they judge earlier movies on that same level now. Low budget movies in the 1950 on up had to cut many corners and they continue to suffer for it.
"It was all a dream" trope comes from _Dallas_ where they had to retcon Season 9 as a dream due to behind-the-scenes issues. It can also come from _Newheart,_ where the series finale revealed that the entire series had been a dream of Bob Newheart's character from a previous TV series. Joe Bob Briggs had the best quote about the PHANTASM franchise: "Y'know what I love about the PHANTASM movies? They don't make a lick of sense." The ice cream truck moment was part of a deleted subplot where Mike notices that The Tall Man has an aversion to cold. The deleted footage for this comes up in PHANTASM OBLIVION (part 4) and it comes back into play in PHANTASM III. These movies are kind of like Indiana Jones movies: people's favorite entry tends to be the one that came out when they were kids; that's why my favorite is PHANTASM II.
@@ConstantineFurman Right, but the trope in the public consciousness comes from those shows, which were massive culture-wide hits. PHANTASM was a niche film from the get go and most people at the time hadn't seen it.
Imagine 5 films and it never makes more sense than this. It is NOT all a dream. But the description of 'dream like' is apt. Never knowing what is real, with plotlines that almost make sense but never get there. It gets even weirder in the sequels where it seems like most of the world's population has disappeared but it is never remarked upon.
I was so excited to see my favorite horror(?) franchise pop up in the feed today. Sorry you didn't seem to enjoy it quite as much as I do. I'll admit, the pacing is wonky and much of the acting is on the amateurish side. I still love it though, warts and all. It has a deliberately dream-like quality in the edit that was put-together, hence some of the disjointedness. In actuality, it was filmed over the course of a few years and there was a ton of extra footage left on the cutting room floor. They re-incorporate some of it in the fourth movie (Oblivion) which is a nice touch. One of the things that really makes me appreciate this franchise is that it mostly features all of the same actors in five movies spaced out over more than 3 decades (not uncommon for a low budget indie). It lends the franchise a real behind-the-scenes "family" quality, especially since you don't really see these actors pop up elsewhere. The second movie was the only studio production, so it has the most budget but the studio mandated that they recast one of the main characters (Mike or Reggie). Coscarelli wound up recasting Mike with James LeGros (the original actor returned for the subsequent films). Fun story (maybe); I was at a Phantasm marathon at the original Alamo Drafthouse some time back with Coscarelli in attendance. He showed an audition tape from a then unknown actor who was auditioning for the role of Mike for the recast in the 2nd film. It was a very young Brad Pitt. He jokingly made us swear not to tell people for legal purposes, but I've got to figure the statute of limitations has run out on that by now.
- Bonus Fact - The house featured in the movie is called "The Dunsmuir-Hellman House" located in Oakland, California. To this day it's available for tours/weddings/meetings, ect. I used to live near it and have been there many times over the years. Even if you never knewPhantasm was filmed there, you still get this creepy vibe despite being located on a beautiful property. Movies/t.v shows that also feature the Dunsmuir House - Burnt Offerings (1976) Phantasm (1979) Partners in Crime (1984) A View to a Kill (1985) The Vineyard (1989) So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) Nash Bridges (1996) Gloria (1999) True Crime (1999) Case #13 (2014 film) Delirium (2018)
One reason for the choppiness is that the original cut of the film was 3 hours. It was cut in half for the theatrical release, so that may explain why it's a bit confusing at times. But still, there's just something about this film that draws you in.
One of my favorite films of all time. Best thing I like about it is there is really nothing else like it. The sequel is more like a "normal" horror film, but as the series continues, it gets A LOT weirder and more surreal, almost like a live-action graphic novel.
I saw this at the drive in when i was 8 rs old and i loved it!! The tall man was terrifying and the ball was something i had never seen before!! Amazing at the time!! Still holds nostalgia points for the movie and the drive in theater!!
I remember seeing this in the 90’s and the Tall Man and the sphere did scare me back in the day. It really does not stand up to the passage of time. Would love to see how you guys react to the original Hellraiser.
I wish you guys had done your homework on this movie before watching it. So you'd know how hard Coscarelli had to work and how long it took him to get his movie made. Of course it looks amateuristic. Because they were amateurs making a movie. This was a major achievement back then.
I absolutely love this movie. I remember seeing it on VHS when I was like 15 thinking what is this, and at the beginning I was like what is this crap and by the end of it I was like - woah that was a good movie. Appreciate what it is.
I guess it is kind of a cult film because I have been watching this movie for over 40 years now and have purchased it over many media formats and I own the series box set. i also love the music. I believe it's the dreamlike nightmare dream quality that has kept this series ever fascinating.
I saw this at 16 with a date and friends in the theater opening weekend. A fun memory for me. Go a bit easier on it- up til that point no one had seen these visuals before in the 70s. It scared the shite out of us. We had a blast LOL!
I remember going to a hardcore-punk show in October 2001 . It was very close to Halloween and while the bands were playing they had two TVs on either side of the stage playing this movie, muted, on a loop all night. It was crazy and I had no clue what the movie even was. About 4 years later I finally watched it. My brother and I were talking after watching it and the conversation started about how awful the movie was. But we couldn’t stop talking about it and an hour later the conversation ended by saying how great it was. It’s an awesomely bad movie and I love how bad it is.
Phantasm = The Original Phantasm 2 = Bigger budget but different actor playing Mike Phantasm 3 = Back to the original Mike and we meet some new characters like Tim and Rocky Phantasm 4 = Probably the slowest of the franchise but you get into the back story of the Tall Man Phantasm 5 = Sadly the ending of it all RIP Angus Scrimm (Does tie it all up pretty well though).
I grew up watching the Phantasm movies and they're all a lot of fun. The only one I didn't enjoy was the last one, Ravager. They are definitely B-Movies, but I feel once you realize that then you can sit back and enjoy them for the wild ride that they are. The Phantasm films are different from other horror films and I think that's what makes them entertaining. Hope you check out the rest.
It's been years since I've seen any of the Phantasm movies, but my recollection is that especially in the second one they lean into the parts that worked best in the original, ie, the Tall man and the flying orb, and were much better for it. Also one of the sequels features some MacGyver'd weapons that 12yr old me thought were awesome!
Phantasm is great, very original and full of strange scenes, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but that’s part of the appeal, it’s a bit like a surreal nightmare, the first couple of sequels are quiet fun.
This movie frightened me and mesmerized in equal measure, as a youngster. Still a favorite, with the likeable characters and completely bonkers effects and other-dimension premise.
In a time period wherein most "scary movies" were slasher films in which some invulnerable guy kills people with a knife, a movie about interdimensional horror was literally unique. I had never seen a movie like Phantasm before. I think it succeeds because even though the material is bonkers, Don Coscarelli takes it seriously from a directorial standpoint. Oh, and "phantasm" means a ghost or spiritual manifestation. I'm a little bit surprised you guys hadn't heard that word before, but I guess it is a bit "olde tyme".
Phantasm II is the best one I think.. it's been a long time since I've watched them but I could swear that was the one that hit that "so bad it's good" mark for me I think. The story behind it all is actually REALLY interesting and pretty sci-fi but the acting and budget.. WOO! I'm glad to see you 2 watch this because you always have such great insights!
I re-watched Phantasm II the other night. I hadn't watched in at least 20 years. The sphere scene with one if the suited funeral parlor ghouls. Absolutely BRUTAL.
@@dr.burtgummerfan439 I have heard the studio wanted both leads recast, and the deal ended up being "you can either keep Reggie or Mike" so they said fuck Mike.
@@robertyeah2259 That's interesting, I didn't know that. In fairness I love Reggie, and I think audiences do too. James LeGros was a decent replacement for Mike, and he's gone on to have a good career as a character actor.
I first saw this with my parents in 1979 at a theater when I was 9 years old. It was playing alongside Friday the 13th Part one at the cinema. I loved the artwork on the Phantasm movie poster and chose to see that one instead of Friday the 13th. I loved it and it is still one of my favorite horror films. Nobody in the theater foresaw the crazy ending at that time. it surprised everyone from what I remember. The crazy endings became a staple of the series with the sequels later on, but it was unique when the first one came out. Director Don Coscarelli didn't want to become typecast as a horror film director so he refused to do the first sequel until 10 years later. The first film took nearly a year to finish and was completed on a budget of only about $65,000. There were a couple of copies of the Plymouth Barracuda muscle car featured in the film and Don kept one for himself. That car alone is worth way more than $65,000 in today's currency.
Good to see you, blokes. I was a kid when this film came out and the weird little ball with blades gave me nightmares about it coming after me. Never saw the whole film and given your reaction I don't think I want to
Ahhhh. There just ain’t no movie quite like PHANTASM. So weird that for years I believed it must have been filmed on another planet. I was surprised to find it was filmed at many locations around my neighborhood, Southern California. What a freaky film. The whole neighborhood was scared of the film, the TV commercials were so intimidating! 😳
It truly is a strange franchise. I still am not sure why I like it. It is FULL of flaws, but something about it keeps me enjoying queuing it up every few years and enjoying it every time. The sequels are stranger in some ways, but have a lot more going on. I even introduced a friend to it last year, all 5 of them....and somehow she and I are still friends. :O Also, watching it on Shudder via The Last Drive In adds something to the experience.
Great reactions you two...Growing up in the 80s, this was one of my favorite low budget independently made horror movies back in the day. I really enjoyed the dreamlike quality the film has, especially the twist at the end, was it all a dream or not? (and that was all pre-Nightmare On Elm Street 1984)...check out the sequel Phantasm II (1988) they had a much bigger budget (thanks to Universal) and they upped the scares, storyline & fun factor. Definitely a worthy sequel to watch, "Boyyyyyyyy!" 😎👍
What makes Phantasm a cult is that amateurs made it, which is why the actings, writings, and productions weren’t of quality, but it has potential in the craft of its narrative.
The writer and director Don Coscarelli actually made like a seven hour movie. It started 3 days before the opening scene where Tommy dies. Of course, the studio told him he was insane, cut it down to about 90 minutes. However, he kept all that footage, and a lot of it is used in later movies as flashbacks. So rare that a movie can do that without recasting or more modern days some deep fakes. This is my favorite horror movie, I have the Phantasm Sphere Collection. All 5 movies in a 4K Restoration on Blu-Ray, with a 1:1 scale replica of the Sentinel Sphere (the silver ball) that Don Coscarelli kept from the first movie. Also, I was born in 1977 so I didn't actually see this movie until 2016 when the Remastered version came out, but I'd always wanted to, ever since I was kid and saw the VHS in the movie rental store in the 80's haha.
I agree we're too cynical and analytical now...less willing to just watch a film for entertainment and keener to look at inner thoughts/motivation of characters are...🎩
This whole series is in my top three. I love these movies. I was a teen in the 80’s though and this is what horror was like. In my top three there is only one that came out of the 2000’s. I’m just a huge lover of older horror. I mean there are movies that I love that are newer, but it’s not the same magic.
Think of it like it's Dr. Who in a graveyard mortuary, I understand where your review is coming from, but this film is a million times more imaginative than the slasher stuff at the time. The music theme is awesome and wondering about the Tall Man planet mythos. Some friends made it with zero budget.
"We're 30 minutes into it, and we don't know what's going on" If that irritates you, I wouldn't watch the 4 sequels. There's no new developments until the end of part 3 (unexplained and unresolved) and just a bit of backstory in part 4. I, on the other hand , love the lack of hokey explanations that usually drive the plot of films like this. Plus it leaves the film open to fan theory, there are some absolutely fascinating concepts out there about this franchise. nice video, by the way.
I disagree with your impression about old films being less sophisticated, and something about bad acting being a thing back then... That same year spawned one of the greatest Sci-Fi/Horror flicks of all time... have you heard of "Alien"?! Stop using the age of a film as an excuse to bash the art... Sometimes they just made bad films, shit happens. And from what I can see, shit is still happening -- bad films just have bigger budgets, now! ;-]
Brilliant ending, and amazing afterlife theme. It’s seen through the eyes of a child, who fears the afterlife, that seems inescapable. Older horror wasn’t about jump scares but psychological
'Phantasm' probably the coolest horror movie title I've ever heard. The Tall Man used to give me the heebie-jeebies when I was a young boy. Probably more than Voorhees or Krueger would. And he's a cool villain too, having power over interdimensional forces. The elements aren't all inherently supernatural, mostly bordering on the 'weird science'.
That's what makes this film so neat. We don't really know, we know science is involved, we know he's supernatural as a result of this science especially IV goes into his origin.
I was a little disappointed Phantasm didn't get a better rating from the cinema guys. I thought Shaun seemed irritated earlier in the movie viewing. I've met the actors from the film and they were proud of what they accomplished. It was a low budget film inspired from Don Coscaralli's dream. This has to be one of my favorite horror films. I am an actress and would agree the acting wasn't the best, but none of these guys would claim to be an actor. They did an amazing job being funny and likeable for not having training. Editing is intentionally choppy for a dream like effect. This film deserves a second watching to understand the undertones of a boy dealing in his mind with death.
I also feel shaun was on a grumpy mood. He was no not into it, unusually so. This was a real off day for them.
@F Fa One is the best. A truly moody and unique film. The sequels are entertaining and great fun to watch but too actionized.
Yeah. You're 100% correct. I only started "getting it" on my 4th watch and now it's 1 of my favourite lineups.
@@carlossaraiva8213 tbf, its a b movie and you have to be in the mood for it. I like it but it's def not mainstream.
@@playedout148 no it is not mainstream for sure. I think it is even quite a bit surrealist.
I saw this at the drive in as a 12 year old and it melted my brain. For weeks afterwards my older brother would sneak up behind me and yell “BOY!!!!!”😂
This film is meant to replicate a nightmare being had by a boy who's faced with the concept of death and somewhat gives form to that with the Tall Man. it's still ambiguous as to what's real and what's not but it's a surreal experience regardless. I highly recommend the second one. if you want a more coherent narrative it's more so in the sequel which has an action horror approach
For myself, Phantasm is pure 1970s horror nostalgia. It's got one of the absolute coolest, deadliest movie props of that era, the stainless steel spheres of death.
Well executed Jump scares before they were
used to ad nauseum in the decades that followed.
It's my favorite movie in the series.
Your reactions to 1970s sci-fi/horror, and fantasy movies are my favorites to watch from you both.
I always called the spheres “the juicers”
Phantasm is my all time favorite horror series. Filmed over a 25 year period using the same cast, as the films (and budgets) increased the story became more and more complex and fascinating. By the time you reach the 5th film (called Phantasm: Ravager) you see how the characters have aged and in my case it was a bit like watching my brothers grow up - they became like my own family. When the end of the series comes it has quite an emotional impact. The series is an absolute classic and kept the same producer/director/writer and cast throughout. It's pretty exceptional.
Loved every time "the band got back together".
One of the best horror themes ever. Although it came out 10 years later, the sequel of this is good as well, and was a heavy inspiration to Supernatural. Worth a watch.
Yeah. The sequel was definitely a great addition.
The sequel, which basically refilms the movie on an A-budget, explains a lot of the Huh-factor of the first film.
The fourth film, “Phantasm: OblIVion”, digs up whole reels of deleted scenes from the first movie, that detail more about our young hero, the fortune teller, and his battle against the Tall Man.
Personally, I think Phantasm 2 is the best in the whole series. With a bigger budget, the FX are better,...especially with the iconic silver spheres. Also, Phantasm 2 gives me a sense of unease & dread which the others do not.
Yea, though being a big budget movie, the studio wanted to recast everyone with better actors, and Don Coscarelli refused. They finally pulled rank, said give us ONE big name star ,and you can keep the rest of your cast. So he decided to recast Michael. Then when III came out, he was finally able to bring back the original actor (A Michael Baldwin) for the rest of the movies. To this day, he is still very bitter about it (not to Don Coscarelli but the studio for putting him in that position) and hates Phantasm II.
@@ragabashmoon1551 The studio didn't demand a "big name star." What they demanded was "a working actor." They didn't need a "star" as long as Angus Scrimm was back as the Tall Man, but Universal demanded actors be cast who had worked in the past five or so years.
That's what Phantasm is, you never know what's going in this film, it's so many mysteries and I love the entire series! Got a sub from me for reacting to this!
For 1979 this was freakin' Incredible. Saw it at the Drive-in when I was 8. Still one of My Favorites.
This was my first Drive In experience. It was a double feature. This and Drive In Massacre.
Im not disagreeing but i find it weird when people say "for an old movie", cause movies like Carrie, The Deer Hunter, Eyes Without A Face, and tons of movies are older than this one, but all those movies are so good they almost seem real.
Sorry im nitpicking but i would say this movie was impressive for something so low budget, the times were just fine.
@@robertyeah2259 Exactly. When people say things like it’s “good for an old movie”, or “good for its time”, it’s a slap in the face to movie history. Old movies are awesome! And usually better than new ones.
True @@kiss.me.monster
man, the car exploding at 16:20 always gets me to burst out laughing.
This film coming out in the 70s, blew peoples minds. It was one of the first "cosmic horror" films to enter the public's imagination. This was a very low-budget picture and a very young director's feature film debut, and it achieved quite a bit of success for itself at the box office. People discovered it at midnight movies and then later, cable and VHS. The sequel has a much larger budget, is a lot more polished and a lot of fun. This one, however will always have a special place in my heart, it represents creative ingenuity and the spirit of independent movie making.
I watched this movie so many times on VHS when I was a kid, and I loved it! I remember 'the grandma' scaring me so badly with the whole box scene. The score is spine-chilling!
He said " acting and writing was not very experienced in the seventies" lol. That's got to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard a reactor say. Please enlighten us on all the Fantastic writing and acting in today's films. Yeah, the endless stream of superhero films and sequels. The seventies is arguably the best decade ever in cinema. Get out of your bubble.
Yeah, this was the era that gave us Taxi Driver, Animal House, The Godfather, The Deer hunter, Apocalypse Now, Close Encounters, The Exorcist, Dawn of the Dead, Alien, Dog day afternoon, Susperia, THX1138, The French Connection, The evening of the Following Day, Two Lane Blacktop, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Exorcist, The Omen, Don't look Now, The Sting, Mash...but yeah, " acting and writing was not very experienced in the seventies". Christ almighty.
Phantasm is amazing. Love it! There so many ideas and so much...weird cosmic stuff, it seems so ahead of it's time
This scared me a lot when I saw it as a kid -- but again, I had recently had a lot of family members die and had to attend the funerals. The worst was my father's. Not easy for a 9-year-old. There is a dream-like/nightmare-like quality to having someone so close die and having that loss, as if it wasn't really real and how much I hoped I was just in a nightmare. These are the feelings that this movie resonated within me.
9:27 He is not immune to the cold.Its the only thing that can hurt him. It was shown in deleted scenes of the film showing the Tall Man in pain being around cold. He has the same weakness as the Blob. BTW the balls are his guards. Its explained in later films
These boys struggle with surrealism. Anytime they have to fill in the holes they struggle.
This is definitely a "love it" or "hate it" film. I first watched it in the 2010s at the recommendation of my brother-in-law, and I fell in love. I used to have repeating nightmares as a kid - one would always happen in a labyrinthine house or tunnel system, and the other would always involve a relentless pursuer; I couldn't go into the local antique stores for a long time without panic kicking in due to how the cramped and cluttered rooms felt just like the environments in those dreams.
I was also introduced to the concept of death fairly young, so the themes of trauma, loss, grief, and nightmares almost felt like coming home, in a weird way. Angus Scrimm, the guy who played the Tall Man, was also such a wholesome guy, and watching his introductory segment before the remastered version brings back memories of watching old movies with my grandfather.
I watch through the whole series through every Halloween now - except the second one. I can't stand the second one. Too many changes made to the format to make it Hollywood-friendly, including recasting Mike and forcing an unnecessary romantic subplot. The third movie brought back the original cast and camp, though, so the series is definitely worth watching through at least once.
IMO It's best enjoyed alone on a cold night under a warm blanket with a cup of cider or hot chocolate, but I'll be watching it with some friends this year to spread the love!
One of the things that hurts modern audiences when they watch older films is that they have been exposed to so much more graphic content--Saw; The Thing; The Nun. In the 70s the silver ball was very graphic to people who had come out of a more religious and trusting society. It is the same with Carrie (1976); Exorcist, and the Omen, all of which were far more shocking then than now, and for the same reason.
8:10 Tom chose one of the many holy grails of either horror or B-movie horror movie depending on the viewers perspective. Excellent reaction Tom and Shawn 🔥🔥
This film genuinely gave me nightmares as a kid. Still love it, plays like a fever dream of not knowing what's real. It was filmed over the weekends too. Should watch Phantasm 2. Bigger budget and more action.
I've always loved the soundtrack of this film. I personally love the film and it is a firm part of my collection. It has the cool factor.
Yeah, I have the classical theme and the Reggie song Can You Feel It on my playlists. Love it.
This movie scared me as a young guy and I think that it is what it is geared for, younger audiences. No one was really watching the acting. The older brother happened to have a hairstyle that we all dreamed of having in the disco era. Seriously. His hair was the best part of the movie. Except the flying balls of death. Yeah, this is good as it gets. No need to waste another hour and a half of your life with these movies. Thanks for the flashback!
I had three major thoughts during your review:
1) I remember when my brother first showed me this film about a decade ago, my thought also was "Evil Jawas?" when the robed figures appeared, and that's still how I think of them.
2) I laughed when Shaun jokingly said, "Fantasia?" when Tom announced Phantasm would be the film y'all would be watching. The first time I ever heard this film mentioned was when I was twelve and the Buffy season 4 episode "Fear Itself" aired and Xander announced during a horror marathon they'd be having that he had rented a terrifying film from the video store and he goes to grab it, and realizes he accidentally grabbed Fantasia, to which Oz responds, "You know, maybe it's because of all the things we've seen over the last couple of years, but hippos in tutus just don't frighten me the way they used to." And Xander yells, "It was supposed to be Phantasm!"
3) Interesting fact: Tom mentioned Phasma was named because of JJ Abrams' love of Phantasm. Abrams loved this film so much in fact that it was on his bucket list to work with Angus Scrimm (the Tall Man) at some point in his career. He got his wish in 2001, when he was able to cast Scrimm in a recurring role on Abrams' show Alias, as SD-6 interrogator Agent McCullough, wherein his famous voice was used to lull agents into a trance in order to extract more covert information from them during debriefings.
You either love this movie, or you don’t lol. One of my favorites from the 1970s! It’s very unique and different and relies on having an imagination to complete the story, which somehow works for it.
My favorite part was when Shaun's head disappeared from his circle and showed up briefly in Tom's!
Sean not giving it a chance pretty much ruined this reaction for me.
Yeah, he comes across as a bit of a snob.
To understand this move and really appreciate it for what it was and is, I must say this... The movie is simply a metaphor for a much deeper issue... DEATH. The TALL MAN represents death. The boy is simply someone trying to escape death and as the movie proves... it is NOT POSSIBLE TO DO SO. Death always catches up with you.
One of the best horror movies ever made. Part 2 is even better.
No its not. Its more accessible, yes, but not better.
Both are phantastic. The other sequels I don't care for.
Great Reaction Guys...However, I really need some more of Shaun singing. That was amazingly entertaining...LOLOLOL!!
Time stamp this moment so people that see it for themselves 😂
@@CinemaRules I gotcha 14:17 ..You're welcome!
The first Phantasm is an acquired taste, very experimental and dreamy. It's a movie I would call objectively terrible in terms of narrative but the fans look past that and enjoying it in an artsy atmosphere way, Suspiria is much the same, not at all about the story but the dreaminess of it all. The Phantasm sequels a lot of fun, they're basically post apocalyptic road trip movies, a mixture of Mad Max and Evil Dead. They drop the experimental style of the first film and go for a cohesive narrative, a mix of horror, action and comedy. You might've seen some of the potential in the different monsters in this movie but thought the experimental surreal nature of the film wasn't able give them their proper time to shine, with the action-horror-comedy hybrid of the sequels you'd likely enjoy the way the monsters are featured in those. If you ever one day dip your toes in the sequels whatever you do don't bother with Phantasm V. It was made a decade or two after IV and it's absolute garbage. Phantasm IV is the real ending of the series.
I use to watch this as a kid. The best way to describe this film. It's like watching a bad fever dream.
The sequels are definitely worth watching, they all go on in some interesting directions
Agreed
I just watched all the phantasm films recently and I loved them! I’m glad you chose this, Tom!
I watched this movie as a kid, and itt holds a special place for me. I think of it the same way I do the first Evil Dead. Don did what he could with the limitations on him, and went on to make much better films.
Jason has a machete, Freddy has a glove, the tall man has *balls of steel!*
This movie plays like a 2 hour nightmare. A strange bad dream that you would have that doesnt make logical sense but stays with you
3:43
Yeah, but when Tom did it, the woman wasn’t alive. I hope that he at least had the decency to put her back when he was done.
A few non stop thrill rides not often reacted to - Return of the Living Dead (1985), Demons (1985) and Re-Animator (1985)! Thanks for another fun reaction lads!
I could be wrong, but I believe what you watched had extra scenes put back in we didn't have originally, which could always throw off pacing. I think the porch jam session, the tall man reacting to the cold from Reggie's ice cream truck, and maybe the using the mine as a trap scenes were added. I'm sure someone can comment with what might be different, it's been a long time since I've thought about the movie.
The sequels I don't think are as confusing as this one, with more of a solid plot. Til the fifth one which is prolly as confusing as this if not more so. Each one answers a couple questions as well as give us 50 new questions.
I love this series with the balls and the rare tall man quotes. I think part 3 might be my favorite but I'm not sure. 2 and 4 I am also quite fond of. They did recast Mike in 2, but the original comes back afterwards.
Highly recommend you check out the sequels to this It is kind of like one long story it is worth checking out
Enjoyed the reaction as always! Phantasm is certainly a weird one, it was Don's first ever standalone attempt at horror, and unfortunately many people were turned away from this film and it's sequels due to being confused by the writing. The first movie specifically is more metaphorical than literal, being based around the concept of the fear of death. The Tall Man represents that fear of death for Mike. The ending symbolizes Mike being unable to conquer that fear and is overtaken by it.
I have always wondered about this movie, I am so glad you watched it so I don’t have to. :-) Your reaction video seems like it was more entertaining than the actual movie.
Dream logic is very important to the Phantasm franchise.
I think its a classic. I could definitely see you being bigger on the first sequel as it has a actual decent budget and it 'makes more sense' and is a more straight forward mainstream 80s horror film. It's also super fun. It's the Evil Dead 2 of the Phantasm films.
It's kind of an Italian movie from the 70s. Weird images but not a great deal of plot (think the original Susperia). Plus, the music has a very Italian horror movie feel. (and Sean just made the Susperia reference but I'm still posting this) I can't imagine what the original 3 version was like. Loved this movie--saw it in 1980.
"Phantasm" was really the only American horror movie back then that adopted that Italian horror esthetic that threw logic to the wind in favor of style over story.
This film forever changed how I scold my cats. Whenever they misbehave I just look at them sternly and say “BOOOOOOOOOYS”
The Tall Man and the Flying Spheres are Classics
You should watch Salem's Lot, 1979
"Phantasm" plays (and is edited) in the peculiar way that it does because it was originally a three hour movie cut down to 90 minutes, I believe, at the behest of the distributors, Avco Embassy. So its sort of disregard for comprehension is a result of so much of the story being removed. And the ending that's in the film now was not the ending of the three-hour version. The three-hour version just ended with the whole movie being a dream and what was really happening was that Jody was getting married [to the Lady in Lavender] and the Tall Man was the priest marrying them and the whole thing was this adolescent anxiety tale. But when the movie was re-edited so heavily, it required a new ending that threw you off balance because the movie says the whole thing was a dream and then the new ending jumps in and says "Oh no, it wasnt."
This phrase can help you understand some things: 'It is both and neither at the same time.'
So for example the end of this movie presents itself as both the nightmare of a teen-age boy struggling with the grief of his entire family dying *and* that explanation just being The Tall Man messing with his mind during another of his attempts to capture Mike for. . . _something,_ but since the film presents both as being true it is both and neither at the same time. It was all just a dream _and_ everything you saw was real *_and_* neither of those is true and it was something else.
One of the best horror films ever.
Later generations of movie watchers have the excuse of being rather jaded because they grew up with advanced technology they've gotten so use to they judge earlier movies on that same level now. Low budget movies in the 1950 on up had to cut many corners and they continue to suffer for it.
"It was all a dream" trope comes from _Dallas_ where they had to retcon Season 9 as a dream due to behind-the-scenes issues. It can also come from _Newheart,_ where the series finale revealed that the entire series had been a dream of Bob Newheart's character from a previous TV series.
Joe Bob Briggs had the best quote about the PHANTASM franchise: "Y'know what I love about the PHANTASM movies? They don't make a lick of sense."
The ice cream truck moment was part of a deleted subplot where Mike notices that The Tall Man has an aversion to cold. The deleted footage for this comes up in PHANTASM OBLIVION (part 4) and it comes back into play in PHANTASM III. These movies are kind of like Indiana Jones movies: people's favorite entry tends to be the one that came out when they were kids; that's why my favorite is PHANTASM II.
That season of "Dallas" and the "Newhart" finale were both after "Phantasm," though.
@@ConstantineFurman Right, but the trope in the public consciousness comes from those shows, which were massive culture-wide hits. PHANTASM was a niche film from the get go and most people at the time hadn't seen it.
Imagine 5 films and it never makes more sense than this. It is NOT all a dream. But the description of 'dream like' is apt. Never knowing what is real, with plotlines that almost make sense but never get there. It gets even weirder in the sequels where it seems like most of the world's population has disappeared but it is never remarked upon.
A little underrated to be honest, and the score is fantastic.
I was 17 years old when this movie played at the theatre. I'm now 60 years old and I STILL love this movie!!
Apparently, the production of this film took place before Star Wars and there is a debate about the whole "Jawa" connection, as in who did it first.
Every Phantasm film feels like it takes place in a dream.
I was so excited to see my favorite horror(?) franchise pop up in the feed today. Sorry you didn't seem to enjoy it quite as much as I do. I'll admit, the pacing is wonky and much of the acting is on the amateurish side. I still love it though, warts and all. It has a deliberately dream-like quality in the edit that was put-together, hence some of the disjointedness. In actuality, it was filmed over the course of a few years and there was a ton of extra footage left on the cutting room floor. They re-incorporate some of it in the fourth movie (Oblivion) which is a nice touch.
One of the things that really makes me appreciate this franchise is that it mostly features all of the same actors in five movies spaced out over more than 3 decades (not uncommon for a low budget indie). It lends the franchise a real behind-the-scenes "family" quality, especially since you don't really see these actors pop up elsewhere. The second movie was the only studio production, so it has the most budget but the studio mandated that they recast one of the main characters (Mike or Reggie). Coscarelli wound up recasting Mike with James LeGros (the original actor returned for the subsequent films).
Fun story (maybe); I was at a Phantasm marathon at the original Alamo Drafthouse some time back with Coscarelli in attendance. He showed an audition tape from a then unknown actor who was auditioning for the role of Mike for the recast in the 2nd film. It was a very young Brad Pitt. He jokingly made us swear not to tell people for legal purposes, but I've got to figure the statute of limitations has run out on that by now.
- Bonus Fact - The house featured in the movie is called "The Dunsmuir-Hellman House" located in Oakland, California. To this day it's available for tours/weddings/meetings, ect. I used to live near it and have been there many times over the years. Even if you never knewPhantasm was filmed there, you still get this creepy vibe despite being located on a beautiful property.
Movies/t.v shows that also feature the Dunsmuir House -
Burnt Offerings (1976)
Phantasm (1979)
Partners in Crime (1984)
A View to a Kill (1985)
The Vineyard (1989)
So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993)
Nash Bridges (1996)
Gloria (1999)
True Crime (1999)
Case #13 (2014 film)
Delirium (2018)
I knew the house looked familiar to me.
The fact that Burnt Offerings features the house, it now makes perfect sense.
One reason for the choppiness is that the original cut of the film was 3 hours. It was cut in half for the theatrical release, so that may explain why it's a bit confusing at times. But still, there's just something about this film that draws you in.
One of my favorite films of all time. Best thing I like about it is there is really nothing else like it. The sequel is more like a "normal" horror film, but as the series continues, it gets A LOT weirder and more surreal, almost like a live-action graphic novel.
I think the "It was all a dream" trope comes from Season 9 of the TV show Dallas, where the entire season turns out to be a dream.
I saw this at the drive in when i was 8 rs old and i loved it!! The tall man was terrifying and the ball was something i had never seen before!! Amazing at the time!! Still holds nostalgia points for the movie and the drive in theater!!
This is a cult classic. It is low budget, but I think that adds to it. It is unique and original. xx
I remember seeing this in the 90’s and the Tall Man and the sphere did scare me back in the day. It really does not stand up to the passage of time. Would love to see how you guys react to the original Hellraiser.
I wish you guys had done your homework on this movie before watching it. So you'd know how hard Coscarelli had to work and how long it took him to get his movie made. Of course it looks amateuristic. Because they were amateurs making a movie. This was a major achievement back then.
I absolutely love this movie. I remember seeing it on VHS when I was like 15 thinking what is this, and at the beginning I was like what is this crap and by the end of it I was like - woah that was a good movie. Appreciate what it is.
I guess it is kind of a cult film because I have been watching this movie for over 40 years now and have purchased it over many media formats and I own the series box set. i also love the music. I believe it's the dreamlike nightmare dream quality that has kept this series ever fascinating.
Edgar Allan Poe. In some of his writings he used the word Phantasms or nightmares .
I saw this at 16 with a date and friends in the theater opening weekend. A fun memory for me. Go a bit easier on it- up til that point no one had seen these visuals before in the 70s. It scared the shite out of us. We had a blast LOL!
I remember going to a hardcore-punk show in October 2001 . It was very close to Halloween and while the bands were playing they had two TVs on either side of the stage playing this movie, muted, on a loop all night. It was crazy and I had no clue what the movie even was. About 4 years later I finally watched it. My brother and I were talking after watching it and the conversation started about how awful the movie was. But we couldn’t stop talking about it and an hour later the conversation ended by saying how great it was. It’s an awesomely bad movie and I love how bad it is.
How awesome that Cinema Rules did a review of Phantasm!! I love that film. This one was great.
Just watched this movie for the first time myself.... Boy, I was howling with laughter the whole runtime. Great movie for halloween.
Phantasm = The Original
Phantasm 2 = Bigger budget but different actor playing Mike
Phantasm 3 = Back to the original Mike and we meet some new characters like Tim and Rocky
Phantasm 4 = Probably the slowest of the franchise but you get into the back story of the Tall Man
Phantasm 5 = Sadly the ending of it all RIP Angus Scrimm (Does tie it all up pretty well though).
Phantasm III is the best one in my view.
👍
I grew up watching the Phantasm movies and they're all a lot of fun. The only one I didn't enjoy was the last one, Ravager. They are definitely B-Movies, but I feel once you realize that then you can sit back and enjoy them for the wild ride that they are. The Phantasm films are different from other horror films and I think that's what makes them entertaining. Hope you check out the rest.
It's been years since I've seen any of the Phantasm movies, but my recollection is that especially in the second one they lean into the parts that worked best in the original, ie, the Tall man and the flying orb, and were much better for it. Also one of the sequels features some MacGyver'd weapons that 12yr old me thought were awesome!
Phantasm is great, very original and full of strange scenes, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but that’s part of the appeal, it’s a bit like a surreal nightmare, the first couple of sequels are quiet fun.
Did you guys ever do DAWN OF THE DEAD 1978?
This movie frightened me and mesmerized in equal measure, as a youngster. Still a favorite, with the likeable characters and completely bonkers effects and other-dimension premise.
Definitely watch Phantasm 2. It’s a marked improvement!
Oh and watch Host (2022) as part of your Halloween season
In a time period wherein most "scary movies" were slasher films in which some invulnerable guy kills people with a knife, a movie about interdimensional horror was literally unique. I had never seen a movie like Phantasm before. I think it succeeds because even though the material is bonkers, Don Coscarelli takes it seriously from a directorial standpoint.
Oh, and "phantasm" means a ghost or spiritual manifestation. I'm a little bit surprised you guys hadn't heard that word before, but I guess it is a bit "olde tyme".
This was actually a college film project that got popular and went to VHS. The rest is history.
Phantasm II is the best one I think.. it's been a long time since I've watched them but I could swear that was the one that hit that "so bad it's good" mark for me I think. The story behind it all is actually REALLY interesting and pretty sci-fi but the acting and budget.. WOO! I'm glad to see you 2 watch this because you always have such great insights!
I re-watched Phantasm II the other night.
I hadn't watched in at least 20 years.
The sphere scene with one if the suited funeral parlor ghouls. Absolutely BRUTAL.
It would have been much better with the REAL Michael.
@@dr.burtgummerfan439 I have heard the studio wanted both leads recast, and the deal ended up being "you can either keep Reggie or Mike" so they said fuck Mike.
@@robertyeah2259 That's interesting, I didn't know that. In fairness I love Reggie, and I think audiences do too. James LeGros was a decent replacement for Mike, and he's gone on to have a good career as a character actor.
It's on TH-cam for free I'm watching it now
I’ve always loved this movie. And the series gets even weirder after this.
I first saw this with my parents in 1979 at a theater when I was 9 years old. It was playing alongside Friday the 13th Part one at the cinema. I loved the artwork on the Phantasm movie poster and chose to see that one instead of Friday the 13th. I loved it and it is still one of my favorite horror films. Nobody in the theater foresaw the crazy ending at that time. it surprised everyone from what I remember. The crazy endings became a staple of the series with the sequels later on, but it was unique when the first one came out. Director Don Coscarelli didn't want to become typecast as a horror film director so he refused to do the first sequel until 10 years later. The first film took nearly a year to finish and was completed on a budget of only about $65,000. There were a couple of copies of the Plymouth Barracuda muscle car featured in the film and Don kept one for himself. That car alone is worth way more than $65,000 in today's currency.
@GoGodman1972 No, my folks were with me so I was allowed to go in with them.
Good to see you, blokes. I was a kid when this film came out and the weird little ball with blades gave me nightmares about it coming after me. Never saw the whole film and given your reaction I don't think I want to
Ahhhh. There just ain’t no movie quite like PHANTASM. So weird that for years I believed it must have been filmed on another planet. I was surprised to find it was filmed at many locations around my neighborhood, Southern California. What a freaky film. The whole neighborhood was scared of the film, the TV commercials were so intimidating! 😳
It truly is a strange franchise. I still am not sure why I like it. It is FULL of flaws, but something about it keeps me enjoying queuing it up every few years and enjoying it every time.
The sequels are stranger in some ways, but have a lot more going on.
I even introduced a friend to it last year, all 5 of them....and somehow she and I are still friends. :O
Also, watching it on Shudder via The Last Drive In adds something to the experience.
Great reactions you two...Growing up in the 80s, this was one of my favorite low budget independently made horror movies back in the day. I really enjoyed the dreamlike quality the film has, especially the twist at the end, was it all a dream or not? (and that was all pre-Nightmare On Elm Street 1984)...check out the sequel Phantasm II (1988) they had a much bigger budget (thanks to Universal) and they upped the scares, storyline & fun factor. Definitely a worthy sequel to watch, "Boyyyyyyyy!" 😎👍
The acting is still absolutely horrid.
What makes Phantasm a cult is that amateurs made it, which is why the actings, writings, and productions weren’t of quality, but it has potential in the craft of its narrative.
The writer and director Don Coscarelli actually made like a seven hour movie. It started 3 days before the opening scene where Tommy dies. Of course, the studio told him he was insane, cut it down to about 90 minutes. However, he kept all that footage, and a lot of it is used in later movies as flashbacks. So rare that a movie can do that without recasting or more modern days some deep fakes.
This is my favorite horror movie, I have the Phantasm Sphere Collection. All 5 movies in a 4K Restoration on Blu-Ray, with a 1:1 scale replica of the Sentinel Sphere (the silver ball) that Don Coscarelli kept from the first movie.
Also, I was born in 1977 so I didn't actually see this movie until 2016 when the Remastered version came out, but I'd always wanted to, ever since I was kid and saw the VHS in the movie rental store in the 80's haha.
Three hours, not seven. And there was no studio involved. This was an independent movie financed by Coscarelli's dad.
I loved this movie as a 80s kid. We didn't give as much importance to the plot back then as we do now. We just enjoyed the scenes one after the other.
I agree we're too cynical and analytical now...less willing to just watch a film for entertainment and keener to look at inner thoughts/motivation of characters are...🎩
Yeah I really don't give a shit about plot in general. It's not important
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD !!
Yes!! The Soundtrack alone is 10/10
This whole series is in my top three. I love these movies. I was a teen in the 80’s though and this is what horror was like. In my top three there is only one that came out of the 2000’s. I’m just a huge lover of older horror. I mean there are movies that I love that are newer, but it’s not the same magic.
Think of it like it's Dr. Who in a graveyard mortuary, I understand where your review is coming from, but this film is a million times more imaginative than the slasher stuff at the time. The music theme is awesome and wondering about the Tall Man planet mythos. Some friends made it with zero budget.
"We're 30 minutes into it, and we don't know what's going on"
If that irritates you, I wouldn't watch the 4 sequels. There's no new developments until the end of part 3 (unexplained and unresolved) and just a bit of backstory in part 4. I, on the other hand , love the lack of hokey explanations that usually drive the plot of films like this.
Plus it leaves the film open to fan theory, there are some absolutely fascinating concepts out there about this franchise.
nice video, by the way.
I think the “It was all a dream started with Alice in Wonderland”
I disagree with your impression about old films being less sophisticated, and something about bad acting being a thing back then... That same year spawned one of the greatest Sci-Fi/Horror flicks of all time... have you heard of "Alien"?! Stop using the age of a film as an excuse to bash the art... Sometimes they just made bad films, shit happens. And from what I can see, shit is still happening -- bad films just have bigger budgets, now! ;-]
Love your comment!
Every age has bad films. It all boils down to perspective.
Yes, respectfully you gents are tending to misjudge the '70s based on horror movies. Gotta branch out and see some of the A-list films.
@@cflournoy1529 Thanks! ;-]
Brilliant ending, and amazing afterlife theme. It’s seen through the eyes of a child, who fears the afterlife, that seems inescapable. Older horror wasn’t about jump scares but psychological