Phantasm (Don Coscarelli, 1979)

Discussions of specific films and franchises.
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
exte
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:27 pm
Location: NJ

#1 Post by exte » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:43 am

I haven't seen this since I was a kid, but after seeing how much tlc the laserdisc got, it's now on my Netflix Queue. Anyway, can anyone contribute their feelings on the film, and the power it has had on audiences since its debut? Also, is the R2 boxset worth it? Thanks!

User avatar
Lino
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
Location: Sitting End
Contact:

#2 Post by Lino » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:44 am

exte wrote:Is the R2 boxset worth it?
It is, according to this review:

http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Reviews/M-P/phantasm.html

User avatar
Kudzu
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 2:55 pm
Contact:

#3 Post by Kudzu » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:54 am

I actually wrote some notes on this after watching it yesterday with a friend, along with Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 which is basically Phantasm's opposite but interesting in its own way:

Phantasm operates at a slower speed than most horror movies, almost to the point where it takes on the banal character of actual day-to-day monotony. During the expositional parts (in this case, whenever the characters aren't being attacked) such as the bar scene and the scene where Mike is riding his motorcycle through the graveyard the pace slows to a laconic crawl, capturing small-town boredom in a way that most horror films can't.

The acting is somewhat mediocre but the visual style (blanched white with shocks of red in the mausoleum) and strange editing make this movie interesting at points.

The ending, though, left me quite confused. Any theories as to when it occurred within the action of the movie?

filmfan
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:06 pm
Location: metro NYC

#4 Post by filmfan » Wed Jul 05, 2006 4:19 am

Though I haven't had the chance for a viewing, I just picked up the 5 dvd R2 silver ball set.

Looks awesome and the price was right !

Anyone else get this ?


Mike

User avatar
Fletch F. Fletch
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:54 pm
Location: Provo, Utah

#5 Post by Fletch F. Fletch » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:32 am

I always felt that Phantasm 2 was a better film but then I may have been biased to the two double-barrelled shotguns fused together that seemed so damn cool when I first saw this movie!

filmfan
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:06 pm
Location: metro NYC

#6 Post by filmfan » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:47 am

Fletch F. Fletch wrote:I always felt that Phantasm 2 was a better film but then I may have been biased to the two double-barrelled shotguns fused together that seemed so damn cool when I first saw this movie!
There is a PAL 0 Region, 2 dvd special editon of this release with the following features...

DVD FEATURES
DVD 1

Anamorphic (16:9) Widescreen (1.85:1) Version
English 2.0, German 2.0 and German 5.10 Audio Options
Trailer
3 TV Spots
"Behind Phantasm 2" - 2 hours of behind the scenes footage
Angus Scrimm at 1989 Fangoria Convention
Photo Gallery

DVD 2

Phantasmania Convention Footage (66 mins)
Fangoria Convention Footage (30 Mins)
Phantasm II Workprint (106 mins) - English Audio (with timecode)

Post Reply