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the Phantasm series

post #1 of 12
12/17/04 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
I responded to a Phantasm post but it was on the main board and I think this thread is more appropriate here, so...

Does anybody dig the Phantasm series? I think they are some great stuff. all time B movie classics (which deserve to be on widescreen restored uncut special edition DVDs)

certainly, the multidimensional Tall Man presages that Matrix suit dude, but the influences are wide ranging: at times the series seems like a Fulci movie, or something out of Lovecraft, or King's Dark Tower, or even Dazed & Confused. definitely the atmosphere of John Carpenter at his three stooginest. Reggie Bannister is a kind of comic genius IMO, uttering lines like, "the tall man...that story about me blowing up my own house because it was infested with midgets...mike, that wasn't real... the doctors said it was your own paranoid delusion"

I really, really hope Part 5 can get made soon! Coscarelli ought to have enough pull on the heels of Bubba Ho Tep. I've even read that maybe sam raimi or quentin tarantino might get behind the financing on this... that would be sweet!
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post #2 of 12
12/17/04 at 4:47pm
I enjoyed the films for the most part, with 1 and 3 being much better than 2 and 4. I for one would be very interested in seeing a new one, as well as a sequel to Bubba Ho Tep (yeah, I liked it...not the greatest movie, but fun in a stupid kinda way).
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post #3 of 12
12/17/04 at 4:55pm
Thread Starter 
yeah I think I read that Coscarelli is already working on a Bubba Ho Tep sequel, so I doubt Phantasm 5 will happen soon. Between Universal and MGM they haven't even got 2 & 3 on legit DVD releases yet (although the Anchor Bay site say Coscarelli is restoring all of these pictures for a box set edition).

If you look around online you see that there are a lot of strong opinions from folks about the various merits of these films--most people really like some vs the others-- but I think each one is really great in its own way and am always glad to watch any of them. one of these days I am going to watch all 4 of them in a row and see what that does for me
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post #4 of 12
12/24/04 at 2:29am
PHANTASM is a bonfide classic horror film ... It deals with childhood fears and anxiety as good as any horror film I can recall ... The loss of a parent can be devastating, and all the horror of the unknown is wrapped up in this film ....

The original is sincere and unique, which is exactly what the sequels lack IMHO ... I didn't like any of the sequels, and as a matter of fact, Part 4 was so bad it was depressing ....
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post #5 of 12
12/28/04 at 1:57am
I love the Phantasm series and I would absolutley love to see Phantasm's End actually made. Last I read Coscarelli is pursuing a Bubba Ho-Tep sequel first, in order to secure further financing.

As for DVD, I read somewhere not too long ago that, although Universal has no current plans to release Phantasm II on DVD, the rights to Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead have been purchased by some company and a special edition DVD is due out sometime next year. So at least we'll have one more. The Phantasm collection is only coming out in Europe however, since the rights there are not split like they are here.

I'll say one thing, if I were to ever win a lottery of 100 million, I'd be nice and try to give Coscarelli a couple million to finish his saga, and well as hand John Carpenter a couple million to make whatever the hell he wanted to in a low budget fashion, which had always been his best working condition. All providing that I get to hang out on the set every day and get a free copy of course.
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post #6 of 12
12/28/04 at 1:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WookieeMonster
I enjoyed the films for the most part, with 1 and 3 being much better than 2 and 4. I for one would be very interested in seeing a new one, as well as a sequel to Bubba Ho Tep (yeah, I liked it...not the greatest movie, but fun in a stupid kinda way).

Oh man 2 is WAY up there in my horror catolog and is one of my most wanted DVD's...4 was really lame I'll giv eyou that
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post #7 of 12
12/28/04 at 8:24pm
I absolutely love the first two, and as for 3 & 4. Which one I like more depends on the mood I am in. I used to hate Oblivion, but now I enjoy it at least as much as 3...............call me crazy I guess.
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post #8 of 12
12/29/04 at 12:10am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by S.D. Bob Plissken
I absolutely love the first two, and as for 3 & 4. Which one I like more depends on the mood I am in. I used to hate Oblivion, but now I enjoy it at least as much as 3...............call me crazy I guess.
nah man #4 is pretty great. it's a whole nother level of insanity. it might even be my favorite one, I dunno, I got to watch em all some more to be sure. plus it's hardly fair for me to judge when all I got is the pan and scan VHS for 2 and 3
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post #9 of 12
12/29/04 at 6:37am
Over the past few years, there are only 3 sequels that I have had a great interest in seeing actually happen.....

Romero's 4th Living Dead Film
Evil Dead 4
and
Phantasm's End.


We are finally getting George Romero's Land of the Dead next fall. Evil Dead IV is, as far as we know, no closer to happening now than it ever has been: just nothing more than idle talk.

As for the 5th Phantasm entry, Don Coscarelli has constantly promised that he is doing everything he can to see it made, but is currently lacking the finances. One can only hope that what he has/is earning off of Bubba Ho-Tep will help that along. I would kill to see the final installment.

One can only hope.
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post #10 of 12
1/1/05 at 11:00am
I consider Phantasm one of the best recurring horror series, period. Better than Friday the 13th or Halloween (though I love movies from both those series).


The first Phantasm is the most effective depiction of a nightmare I've ever seen. It was weird and disconnect in the right way. Part two was good nostalgically, as was part 3. They were still better than most. Part 4 was an obvious use of outtakes and extended scenes from the first film, but still, that haunting ending! "Yeah, Reg, it's just the wind". Freakin' classic!
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post #11 of 12
1/3/05 at 10:42am
It's also one of the few horror series that I can think of in which each new installment is a direct continuation of the one before it and they build upon one another, as opposed to just rehashing everything over and over.
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post #12 of 12
1/11/05 at 12:12pm
Phantasm definitely needs some appreciation. The first two are great imo with the others slowing down a bit.

A shame that we can't get bona fide classics like these done up right on dvd. I know there are some versions out there in full frame I'm going to have to grab to get my jones satisfied.
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