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Phantasm
1978
After their friend is murdered, two brothers begin a hunt in search of the killer. Their investigation leads them to the discovery of a startling and hideous secret. Read more
| Starring | Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Kathy Lester |
|---|---|
| Director | Don Coscarelli |
| Genres | Horror |
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Critics' reviews (5)
View all -
In director Don Coscarelli's fantasy horror with a science-fiction twist, Angus Scrimm impresses as the demon who sends human victims into another dimension where they become slave dwarves. Don't even ask! As wildly imaginative as it's totally illogical, this film's main concern is to shock you senseless. With its unforgettable flying sphere that drills out brains, a macabre fun-house mortuary, severed fingers and cemetery romance, Coscarelli's lurid chiller easily fulfils that lofty aim.
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"...[The] strong point of the feature is that it's played for both horror and laughs....There's a nice tongue-in-cheek feeling to the whole thing..."
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Although enough of a cult favourite to spawn a trio of undistinguished sequels, this low budget independent horror... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Boy!!!!!!!
Phantasm, from Don Coscarelli (sounds like he's from the godfather)is a wonderfully entertaining movie full of all those things the dark half of your mind enjoys. Killer dwarves, exhumers, deadly flying orbs of doom and enough bizarre happenings to fuel any screwed up kids imagination.
I love this movie (and part 2). It somehow reminds me of my childhood. I am always on the side of the badguys so this is a fun movie because you're all gonna get it!
It follows a young boy who notices that there have been strange goings ons in his home town since the arrival of the 'Tall man'. The Tall man acting as the town embalmer and funeral director is here for a higher purpose. Angus Scrimm is fantastic in his role as the Tall man and Reggie Banister is always entertaining.
Watch this film wearing a boiler suit, gas mask and holding a chainsaw. Invite you work mates. Look out for a strange cameo appearence from some star wars characters. -
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Phantasm
As well as being brought up on horror films, i can tell you now that when i was a nipper and saw phantasm i was drawn in completely by the world of dark and surreal. Sorry to milk it but, i think its every young persons fantasy, drinking beer, driving fast and quality cars, having all that freedom to do what you like whilst discovering a few demonic dwarfs and alien masters along the way. This film is an absolute must see and must buy. So if like me you like wierd, sick and dark little films, do yourself a favour and see it now, you wont be dissapointed!
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Doesn't stand the test of time
The story goes that a boy who's parents recently died begins to notice strange things going on in his town that can't be explained - so he investigates and eventually gets into trouble.
This is not the worst movie I have seen that honour goes to 'Zombie Creeping Flesh'. Anyway I can remember seeing a trailer for this when I was a kid and thinking wow that looks pretty scarey. It wasn't.
I think the producer was experimenting with different crude special effects so he crammed them all in but didn't work half as hard on the plot, sometimes that works it didn't here.
The effects really are dated though and you've just gotta laugh really it's not to be taken seriously.
It bodly claims that if it doesn't scare you then you're already dead... It didn't scare me - oh no!
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- DaSilva from Coventry
- Posted 26 Feb 2005 12:58
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Most recent members' reviews (2)
View all -
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Messy horror film
Phantasm has a good offbeat central idea, with an alien sending corpses through a gateway to a world with a higher gravity making dwarf slaves, but the story has too many outlandish ideas for one film, as it jitters from the alien undertaker, his Jawa-esque dwarf underlings, a flying death sphere, an angry flying beastie,a bad guy who can transform into a beautiful woman - oh, and as if this wasnt enough some dream sequences and a confused fake ending. Ultimately Phantasm is a series unscarey but entertaining of set-pieces - as a story its a complete mess. Entertaining, but messy as hell.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Cult 70's Horror
Classic for it's time when the usual horror fare on the menu was the up and coming slasher films.
Although severely dated, flares and hair on the loose, and not as scary as I remember. However the death by sphere is still pretty gruesome. Phantasm serves up a treat for those willing to delve into the realms of nostalgia.
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Boy!!!!!!!
Phantasm, from Don Coscarelli (sounds like he's from the godfather)is a wonderfully entertaining movie full of all those things the dark half of your mind enjoys. Killer dwarves, exhumers, deadly flying orbs of doom and enough bizarre happenings to fuel any screwed up kids imagination.
I love this movie (and part 2). It somehow reminds me of my childhood. I am always on the side of the badguys so this is a fun movie because you're all gonna get it!
It follows a young boy who notices that there have been strange goings ons in his home town since the arrival of the 'Tall man'. The Tall man acting as the town embalmer and funeral director is here for a higher purpose. Angus Scrimm is fantastic in his role as the Tall man and Reggie Banister is always entertaining.
Watch this film wearing a boiler suit, gas mask and holding a chainsaw. Invite you work mates. Look out for a strange cameo appearence from some star wars characters. -
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Phantasm
As well as being brought up on horror films, i can tell you now that when i was a nipper and saw phantasm i was drawn in completely by the world of dark and surreal. Sorry to milk it but, i think its every young persons fantasy, drinking beer, driving fast and quality cars, having all that freedom to do what you like whilst discovering a few demonic dwarfs and alien masters along the way. This film is an absolute must see and must buy. So if like me you like wierd, sick and dark little films, do yourself a favour and see it now, you wont be dissapointed!
-
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Doesn't stand the test of time
The story goes that a boy who's parents recently died begins to notice strange things going on in his town that can't be explained - so he investigates and eventually gets into trouble.
This is not the worst movie I have seen that honour goes to 'Zombie Creeping Flesh'. Anyway I can remember seeing a trailer for this when I was a kid and thinking wow that looks pretty scarey. It wasn't.
I think the producer was experimenting with different crude special effects so he crammed them all in but didn't work half as hard on the plot, sometimes that works it didn't here.
The effects really are dated though and you've just gotta laugh really it's not to be taken seriously.
It bodly claims that if it doesn't scare you then you're already dead... It didn't scare me - oh no!-
- DaSilva from Coventry
- Posted 26 Feb 2005 12:58
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
2 stars for originality
I had to give this two stars for the actual premise alone. The central idea does have to be one of the weirdest I have ever seen. However, as much as I would like to give this film a higher rating the fact is that, in order to get to the good bit (i.e. the reason behind all the murders, dwarfs etc) you have to wade through over an hour of appalling acting, terrible writing and ropey special effects.Thoroughly over-rated.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Classic little gem...
I have never seeen this film before but decided that I probably should since it has quite such a cult following. Phantasm is a low budget horror directed by Don Coscarelli, who recently gave us the weirdly wonderful Bubba Ho-Tep. The story is essentially about a demon that uses the dead from earth as slaves on their high gravity planet - hence they first have to be shrunk down in size. So as you can tell, its your ordinary horror story.... The film centres around brothers that start to realise something very strange is happening at the cemetary and upon investigating a bit further leads them to many confrontations with the Tall Man and his dwarfs! I have to admit I was very surprised by this film, it really did have some very strong moments in it which made me realise why it had such a cult following of horror fans. It does look a little bit dated now, the finger-come-wierd-bug scene looks a bit laughable along with the special FX accompanying the first 'ball' attack. However, the film itself remains entertaining even with these bits and it has a quite a few good horror moments to keep fans going. Well worth a watch as a bit of classic horror.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Were we really that gullible in the '70s?
Missed this first time around so thought I'd catch up. First, the good news - it's short (85 minutes). And that's it! As for the bad news, well, where do I start? Appalling acting, risible editing, lame 'special effects', a plot with more holes than a string vest - and worst of all, it just ain't scary. At all. I can't imagine it scaring anyone when it came out in 1978, either. It doesn't even have kitsch value. Avoid. Why this has apparently attained cult status is beyond me.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Cult 70's Horror
Classic for it's time when the usual horror fare on the menu was the up and coming slasher films.
Although severely dated, flares and hair on the loose, and not as scary as I remember. However the death by sphere is still pretty gruesome. Phantasm serves up a treat for those willing to delve into the realms of nostalgia. -
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
"Boy!!!"
Cult classic horror from the director of 'Bubba Ho-Tep', it is not the most accessable of the series, nor the most immediately enjoyable, but the special effects, characters and marvelous set designs can't help but endear the humble horror fan.
A significant draw back is the DVD treatment, which does its best to destroy the look and feel of the film through a scruffy looking 4:3 transfer. Seek the region 1 DVD for the best available presentation of this standard cult classic. -
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Messy horror film
Phantasm has a good offbeat central idea, with an alien sending corpses through a gateway to a world with a higher gravity making dwarf slaves, but the story has too many outlandish ideas for one film, as it jitters from the alien undertaker, his Jawa-esque dwarf underlings, a flying death sphere, an angry flying beastie,a bad guy who can transform into a beautiful woman - oh, and as if this wasnt enough some dream sequences and a confused fake ending. Ultimately Phantasm is a series unscarey but entertaining of set-pieces - as a story its a complete mess. Entertaining, but messy as hell.
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3 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Stunning Horror
Having seen the first four films in this series and being a hater of sequels I can say that this is truly amazing. All of them are in fact. If you like horror then this is well worth watching. An all time classic up there (but better than) Friday 13th and Halloween - only with better sequels. Horror fans and people who want to be scared must watch.
Simon
Critics' reviews (5)
-
In director Don Coscarelli's fantasy horror with a science-fiction twist, Angus Scrimm impresses as the demon who sends human victims into another dimension where they become slave dwarves. Don't even ask! As wildly imaginative as it's totally illogical, this film's main concern is to shock you senseless. With its unforgettable flying sphere that drills out brains, a macabre fun-house mortuary, severed fingers and cemetery romance, Coscarelli's lurid chiller easily fulfils that lofty aim.
-
"...[The] strong point of the feature is that it's played for both horror and laughs....There's a nice tongue-in-cheek feeling to the whole thing..."
-
Although enough of a cult favourite to spawn a trio of undistinguished sequels, this low budget independent horror... read more on Time Out
-
"...Low budget, influential, and unforgettable..." -- Rating: A
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"...Giddy horror....Thoroughly silly and endearing..."
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