Phantasm is a very creative horror movie that draws on original content from director Don Coscarelli. He had such huge ideas that it filled over three hours worth of footage. Much of which is now lost forever, but some has popped up in Director's Cuts of the movie. The film sets it focus on a new antagonist, The Tall Man.
Angus Skrimm portrays the Tall Man, a ghoulish undertaker that is stealing bodies from the local cemetery and creating mindless dwarf zombies out of them. No one in the town knows about this and it is unclear how long it has been going on. However, a young boy witnesses the Tall Man and investigates him, much to his own horror.
This movie has a really good storyline to it and it is one of the main draws of the film. The movie also has some really sweet visuals that were obviously creepy in its day. The tools that the Tall Man utilizes are all creative and astounding. The mystery that surrounds the Tall Man creates an unknown horror around him that surrounds him the entire movie.
The movie is also accompanied by a great creepy soundtrack. It does wonders for the scenes and helps push the story along without sacrificing any of the scary elements. The movie has an unusual ending too, sort of with a twist. I couldn't tell if the movie was ending or not.
All in all, I really liked this movie. I hadn't watched it before and the dated effects didn't even damage the viewing for me. It was a great movie with some really surprising twists. It made me want to watch the other movies in the series. I heard they are horrible, but whatever.
You play a good game boy, but the game is finished, now you die.
S!D
- The mansion used for the exterior shots of the mausoleum was also seen in the James Bond film A View to a Kill.
- The dwarfs were played by children.
- The copyright date shown during the closing credits of this film says MCMLXXVII (1977)
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