Phantasm, 1979.
Directed by Don Coscarelli.
Starring A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Kathy Lester and Angus Scrimm.
SYNOPSIS:
A teenager finds himself in a battle for survival against a mysterious and sinister undertaker.
We don’t have a fancy overlong introduction for today’s entry because we’re taking a dive into a true cult classic territory. It’s the film that birthed a long-running franchise that gave us one of the strangest and tallest of beloved horror villains; Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm.
The story of Phantasm is a curious one that toys with your expectations. It starts with a murder scene, suggesting it might be a slasher film. Then we are introduced to the mysterious Tall Man, whose strength and seemingly omniscient presence suggest we’re in for something supernatural. Then we reach the climax, with its talk of other planets and teleportation, which moves us into distinctly sci-fi territory. Then again, it might not be any of those things at all, with the film’s dream-like atmosphere and presentation leaving us in doubt as to whether any of the events actually occurred the way we think.
This ambiguity strikes you as weird upon initial viewing, as seemingly dead characters return alive and then, at the same time, once living characters are revealed to be dead. However, this is exactly the vibe that writer/director Don Coscarelli is aiming for, keeping the viewer guessing about what is a dream and what is real, with the recurring dream sequences (which might be dreams within dreams) leaving you questioning everything and anything you see.
Phantasm’s deliberately ambiguous approach to its story is aided by the film’s overall presentation. The visual style, with its heavy use of shadows and contrasting blinding white lights, is terrific, with the occasional use of slow motion adding an extra layer of strangeness to the already dreamlike feel of the film. The pacing is tight, the film racing through its 90-minute runtime and packing in a variety of exciting (and sometimes goofy) set pieces, such as an intense chase through a mausoleum, a creepy moment in which young Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) hides under a car as monsters lurk above, or the hilarious sequence in which Mike and his brother attempt to kill a goofy-looking fly creature.
It’s all (mostly) well-executed stuff, and even with the dodgy special effects, it’s all great fun. Of course, the stand-out set pieces of the film are whenever those now iconic silver spheres appear, the shiny death dispensers whiz through the air like bullets, ready to bury themselves into the head of a poor victim whose skull then erupts in a fountain of blood. The spheres, while surprisingly underused, are easily the most memorable sight from the entire franchise, with their unique and delightfully simple design burrowing themselves into the hearts (and heads) of horror fans everywhere.
My favourite aspect of the film is the music composed by Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave. Heavily influenced by the likes of Goblin and Mike Oldfield, Phantasm’s score, with its eerie synthesisers and often heavy percussion, is an infectious atmospheric delight that slowly worms its way into your head and lurks there for weeks. I can’t tell you how often I’ve had moments where I’m sitting thinking to myself when that creepy theme slowly creeps into my mind.
If there are any areas where the film wobbles, it’s in the characters and the performances. The lead characters of brothers Mike and Jody, as played by A Michael Baldwin and Bill Thornbury, respectively, didn’t quite lend themselves to much attachment. In all honesty, they annoyed me immensely, with the pair coming across as gigantic idiots, with the actors often awkward performances not helping things. Although I will admit, their sillier moments did make me laugh, such as when Mike is discovered by the Tall Man and simply reacts with “Ummmmmmm……….shit”.
The wonderfully named Reggie Bannister manages much better as the brother’s friend Reggie (imaginative name), who emerges as the film’s comic relief, even if he isn’t all that funny, with his straight-faced everyman quality making him a likeable foil. It at least explains why he comes back for all the sequels.
Of course, the star of the show is the late Angus Scrimm as the villainous ghoul known simply as The Tall Man. Standing at 6ft 4, Scrimm, with his slender, towering frame, ill-fitting suits (deliberately chosen to make him look taller), piercing, slightly quirky stare, purposeful stride and growling voice, makes for a sinister and commanding screen presence. In a wise move, Scrimm is used sparingly, with his limited screentime leaving a terrifying and iconic mark, particularly in the many dream scenes in which he often just looms over our heroes or lurks in a mirror bellowing “BOY!!!”.
With a dream-like atmosphere that lends the film an ambiguity that will keep you guessing, a spooky musical score that will lodge itself in your subconscious and a towering villainous performance from Angus Scrimm, Phantasm is a strange yet fun ride that more than lives up to its cult classic status.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Graeme Robertson
