4/3 Phantasm

4/3/14
Phantasm

"Fear is the killer. That's what Grandma wants you to learn... It was all in your mind"

IMDB.com Rating: 6.9 out of 10

Availability: Still in print through 'Anchor Bay' and moderately priced.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD7YBKd1dLw

Watch Online: Sorry, kiddos. You're just gonna have to buy this one.
OH SHIT! Moment: When a flying sphere hooks onto and then drills into a henchman's head before bleeding him dry like a fountain.

Food and Beverage Pairing: Spicy Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers, a Hot Zombie and a Chartreuse Smash

Ingredients:

• 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, diced (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 "egg" (use Ener-G egg replacer)
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• oil for frying (optional)

Preparation:

Mash the beans in a large bowl and add remaining ingredients, mixing until well combined.

Press firmly to form into patties and lightly fry in oil. Or, fire up the grill and barbecue your black bean veggie burgers over a medium heat.

And now, the cocktails:

The Hot Zombie Ingredients:

1 oz fresh pineapple juice

2 oz Cruzan Gold

½ oz passion fruit syrup

½ oz fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon brown sugar

4 oz boiling water.

1 small chip butter (about a ½ tsp)

Place juices, rum, sugar, and syrup in an 8 oz mug. Add the hot water before stirring well. Put the butter in and serve. I add a flaming spoon of brandy for garnish.

The Chartreuse Smash Ingredients:

Note: The idea is to get that spice in your mouth, and right when you're feeling full and drunk, extinguish the spice with some fresh citrus.

INGREDIENTS

10 mint leaves
1 oz. lemon juice, from about 1/2 lemon
2 tsp. turbinado sugar
2 oz. green Chartreuse
Sprig of mint, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Place mint, lemon and sugar in a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add chartreuse and fill with ice. Shake thoroughly, and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprig.

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It's really a shame I couldn't find an online link for the full film, but just as well; because if someone really wants to see this, I'd almost prefer knowing they were paying for that right. This is probably my favorite horror franchise; and in the pantheon of all-time franchises, it ranks with the 'Star Wars', 'Alien' and 'Indiana Jones' sagas. I cannot describe well enough the enjoyment I get from this movie. 'Phantasm' is the reason I reworked this blog. Initially, I was strictly writing about bad movies; but I love this one and felt it needed to be shared with all of my followers, which currently stands at zero.

The premise was simple. You had a kid, dealing with a lot of sadness in his life, beginning with the death of his parents a couple years before the movie's setting. He's 13-years-old -- right at the age where things begin to seem more complicated. It's a period of emotion and transition. The film starts with the death of his brother's friend, Tommy, which leads him to The Tall Man; an undertaker, malevolent and menacing, turning the recently dead into zombie-dwarfs to help take over the world. The film is an independent one, meaning it received relatively no financial backing from the major studios; and while it only netted $300,000, a theatrically-released sequel was later released by Universal. Director, Don Coscarelli, does a magnificent job blending dream and reality in a movie so surreal, you're often left wondering if what you saw was your imagination all along.

We open to a shot of Morningside Mortuary. Pan to its graveyard and we see two 20-somethings fooling around. At only the 1:35 mark, we have the film's first murder. It's very imperative to pay close attention to what the director is trying to tell you. Fast shots of The Tall Man, quick flashbacks and other such techniques can cause the viewer to lose track of what's to be perceived. Although this is a common trick used by filmmakers, with today's films spelling everything out to the movie patron in plain text, the average movie-goer might get confused seeing a facial transition from a woman to The Tall Man and back. They're establishing both characters are the same.

We are then introduced to the tetralogy's players:

Mike, the young protagonist of the film. 

Jody, Mike's older brother.

Reggie, the brother's friend.

Note: a series of four movies is called 'a tetralogy', as opposed to made-up 'quadrilogy'. That is not a real word. Just saying.

In the first act, the grief-stricken Mike learns Jody is to be leaving, going on the road for a while. You feel helpless watching Mike because, as a viewer, it's easy to relate to mounting loss and increasing sadness. As they say, "when it rains, it pours". We see Don Coscarelli's genius as a filmmaker, hiding the movie's haunting theme in the background of a rock song being played on a jukebox. He uses this as a subconscious warning to the audience. He also does a fantastic job adding some softer tones and moments for a brief chuckle to lighten the mood. Still, one can't lose the feeling of being alone and lost, whilst really connecting on a personal level to the film's trio of stars. 

As Jody begins to investigate The Tall Man and Morningside Mortuary, he finds there's a more dangerous resource at The Tall Man's disposal than the pesky zombie-dwarfs. The Tall Man, an already frightening and physically strong antagonist, has flying spheres capable of maiming, killing and bleeding a person dry. 

The film is carried well by its pacing, plot, writing, acting and special effects; and by its end, you're unsure if this movie is based in reality, overactive imagination or a bad LSD trip.

On my scale:
Overall Enjoyment ----18
Redeeming Qualities---15
Rewatchability---------8
Directing/Quality------8
Plot/Storyline----------8
Pacing-----------------7
Dialogue/Writing-------8
Acting-----------------7
TOTAL---------------79

This is a very high score. It says a lot for the film, considering I doubt any movie will ever score a complete 100. It has well been worth my money and time, as I rewatch it at least once a year. I enjoy 'Phantasm' because of its originality. It holds my attention, keeping me interested and invested in the lead characters. Watching this movie makes it hard to shake the feeling of doubt, as though I'm at the director's untrusting mercy. Most notably, I always forget what's going to happen and when it's going to happen. Very rarely will you find a movie that leaves you in a fog like this one does. By the night's end, my mind always wonders what I saw, or rather, what I think I saw. It's like I am going to sleep with a little piece of this film replaying in my subconscious. I think what Don Coscarelli was trying to accomplish was a statement about mourning and death, the latter of which being what The Tall Man is a representation of. It's an existential horror flick based in idiosyncratic mind games -- and what we have in the finished product is a constant feeling of unease, paranoia, insecurity and fear which stays with the viewer long after the end credits role. This movie was done as well as it could have been. Everything about it seems well thought out. I can honestly say, of all the films I've reviewed, this is the one I recommend most. Best of 1979. Watch it.