4/4 Phantasm II

4/4/14
Phantasm II

"You think that when you die, you go to heaven. You come here." ~ The Tall Man

IMDB.com Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Availability: Still in print on DVD and Blu Ray, ranging from $4-$20.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3EA05pcefg

Watch Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-vRb4cZdlE
OH SHIT! Moment: Mike meets an apparition meant to look like Liz. And then she goes all 'Total Recall' sprouting a mini-Tall Man from her spine. 

Food and Beverage Pairing: Phantasmic 'Eyeball' Tacos and a Corpse Reviver #2

Ingredients

• 1 lb vegan beef
• 11/4 ozs seasoning mix (taco)
• 12 taco shells
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tomatoes (small cubes)
• 1 head lettuce (sliced into small confetti squares)
• 21/4 ozs black olives (sliced)
• 1 cup cheese (shredded long cheddar is good but a Mexican blend would be good)

Directions:
1. MIX meat and seasoning mix. Shape half of the mixture into 24 (1-inch) balls; place in 15x10x1-inch baking pan and bake at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.
2. Brown the remaining seasoned ground beef and add salsa.
3. Fill each taco shell with a thin layer of ground beef, sour cream, lettuce, and tomatoes.
4. Position 2 meatballs inside the taco shell and add a dollop of sour cream to each. Garnish with olives to make “eyeballs.” Spread the cheese out along to the top for stringy hair.
AND NOW, THE DRINK:

1 oz. gin
1 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Lillet Blanc
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 dash absinthe
Ice cubes
Tools: shaker, strainer

Glass: cocktail

Garnish: orange peel

Shake all ingredients in a shaker, strain into a chilled glass and garnish.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Phantasm: The delusion of a disordered mind. A phantom. A spirit. A ghost.

Tonight's review is the sequel to the 1979 surreal, acid-trip horror-hit that left many people forever afraid of tall old men and hooded monk-dwarfs. On the docket, we have 'Phantasm II'. And in case you need a reason to watch this film -- other than 'because it's awesome' -- here you go: What other movie has three flying death spheres, equipped with drills, knives, razors and blood-pumps, 12 dead bodies, 10 breasts, a four-barreled sawed-off shotgun, a motor vehicle chase, wrist-hacking, a flamethrower, one of the most vicious henchmen deaths ever and a chainsaw duel finished by crotch-chainsawing? But unfortunately, this movie does have one of the most terrifying moments ever caught on film, the crash and burn of a 1971 Hemi Cuda. After seeing that, I was so depressed, I almost found god. And then I got over it.

Also, something to look for -- at 1:11:40, we see an evil henchman putting ashes into a bag. The bag has labeled the name of a, presumably, recently deceased man. That dead's name on the bag -- Sam Raimi.

You don't have to be on acid to enjoy these movies. It seems to me, however, you HAD to be on acid to write them. I have a buddy who used to do acid. Back in high school, he took some and stayed in his basement all day. I said, "hey, man -- what if your parents would have come home". And he said, "they were home the entire time. If they needed me to do something, I would've told them I was drunk". At one point, he said a swarm of bees came in his room. He did the logical thing and hid under the sheets. One time, he accidentally took acid while delivering pizzas. But hey, this is one of those guys, you say, "how does one accidentally take acid" and he treats the question like a normal, everyday occurrence. Anyway, as we were...

Nine years after the original, Universal Studios thought it was time for a 'Phantasm' sequel; and not that I'm complaining, but what's the point of waiting that long? After a $3 million budget, 'Phantasm II' more than doubled that number from the U.S. box office alone; ending past the $7 million mark, while still being considered as a box office bomb. Explain that one to me, Universal.

We begin the film immediately following the events of the first, with Reggie saving Mike from an impending death. From there, Mike becomes institutionalized and Reggie goes back to slinging ice cream. The greater portion of the film takes place six-years-later, beginning with the introduction of a new character, Liz. She and the original's protagonist, Mike, meet in their dreams and quickly become in cahoots. 'Phantasm II' also sees the return of 'the face of the franchise', Reggie. Reggie and Mike travel cross country to kill The Tall Man. As they go town to town, they see the damage The Tall Man has done. Small towns, destroyed and robbed of their dead, provide much of the film's backdrop. "Small towns are like people; some get old and die a natural death. Some are murdered." ~ Reggie

Where as most of the first film is a psychological experience -- an existentialist piece -- this one shifts the focus onto guns and gore; a common theme in the mainstream '80s horror movie. While this one is nowhere near as deep as its predecessor, it more than makes up for it as a fun, wild, blood-fueled ride. The creepiness of the original is still present -- especially the macabre undertones of embalming -- but this is a much lighter take. Plenty of great scares and gags, courtesy of (special effects gods) Greg Nicotero and Robert Kurtzman, make this sequel a fun way to present the second chapter in what would become a cult classic.

Death of a Henchman

The second act begins with Mike and Reggie finally meeting Liz, as well as picking up a hitchhiker, Alchemy. From here, the film turns into a violent double date of sorts; and of course, those murderous flying spheres are back to wreck havoc on the foursome. Alchemy gets forgotten about and Liz gets taken captive. Wielding sawed-off shotguns, gardening tools, and all kinds of miscellaneous weapons, Reggie and Mike must go to kick some Tall Man ass and save Mike's main squeeze from the death which surely awaits her.

The grand finale comes with one of the most gruesomely gratuitous deaths ever. Not since 'The Evil Dead' and 'Scanners' has the silver screen been graced with as much skin melting and eye-exploding violence. Of course, this is 'Phantasm', so even when you think everything is good, you never really feel safe. With Don Coscarelli manning the helm, there's always a feeling of unease, and he never lets off.

On my scale:
Overall Enjoyment ----14
Redeeming Qualities---18
Rewatchability---------7
Directing/Quality------6
Plot/Storyline----------5
Pacing-----------------4
Dialogue/Writing-------6
Acting-----------------5
TOTAL---------------65

I own two copies of this movie. I don't need both, but I like having them. Since I bought the Blu Ray, I've only watched it once. Nonetheless, I still think owning both copies is worth my money. The film that was made, from a technical stand point, could've been better. It didn't have the strongest script and the better acting; but for what it was, I can't complain. I wouldn't want any changes, because, to do so would mean to sacrifice so many of the effects I love. There are so many redeeming qualities to this film thanks in big part to the KNB Effects guys. The film does get a little boring in the middle, but it's worth sitting through just to see the ending. This was a transitional period for horror, when the focus shifted to more violence, more blood, more guns, more breasts and plenty of retribution in the final reel. The film is less abstract than its surreal predecessor, focusing on the same dilemma -- Mike dealing with the loss of his family -- but from a more nontraditional approach; you don't deal with death through mourning and suffering, but instead, you fight it with guns and flamethrowers. It's the same statement as the first film, where The Tall Man is a representation of 'death'; but now you have a pissed off teen and his ice cream-vending buddy looking for a little payback. It's all in good fun as this film tends to please gore hounds. You gotta watch this. Best of 1988.