HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 24: PHANTASM (1979)

Horror can take many forms. It can manifest in tragic events, those moments in life where reality becomes all too real. Horror can also rise in the moments where reality shifts into something surreal, those moments where we question what's real and what we thought we knew. Horror can be the inability to distinguish what's real from what's phantasmagoric.

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

Don Coscarelli's 1979 film PHANTASM is among the strangest and strikingly original horror films of all time. There isn't anything quite like the Phantasm films. It's a blend of the gothic, science fiction, fantasy, and horror. It also contains a few distinct European horror esthetics such as leaving several events unexplained with things happening seemingly out of nowhere. Phantasm is one of those films that either grabs you from the start with its bizarre story and images or leaves you unsure of what you just watched. Either way, repeated viewings illuminate bits here and there and draw you in further. This is one of those films that really engages the viewer and leaves you to theorize and draw your own conclusions.

I wasn't sold on the film the first time I saw it. And to be honest I was in the group that wasn't sure what I had just seen. But given time, repeated viewings, and trekking through the sequels I have come to really enjoy Phantasm. I count it among the best of horror.

THE PLOT

Residents of a small Oregon town are dying off in strange ways. 13 year old Mike has been spying on the mortuary at Morningside Cemetery. Mike believes there is something strange about the undertaker, a tall and frightening looking man. Mike ventures closer, breaking into the mortuary one night. There he encounters the Tall Man and a host of ghoulish dwarfs, all trying to kill him. Mike escapes and tells his brother Jody and family friend, Reggie. The three of them together take a closer look and discover otherworldly powers at work within the mortuary. And they inadvertently place themselves in the cross hairs of the Tall Man.

WHAT I LIKED

Phantasmagoria. That's my five dollar way of saying I like all the weird and twisty $#!+ in this movie. First there are the dream sequences like the iconic scene of Mike in bed with the Tall Man towering over him. There are a couple of these and they are some of the most chilling scenes in the film. Then the end of the film throws the audience for a major loop which makes you question what these "dreams" were and if they were even dreams at all. The movie plays with the audiences heads, engaging you and making you wonder about the story being told. This wonder extends to the central plot of the movie, not merely the dream sequences, but the Tall Man and everything in the mortuary.

The Characters. First and foremost is the Tall Man played by actor Angus Scrimm. The Tall Man is incredibly creepy, menacing, and ultimately terrifying. Scrimm brings an imposing presence to the role both in his demeanor and voice. And all the other strange elements add to the mystique of the character. Then there are the minions. The scary hooded dwarfs, at first, seem like an odd choice and almost laughable (like homicidal Jawas). But as the story progresses these dwarfs grow weirder and more frightening. The tuning fork-like rods that act as a gateway to another dimension and the silver spheres combine with everything else to create a completely odd and unique film experience. There is no other film like Phantasm... except for Phantasm II-V of course.

And then of course there are our heroes, Mike, Jody, and Reggie. These actors bring an authenticity to their characters, making them appear both real and larger than life. You can't help but like them. They aren't helpless. They aren't victims (yet some do fall to the Tall Man). What they are are real characters doing the best they can in a crazy situation. And they're really likable too.

The Atmosphere. At the moment the opening credits begin to role we are treated to a powerfully evocative score, one of the most frightening and iconic horror film scores in my opinion. This music sets the tone for the whole film and leads straight into a scene at the cemetery where the Lady in Lavender (the Tall Man?) claims the first victim of the film. This opening sequence launches us into a funeral where we glimpse all our main characters, antagonists included. From here the movie gets weirder and scarier. Then we receive a strange scene at a fortune teller's house where even more bizarre things happen. The film creates an eerie atmosphere where the viewer isn't quite sure what's real and what isn't, perfect for a film entitled Phantasm.

NITPICKS

I really enjoy this movie and given it was put together with tape and spit it is a miracle Don Coscarelli and everyone involved churned out such an incredible film. I really can't fault the film for anything and for the most part I can't find too many faults with it at all. It would've been nice to learn more about the fortune teller as I feel that was a plot thread in need of further exploration. We kind of get more in the sequels but not really. My only wish for this movie would be that the mine shaft the Tall Man falls into at the end didn't look so box-like. Ridiculous I know and such a small thing, but it kinda looks like a box sitting in a hole in the floor. Like I said, tape and spit. There is a three hour cut of this film somewhere and I wonder how much is explained in the longer version that we don't receive here.

THE VERDICT

Phantasm is a truly unique horror film and an essential viewing for all horror fans. It's weird and twisting. Filled with sci-fi elements, fantasy, and human drama. An atmosphere of anything can happen permeates the film, made stronger by the bizarre characters and frightening dream sequences. And Angus Scrimm as the Tall Man is bloodcurdling in presence and performance, truly a character worthy of the horror villains hall of fame. You'll either be sucked into this strange film or wonder what the hell you just watched. Repeat viewings only make this film more endearing. Director Don Coscarelli took the word Phantasm to heart when crafting this film for it is in every sense of the word phantasmagorical.

Overall Ranking: 10 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 2 out of 10

I honestly have no other horror movies to compare this one too. It really is a unique entity. The closest I can think of is WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, you know, cause of the Oompa Loompas.