BLOOD WORK: HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 24: PHANTASM II (1988)

How does one go about making a sequel to a film that stood alone and had the perfect ending that the director intended? Especially when it's a sequel to a highly unique and bizarre movie like PHANTASM? Well, it's no wonder that there's almost a ten year gap between films. In answer to the question above, first: You get as many of the keys players, both on and off screen, to return. Don Coscarelli, Angus Scrimm, Reggie Bannister, the spheres, and Fred Myrow's signature film score are back! Then you get the backing of a major movie studio.

PHANTASM II is the only film in the series to be produced by a big Hollywood studio, in this case, Universal Studios. But having funding from a major studio has both benefits and detriments. One benefit being a multi-million dollar budget with which to make the film. One detriment being forced to explain all of the strange inexplicable elements.

Among the elements that made the original Phantasm so unique and powerful were the unexplained phenomena, the blurred lines between reality and fantasy. Phantasm II provides a little more concrete footing, offering a few more explanations. As a result you get a firmer grasp of the characters and what's actually happening. In essence this is what a sequel is supposed to do anyway: reveal more of the fictional world in which the story takes place. Yet there is still enough strangeness permeating the sequel that its phantasmagorical identity is maintained.

But everything comes down to the story. The first film was a complete story, all tied up neatly with the Tall Man winning. So where does the story go from here? Well, what if Phantasm was only an introduction to the bizarre dreamlike world of the Tall Man? The opening of Phantasm II is the inciting incident that propels the whole series forward transforming it into... a buddy road movie?

THE PLOT

After the events at the Morningside Cemetery, Mike has been committed to an institution for rehabilitation. No one believes his story about the Tall Man, the body snatching, and the gateway to another world. Seven years later Mike's dreams have worsened. He senses the Tall Man is about to make a major move in his grand horrific plan. Feigning recovery, Mike is released from the institution. He teams with his longtime friend Reggie and the two of them set off down the road in pursuit of the Tall Man. Together they hope they can bring an end to the Tall Man's evil agenda.

WHAT I LIKED

A Deepening of the Mythology. Like any good sequel the audience needs to be shown more of the fiction world within the films. Don Coscarelli shows us that the events of the first film weren't isolated incidents. They were merely a part of a bigger plan and a part of the Tall Man's insidious agenda. What happened to Mike, Jody, and Reggie in the first film has been occurring in other small towns across America. When the movie begins we are shown the same sort of events occurring to another character, Liz, who, like Mike, has been having visions. Liz can't easily distinguish between phantasy and reality. We are shown more of the Tall Man's henchmen and the process with which they carry out their dark deeds. Beyond that though, what the Tall Man's true plan is, it all remains a mystery... until the next film explains more.

Production Value. Sequels always receive higher budgets and greater production value, right? Well not necessarily. In fact, the production value on this film is what makes it stand out from all the other Phantasm films. Phantasm II boasts the best production value of the entire series. The film has the best sets (specifically the mortuary set) out of the series (nearly all hand crafted). The sequel also boasts the best gore effects of the series (especially the Spinal Monster rising out of the woman's back, the Tall Man's gruesome demise, and many others) compliments of the great Greg Nicotero and Robert Kurtzman. And finally this film has the best special effects (most notably the house explosion at the beginning, the spheres, and the car flip/explosion) of the series. So, really this film does everything a great sequel should do... just about.

Sam and Dean by Any Other Name. This film transforms the story from a beleaguered town narrative into a "buddy road movie." It sounds strange, especially for a horror film, but in becoming a road movie Don Coscarelli stumbled upon something great. Phantasm II is essentially the blueprint for the longest running horror themed television show in history: SUPERNATURAL. Sam and Dean Winchester's adventures are very much derived from those of Mike and Reggie. In both stories the male duos travel the country from small town to small town, staying in dive motels, saving people, and hunting monsters. Mike and Reggie drive a black 1971 Plymouth Barracuda similar to Sam and Dean's black 1967 Chevy Impala, both with trunks full of weapons. Both cars become as much a character in the stories as the humans. The younger of the two male leads, Mike and Sam, both have psychic powers. The women almost always die while the boys live on. By Season 5 of Supernatural its the apocalypse and by movie 5 in the Phantasm series its the apocalypse. And the parallels don't stop there.

I'm not accusing Eric Kripke of anything, but rather, if you're a fan of Supernatural (as I am), these parallels provide an interesting lens to view either Phantasm or Supernatural through.

And dueling chainsaws! Taking a page from Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2, Phantasm II has a sword fight with chainsaws! Any movie with such a scene is alright in my book.

NITPICKS

Universal Studios' Interference. The biggest alteration in the continuity of the series occurs in this film. A. Michael Baldwin, the actor who portrayed Mike in the original Phantasm was supposed to return and reprise his role. But the studio wanted a working actor and, at the time, A. Michael Baldwin wasn't working (although he wanted the part). Actor James LeGros was cast as Mike instead. To his credit, James LeGros does a good job as Mike and had he stayed on through parts III - V the continuity wouldn't be that big an issue. Given that A. Michael Baldwin returned for all the subsequent sequels it has retroactively made part II's casting of James LeGros stand out as all the more jarring. In any event, it isn't as big of a problem as it could've been.

THE VERDICT

Phantasm II ups the ante in every aspect making it a wonderful sequel to one of the great modern horror films. Angus Scrimm returns as the frightening and enigmatic Tall Man, delivering perhaps his most potent performance as the character. The story is expanded and the bigger budget allowed the filmmakers to deliver a bigger movie. And there's also an unintended legacy as a result where the film acts as a template for the tv series Supernatural. The gore effects and monsters look better than ever here adding the icing on the cake. To put it plainly, Phantasm II is my favorite sequel in the franchise.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 4 out of 10