Phantasm I + III – Lord Of The Undead: Unrated
Director’s Cut (Anchor Bay)
Picture:
C+/B- Sound: B- Extras: B-/C Films: B-/C
In the
last great period of Horror films until the early 1980s, John Carpenter’s Halloween may have been the film that
launched a new cycle and one that killed the Horror film unintentionally, but
many interesting films were still getting made that had something to
offer. At this time, Avco Embassy needed
a hit and the company was in a make or break situation. Don Coscarelli had been making no-budget
films here and there when he created Phantasm.
Though it
looks old and cheap now, the company liked it, it was something different at
the time and when all was said and done, the film was a big hit that kept the
studio going for a few more years, led to more hits and inspired a few
sequels. The tale of an evil otherworld
with little killer dwarfs, the deathly Tall Man and a flying sphere that drills
and kills it victims were among the surprises we had never seen before.
With an
interesting script, bold demonology, major success in portraying the dream
& nightmare states and achieving a density most major productions in and
out the genre since have failed to do, Phantasm
may not endure like the best supernatural classics, but it is one of the last
important ones from its era. It is
creepy, has better acting than it is given credit for, has cinematography by
the director that overcomes its low-budget limits and has editing that shames
so many films in its wake. The idea of
innocence being assaulted by death is a theme the sequels ignored.
Much more
successful than not, the film has had three sequels so far. Anchor Bay has issued both the original and
third films on DVD in new Special Editions that should keep fans happy and
unlike other reissues are for films that have not been in circulation as much
as their fan base would like.
Unfortunately, the third film was one too many and just made in the
regressive cycle of franchising and remakes that have hit a new low of late.
Like Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s sequels,
better production values and more money makes the later films increasingly
uninteresting, repetitious and cash-ins that do not add to the original. Some films just don’t need sequels, but the
true horror of no one taking risks on new material is the most terrifying of
all. Dubbed Lord Of The Undead, all the third film can do is turn the first
into a cartoon and when you get multiple flying spheres, the question no one
seems to ask is where were they in the first film?
Stick
with the original 1978 film instead.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image on both DVDs are not bad, with the first
looking better than the older MGM version but still not great. The original needs some restoration work and an
HD upgrade, though this copy is consistent with the look of the film in
color. The third offers less interesting
cinematography by Chris Chomyn that feels more like The Shining-lite than the first film. Dolby Digital 5.1 upgrades of the original
sound on both are offered, but the first comes with a DTS 5.1 mix that is
preferred.
The first
film was monophonic, but music (by Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave) and sound
effects sound better here than the MGM version.
Those elements were recorded separately and have better fidelity, but
dialogue and location sound show their age.
The third film was (like the second film reviewed elsewhere on this
site) an analog Dolby-A type release and the 5.1 remix is not in DTS in part
because it was not that great a mix to begin with. You can hear some subtle distortion
throughout.
Extras
for the first film include feature length audio commentary by director Coscarelli,
Michael Baldwin, Angus Scrimm & Bill Thornbury, Phantasmagoria: 30-minute
documentary and interviews with cast and crew, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes,
actors having a ball (get it, ha ha), TV interview piece, TV Commercial with
Angus Scrimm tied with Fangoria Magazine, Angus Scrimm convention appearance, trailers
for Phantasm & Phantasm III and three TV Spots. The third offers a deleted scene, A. Michael
Baldwin/Angus Scrimm audio commentary, behind the scenes featurette and trailers
for Phantasm and Phantasm III.
The first
film does not include the great set of extras the older MGM copy did that shows
the extensive and amazing promotional campaign that Avco Embassy launched to
sell the film, which they did a remarkable job of. That was showbiz and the digital media of
today just does not have the character.
That makes the old MGM copy still a prized edition.
Phantasm II is not in print en masse, but
there is an import copy you might be able to play on your machine to have the
trilogy or just see it individually. You
can read that review at:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2116/Phantasm+II+(0/PAL+set)
You can
read about Fred Myrow and his impressive work on the Soylent Green soundtrack that shows his solid work in this
franchise was not just a fluke at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/198/Soylent+Green/Demon+Seed+(Limited
Plus read
about the actual film at:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/525/Soylent+Green+(DVD-Video)
- Nicholas Sheffo
