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Information Exchange => Reader Comments => Topic started by: Andrew on May 07, 2008, 09:35:13 PM



Title: Phantasm
Post by: Andrew on May 07, 2008, 09:35:13 PM
Reader review by KYGOTC.  A young boy discovers that the local funeral home is filled with horror and mystery.  Flying metal spheres with drill attachments, a shapechanging Tall Man, and drums filled with killer Jawas are just the start of Michael's nightmare.

Click here to go to the Review (http://www.badmovies.org/othermovies/phantasm/)


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: cannibalholocaust on May 08, 2008, 07:55:42 PM
Holy s**t! I can put up with a lot of things, but not this. Maybe you should start watching Hollywood s**t fest and give up pretending to be a B-movie fan. You have lost your mind.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Menard on May 08, 2008, 08:11:18 PM
Holy s**t! I can put up with a lot of things, but not this. Maybe you should start watching Hollywood s**t fest and give up pretending to be a B-movie fan. You have lost your mind.

I've been waiting for an intelligent response!

Unfortunately, that wasn't one.


What would you expect from somebody who uses a piece of s**t movie like Cannibal Holocaust for their name?


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Ash on May 08, 2008, 09:14:46 PM
Holy s**t! I can put up with a lot of things, but not this. Maybe you should start watching Hollywood s**t fest and give up pretending to be a B-movie fan. You have lost your mind.

KYGOTC,
I think you have a critic!   :tongueout:
Didn't seem like he liked your review very much.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: KYGOTC on May 08, 2008, 09:48:04 PM
Maybe you should start watching Hollywood s**t fest and give up pretending to be a B-movie fan.


Hmmm..."Hollywood s**t Fest". Don't think I've heard of that one, but it sounds promising. I'll youtube it and see if it's worth buying.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Menard on May 08, 2008, 09:54:37 PM
Maybe you should start watching Hollywood s**t fest and give up pretending to be a B-movie fan.


Hmmm..."Hollywood s**t Fest". Don't think I've heard of that one, but it sounds promising. I'll youtube it and see if it's worth buying.

Good comeback  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Solo Wing pixy on May 08, 2008, 10:24:09 PM
I hated the fact that in this movie and all the sequels (haven't seen IV) that the Tall Man is COMPLETELY UNSTOPPABLE and ALWAYS pops up at the very end and those evil little gnomes grab whoever is left of the good guys at the end.

Oh well at least II had that great four-barreled shotgun that Reggie modified. It was pretty funny when he blew through four of those little jawa/ugnaut mutants away. Michael's flamethrower was kind of cool too, especially when he lit the fire place.

As frustrating as these movies are, they are sad because it seems the Tall Man just keeps winning in the end.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Cotexman on May 08, 2008, 11:34:41 PM
I'm going to guess you aren't a real big fan of surrealistic movies.  No worries, they aren't for everyone.  A movie called "Phantasm" isn't going to be a straight forward movie (or at least is shouldn't be).


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Cotexman on May 08, 2008, 11:39:46 PM
You will probably want to stay clear of the "Hollywood s**tfest."  I believe it involves multiple Richard Gear (I don't think I spelled his last name right) movies. 


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Gravlax on May 09, 2008, 01:16:20 AM
I recall trying to watch this when it was shown on TV when I was a teenager in the 80s.   I mostly found it confusing and boring.  I fell asleep too!  I never saw enough of it to grasp what was supposed to be going on, except that it had to do with a tall creepy guy in a mortuary and something about another dimension.

I remember the commercials with the flying silver orbs, and I remember hearing how great it supposedly was, but I could never see what all the fuss was about.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Hoomi on May 09, 2008, 11:39:13 AM
I saw this movie years ago when it was in the theaters.  The girl I was going out with liked scary movies, and the ad for this one said, "If this one doesn't scare you, you're already dead."

Yeah.

My first thought in the opening scene, when the girl stabs the guy after sex, was, "Substantial penalties for early withdrawal."  The movie wasn't scary at all, and would have been far better given the MST3K treatment.

It didn't make any better sense on the big screen, and to be honest, I kept wondering if I'd missed some important detail that would have melded it all together.  Your review pretty much mirrored my feelings from about 1979, and I've never bothered to watch it again to see if it gets better on the repeats.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Hoomi on May 09, 2008, 11:45:33 AM
Oh; one other thing I did find entertaining in the movie.  The flying orb blood spurt caused me to bust up laughing in the theater, because it looked just like the blood spurting from the severed limbs of the Black Knight in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail".  The only thing missing was the victim saying, "It's just a flesh wound.  I've been 'urt worse."



Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Jay the Magnificent on May 09, 2008, 09:23:51 PM
about time somebody give an honest review of this crappy movie. the only explanation for the many "its great!" lines is mass psychosis


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Mr_Vindictive on May 09, 2008, 10:16:16 PM
KYGOTC and I have talked about Phantasm numerous times in the past.

Personally, it's a favorite of mine.  That being said, it obviously is not a film for everyone.  Hell, I despised it with a passion the first time I saw it.  Further viewings have opened numerous layers within the film for me, and it holds a special spot for me.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Jordan on May 09, 2008, 11:27:38 PM
Yikes! Funny how some people get worked up when you don't like something that they do, especially movies. I've gotten into arguments with people numerous times because I said a few negative things about a film they enjoyed. The only time I become enraged is when someone says they don't like "Slither." I promptly jam my ovipositor down their throat and lay hundreds of eggs in their belly.  :wink:

"Phantasm" is definitely not for all tastes. The first one is actually my least favorite (next to "OblIVion") but I respect it, own two copies of it (the MGM and Anchor Bay releases repspectively), and I've seen it quite a few times. It moves a bit too slowly, (ok, yeah I admit it, this flick drags in spots) but dang it, Coscarelli really knows how to build up a creepy, dreamlike atmosphere. Parts II and III were awesome in my opinion!


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: J.D. on May 10, 2008, 04:20:07 AM
Dude why do you come here if you don't like bad movies?    :question:    They're fun to watch!  I first watched this one about 10 years ago because if I was going to watch a Phantasm movie I was going to start with the first. I never did understand all of it.I think the II and III were most likely the best. This one was just plain cheese. Not the good cheesy 80s cheese! Though I have an idea to run by everyone!    :bouncegiggle:   


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Talisman on May 11, 2008, 12:05:29 AM
This sounds familiar...is there a scene where large claws erupt out of mud puddles and try to grab Our Heroes? If so, I remember seeing it...well, scenes from it, anyway. The bug that got garbage-disposed creeped me out. Freaky.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: The Dungeonmaster on May 11, 2008, 05:21:46 PM
Maybe you should start watching Hollywood s**t fest and give up pretending to be a B-movie fan.


Hmmm..."Hollywood s**t Fest". Don't think I've heard of that one, but it sounds promising. I'll youtube it and see if it's worth buying.

Good comeback  :thumbup:
Actually, that was a pretty horrible comeback.

Phantasm is 100% classic.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Menard on May 11, 2008, 05:55:34 PM
Maybe you should start watching Hollywood s**t fest and give up pretending to be a B-movie fan.


Hmmm..."Hollywood s**t Fest". Don't think I've heard of that one, but it sounds promising. I'll youtube it and see if it's worth buying.

Good comeback  :thumbup:
Actually, that was a pretty horrible comeback.

Phantasm is 100% classic.

Maybe you Phantasm girls should go hang out in the same asylum with the Zardoz nuts.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Spiff on May 12, 2008, 05:08:46 AM
Some sympathy to the reviewer, he obviously enjoyed the movie as little as anybody will enjoy reading his review. It really stands out on a website full of largely humourous reviews of bad movies as being completely humourless.
The big question is why you would write a lengthy whine about being unable to understand what was going on while admitting that you fell asleep repeatedly (and also indeirectly that you can't spot a dream sequence in a movie (maybe you're just to used to inserting your own dream sequences)) is beyond me. Regardless of anyone's opinion of the movie, if you're not bright enough to even follow what's going on, probably best not to do a review.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Menard on May 12, 2008, 07:06:05 AM
Some sympathy to the reviewer, he obviously enjoyed the movie as little as anybody will enjoy reading his review. It really stands out on a website full of largely humourous reviews of bad movies as being completely humourless.
The big question is why you would write a lengthy whine about being unable to understand what was going on while admitting that you fell asleep repeatedly (and also indeirectly that you can't spot a dream sequence in a movie (maybe you're just to used to inserting your own dream sequences)) is beyond me. Regardless of anyone's opinion of the movie, if you're not bright enough to even follow what's going on, probably best not to do a review.

Quite pointedly, if the movie makers did not do their job well enough to communicate to the viewer, and in this case they failed miserably, then they deserve no better treatment that what they gave.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Spiff on May 12, 2008, 09:00:56 AM
Equally pointedly, if you have trouble following a movie that many others do not, then it may not be the movie makers that are at fault. Certainly if you fall asleep during it and have trouble following it, then they're definitely not the ones to blame.
Above all, if you need a shot of somebody sitting bolt upright in bed, sweating to be able to spot what was very obviously a nightmare dream sequence, then perhaps you should just accept that the problem is with you.
I had no trouble following what was going on in this movie. You might well argue that it was ridiculous and badly acted (like a good many of the movies reviewed here) but hard to follow, I don't think you can make a case for.
Look:
Alien (possibly extra-dimensional) with shapeshifting powers uses an undertaker persona to steal corpses so he can reanimate them and use them as slaves on his home wrold (dimension). Local kid finds out and investigates. Whacky shenanigan ensue (fingers that turn into giant flies, flying killer spheres etc.)
Are you seriously saying that was hard to follow?


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Menard on May 12, 2008, 09:34:27 AM
Equally pointedly, if you have trouble following a movie that many others do not, then it may not be the movie makers that are at fault. Certainly if you fall asleep during it and have trouble following it, then they're definitely not the ones to blame.
Above all, if you need a shot of somebody sitting bolt upright in bed, sweating to be able to spot what was very obviously a nightmare dream sequence, then perhaps you should just accept that the problem is with you.
I had no trouble following what was going on in this movie. You might well argue that it was ridiculous and badly acted (like a good many of the movies reviewed here) but hard to follow, I don't think you can make a case for.
Look:
Alien (possibly extra-dimensional) with shapeshifting powers uses an undertaker persona to steal corpses so he can reanimate them and use them as slaves on his home wrold (dimension). Local kid finds out and investigates. Whacky shenanigan ensue (fingers that turn into giant flies, flying killer spheres etc.)
Are you seriously saying that was hard to follow?


No, more dramatically obtuse.

The split of like/dislike for this film seems to be about 50/50, perhaps with the dislikes edging out the majority just a little. Even those who like this film have admitted that it was hard to follow.

If you read what you want to into a film, that makes it better for you, but don't push that same viewpoint off onto someone else as an excuse to make up for the film's general incompetence.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Spiff on May 12, 2008, 09:44:48 AM
I'm not pushing my viewpoint onto anybody else. The outline of the plot that I gave is in fact the plot outline.
My post is neither dramatic or obtuse (I would suggest you actually look those words up).
My original post was mostly making the (correct) points that
a) the review was poor - it was unfunny and dull to read and basically belongs with all the other 'worst movie ever' rants on IMDB rather than on a site of humourous reviews of bad movies.
b) that if you admit that you have fallen asleep during a movie, you have lost all credibility in claiming that there was something wrong with the movie because you couldn't follow it.

However, since we seem to have wandered off that point, in light of you last comment, perhaps you'd like to explain to me how the outline of the plot that I gave is incorrect. At the very least enlighten me with the parts of the movie that you had trouble following.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Menard on May 12, 2008, 09:55:48 AM
I'm not pushing my viewpoint onto anybody else. The outline of the plot that I gave is in fact the plot outline.
My post is neither dramatic or obtuse (I would suggest you actually look those words up).
My original post was mostly making the (correct) points that
a) the review was poor - it was unfunny and dull to read and basically belongs with all the other 'worst movie ever' rants on IMDB rather than on a site of humourous reviews of bad movies.
b) that if you admit that you have fallen asleep during a movie, you have lost all credibility in claiming that there was something wrong with the movie because you couldn't follow it.

However, since we seem to have wandered off that point, in light of you last comment, perhaps you'd like to explain to me how the outline of the plot that I gave is incorrect. At the very least enlighten me with the parts of the movie that you had trouble following.

Bulls**t!

Since someone has seen this film (really stretching to call it that) in a different light than you, that somehow bothers you.

Someone falling asleep during a movie might suggest the damn movie was boring.

It might even suggest that it was a bad movie, period. Of course, not if it is contrary to your viewpoint; then it must be a bad review if the reviewer disagrees with you.


The primary context of the review is that a flurry of witless twits have said 'hey dude, like this movie rocks'. The reviewer discovered otherwise. Where do you have a problem following that?


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: KYGOTC on May 12, 2008, 09:58:15 AM
Some sympathy to the reviewer, he obviously enjoyed the movie as little as anybody will enjoy reading his review. It really stands out on a website full of largely humourous reviews of bad movies as being completely humourless.
The big question is why you would write a lengthy whine about being unable to understand what was going on while admitting that you fell asleep repeatedly (and also indeirectly that you can't spot a dream sequence in a movie (maybe you're just to used to inserting your own dream sequences)) is beyond me. Regardless of anyone's opinion of the movie, if you're not bright enough to even follow what's going on, probably best not to do a review.


OOOOO I just LOVE all the possitive reception I'm getting! (http://www.badmovies.org/forum/Smileys/classic/smilie8.gif) (http://www.badmovies.org/forum/Smileys/classic/smiley12.gif)you get karma.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: cannibalholocaust on May 12, 2008, 05:56:24 PM
Your comebacks are worse then your taste in film. If you had a hard time following Phantasm and since Cannibal Holocaust is s*** in your eyes then I would suggest something along the lines of the next hyped up Spielberg movie. I could personally give a flying f*** what you watch or like just as long as you actually watch the film your reviewing. Falling asleep during a film doesn't sound like you watched it. As far as the Cannibal Holocaust statement I'm not even going to go there. You couldn't get through that one without "falling asleep" is my guess.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: KYGOTC on May 12, 2008, 06:43:52 PM
Your comebacks are worse then your taste in film. If you had a hard time following Phantasm and since Cannibal Holocaust is s*** in your eyes then I would suggest something along the lines of the next hyped up Spielberg movie. I could personally give a flying f*** what you watch or like just as long as you actually watch the film your reviewing. Falling asleep during a film doesn't sound like you watched it. As far as the Cannibal Holocaust statement I'm not even going to go there. You couldn't get through that one without "falling asleep" is my guess.

I'm slightly confused. Are you talking to me or Menard? Because I didn't say anything about Cannibal Holocaust, that was Menard's deal. But I DID fall asleep the FIRST time I watched Phantasm, so that makes me think you're talking to me. CONFUSION!!



On a seperate note, I like that the majority of the responses in this thread are negative. It makes them more interesting to read. I like it when peoples opinions differ from mine on topics of entertainment (movies, books, music, video games, ect.) It lets me 2 points of view on the film.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Andrew on May 12, 2008, 06:50:32 PM
I wondered if this review would inspire some anger.  The thing to remember is that someone's opinion of a film can never be wrong.  If you liked it, but they hated it, both of you are right.  The film just worked for you, but not for them.  Should a movie put someone to sleep, that also possibly reflects on how the film entertained them.

To me, the first "Phantasm" is a good attempt to film a nightmare.  Parts of it make sense, parts of it do not, there are weird occurrences and changing facts.  One minute, the young protagonist's brother is one character, then suddenly it changes to another.  It all reminds me of those  nightmares that wake you.  Sometimes you even get some rational ability while having them and recognize that reality is changing under your mental feet as you experience the late night terrors.  And, like the killer jawas, things you have seen in films or read in books intrude into the nightmare.

I would probably only give it two slimes in my book, but it does strike me as a good attempt to recreate a nightmare.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: KYGOTC on May 12, 2008, 07:01:09 PM


  And, like the killer jawas, things you have seen in films or read in books intrude into the nightmare.



That is a very good point. I have had a bad dream involving Saved By the Bell, one involving Godzilla, and another involving  spoungebob and Willy Wonka. And since this movie is from the late 70's, the Jawa theory makes good sense.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: cannibalholocaust on May 12, 2008, 07:36:22 PM
Alright I apologize for that. Maybe I was too p**sed to actually pay attention to who said what. That is my fault. So I flew off the handle. As you can tell I'm very passionate about the films I like and maybe after long days of having to justify why I like those type of movies I let this review get to me. I may be a bit to passionate, but I am man enough to admit fault. I will stick by that movie till the day I die as it is one of my favorites and regardless whether you like it or not you can at least admit that it is 10 times better than any big budget bull coming out now and days. I'm done ... for now.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: KYGOTC on May 12, 2008, 07:43:09 PM
regardless whether you like it or not you can at least admit that it is 10 times better than any big budget bull coming out now and days.

I dunno, man. Iron Man was pretty sweet!


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Spiff on May 13, 2008, 03:07:43 AM

Bulls**t!

Since someone has seen this film (really stretching to call it that) in a different light than you, that somehow bothers you.

Someone falling asleep during a movie might suggest the damn movie was boring.

It might even suggest that it was a bad movie, period. Of course, not if it is contrary to your viewpoint; then it must be a bad review if the reviewer disagrees with you.


The primary context of the review is that a flurry of witless twits have said 'hey dude, like this movie rocks'. The reviewer discovered otherwise. Where do you have a problem following that?

Oh well done.  Shrieking 'bulls**t' in response to a direct question really does demonstate the paucity of your argument.

I'll try short sentences. Perhaps then you'll understand. I have no problem with it being a negative review. If KYGOTC was bored enough to fall asleep, fine. If KYGOTC wrote that he was bored, fine. If KYGOTC wrote that he hated it, fine. If KYGOTC admits that he/she slept through parts, fine. However, saying it's hard to follow after that admission, no credibilty.
That was one of my original points. Other than shreiking 'you're wrong', you've made no cntradiction to that point.
My other point was that it was a dull review. That's not because KYGOTC hated the film. It's because it was dull to read. It was an unamusing rant. You've also made no contradiction to that point.
In fact you've repeatedly made the assertion, without any basis, that I dislike the review because its opinion on the movie differed from my own. That's particularly interesting, since I haven't given my own opinion on it (perhaps you'd like to quote where I did).


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Allhallowsday on May 13, 2008, 12:54:04 PM
Oh well done.  Shrieking 'bulls**t' in response to a direct question really does demonstate the paucity of your argument.
I'll try short sentences. Perhaps then you'll understand. I have no problem with it being a negative review. If KYGOTC was bored enough to fall asleep, fine. If KYGOTC wrote that he was bored, fine. If KYGOTC wrote that he hated it, fine. If KYGOTC admits that he/she slept through parts, fine. However, saying it's hard to follow after that admission, no credibilty.
That was one of my original points. Other than shreiking 'you're wrong', you've made no cntradiction to that point.
My other point was that it was a dull review. That's not because KYGOTC hated the film. It's because it was dull to read. It was an unamusing rant. You've also made no contradiction to that point.
In fact you've repeatedly made the assertion, without any basis, that I dislike the review because its opinion on the movie differed from my own. That's particularly interesting, since I haven't given my own opinion on it (perhaps you'd like to quote where I did).
As usual, you are right about everything (yawn).
And, as usual, Menard, you think you are the arbiter for everything.   :lookingup: 

... I have had a bad dream involving Saved By the Bell, one involving Godzilla, and another involving  spoungebob and Willy Wonka...
How could Willy Wonka give you a nightmare...?  :teddyr: (http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/allhallowsday/WillieWonkanothing.gif)


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: KYGOTC on May 13, 2008, 04:11:39 PM

... I have had a bad dream involving Saved By the Bell, one involving Godzilla, and another involving  spoungebob and Willy Wonka...
How could Willy Wonka give you a nightmare...?  :teddyr: ([url]http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/allhallowsday/WillieWonkanothing.gif[/url])



Well, I guess THAT one wasn't really a nightmare. It was more like one of those "what the hell?!" dreams. I like those.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Allhallowsday on May 13, 2008, 04:53:44 PM
Well, I guess THAT one wasn't really a nightmare. It was more like one of those "what the hell?!" dreams. I like those.
:thumbup:  :wink:


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Panic_Attack on May 15, 2008, 08:15:23 PM
Erm...for the record, Phantasm was in production the same time Star Wars was.

I love this movie.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Timothy Shanahan on May 18, 2008, 04:01:15 PM
I found this movie really macabre.  I never did get what the old woman's deal was.  I thought she was dead or something.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Torgo on May 19, 2008, 08:05:18 PM
I love Phantasm.  It has all of the pacing and structure of a non-sensical nightmare for the most part which is a huge part of its charm for me.

The sequel is good but the 3rd and 4th ones are complete crap IMO.

The 1st one though is a classic in my book, and I made the opinion on my own by watching it.

couldn't disagree with this review more, but to each his/her own.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: J.D. on May 21, 2008, 02:22:01 AM
There is only one thing that can settle this. Andrew must do a review on it.  :thumbup: We want humor and wit in our reviews! Not depressing complaints.
Lets put it to a vote!   :thumbup: for Yay and   :thumbdown:  for Nay.
I say:  :thumbup:


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: BoyScoutKevin on May 21, 2008, 10:44:09 PM
Actually, I have seen all four. And IV is my favorite of the series, and--actually--the only one I enjoyed watching. Though, whoever came up with the silver sphere created an iconic horror film image. As iconic as Dracula's cape and Frankenstein's neck bolts.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: AndyC on May 21, 2008, 11:00:25 PM
I liked the first two the best. As with other franchises, I thought the later movies filled in too many of the blanks I enjoyed reserving for my own imagination.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: NightRelic on May 27, 2008, 09:42:18 PM
This thread was quite a rant. I'm just gonna say what I think of the film. I don't really care if anyone agrees. I saw this movie in the theater when I was maybe 16 or 17 with my father and my younger sister. Yup, divorce visitation rights- I saw a lot of films that way, including The Holy Grail and Tommy. (What was my Dad thinking?) Maybe it was my age. I liked this movie even though I didn't understand a lot of what was going on. You've gotta love a finger a kid keeps in a box that sprouts wings and turns into a homicidal fly he has to shove into the garbage disposal risking harm to his own fingers. (Didn't Mom tell him not to put his fingers in there?!) The thing I liked the most about this film was subsequent viewings led to more understanding of what was going on. I particularly like the scene where Reggie is using the tuning fork and remembers it later when he closes the door to the other world. I find it nice foreshadowing you don't often see in low budget films like this one. I own the film now. Some of the stuff I found scary back then, is funny now, but i still enjoy the film.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: NightRelic on June 04, 2008, 11:39:58 PM
Thought I'd stop by again. I found this cool website with movies on it to view, including Phantasm:
http://www.surfthechannel.com/movies/Phantasm/
Enjoy!


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Ryan on August 03, 2008, 07:25:07 PM
Phantasm is a cult classic.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: drunkenbubba on December 14, 2008, 08:17:56 AM
As someone who loves this movie, I can see how many hate it. The story is confusing and almost non-existent at times. The acting is horrible in places, and yes it drags.

I saw this movie back in the summer of 79 at the age of 11 and I identified with Mike in every way. This movie just struck a chord at the time, since it was so unlike anything released at the time.

It also has the most creepy nightmarish atmosphere of any movie I have ever seen. The lighting, the feelings of isolation and separation are throughout the movie. I think it also helps if you look at the movie from the viewpoint of a 12 year old boy who is questioning his fears of adulthood mortality. The eerie music also gives a strange sense of doom at every turn.

I can get why people dislike this movie. I dont get it when people dislike this one, then praise crap like the Chucky movies, or Saw. To me this movie and a handful of others (Suspira, Videodrome, Prince of Darkness) are just on their own level above the dreck.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Psycho Circus on February 28, 2009, 10:35:23 PM
Funniest review I've read on here....period! I think alot of the other comments have been unfair. Yes, it is a fairly decent horror film and it is enjoyable to us B-movie folk, but it is utterly mindboggling. The editing and layout of the plot is very, very confusing....but funny. I love the garage scene with the hammer and thought the end was quite scary.
I like this film alot, since I rewatched it with a friend, but it has ALOT of holes...  :smile:


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: skully on May 07, 2009, 04:22:11 PM
   Well, all has been said cept the fact that the lil brother's facial expressions throughout the movie are priceless...especially when he chops off the Tall Man's fingers and mustard comes out!


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: The Great Red Cthulhu on May 27, 2009, 07:42:12 PM
I think the main problem is the confusing way it's presented. I've just finished watching it for the first time and my initial reaction coming out of it was that it was awful. However, after 20 minutes I realised that it had made me laugh at several points, I was giving the characters protips throughout the film ("Don't do it Reggie! NOOOOOO!") and I had managed to explain the plot to a housemate who walked in halfway through so it obviously wasn't as confusing as I first thought. The only way I can explain my immediate hatred of it is my brain throwing a tantrum over the extra legwork.

On to part II  :tongueout:


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: MeManMythLegend on January 22, 2010, 09:09:14 PM
Hmmm well, i read your review and don't agree with it at all really.  I enjoyed the movie and didn't expect it to be at all realistic.  I think more or less you went in expecting too much from an 80's horror film.  These movie are great often because they are so lame.  Much like the best comedy of all time, Steven Segal's "Exit Wounds".

I had much more fun watching Phantasm than i did reading this review.

(Oh and you can save your time coming up with a less than witty retort, because I'm not going to be wasting another second of my time here while the internet still has free pron)  


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: AndyC on January 22, 2010, 10:32:47 PM
(Oh and you can save your time coming up with a less than witty retort, because I'm not going to be wasting another second of my time here while the internet still has free pron)  

Mmmmm, free prawn.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: retrorussell on January 23, 2010, 12:44:32 AM
I was rather shocked at the scene where the henchman gets the ball stuck in his skull.  We see it stick hooks in his head, then DRILL into it.  Blood ERUPTS nearly non-stop from him, then he falls on the ground in front of the kid, twitches, and his bladder breaks.  YUCKY!!!
That part, and the Tall Man going, "BOYYYYYY!!!!" are what I remember most about this film.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Trevor on January 23, 2010, 07:49:26 AM
(Oh and you can save your time coming up with a less than witty retort, because I'm not going to be wasting another second of my time here while the internet still has free pron)  

Free pron? Where does the queue start? Can't have enough pron!  :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle:



Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Psycho Circus on January 23, 2010, 07:50:57 AM
(Oh and you can save your time coming up with a less than witty retort, because I'm not going to be wasting another second of my time here while the internet still has free pron) 

Is pron the sequel to tron?


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: AndyC on January 23, 2010, 08:10:25 AM
I thought he was hungry for shrimp, but now that you mention it, he could be a fan of Tron's less-famous brother. Kind of like the Frank Stallone of computer programs.


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: KYGOTC on January 23, 2010, 12:03:06 PM
Hmmm well, i read your review and don't agree with it at all really.  I enjoyed the movie and didn't expect it to be at all realistic.  I think more or less you went in expecting too much from an 80's horror film.  These movie are great often because they are so lame.  Much like the best comedy of all time, Steven Segal's "Exit Wounds".

I had much more fun watching Phantasm than i did reading this review.

(Oh and you can save your time coming up with a less than witty retort, because I'm not going to be wasting another second of my time here while the internet still has free pron)  


Another happy customer!  :teddyr:


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Trevor on January 26, 2010, 02:23:45 AM
Hmmm well, i read your review and don't agree with it at all really.  I enjoyed the movie and didn't expect it to be at all realistic.  I think more or less you went in expecting too much from an 80's horror film.  These movie are great often because they are so lame.  Much like the best comedy of all time, Steven Segal's "Exit Wounds".

I had much more fun watching Phantasm than i did reading this review.

(Oh and you can save your time coming up with a less than witty retort, because I'm not going to be wasting another second of my time here while the internet still has free pron)  


Another happy customer!  :teddyr:

 :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle: :thumbup:


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: Trekkie313 on November 02, 2010, 12:29:46 AM
GTFO!  :hatred:


Title: Re: Phantasm
Post by: TooManyCustomers on January 12, 2011, 01:49:24 PM

 Completely love this film.  This may or may not have to do with the context in which I first saw it, which was 32 hours into a weekend long party with access to all the liquor in the world at a young age... but still, it holds a warm place in my heart. And absolutely worthy of the title "So bad that it's good.." 

 *will probably watch it on Netflix tonight*  :smile: