Rate/discuss the PHANTASM series.

[Allhallowsday]

I saw the original PHANTASM way back when and found it frighteningly strange; the blue-white light and clinical starkness of the fluorescents in the embalming room, the droning hum of the otherworldly teleportation device, the tall man's determined clomp clomp steps through the masoleum, his bellowing "BOY-ah," the portal to a wasted world of slaves, the stolen dead . . . weird s**t, if you'll pardon my French.  Logic doesn't matter in a film like PHANTASM, which is all atmosphere and creepy thrills (in fact the tall man looked like Uncle Creepy if anybody remembers those old Warren magazines.)  PHANTASM was so original, I have to call it a classic (though hardly "old school" as Jordan stated). 
The second film was a fun, "action-packed" revisit, with its share of creepy moments, but inferior as it ultimately lacked the novelty of the first film.  Haven't seen the rest, but expect the usual downward spiral for sequels that were never intended. 

[Torgo]

I still can't figure out Universal (who still retains the US rights to the 2nd film) hasn't done a proper Region 1 DVD release of Phantasm 2.

They would even have to put any extras on it, just as long as it's proper anamorphic widescreen! 

I really need to get a region free DVD player and a PAL to NTSC converter. 

[Menard]

I really need to get a region free DVD player and a PAL to NTSC converter. 

For less than $50, you can do the same thing with a Philips model DVP642 or DVP5140. They both have a built-in PAL/NTSC converter and you can go to http://videohelp.com/ to get the conversion codes for them; which is a simple 5 digit code you can enter from the remote to make the player region free. Other Philips models will work as well.

[Neville]

Or even better, you can transform your computer DVD drive into a region free player with AnyDVD, it's only $49.