The Game Is Finished, Now You Die: The Phantasm Collection

On April 11^th Well Go USA released a very inclusive box set that features all five of the Phantasm films and it’s a doozy. Whether you love or hate the series and/or love or hate specific entries, if you are a horror fanatic or collector than this set is worth the purchase. There are a variety of reasons for this. The box design itself is classy, featuring individual cases for each film with matching covers (or reversible original cover art for those who enjoy those like myself) and it’s made with high quality material so people don’t necessarily have to worry too much about it being damaged quickly as you pull out the films time and time again to revisit them.

The Phantasm Collection also features the new remastered and restored versions of all five films and a variety of great special features on each disc (including a feature length documentary on each film that features so many interviews and segments that any Phans out there will be drooling over it), but this boxset hits all the right notes for those looking to add them to their collection. Not to mention it comes with other goodies to add to its value like a companion book, a slick poster of the collection artwork, and bonus disc with hours and hours of more features. Here at Blood Brothers, we did reviews on each of the films individually to coincide with the release of the set (links below) and it’s hard not to be impressed. Both in the physical look of the films and the treatment of the series itself, which is highlighted by Don Coscarelli’s approval of all of it, it’s the boxset to beat in 2017.

Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)

Director: Don Coscarelli

Notable Cast: A. Michael Baldwin, Reggie Bannister, Angus Scrimm, Bill Thornbury, Bob Ivy, Heidi Marnhout

“Small man, your end approaches, but it is not yet. Take great care how you play. The final game now begins.”

As the Phantasm series continues, each additional entry receives a more mixed reception from both fans and critics. By the time that Phantasm IV: Oblivion was released in the late 90s, the series had already been kicked from theaters to straight to home video and the budget for the fourth film was slashed to just over $600,000. Normally this means that a franchise is terrible, for one reason or another, but in the case of Phantasm it’s because no one seemed to have faith in the series. Even the third film, for all of its poorly developed quirks, is entertaining as hell and it gets a lot of flame from casual fans and critics. Oblivion falls into the same pattern. It’s a unique entry into the series, far more serious than the last two and much more atmospheric, yet many fans dismiss it as a misfire. I, however, will stand beside it. It may not be nearly as fun as the last two or hit quite the right balance of the first, but Oblivion approaches things in a much more atmospheric and surrealistic manner and it makes it memorable and just as strange as its fellow franchise entries. While it's understandable that the budget hurts the film and it might play things a bit too loose with its vague plotting, Oblivion stands out as perhaps the one sequel that attempts to restore the balance between artfulness and entertainment.

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)

Director: Don Coscarelli

Notable Cast: Reggie Bannister, A. Michael Baldwin, Kevin Conners, Gloria Lynne Henry, Angus Scrimm, Bill Thornbury, Cindy Ambuehl, Brooks Gardner, John Davis Chandler

"Run, dammit! It's all over!"
"It's never over."

The Phantasm franchise is a strange one, entertainingly so, and by the time it reaches this third entry it’s already covered a lot of ground and tones. Horror, suspense, comedy, action, fantasy. You name it and this series covers it. The first two entries are outrageous in different ways so one expects that from the third entry, Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead, but while it hits all of the same tropes and style that fans come to expect from this series, it’s played even more loose and illogical than its predecessors and that can be a detriment. What that does allow Phantasm III to be is an outrageously fun movie, an aspect that always makes me want to come back to the series, and it has earned an increasingly solidified chapter as time goes on for this reason. When the first two entries of a series are as good as Phantasm one and two, it’s hard not to be a bit disappointed though. Keep that in mind and III is still a very enjoyable entry not nearly deserving of some of the hate it receives.

Phantasm II (1988)

Director: Don Coscarelli

Notable Cast: James LeGros, Reggie Bannister, Paula Irvine, Angus Scrimm, Samantha Phillips, Kenneth Tigar

The first Phantasm took a fun and silly horror movie concept and layered it with an interesting and thoughtful approach to give it the nightmare logic and structure to push boundaries. Almost ten years later, the first sequel to this cult classic has no intent with trying to out-artist its predecessor, but instead trims the dream like layering back and delivers a much more exciting, packed to the gills kind of 80s horror experience. Phantasm II is just insane and very, very entertaining in being that way. The film doesn’t present itself as anything particularly clever or smart, but it does take all of the entertaining ideas of the franchise and amp them up to a full fledge screaming ’11.’ Take it with a grain of salt, enjoy it for its bat shit insane plot and moments, and just run with it and Phantasm II is bound to hit all of the right buttons.

Phantasm (1979)

Director: Don Coscarelli

Notable Cast: Michael A. Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Angus Scrimm, Kathy Lester

“This guy’s not going to leak all over my ice cream, is he?”

As a young horror fan, the Phantasm series was always one that sparked my curiosity and the original film, Phantasm, was one that blended the right amount of horror and humor to be entertaining enough to land in regular rotation. Over the years though, the original film was one that I found myself returning to again and again and with each additional viewing I found that it only got better with time. On the surface, it’s a dark comedy littered with stark visuals and creepy atmospheric moments, but it’s effectively layered in regards to how it navigates a series of thematic approaches to its story. With the release of the Phantasm series in a delightful box set from Well Go USA, it was only my pleasure to have a reason to review one of my favorite cult films for the site. On top of that, this new Bad Robot and director approved remastered version of the film is stunningly well done and a treat for fans – or those new to the entire Phantasm universe.

Phantasm: Ravager (2016)

Director: David Hartman

Notable Cast: Reggie Bannister, A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Dawn Cody, Angus Scrimm, Kathy Lester, Daniel Roebuck, Solly Duran, Daniel Schweiger, Gloria Lynne Henry

At this point, I feel like I’ve lost all sense of time when it came to Phantasm V. It was almost like living in the nightmare logic of the film series as the fifth entry had been rumored for what seemed to be eternity with promises and whispers on the wind that it was coming. Truthfully, I had resigned myself that this film would remain as rumors and never come to light. Even when the first trailer dropped a little while ago, I was almost hesitant to get my hopes up until I saw the film for myself. Now that Phantasm V is released, under the title Phantasm: Ravager, I’m kind of glad I never really got my expectations up for it. While this horror film series has almost always been a part my favorite ones, this fifth entry is…well, it’s kind of shitty. As a longtime fan, this latest picture feels more or less along the lines of a fan film versus one that officially sits as part of the Phantasm canon and it’s horrendously low budget and messy narrative hurts it exponentially as a film that could sit on its own. For those long time fans, there are some bits and pieces in the film that will make them smile, but the rest of it just feels like a mess and it can’t even use the series’ nightmare logic to overcome its issues.