Phantasm II – DVD Review

The Film:

The original Phantasm (1979) became a cult classic very quickly, with the ominous “Tall Man”, played by Angus Scrimm, a grave robber assisted by an army of dwarf-like demons that steal one’s corpse, going town to town, sucking up all the life left in it. We see where one’s body and soul really go when one dies. The film was directed, written, and produced by Don Coscarelli and shot on a very small budget independently. Now, nine years later, the Tall Man, played by Angus Scrimm, is back, along with his band of demon-midgets, and its time for a now grown-up Mike, just recently let out of the psychiatric ward, to take revenge upon those that have taken his brother, his home, and his whole existence away from him.

Reggie (Reggie Bannister) is back to assist him, having settled down to a “normal” life while Mike (James LeGros) was locked away in the hospital, and when Mike finds that the Tall Man is still busy at work robbing corpses, he joins up with the skeptical Reggie to go on a crusade to hunt down the Tall Man and his minions. It also helped that Reggie witnessed his whole family’s home blowing up with everyone it. Now Reggie believes Mike’s visions and premonitions and is whole-hardheartedly vested in the hunt.

The musical score is a large part of what won me over to becoming a fan of the Phantasm movies, and it continues to win me over in Phantasm II. Fans have waited for its release for 21 years, the only copy one could have obtained would be an inferior VHS copy or the R2 DVD that the UK got via Anchor Bay UK, or a bootleg disc. Although the DVD does not have any special features on it, minus a trailer, the disc will probably be well-received if not only for its existence. I really felt that the music in Phantasm II was so eerie and addictive that any slow points or downtime in the film were at least pleasant and enjoyable to my audio senses. The film has some very fun scenes and splashes of comedic elements littered throughout, and overall is a very fun film to watch for fans of the horror genre. I, for one, can’t think of many personalities in horror that are not more noticeable than the Tall Man that don’t involve a mask or heavy latex and prosthetic jobs having to be done prior. There is just something about the actor Angus Scrimm that really sends a chill down one’s spine whenever his presence is warranted on the screen.

Fans of blood and gore will be somewhat pleasantly surprised, as this sequel has an adequate amount of both, but the film plays off very well on setting a very creepy tone throughout and that is what I think makes this film and its original such a success for horror fans. Kenneth Tigar, who plays Father Meyers, does a wonderful job as the disturbed priest who tries to drink away his fears he possesses of the Tall Guy and his minions. The cast is rounded out by Paula Irvine, who portrays Liz, the girl that Mike sees in his dreams and thoughts all the time. At times, one is not sure who is real and who is just a premonition or dream that either Mike is having or the Tall Guy is creating to confuse Reggie and Mike. Alchemy (Samanta Phillips) is picked up by our two crusaders and becomes Reggie’s love-interest, as every man who is on a long journey to fight the forces of evil must have a little something-something on the side to keep one happy.

I really enjoyed the silver spheres in the film that really are responsible for a large majority of the unique fatalities that as Liz describes as a “flying Cuisinart”. Interestingly enough, Brad Pitt had originally auditioned for the role of Mike, only later to have it taken by actor James LeGros. There is some fairly cheesy and sappy portions in the film, such as where Mike and Liz have their psychic moment talking to each through some form of esp, then kissing and falling in “love”, but those moments are few and far between. My favorite part of the film is Reggie and Mike shopping for weapons at the local hardware store, picking up chainsaws, drills, home-made flamethrowers built out of propane tanks and various loaded weapons.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: The sound is very full, no gaping dips or drops in quality of the music and dialogue, and delivers a decent aural experience. The letter-boxed 1.85:1 ratio gives the viewer plenty of screen to watch and it looked like a pristine print of the film. Having been filmed in the late ’80s, I would not have expected nothing less.

Special Features: There only is a trailer for the film.

Conclusion: Go into viewing Phantasm II (hopefully after watching the original first) with an open mind and let the creepily addictive score,courtesy of Fred Myrow and Christopher L. Stone, draw you into the second entry of the quadrilogy. They are fun and filled with quite a bit of charm and creativity making them cult films that will be enjoyed in years to come.

The Film: Rating:

The DVD: Rating: