Phantasm: Why is it considered a classic?

[Lighthouse]

I've seen many horror movies but only recently was able to catch up on one I'd missed for a long time, Phantasm. After watching it, I'm bewildered as to why it's considered a horror classic. I guess it's well made for a 70s independent movie, but I'm having trouble seeing whats so great about it. Its not that scary and the acting is absolutely atrocious. The kid is annoying as hell. Maybe someone else can explain it.

 

[Gilpesh]

Well the thing about Evil Dead is... oh wait. You were talking about Friday the 13th? Wait.... what movie again?

People just like it, like every other 'classic'.

 

[Bubonic]

Phantasm was pretty overrated, the Tall Man flinging his death balls at people? Ok.

I just think it had a basic concept that people dug, kind of like what I think Gilpesh was alluding to concerning movies like Friday the 13th... Definitely not a good series, yet it still has its ******ed charm.

Personally I like my supernatural serial killers to be iconic looking, so I never got into Phantasm.

There's like 5 or 6 movies though isn't there?

 

[CorpusBlack]

There's 4.

Last I heard they are rebooting the series.

I liked it for the most part but it's not a great film by any means. I liked the concept and I did like the Tall Man. The killer spheres were always cool IMO.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

Wow, if you didn't see what makes Phantasm so magical,...it's not worth my time to try and explain it to you. Just stay away from my video night parties.
I see it the opposite way, can anyone explain to me what's not to like?

In a world of monsters in rubber suits, and dudes with knives...motivated by blood, or their mommies...these normalish people (who are just "off" enough to be interesting), stumble upon....what they stumble upon...?


The way he didn't care about realism so much as he wanted to create the atmosphere of a bad dream...throwing in stuff like the picture come to life, the box on the table...the FINGER in the box...
And what is more iconic than the FLYING BALL ?!?!?
Coolest thing ever!

Then you find out the true origin of the little Jawa-Midgets (which he invented before anyone had ever heard of Star Wars)?
You think it's just some localized ghostly thing and then the End?

That awesome world that kids dream of, with no adults...more like a club of dudes, you and your big brother and his flaky, bald Rocker friend, fighting the supernatural for dear life, totally dumbfounded with no time to think?



I'd say it's mostly loved for it's independence and originality, when compared with the safer, more orthodox movies of the time.

 

[cryptic name]

1. Evil jawas
2. Bad ass car
3. Wicked score
4. Trippy ending
5. "BBBOOYYY!!!!!"

 

[블라스]

 

[CorpusBlack]

Wow, if you didn't see what makes Phantasm so magical,...it's not worth my time to try and explain it to you. Just stay away from my video night parties.
I see it the opposite way, can anyone explain to me what's not to like?

In a world of monsters in rubber suits, and dudes with knives...motivated by blood, or their mommies...these normalish people (who are just "off" enough to be interesting), stumble upon....what they stumble upon...?


The way he didn't care about realism so much as he wanted to create the atmosphere of a bad dream...throwing in stuff like the picture come to life, the box on the table...the FINGER in the box...
And what is more iconic than the FLYING BALL ?!?!?
Coolest thing ever!

Then you find out the true origin of the little Jawa-Midgets (which he invented before anyone had ever heard of Star Wars)?
You think it's just some localized ghostly thing and then the End?

That awesome world that kids dream of, with no adults...more like a club of dudes, you and your big brother and his flaky, bald Rocker friend, fighting the supernatural for dear life, totally dumbfounded with no time to think?



I'd say it's mostly loved for it's independence and originality, when compared with the safer, more orthodox movies of the time.

I love the first film, the sequels weren't anything extraordinary IMO. Everything you pointed out here is why I love the first film so much.

Gotta get me one of those. I don't suppose they fly?

 

[블라스]

Heh
You know, I actually love the second one more than the first one, don't know why.

 

[CorpusBlack]

Heh
You know, I actually love the second one more than the first one, don't know why.

Maybe I need to see the 2nd again. It's out of print at the moment and I haven't seen it since 98 or 99 when it was on TNT's Monstervision.

 

[tzarinna]

Why must you show me such bad ass box sets, you know I haven't any self control?

 

[CorpusBlack]

Why must you show me such bad ass box sets, you know I haven't any self control?

Same here.

 

[theJust]

Wilhelm-Scream!
Thank you so much for defining that movie!
I think it is a truly daring film, with many elements that just keep you wrapped up in
the mysterious world it places you in.
Whilst just about 80% of the horror tales out there, go so generally by the book!
Classic, Lighthouse?
It is 'classic' because it stands out amongst the crowd.
You keep watching those new wave torture horrors and outdone slashers, be the hamster on the wheel.

 

[PyroChamber]

Heh
You know, I actually love the second one more than the first one, don't know why.

Four barrel shotgun?

 

[CorpusBlack]

Four barrel shotgun?

 

[Bubonic]

Wow, if you didn't see what makes Phantasm so magical,...it's not worth my time to try and explain it to you. Just stay away from my video night parties.
I see it the opposite way, can anyone explain to me what's not to like?

In a world of monsters in rubber suits, and dudes with knives...motivated by blood, or their mommies...these normalish people (who are just "off" enough to be interesting), stumble upon....what they stumble upon...?


The way he didn't care about realism so much as he wanted to create the atmosphere of a bad dream...throwing in stuff like the picture come to life, the box on the table...the FINGER in the box...
And what is more iconic than the FLYING BALL ?!?!?
Coolest thing ever!

Then you find out the true origin of the little Jawa-Midgets (which he invented before anyone had ever heard of Star Wars)?
You think it's just some localized ghostly thing and then the End?

That awesome world that kids dream of, with no adults...more like a club of dudes, you and your big brother and his flaky, bald Rocker friend, fighting the supernatural for dear life, totally dumbfounded with no time to think?



I'd say it's mostly loved for it's independence and originality, when compared with the safer, more orthodox movies of the time.

You do know how to make a got case for something.
Perhaps I should watch the original, I think I just watched the second to last sequel.

 

[Commodore Schmidlapp]

I love Phantasm, it's one of those childhood things. I have such great memories of watching it as a kid

 

[Warhammer]

Personally, I didn't really care for it.

 

[Mr. Wiener]

Ive never seen this movie before but reading all these posts, now it looks like im better off not watching it lol

 

[CorpusBlack]

Ive never seen this movie before but reading all these posts, now it looks like im better off not watching it lol

There's a lot more positive feedback than negative.

 

[Armand Z Trip]

It's just a really cool very surreal film. The kid is cool, he has a trail bike, a knife, a .45. He hangs out with an older hot blonde who is the caretaker for a fortune teller. His brother has the coolest car on earth and plays guitar with the local ice cream man. The most recent pop culture reference I saw was in Transformers when Megatron says - Give me that Cube BOY!!!!