S.E. DVD Release
It’s really hard to put my finger on the exact reason why I enjoy the Phantasm series so damn much but originality definitely plays a major part. Phantasm and its sequels are like no other horror franchise out there. They simply defy a quick explanation and demand repeated viewings to grasp the insanity in its entirety. Unfortunately, Phantasm 2 has yet to see release on American soil so U.S. fans will be forced to fall back on old VHS copies of part two unless they purchased Anchor Bay UK’s beautiful Phantasm Sphere containing all four films. If you haven’t purchased the sphere yet…well…then you’re probably shit outta luck like me.
Luckily I’m familiar enough with the series to know what’s what. If you’re region free capable I’d highly recommend grabbing that Phantasm Sphere from AB UK before they’re gone. I’m still kicking myself after I passed on purchasing the Anchor Bay UK’s Halloween collection box set.
Damn me.
Anyhow, if you’re familiar with the series then I’m sure you’ll agree that Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead is hands down the wildest, goriest sequel in the series. Some may disagree and swear by part two but I’m the reviewer and what I say goes! I can still remember watching this when it hit VHS and I must say I was thoroughly impressed. It really expanded on the concept established in part one and two and opened up a whole new set of possibilities as well.
Mike (played once again by A. Michael Baldwin) and Reggie have hit the road in search of The Tall Man and hopefully a way to stop him. Shit really hits the fan though when Reggie and Mike are taken by surprise and The Tall Man captures Mike. Reggie is left unconscious with only a charred sentinel sphere to help him out. Could this blackened sphere really be Mike’s older brother Jody (Bill Thornbury)?
Reggie hits the road once again but this time hoping to rescue Mike from the clutches of The Tall Man and his monstrous midget entourage! Things definitely aren’t going Reggie’s way unfortunately when a group of sleazy crooks nab Reggie and his car and head for a place to hole up for the night. The home they pick isn’t abandoned by a long shot though and a young boy named Timmy dispatches the criminals one by one.
Grateful for Timmy’s help, Reggie agrees to take the kid along for the journey and along the way they meet the tough-as-nails Rocky and her nunchaku’s of whoosing rage! The three are forced to fight for their freedom and eventually confront The Tall Man but something just isn’t right. The Tall Man has a secret about Mike and nobody is quite sure which side Mike is on. Is what they’re really truly real or is this all just somebody’s dream?
Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead is my favorite sequel but I can definitely understand some folks losing their bearings. When it comes to horror franchises, Phantasm typically is the last series you hear people praising. Admittedly there are occasional continuity errors and sometimes it appears Coscarelli just keeps piling on the details in order to keep the story going but you just can’t help but care for the characters in these films and be curious about The Tall Man’s true purpose for mankind.
As I mentioned earlier Reggie Bannister, Bill Thornbury and A. Michael Baldwin are all back in the roles they made popular. It was nice to see A. Michael Baldwin back as Michael especially after Universal passed on him in favor of casting James LeGros as Michael in part two. Also added to the mix are dead shot orphan Timmy and blaxploitation-style hunny Rocky! I’m not sure if anybody remembers this comic or not but Rocky strongly resembles Frank Miller’s Martha Washington!
*silence*
Didn’t think so.
So yeah Anchor Bay have done a fantastic job here and they’ve even provided us with a few extras including audio commentary by A. Michael Baldwin and Angus Scrimm as well as a behind the scenes featurette and a deleted scene. Perhaps some day we’ll get a super duper special edition of this featuring some cool new featurettes and a soundtrack. You can always dream right? Hell knowing Anchor Bay there’ll be a 2-disc set being offered in no time! Obviously Anchor Bay heard the fans demands though and it’s wonderful to actually have Phantasm III on DVD. Hopefully Universal will unclench their asses long enough to shit out Phantasm 2 on barebones DVD and we’ll finally be able to own the entire series!
If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool horror fan, you absolutely must grab this DVD. The sound, transfer and extras are all solid. If you’ve never seen a Phantasm film I’d recommend renting Phantasm first before venturing into sequel country. Trust me on this…YOU WILL GET LOST.
By the way…what’s the deal with not having Reggie Bannister doing audio commentary for the current three releases? Is it against his religious beliefs? Is he asking for too much money or is it that nobody understands…REGGIE IS KING. Reggie is to Phantasm what Ash is to The Evil Dead Trilogy! Without Reggie, Phantasm just wouldn’t be the same! Anybody out there know why there’s no Reggie audio commentary?
Goddamn it somebody call Martha Washington ‘cuz somebody is in need of a serious beat down!!
