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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Phantasm -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

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Don Coscarelli's 1979 low-budget horror/thriller -- the one with the killer spinning sphere's -- finally arrives on Blu-ray, and it's a treat for its many fans.

The packaging, which is the most attractive I've seen, coming from Well Go USA, makes note of the fact that Phantasm has been "remastered," but that seems unnecessary for a film that's making it's first appearance on domestic Blu.

It also seems unnecessary, because just looking at the first frame, it's obvious that Phantasm has finally been shown some love.

Viewing the entire 89 minutes, you'll find a gorgeous new image harvest, with superb color, densities, black levels, and subtle grain structure.

The audio, originally monaural, is now offered in DTS-HD MA 5.1.

Mr. Coscarelli is the force on this production, as not only director, but writer, producer, cinematographer and editor.

That would be a tall order for any cinema professional, but for a twenty-five year old working on his third low-budget production, it proves a certain amount of passion and energy, necessary to even get something like this completed.

As a film, it is what it's always been. An almost naive, sweet look at the horror genre, which taken on its own terms works beautifully, as it nicely balances thrills with laughs.

Over the past decades, the film has gained in popularity, and taken on an overriding cult following, for which this new Blu-ray release should prove to be nirvana.

Mr. Coscarelli's latest, Phantasm: Ravager, will be released concurrent with Phantasm, along with a possible five disc set in the near future.

As an aside, the Dusmuir Hellman mansion (http://www.dunsmuir-hellman.com), in Oakland, CA, used for exterior shots of the mausoleum, had been previously used in Burnt Offerings, and in 1985 as a location for A View to Kill.

Image - 5

Audio - 5

4k Up-rez - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended

RAH
 
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bgart13

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Nice to pick this up at a real, physical store today. I do wish the original version was included (non-CG version), but it's a start and I can only hope the box set next year will include it.
 

pinknik

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Nice to pick this up at a real, physical store today. I do wish the original version was included (non-CG version), but it's a start and I can only hope the box set next year will include it.

What are you referring to?
 

bgart13

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Pinknik: That was supposed to CGI, not CG. But, anyhow, here...

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/08/31/don-coscarelli-talks-phantasm-and-its-latest-4k-restoration

"There are the obvious things we were able to improve – we removed every piece of tape and fishing line utilized in the creation of the silver spheres and how we made them fly. I always thought they were very obvious during the 35mm run. Yet on the Standard Def VHS and DVD, you could never see them.

The movie was made in a very guerrilla fashion, so there were flaws I didn’t even catch on the first go ‘round. Take for example the moment where the brothers enter that white room in the mausoleum, and there’s this weird yellow bucket in there. I don’t know where that yellow bucket came from! Everyone who watches this movie is so focused on the plot, story and atmosphere, and I’m sitting here going “what’s that bucket doing there? How did it get in the shot?” It’s torture for me to watch the movie sometimes, but we removed things like that which drove me crazy.

We also improved a few VFX shots that always bothered me, but were also careful not to overdo it. We didn’t want to lose the film’s charm. Also, we didn’t want to remove too much grain, except in the scenes where we were working with damaged negative. It still had to have that analog 35mm flavor. But there was this one visual effect that – at first I didn’t tell anybody, because I wanted to see if anyone would catch it at SXSW – nobody caught. It’s a profile close-up shot of the ball flying down the hallway and we had done it the old fashioned way: put it up against some black velvet to create the shot. But there was no movement in the shot and nothing reflecting off of the ball as it moved. So we tinkered with flaws like that. There’s the old adage that whenever filmmakers watch their own films all they see are the flaws and that’s totally the case with me."
 

Brian Kidd

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The changes don't bother me. It's not like he went Full Lucas on it. I can understand folks loving the handmade look of the original, but such minor alterations wouldn't keep me from getting the release.
 

Stephen_J_H

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The changes don't bother me. It's not like he went Full Lucas on it. I can understand folks loving the handmade look of the original, but such minor alterations wouldn't keep me from getting the release.
Agreed. I think we all know when the "line" in our minds has been crossed. Digital wire removal is fine in my book, as release prints and VHS or LD transfers would likely not show the wires, and digital removal of items clearly not intended to be in frame sits in the same category. I can understand some trepidation about the CG sphere added to make it look like it's actually in the scene, rather than retaining the original black velvet effect, but ultimately, the question is whether or not it takes you out of the movie.
 

Malcolm R

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As long as they didn't replace all the spheres' weapons with walkie-talkies, I'm good. ^_^

Is the box-set a sure thing yet, or are they waiting to see sales on the remastered original and Ravager?

I kind of hate to buy the individual titles now if they're going to be in a box set next year.
 

Charles Smith

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As I recall it, this was first exhibited at L.A.'s FILMEX, and it was quite the thrill for that night's audience in the larger Plitt at Century City. I subsequently saw the second film, but never the other two, or even a repeat of the first, until last year when a friend and I watched all four on DVD. It was quite the trip back to those mid-seventies, and RAH's "almost naive, sweet look at the horror genre" is right on target. I think I would have been somewhat more engaged with the first, had I waited until this was available. But I shall enjoy checking it out one of these days.
 

RJ992

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Agreed. I think we all know when the "line" in our minds has been crossed. Digital wire removal is fine in my book, as release prints and VHS or LD transfers would likely not show the wires.


I used to have the autographed LaserDisc box set of Phantasm and the wires were clearly visible in that format. Not upset at their removal.
 

Bob Cashill

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I'd love a new DVD and Blu-ray that delicately removes the wires and other effects-related ephemera from, say, 1953's WAR OF THE WORLDS.
 

Charles Smith

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I completely forgot I have that. I know I never sat down and watched it.
 

bgart13

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I'm fine with getting wire-/camera reflection-free versions -- but please keep the original available. I still am very unhappy that THE DEVIL RIDES OUT was tinkered with by "Hammer," but the original was not included on the bd.

Re: a box set, yes, it is coming next year, but that is according to an independent horror movie retailer that saw the details of it.
 

Brian Kidd

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I really enjoyed watching the new Blu-ray. I certainly looks better than I've ever seen it. It will never and should never look like a film made in 2016, but it's a really, really nice transfer. I never thought I'd see a film like Phantasm get this kind of love, but I'm sure glad it happened.
 

Bob_S.

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I remember back when I was in 8th grade one of my classmates had just gotten a Betamax machine. Every Monday morning he would tell us about a different R rated video he watched that weekend. I remember hearing story summaries of this, Happy Birthday to Me, My Bloody Valentine and a whole host of others.
 

John Macri

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Just watched it and was amazed at the restoration quality. Far better then when I saw at the theater in 79'. Coming on the heels of Halloween it was great time for horror fans. And recognizing numerous scenes using nearby locations only added to its appeal for me.
 

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