- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
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- Real Name
- Robert Harris
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
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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