Phantasm (DVD)

1979's Phantasm has been on DVD before, but this time around it is getting the royal treatment from Anchor Bay, packed with additional release material. If you've always been curious about Phantasm, but have never seen it, this is the edition to get.

The story's 13-year-old hero, obviously influenced by characters in writer/director Don Coscarelli's first feature film Kenny & Company, is Michael (Michael Baldwin, who also appeared in K&C), a smart, precocious and inventive boy who, rattled after some recent deaths in his family and social circle, comes to suspect that something is amiss at the local funeral parlor. With the help of his super-cool older brother Jody (Bill Thornbury), and the affable neighborhood ice cream man Reggie (Reggie Bannister), the boy finds out the that undertaker (Angus Scrimm) is not quite human.

Phantasm is, quite simply, a cult classic. Deft direction, a stirring score, creepy set ups, a highly unusual villain, and, above all, utterly likeable heroes make Phantasm worth watching (or watching again). It is somewhat dated, and the special effects are kind of chintzy here and there (the fake fly is a hoot), but when you take into account the budget, the fact that is was not made with studio backing of any kind, and the era in which it was made, it stacks up quite nicely.

There is a commentary with writer / director Don Coscarelli, and actors Angus Scrimm, Michael Baldwin and Bill Thornbury. It's a lot fun, but it's not a new one, unfortunately. The Phantasmagoria Documentary is also a rehash, but has been reedited and pared down from previous versions. Phantasm Actors Having A Ball is a featurette that's more tongue-in-cheek and includes a naughty anecdote from actress Kathy Lester who talks about the famous, form-fitting, bust-baring lavender dress.

There are also some behind-the-scenes videos from the time the movie was shot, which was filmed by "the sound man" (according to Coscarelli) — and that's ironic, considering the fact they're silent. There's also an extensive vintage 1979 television interview with Coscarelli and Scrimm, which is fun — Scrimm is quite theatrical (in fact, it even looks like he's wearing some kind of subtle but ghoulish face makeup), while his young director offers honest insight into his inspiration for the admittedly bizarre plot of Phantasm.

Several more features, including nine deleted scenes, are included.

Phantasm III is also being released from Anchor Bay today. Angus Scrimm reprises his role as The Tall Man, the mind-messing menace from the Morningside Mortuary, a place in Anytown USA, where bad dreams really do come true. Only now, he's on the road with good-humor guy Reggie and his new friend, a badass chick with an awesome pair (of nunchucks). In fact, the whole cast is reunited for part three, and while it's more road-trip and action than horror and scifi, it's still well worth a look for fans of the Phantasm franchise. The DVD includes commentary, and behind the scenes footage.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson