Wishful Thinking: Phantasm Box Set & Vinyl Soundtrack

Well, I've got potentially good news and bad news.

The bad news first. There doesn't appear to be any Region 1 Phantasm box set in the works… at least not from Scream Factory, who released a fantastic Collector's Edition of Phantasm II several years ago. It had been hoped in the wake of Scream and Anchor Bay's partnering for the Complete Halloween box set that they might team again for a Phantasm set. As many phans know, films one, three and four are currently out of print in the United States. It is unknown whether or not Anchor Bay still holds distribution rights to those entries or if they have reverted back to Don Coscarelli. It would be great if Scream were attempting misdirection here via their Twitter account, but we'll take them at their word.

@SLC_Andreas @Anchor_Bay Sorry not Phantasm box is in the works
— Scream Factory™ (@Scream_Factory) January 29, 2015

Now for the potentially good news. This is strictly speculation! Death Waltz Records posted a photo of a silver sphere to their Instagram account yesterday with the quote, "You play a good game, boy, but the game is finished. Now you die."

Death Waltz is well known for producing limited edition vinyl scores for classic horror movies. Even better, they were purchased by Mondo Tees last September, who released a highly collectible Phantasm poster several years back that we know Don Coscarelli really dug. Might this be a tease for a future vinyl re-release of the original Phantasm score? Fingers crossed. Thanks to Peter Marullo for this scoop!

Fan Spotlight: Peter Marullo's Phantasm Mega-Edit

As an amateur video editor myself, there's nothing I appreciate more than seeing an ambitious phan cut together their own reworking of Phantasm. Whether they're re-incorporating deleted scenes, re-scoring the film or combining them all into one - it's fascinating to watch. Phantasm's creator also shares this interest, having publicly voiced his surprise and delight at such creations.

In this post, I want to introduce you to a good friend of mine, Peter Marullo, and show you some of his editing handiwork in bridging Phantasm II with III and Phantasm III with Oblivion. Upon watching the embedded video, I think you'll find Peter's editing makes the transition between films positively seamless.

Click here to see a clip from Peter's mega-edit

Casting Mystery on Phantasm Ravager

Today's news brings clarification to a casting rumor and a new set photo related to that mystery. Phantasm Ravager co-producer Gigi Fast Elk Bannister took to the internet today to correct a growing rumor that Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage had joined the cast of the new sequel. This is false and he is not associated with the production.

The character Dinklage was rumored to play, "Chunk," can be seen in the first teaser trailer looking nothing like the popular performer. Gigi referred to the real actor behind "Chunk" only as "Hedge," saying that he is a personal friend of director David Hartman. The co-producer also shared the set photo of "Hedge" you see on your right. Click the pic to enlarge.

While we still don't know exactly who "Hedge" is, we now know who he is not. It's still great to hear new official word on the sequel and always wonderful to see a new set photo.

Speaking of wild casting rumors, anyone hear the one about A. Michael Baldwin's role being recast with Brad Pitt?

Massive Italian Phantasm Retrospective

The third issue of the online Italian-horror magazine Terre di Confine boasts a massive Phantasm retrospective. The article, which was written by di Severino Forini, is tastefully organized with beautiful full-page poster artworks and images from the films. It even contains several pages dedicated to the upcoming Phantasm Ravager. I was also delighted to spot a positive sidebar on my book, Phantasm Exhumed, among their pages.

You can read and download a PDF copy of Terre di Confine for free on their website. I don't speak Italian, but this magazine was still a joy to flip through if not only for the layout. The phantasmic fun begins on page fifty-six!

Phantasm III's Scrapped Arctic Ending?

What's this? A photo from Phantasm III's elusive scrapped arctic ending? Nah, just a pic I snagged from John Squires of "Freddy in Space" fame depicting the Tall Man braving the current Nor'easter storm terrorizing parts of the northern United States. Stay warm out there, folks. (Thanks to writer Martin Yates for the arctic ending joke!)

John writes: "It's not a serious blizzard until the Tall Man is no longer visible. We're up to his waist out there, folks!"

Rare German Phantasm III Promo Item

I've seen a lot of Phantasm collectibles, both official and unofficial. I mean A LOT. But something cropped up on eBay a few days ago that even I had never seen before. This small piece was a promotional item for the German home video release of Phantasm III, which was known to Germans as Das Böse III. Even cooler, the eBay seller had Don Coscarelli sign it in Burbank at last year's Monsterpalooza convention.

Click here to see pictures of the item!

Phantasm Cast headed to Kentucky

The Phantasm crowd is being summoned for yet another reunion in 2015, this time in Lexington, Kentucky. A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister and Gigi Fast Elk Bannister have been announced as guests for the ScareFest Horror & Paranormal Convention happening this September 11-13 at the Lexington Convention Center. With the show still a long eight months away, there are surely plenty of guest announcements yet to come. A little silver sphere whispered to me recently that this fine Phantasm reunion may grow larger yet - time will tell!

Reggie and Tall Man Lego Figures!

You've seen the Ghostbusters Lego set. You may even have seen the Back to the Future Lego set. But have you ever seen a Phantasm Lego set?? Yeah, me neither. Phantasm is one of six properties left on the planet that Lego has yet to license from, but no matter. Leave it to Phantasm's followers to make their own. I posted in 2011 about a phan-made custom Tall Man Lego figure, but this is my first time seeing a Reggie to go along with a Tall Man. Head inside this post to see close-up pictures of this phantastic creation!

Click here to see the Lego figures!

Best Ravager Teaser Reaction Video Ever

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I want to share with you what is probably the funniest Phantasm Ravager teaser reaction video you will ever see. It might also be the shortest one you see. YouTuber M.H. Smith gives his brief impression of the new sequel in this quick twenty-eight second video. Be sure to stay until the end because, just like in superhero movies, there's something waiting for you after the credits.

Phantasm Sounds: That familiar humming

"There's this door down here. 

And I bet there's something behind it."

The vibrating hum of the spacegate has remained an unforgettable auditory hallmark of the Phantasm series from the moment Mike Pearson first dared to enter Morningside Mortaury. The sound effect was so unique that it was included on the film's soundtrack album. Last March, YouTube user "Phantasmed" managed to recreate that complex sound using a Yahama EX7 Synthesizer. They write that their new spacegate hum was the combination of six different sounds that span multiple octaves.

Lucky for us, "Phantasmed" has uploaded their creation to the video sharing site... and it's thirty-five minutes long! That's right... feel free to hit play on this video and go about your daily routine pretending you're in a Phantasm movie. Whether reading, tidying up, making dinner or watching television, having a thirty-five minute loop of the spacegate hum will surely make you feel as though you're living Phantasm.... and probably make you far more reluctant to answer that heavy knock at the door lest it be someone tall.

German Phantasm Trailer: Das Böse

You've probably seen the original theatrical trailer for Phantasm (the one that continually asked what Phantasm was), but have you ever seen a trailer for the film's German release, Das Böse? It plays a little differently than the American preview, barely containing any Tall Man until the last moments. It does, however, feature the Lady in Lavender and a strategically placed black circle in order to keep the trailer bosom free. How modest.

Phantasm has remained especially popular in Germany in the decades since its first release. Both Angus Scrimm and Reggie Bannister have been warmly recieved at German horror conventions in recent years. Germany was also the first country to receive a Blu-ray box set of the entire franchise, though those transfers do not appear to have been approved by Don Coscarelli. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

The Good and Bad of Phantasm Ravager

There has been an enormous amount of fan speculation in the wake of last year's surprise announcement that a new Phantasm sequel was on the distant horizon. The first details and teaser trailer gave series followers much to chew on. While the  initial response appears to have been largely positive, there are those still struggling with the fact that Don Coscarelli is not firmly planted in the director's seat as with the other four films. I consider myself cautiously optimistic when it comes to Phantasm Ravager. In all fairness, David Hartman could well knock this one out of the ballpark and end the series on a high note. That Hartman has earned Coscarelli's confidence enough to take over the franchise must be a testament to his ability.

Of all the opinions I've seen expressed about the film on message forums and social media, none seem more levelheaded than what Martin Yates has written for the Ghastly Tales website. Martin addresses both the good and (potential) bad of the new film with one eye on the previous entries. He looks at which elements of the project instill confidence and which elements give him pause. I see many of my own opinions mirrored in Martin's article. If you're still unsure what to make of Ravager at this still early stage, I highly encourage you give it a read.

Click here to read Martin's article.

Fan Spotlight: Artist Steve Jencks

Today's post looks at the phantasmic work of someone I met this past summer at the Flashback Weekend convention in Chicago. I'm speaking of artist Steve Jencks, a longtime connoisseur of horror films from way back. Among his favorites are Jaws, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and, of course, the Phantasm series. His work has a unique style all its own and draws greatly on imagery from the movies he illustrates. His Phantasm poster features all five cast members, something you don't see very often. Head inside this post to see his work and hear directly from the artist.

Click here to see Steve's Phantasm poster!

Phantasm Exhumed: Thanks for all the Selfies

From Spain to Pakistan, my book Phantasm Exhumed has traveled farther than I ever thought possible. My sincerest thanks to anyone who has sent in a selfie, review or feedback. You have helped to make an incredibly long process worthwhile for myself and the folks who contributed to this book. It pleases me to my geeky core to look over the collage below. To quote a certain Tall Man, "I could read and reread all the reviews endlessly. They are heart nourishing."

I know a handful of people are eagerly wondering on the status of the book's special edition (color, hardcover and more photos) I've been promising. That process continues and I will hopefully have an announcement shortly.

This Phantasm II sphere sold for HOW MUCH?

Of all the Phantasm props out there, the most coveted appears to be the Tall Man's deadly silver sphere. This iconic franchise relic has graced every single poster for the series, both theatrical and home video, and has evolved significantly over the past thirty-six years, wedging itself in the hearts and minds of phans. Sadly, we've never seen an official replica made available for purchase, though there are those resourceful few that have offered quality unauthorized balls. Then again, there was that spectacular box set from the UK (now out of print) that housed the DVDs inside of a sphere, but that wasn't a true replica. There's nothing like the real thing.

True Phantasm props are incredibly difficult to come by. A few have been snapped up by cast and crew over the decades, but the vast majority still reside in the ownership of Don Coscarelli. Every few years, however, a silver sphere will find its way onto the auction block. This was the case in July, 2012 when a ball from Phantasm II was made available for bidding. Head inside this post to see pictures of the decades-old prop and learn how much it eventually sold for.

Click here for pics and the final bid amount!

Silver Sphere vs Pick-up Truck

You may have seen the fake car-window-broken-by-baseball gag. You may even have seen the car-window-broken-by-golfball-gag. But have you seen someone pull this particular trick with a silver sphere? Now that is one car trend I could get behind! User "propmeupintn" from YourProps.com appears to have created his own sphere-window-burster for his pickup truck. If only it were a Hemi 'Cuda! I've posted photos of the user's fantastic work below. This would surely be a hot seller were it ever offered through an official channel.

Top Seven Phantasm Shirts on Red Bubble

If you haven't heard of this website called Red Bubble, it's a pretty great marketplace for people to create their own designs and offer them on a wide variety of products, notably t-shirts. As it turns out, several enterprising phans have started making their own t-shirt designs in the absence of an official t-shirt line because, let's face it, while that new Phantasm Ravager shirt is mighty sharp, it's only one bloody shirt. 

It wasn't until this past summer in Chicago for Flashback Weekend that I began seeing phans wearing these cool new designs. While I'm not really a printed t-shirt kind of guy, I can still dig the creativity that goes into these things. Highlighted for you within this post are the seven of the coolest Phantasm-inspired shirts I found on Red Bubble.

Click here to see the t-shirt designs!

Watch This: A Toddler vs the Tall Man

In 2013, film composer and 70s horror fan Greg Stanina made a fan film to melt your heart. Titled "Emmie vs the Tall Man," it showcases what an adorable showdown between a toddler and everyone's favorite alien mortician might look like. Greg went beyond just intercutting his own footage with Don Coscarelli's masterpiece - it looks as if he actually ventured with his young starlet to the Dunsmuir Mansion in Oakland, California! Nothing gives a fan film credibility like a good location shoot. Give it a watch below!

Phantasm heads to the Lone Star State

This isn't exactly breaking news, but it would be negligent of me not to at least mention it here on the Archives. There is another gigantic Phantasm reunion brewing and set to unfold at the Texas Frightmare Weekend in Dallas from May 1-3. The lineup includes usual suspects Don Coscarelli, Angus Scrimm, A. Michael Baldwin, Reggie & Gigi Bannister, Bill Thornbury and Kathy Lester. As a rare treat, stuntman and actor Bob Ivy will also be in attendance. Phans will recall Ivy's infamous hearse stunt from Phantasm III and performance as the Demon Cop from Phantasm Oblivion. He also played the titular mummy in Bubba Ho-Tep and provided stunts for the upcoming Phantasm Ravager!

It's an impressive lineup and sure to be an unforgettable weekend. It's also pretty impressive that Texas Frightmare has managed to nab Scream star Neve Campbell! ("Do you like scary movies?")

Fan Spotlight Cont'd: The Revenge of Scott Hoffman

My first post of 2015 highlighted more than twenty works by artist and phan Scott Hoffman from his Transformative Impressions series. Scott has been one busy fellow since then and returns to share an additional six Phantasm-related works he has created. These images depict moments from Phantasm, Phantasm II, Phantasm Oblivion and the hotly-anticiapted Phantasm Ravager. If you did Scott's work, I encourage you to check out his web store and like him on Facebook.

Click here to see the new art!

Weird Phantasm Stuff: Foreign VHS Covers

I dig seeing how Phantasm travels throughout the world. I also dig retro-VHS artwork. So you know I'm a sucker for the four international videotape covers featured in this post. The first two covers are from the Republic of Croatia, the third from Spain and the fourth from France. And there is something weird about each one of them. Then again, there's something weird about pretty much every Phantasm home video cover ever, but that's a blog post for another day.

Click here to continue reading this post and see these unusual cover artworks. If you want to, skip the text and scroll down to the covers to see if you can spot what's weird about each of them before I tell you.

Phantasm Ravager FX Secret Revealed

Here's a pretty interesting tidbit, an early secret of sorts from the making of Phantasm Ravager. Many phans took sharp notice of the giant silver sphere hovering over Reggie in the film's initial teaser. They noticed again when that same massive sphere appeared to destroy a skyscraper with its lasers in Don Coscarelli and David Hartman's "Unwrapping the new Phantasm sequel" video.

As it turns out, that skyscraper shot was a re-purposed clip of demolition stock footage from ShutterStock. The Ravager team simply composited in the giant sphere and its lasers and nicely so. You can actually own the clip itself starting at $19 for web use and going all the way up to $79 for the HD version over on the video's page.

The featured building was a university tower located in Frankfurt, Germany. It was leveled on February 2, 2014. You can see a news story showing a different angle on the explosion here. I'm sure Phantasm's many German phans, who know the film as Das Böse, will be thrilled to see their country feature in the new movie.

Behind the Phantasm Ravager Teaser Poster

In this calm before the Phantasm Ravager storm when there is little news to be had, I thought it might be nice to take a look at the creative talent that put together the film's teaser poster. We've all studied it endlessly, that giant red roman numeral, the spheres flying into darkness and that elongated Tall Man inside the roman numeral. It's a perfect tease of what's to come - just enough to set your curiosity wild without giving too much away. Or giving anything away, really.

Continue reading this post to learn the artist's identity and more about his work. If you're a Don Coscarelli fan, you've most likely already seen his handiwork and not realized it.

So this Funeral Home Actually Exists....

Today's post has nothing really to do with the Phantasm movies, but something real-world instead. It's amazing to me that this place actually exists, but there is a Canadian family of funeral directors with the last name of "Tallman." And they own several funeral homes. Do you see where this is going? Each of their business locations are aptly named "Tallman Funeral Home."

Yes, you read that correctly. There is an actual Tallman Funeral Home, several in fact. You can visit their official website here. Founded in 1941by Oliver Tallman, they've kept their business in the family with no less than six Tallman funeral directors presently working across two locations in Ontario.

No word on whether or not they've ever seen Phantasm, but hopefully they have seen it and have a sense of humor about it. Truthfully, they appear to offer quality service with traditional funerals, memorial services and bereavement support counseling. Their website fails to indicate whether or not they charge to ship your beloved in a black canister to the Red Planet, but with a name like Tallman Funeral Home, you would assume it was simply included in the initial cost.

Angus Scrimm writing liner notes for ISTD Score!

Deep Focus Records, the company behind the recent vinyl Tales From Beyond the Pale release, have announced they are soon to release a vinyl soundtrack album for Glenn McQuaid's 2008 horror-comedy I Sell the Dead. If you have not caught this one yet, it is fantastic and boasts a marvelous cast that includes Dominic Monaghan, Larry Fessenden, Ron Perlman and the always great Angus Scrimm in a dastardly role. 

Jeff Grace's score was a shining part of the film and a major enhancement to the also stellar writing and performances. Even better, Deep Focus reveals that Scrimm will be dusting off his liner note quill for the album! Phantasm phans will recall that long before he became the Tall Man the towering performer wrote liner notes for Capitol Records. These notes earned him a handful of Grammy nomations and an eventual win in 1974.

You can read the full press release over on the Glass Eye Pix site. Personally, this will be a must-own album for 2015!

Custom-Made Phantasm Action Figures!

On the heels of yesterday's terrific music, I'm back with another treat from composer and phan Dan J. Schulte. Some twenty-three years ago, Dan decided he wanted his own set of Phantasm action figures. The only problem was that none existed at that time. After all, that was still several years prior to NECA's Cult Classics 7" Tall Man figure, which is now out-of-print and fetching steep prices on the secondary market. So what did Dan do? He did what any resourceful phan would have done - he made his own badass Mike and Reggie figures!! Read on to see additional photos of his creations and learn what these toys were in their previous lives.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FIGURE GALLERY!

Hear This! What if John Carpenter had scored Phantasm?

From the very beginning, music has been an enormously important part of the Phantasm series. Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave's theme music has become an iconic staple of the franchise and genre as it winds itself through each sequel, always evolving.

Personally, I really dig hearing musically inclined phans perform their own covers of it. Some infuse it with a hard metal sound while others go more action epic in the direction of Phantasm II. Today, I've got a unique cover for you to check out from composer Dan J. Schulte, a highly dedicated franchise follower for several decades now. If you saw either the Halloween: 25 Years of Terror of Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy documentaries, then you've already heard Dan's work and you know it is pretty awesome.

Dan's cover, which clocks in at seven minutes long in this video, is titled Phantasms and strongly evokes the music of John Carpenter. I'm talking John Carpenter back when he was collaborating with Alan Howarth circa Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Horror fans will know that is a great period in Carpenter's career to evoke. Also being a huge Halloween fan, it's really no surprise where Dan takes inspiration from on this piece.

I implore you to give this Phantasm theme tribute a shot. Don't just hit play and click over to another tab. Go grab some headphones and close your eyes. Soak this in. Revel in the imagery it conjures inside your mind. I dare you to let yourself be alone with the spooky phantasmic sounds of Dan's tribute. It is surely a treat.

You can check out more of Dan's music here. You can also download an extended, higher-quality version of this tribute on his website as well.

See A. Michael Baldwin Harlem Shake with Zombies!

This video and story aren't exactly new, but I'm willing to bet there's a significant handful of phans that have yet to experience their glory! You may have seen the Harlem Shake done in an office, on a plane and even while skydiving, but have you ever seen a Harlem Shake performed by zombies? Or better yet, have you ever seen a Harlem Shake by Phantasm star A. Michael Baldwin and dance crew of zombies? If not, read on to read about how everyone's favorite BOOOY got down with some funky dead-heads.

If you somehow missed out on the 2013 viral sensation that was Harlem Shake and have absolutely no clue what I'm referencing, consult the almighty Wikipedia's entry on it here. It's sort of like a video meme that swept the internet two years ago.

Click here to read the story and see the video!

What kind of Phantasm sphere are you?

Time for a little fun! What kind of Phantasm sphere are you? Not sure? Well take a moment to consult the chart below and post your answer in the comments section! You may enlarge the image by clicking on it if you're having trouble seeing the small text.

Fan Spotlight: Phil Sawyer's AMAZING Phantasm Display

Move over, Freddy, Jason and Michael. There's a growing presence in the world of horror cosplay and it's Phantasmic in nature!

After having posted John Krieg's terrific Phantasm street display earlier this week, I'm back to show you another super-phan's handiwork. Phil Sawyer, who in 2011 shared with us his sweet homemade Phantasm figures, returns to the Phantasm Archives blog with pictures of his own unique outdoor display. Like Krieg, Phil has a magnificent Tall Man mannequin and dwarf replica - but also a live graver, distressed damsel, 'Cuda and even a Reggie! Head inside to see more photos and learn more about this impressive setup!

Click here to see pictures from Phil's photo shoot!

Vintage: See Reggie Bannister in 1965!

Talk to Reggie Bannister long enough and you'll probably hear him tell you how he is both blessed and cursed with two talents. The man does have a foot firmly planted in two worlds - movies and music. You obviously know him from the Phantasm films, but he's also put out a number of terrific albums. The last two are especially good and of interest to phans if you haven't checked them out yet. (Learn more about Reggie's musical offerings here.)

What most people don't know, however, is that Reggie's musical past goes back, way back all the way to the Greenwood County Singers, a touring folk group from the 1960's. Expand this post to hear what Reggie had to say about the group when asked and see vintage video of him performing with them!

Click here to read and see more!

Huge Gallery: Scott Hoffman's Phantasm Art!

Today I'm very pleased to share with you the Phantasmic artwork of Artist Scott Hoffman. Scott is a huge phan from way back and enormously talented at recreating some of the most memorable moments from the franchise. These works are part of his Transformative Impressions series. In this post, Scott has allowed me to feature a whopping twenty-two of his art pieces here on the Archives, the first three of which depict the upcoming Phantasm Ravager.

You can check out Scott's web store here and like him on Facebook here.

Here's a brief artist biography: "Scott has been creating since as far back as he can remember. His passion in life and art has always been to add value to what has naturally existed and share his passion with others. His transformative works have been hailed as "Monet meets Freddy Krueger". Scott's ever evolving body of work carries a repertoire so diverse, that he has something for the true art lover to the conventional passerby."

Click here to expand this post and see Scott's gallery!

New Phantasm Ravager Pic!

First off, Happy New Year to Phantasm phans everywhere! And what better way to start off the new year than with a new photo from the upcoming Phantasm Ravager? This selfie-from-the-set comes from star A. Michael Baldwin who refuses to reveal absolutely anything about it! So we'll all just have to use our imaginations until the film's release later this year. The photo caption does reveal that it hails from filming carried out in 2013.

(This photo isn't exactly brand new - it's been floating about for a few months now, but I think it's new to most people and it's new to this blog - so I suppose that qualifies it for the "new" tag!)