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Phantasm

Play trailer 1:52 Poster for Phantasm R Released Mar 28, 1979 1h 27m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
73% Tomatometer 49 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The residents of a small town have begun dying under strange circumstances, leading young Mike (Michael Baldwin) to investigate. After discovering that the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), the town's mortician, is killing and reanimating the dead as misshapen zombies, Mike seeks help from his older brother, Jody (Bill Thornbury), and local ice cream man Reggie (Reggie Bannister). Working together, they try to lure out and kill the Tall Man, all the while avoiding his minions and a deadly silver sphere.
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Phantasm

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Critics Consensus

Phantasm: Remastered adds visual clarity to the first installment in one of horror's most enduring -- and endearingly idiosyncratic -- franchises.

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Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times It's put together rather curiously out of disjointed scenes, snatches of dialog, and brief strokes of characterization. Rated: 1.5/4 Nov 28, 2023 Full Review Perry Stewart Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com A fairly artful blending of traditional horror stuff and science-fiction. Sep 27, 2022 Full Review Gary Arnold Washington Post "Phantasm" will not be remembered as a masterpiece of the horror genre, but it sustains a gauche, hokey, desperately improvisational charm. Oct 20, 2017 Full Review Jared Mobarak Jaredmobarak.com Despite any production failings... one cannot deny the effective special effects and formal structure. Rated: 7/10 Nov 28, 2023 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a relatively promising set-up that's employed to persistently (and increasingly) underwhelming and uninvolving effect by Coscarelli... Rated: 1/4 Jan 22, 2021 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Coscarelli utilizes a disturbingly unstable reality that borders on a world of nightmares - the perfect setting for pondering life, death, and reincarnation. Rated: 6/10 Aug 30, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Brian M I really wanted to like this movie, as it’s got a cool concept and some pretty cool visuals. But the editing is soooo sloppy; it consistently messes up the pacing and makes things really awkward. There’s a point where people are being attacked by an unknown something in their car: the protagonist tells them to start driving but everyone just sits there, staring and silent, for what had to be a good 60 seconds. Nothing happens during that time. Such instances occur over and over again, ruining momentum and making it difficult for viewers to immerse themselves in the story. Cool concept botched by amateurish execution. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/30/25 Full Review Nick O Surreal mystique mixed with high speed action make this 1970’s Don Coscarelli classic one of the most unique horror flicks ever made. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/29/25 Full Review Cynthia H This was a popular midnight movie in 1979. Well worth watching. The special effects were pretty good for being made on a thin budget. I've seen it a few times over the years. It's not horrifying or gory but there are quite a few scares along the way. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/13/25 Full Review Christine R Don't know what to say about this movie...Has a very interesting story but I was not able to understand it. Filming of the movie was great. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/19/25 Full Review Audience Member I am not a big fan of the characters and the pacing but I do like the villain he's menacing I like the house which is cool of the tall man, not many kills 78% Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/07/25 Full Review CodyZamboni Z Dreamlike thriller, cheap looking, But has some effective atmospheric images, But campiness and silliness prevail, especially the scenes of dwarves who look like Jawas, Movie needed more intense scenes of the flying silver orb Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/19/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Phantasm

Phantasm: Official Clip - Boy! Phantasm: Official Clip - Boy! 1:54 Phantasm: Official Clip - Giant Monster Fly Phantasm: Official Clip - Giant Monster Fly 2:16 Phantasm: Official Clip - Inter-dimensional Portal Phantasm: Official Clip - Inter-dimensional Portal 3:15 Phantasm: Official Clip - Victory Over the Tall Man Phantasm: Official Clip - Victory Over the Tall Man 1:49 Phantasm: Official Clip - Morgue From Hell Phantasm: Official Clip - Morgue From Hell 2:52 Phantasm: Official Clip - Who's Driving the Car? Phantasm: Official Clip - Who's Driving the Car? 2:18 Phantasm: Official Clip - Dwarfs in the Car Phantasm: Official Clip - Dwarfs in the Car 2:21 Phantasm: Official Clip - The Fortuneteller Phantasm: Official Clip - The Fortuneteller 2:33 Phantasm: Official Clip - Demon Alien Dwarf Phantasm: Official Clip - Demon Alien Dwarf 1:17 Phantasm: Official Clip - The Tall Man Phantasm: Official Clip - The Tall Man 1:15 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis The residents of a small town have begun dying under strange circumstances, leading young Mike (Michael Baldwin) to investigate. After discovering that the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), the town's mortician, is killing and reanimating the dead as misshapen zombies, Mike seeks help from his older brother, Jody (Bill Thornbury), and local ice cream man Reggie (Reggie Bannister). Working together, they try to lure out and kill the Tall Man, all the while avoiding his minions and a deadly silver sphere.
Director
Don Coscarelli
Producer
Dac Coscarelli
Screenwriter
Don Coscarelli
Distributor
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Production Co
New Breed Productions Inc.
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 28, 1979, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Oct 7, 2016
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 4, 2016
Runtime
1h 27m
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