IMDb > Phantasm (1979)
Phantasm
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips
Videos
Phantasm (1979) -- A young boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave robber known only as the Tall Man, who keeps a mysterious arsenal of terrible weapons with him.

Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   7,433 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 36% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Don Coscarelli
Writer:
Don Coscarelli (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Phantasm on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 March 1979 (USA) more
Tagline:
If you're looking for horror that's got balls...IT'S FOUND YOU. more
Plot:
A young boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave robber known only as the Tall Man, who keeps a mysterious arsenal of terrible weapons with him. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(92 articles)
Gay Of The Dead 26: Big Bear Horror Film Fest Recap, Part 2
 (From Fangoria. 28 October 2009, 10:00 PM, PDT)

The Flickcast – Episode 29: Oblivion
 (From The Flickcast. 28 October 2009, 9:00 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
The Chrome Sphere is 70s classic more (220 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
A. Michael Baldwin ... Michael 'Mike' Pearson (as Michael Baldwin)
Bill Thornbury ... Jody Pearson

Reggie Bannister ... Reggie
Kathy Lester ... Lady in Lavender
Terrie Kalbus ... Fortuneteller's Granddaughter
Kenneth V. Jones ... Caretaker (as Ken Jones)
Susan Harper ... Girlfriend
Lynn Eastman-Rossi ... Sally (as Lynn Eastman)
David Arntzen ... Toby
Ralph Richmond ... Bartender
Bill Cone ... Tommy
Laura Mann ... Double Lavender
Mary Ellen Shaw ... Fortuneteller
Myrtle Scotton ... Maid
Angus Scrimm ... The Tall Man
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Never Dead (Australia)
more
Runtime:
88 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
UK:15 (video re-rating) (2005) | UK:18 (video rating) (1989) | UK:X (original rating) | Norway:16 (video rental version) | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (cut) | Germany:(Banned) (2002) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:PG (heavily cut) | Italy:VM14 (new rating) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) (VHS) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | USA:R

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The "ball" scenes were simple special effects. The sphere was being guided around a corner by a fishing line. The sphere was thrown from behind the camera by a baseball pitcher and then the shot was printed in reverse. The ball attaching itself to the man's head was filmed by sticking it on his head, then pulling it off, and printing the shot in reverse. more
Goofs:
Continuity: The length of The Tall Man's finger is longer in the wooden box than when it was originally severed. more
Quotes:
Jody: I just don't get off on funerals, man, they give me the creeps. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Dead & Deader (2006) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Sittin' Here At Midnight more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
20 out of 29 people found the following comment useful.
The Chrome Sphere is 70s classic, 7 November 2003
7/10
Author: macabro357 from U.S.

There are two things that stand out in this film. The Tall Man (played by Angus Scrimm) and the chrome sphere with hook-like blades that stick out of it. Those are the two main elements when it comes to this horror series directed by Don Coscarelli. The Tall Man comes from another dimension where he takes some of the earth's dead back to his home planet, reincarnates them and turns them into slaves for his world. He even occasionally murders some earth people in order to speed things up. Why wait for them to get old and die natural deaths. That would take too much time, right? And what better earth profession he can hide his identity behind than that of a funeral parlor director. Everything goes smoothly for the Tall Man until Mike Pearson (Michael Baldwin) witnesses him carting a body away that's supposed to be buried in the ground. At first his brother Jody (Bill Thornbury) doesn't believe him, but when Mike shows him a cut-off finger surrounded by 'yellow blood' in a little wooden box he had saved as proof, Jody starts to believe him. Excellent scene of the chrome sphere zooming down the funeral parlor hallway and 'accidentally' digging into the skull one of the Tall Man's henchmen. A little screw appears out of it and starts to bore a hole through his skull, ejecting the excess blood out a hole in the back of the sphere. I wish there was more of the sphere although we'll get to see a lot more of it again in PHANTASM II (1988). I also like the portal gateway scene where if you go through the two chrome poles, you'll get to see the Tall Man's alternative universe where the slaves are busy carrying caskets down a stone pathway. We even get to see Ice Cream Man, Reggie Bannister almost get sucked through it as well. I won't give away the ending but let's just say the Tall Man is temporarily disposed of until the next sequel comes out, although the dream element that's supposed to encompass the whole sequence of events in the film, is a big negative against it. In fact, it brings it down a notch, unfortunately. Even so, I consider PHANTASM to be one of the best horror films of the 1970s. It managed to keep Avco/Embassy in business so they could bring us later horror stuff like ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1980); THE FOG (1980) and DEAD AND BURIED (1981) The MGM DVD also has a lot more extras on it than you would expect from other DVDs released by the same company, including 8mm behind-the-scenes footage of the making of PHANTASM; a 1979 interview down in Miami with director Coscarelli and Angus Scrimm; an appearance at a 1989 Fangoria convention by Scrimm, and movie & TV trailers for the film. It's a labor of love by the truest fans of this film. 7 out of 10

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (220 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Phantasm (1979)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
other films with the same vibe - recommendations please reversi
Has this confused the hell out of anyone? Petersonrob16
Plain Wooden Box to Hold Severed Finger jstover07
Wow unbelievable... jasonV888
Phantasm Sphere 5 Disc Limited Edition Box Set sick_in_the_brain
Timmy westing000
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Phantasm II Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead Halloween Phantasm IV: Oblivion It
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Fantasy section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.