Phantasm was originally filmed and produced in 1977 but did not come out into theatres in 1979.  An interesting tidbit about the film was that it was rather close to having an X-rating.  After you view the film you have to ask yourself for what reason but I will give you a small hint.  It’s not because of the very brief bit of nudity.  I’ll just say to watch the film closely and I’m sure you will get the point when it you’ll strike yourself in the forehead.

The plot of Phantasm is like so many other horror films simple with a bit of twists and turns.  No one in the cast will stand out to others, but Angus Scrimm does a great job as the character, “The Tall Man”.  The film follows 2 brothers as they deal with the death of their parents.  Jody Pearson is the older brother who must care for his younger brother Mike.  They live in a town that has a rather high mortality rate due to mysterious causes.  We then get to follow the brothers Pearson and later an Ice Cream salesman friend Peter as they track down what is going on.

The film’s look and music fits very well with the film’s overall theme.  It’s hard not to get pulled into the action and events taking place in the film as you sit and watch as events unfold.   There are little creatures in the film that get into some mischievous trouble and as the film goes on what exactly they are. 

The film however is stolen by Angus Scrimm’s portrayal of the mortician, “The Tall Man”.  This is a pivotal character and has to be one of the baddest villains seen in films during this period.  The character does not say much but his presence is felt whenever he is on the screen.  The sheer look of the character along with the great use of a close-up on his face can give you a nice chill.

The film has been out since 1979 and has been a hidden gem and a cult classic ever since it first debuted. The film has spawned several sequels and surely has made Angus a cult classic fan.  The movie’s dialogue and script are nothing to, pardon the pun, “write home about”.  However, the film is just simple total fun.  It has enough to keep any fan interested and those who are not fans of horror will enjoy this film due to its lack of gore. 

This is a film I’d certainly say get your hands on and have a popcorn movie night with your best friend or significant other.  The brief nudity is nothing out of the ordinary for your PG-13 films that are shown in theatres today.  Again as you watch this film you have to wonder WHY would they consider an X-Rating for this movie.  I’ll just finish seeing this film and enjoy it for what it is, a great classic horror film. There are obvious reasons Phantasm generated several sequels, and the reason Horror has got “balls”