Phantasm - History
P H A N T A S M
History
Don Coscarelli's fear and fascination of the afterlife have been shared by millions of horror fans over the past two decades since Phantasm first
jolted them with it's blood-chilling atmosphere, riveting storyline and inventive special effects. The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) and his lethal flying spheres have become horror icons, alongside Friday the 13th's Jason and his hockey mask and A Nightmare On Elm Street's Freddy Krueger and his deadly razor claws. Phantasm, however, came first - influencing scores of filmmakers with it's imaginative blend of horror, sci-fi, and darker-than-dark humor.
The saga began at the sneak preview of Coscarelli's comedy Kenny & Company (1976), which featured a sequence with three boys in a haunted house. At one point, the preview audience screamed, giving Coscarelli a feeling he would never forget: "This was an exciting, new response from an audience," he recalled. "I determined that my next film would be loaded with shocks."
That film would be Phantasm, which he wrote in an isolated mountain cabin over an intense three-week period. "The longer I stayed alone in that cabin, the stranger my concepts became," he noted. The severed finger sequence, for example, came about when Coscarelli absent-mindedly poked his finger up through the bottom of a Styrofoam cup. Seeing his wiggling, apparently detached finger gave birth to a scene that has horrified audiences the over the world.
Coscarelli shot Phantasm mostly in Southern California's San Fernando Valley on a modest $300,000 budget, and not only did he write and direct, but he also photographed and edited the film. It was released March 28, 1979, and soon audiences everywhere were terrified by Coscarelli's imaginative, nightmarish vision.
Two decades later, Phantasm remains a gripping rollercoaster ride of chills and otherworldly excitement, having spawned three sequels (so far) and legions of devoted fans worldwide.
Set To Scare
+ Phantasm was filmed in two key locations: a Chatsworth, California warehouse that contained the eerie mausoleum set, and a suburban house that served as the onscreen home of Mike and Jody. The residence was also pressed into service to house the production team.
+ Co-Producer Paul Pepperman was also responsible for coordinating many of the inventive special effects. Since the budget was modest, he frequently followed the "low-tech" route. To get a door to fly off its hinges at The Tall Man's command, Pepperman simply strapped himself to the other side of it. On cue from the director, he dived through the doorway, pulling the door on top of himself to keep from being seen by the camera.
+ The Morningside Mausoleum set, designed by Mark Scott Annerl, was actually a single hallway constructed with an eight-sided rotunda at the end and two intersecting halls in the middle. The unusual design allowed for a multitude of different angles to give the impression of a much larger structure.
+ S. Tryer (Production Designer) and Shirley Mae (makeup and costume design) are psuedonyms for one person: Don Coscarelli's mother, Kate Coscarelli, a published author who also wrote the Phantasm novelization. She designed the "look" of The Tall Man and assisted in the creation of the severed finger and alien insect special effects props.
A Deadly Sphere Of Influence
+ The deadly flying sphere, inspired by one of Coscarelli's nightmares, was built by Will Green, who passed away before he could see his work on the big screen.
+ Several low-tech methods were used to capture the terrifying shots of the spiked sphere in flight. The most basic approach, says Coscarelli, involved "a junior college basketball pitcher throwing the [sphere] from behind the camera," then printing the shot backwards for an eerie, unnatural quality.
+ When the sphere turned corners, thin fishing line guided its trajectory. To film the sphere impaling a victim, the chrome ball was placed on the actor's head, then quickly yanked away. The shot was then printed in reverse to complete the horrifying effect.
A Red Herring
+ For the shots of Mike falling through the Red Planet, actor Michael Baldwin was filmed jumping on a trampoline. The footage was then edited and photographically enhanced to create the illusion that he was hurtling through the void.
+ Most of the Red Planet's mysterious dwarves are played by costumed children, but many of the background dwarves are actually cardboard cutouts.
+ The Red Planet's sweeping plains are, in reality, the sloping side of a dam, given an unearthy sheen by trick photography.
The Boys And Ghouls
+ Don Coscarelli, born in Libya and raised in Long Beach, California, briefly attended UCLA but left to begin his career as an independent filmmaker. Before Phantasm, he directed Jim the World's Greatest (1976), and Kenny & Company (1976). He has also directed Phantasm's three sequels, the fantasy epic The Beastmaster (1982) and Survival Quest (1990).
+ Angus Scrimm, who portrays the evil Tall Man, had worked as a writer for TV Guide and other publications before turning to acting. In his previous career, he won a Grammy Award for writing the album liner notes of an Erich Wolfgang Korngold violin concerto. Scrimm, who has been a mainstay of the Phantasm saga, has also appeared in Deadfall (1993), Vampirella (1996), Subspecies (1991), and Mindwarp (1990).
+ Michael Baldwin, who plays Phantasm's young hero, Mike, literally grew up onscreen, starting his career at the age of five recording voiceovers for animated cartoon characters and television commercials. In the most recent sequel, Phantasm: Oblivion, in addition to his acting chores, Baldwin served as the film's Co-Producer.
+ Reggie Bannister portrays Reggie, the ice cream man vendor who emerges as a hero in the battle against The Tall Man. Coscarelli, who had directed Bannister in both of his prior films, wrote the role specifically for him.
+ The role of Jody was initially offered to Gregory Harrison, who had made his professional acting debut in Coscarelli's Jim The World's Greatest. After Harrison turned down the part, Bill Thornbury won the role of Jody not only for his acting skills, but also for his superb musicianship. An accomplished guitarist and songwriter, Thornbury wrote the song which he performs onscreen with Reggie.
Click here to watch the infamous sphere kill!
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