You know what rocks? PHANTASM

[TVC15]

I am watching Phantasm 3 right now.  It's the first time I have ever seen 3, but I have been a big fan of the first two movies for years.  I kind of quit after 2 because I figured there was no way a budget horror series could stay good that long.  3 is pretty decent so far.

The first movie is pretty dated, but still effective.  Much like Evil Dead 2, for whatever it matters, the first sequel is basically a remake of the first movie.  Also like Evil Dead, Phantasm fall squarely into the "Random Shit Happens Without Real Explanation" genre, but it plays it off very well.  Rather than being confused by what's going on, we understand the skeleton of the plot:  The tall man is using dead bodies to make servants for some transdimensional shit.  If it were explained any more, I am sure it would just be cheesy and lame.

Angus Scrimm (of TV Guide and Alias fame) is damned excellent as the Tall Man, too.  Although clearly staying on the serious side of horror, the movies never seem to take themselves all that seriously.  There's always a nice air of low budgetness around the flicks, and I think the movies would feel pretty damned hokey if that weren't so.

Phantasm -- much like Reanimator, another series much better than anything Raimi could even dream of.

[Human Snorenado]

The first two were good, but after that it was eh.  The thing that bugs me the most about the horror genre is the tendency to turn everything into a goddamn series.

[TVC15]

The first two were good, but after that it was eh.  The thing that bugs me the most about the horror genre is the tendency to turn everything into a goddamn series.

I don't think 3 is bad (so far).  The fact that it's one dude behind the series makes me more open-minded about the series continuing.

[G The Resurrected]

i know how could you not like Billy Zane?

[Scurvy Stan]

Phantasm 3?

[TVC15]

Phantasm 3?

How about explaining why you are laughing, nutso fuckface?

[Scurvy Stan]

Phantasm 3?

How about explaining why you are laughing, nutso fuckface?

You said Phantasm 3!

[TVC15]

Phantasm 3?

How about explaining why you are laughing, nutso fuckface?

You said Phantasm 3!

Again, what's wrong with it?  So far, it seems to be a pretty decent entry into a B-movie franchise.  It's not as good as the first 2, but it's still doing most things right.

[Scurvy Stan]

Phantasm 3?

How about explaining why you are laughing, nutso fuckface?

You said Phantasm 3!

Again, what's wrong with it?  So far, it seems to be a pretty decent entry into a B-movie franchise.  It's not as good as the first 2, but it's still doing most things right.

Phantasm 3! 

[TVC15]

Phantasm 3?

How about explaining why you are laughing, nutso fuckface?

You said Phantasm 3!

Again, what's wrong with it?  So far, it seems to be a pretty decent entry into a B-movie franchise.  It's not as good as the first 2, but it's still doing most things right.

Phantasm 3! 

Cool, then get the hell out of my thread if you don't have anything constructive, positive or negative, to say.  I don't mind people hating on things, but at least have a reason or opinion that you can actually state.

[Van Cruncheon]

i liked phantasm 3 - i actually watched it first, oddly enough. the demon midgets are still pretty freaky.

[Melissa]

I should have guessed TVC would be talking about part 3 when I saw the thread title.

Pick up Anchor Bay's current release of Phantasm and get the Euro 2-disc for Phantasm 2.  Sony has 2 tied up in the U.S. so it will probably never see the light of day.  Phantasm 1 and 2 are regular viewing in this house - 3 and 4 are garbage and that's pretty much universally agreed.

[Van Cruncheon]

explain the hate for 3, melissa.

[Phoenix Dark]

Phantasm 3?

How about explaining why you are laughing, nutso fuckface?

You said Phantasm 3!

Again, what's wrong with it?  So far, it seems to be a pretty decent entry into a B-movie franchise.  It's not as good as the first 2, but it's still doing most things right.

Phantasm 3! 

Wow why are you acting like that?

[Melissa]

There's nothing to explain.  It's just not considered to be up to par with the earlier movies in the series.  Much like the Godfather movies, the Mad Max series, etc.  There's just a universal agreement on this.  There will always be fans who find something to enjoy about the stragglers, like you.  

[Van Cruncheon]

that explained nothing. given that all four are deeply hokey niche movies for schlock cinema fans, i find no reason to draw strong distinctions. is there a monocle-and-merlot community for the halloween movies, too, and do you chair it as well?

[Melissa]

Of course, the Halloween franchise is in the same boat as the rest mentioned above.

No one is saying you can't watch and enjoy the endless thread of sequels though.

[TVC15]

I should have guessed TVC would be talking about part 3 when I saw the thread title.

I never said it was as good as the first two.

Pick up Anchor Bay's current release of Phantasm and get the Euro 2-disc for Phantasm 2.  Sony has 2 tied up in the U.S. so it will probably never see the light of day.  Phantasm 1 and 2 are regular viewing in this house - 3 and 4 are garbage and that's pretty much universally agreed.

I was wondering why I couldn't find 2.

Quality drop aside, I don't think 3 is a terrible entry in the series.  It wouldn't make regular rotation, and it had more than its fair share of eye rolls, and Jesus the guy that plays grown-up Mike in Phantasm II is better than the grown-up Phantasm 1 Mike, but for what it is, cheap, b-movie entertainment, it wasn't bad at all.