Having looked at Phantasm 1 & 2 it’s now the turn of the third film, can it really match the quality of the first two? Well that’s what I intend to find out, so without further ado here’s my Phantasm III Blu-ray Review.
- Phantasm III (1994) aka Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead
- UK Rating 18
- Released By Arrow Video
- Blu-ray Released: 24th April 2017
Plot
The third film sees Reggie back on the road hunting down The Tall Man whom has just has just taken Mike. Along the way he discovers yet more abandoned towns. Helped by a young boy named Tim and tough army woman Rocky they take on the evil Tall Man.
Written by Don Coscarelli.
Style / Direction
By now the Phantasm style has been establish and this continues on with the third outing. Directed by Don Coscarelli as with most sequels the quality of the story tends to diminishes the further on in the film franchise and that is certainly the case with Phantasm III.
The cinematography is handled by Chris Chomyn.
Music / Audio Effects
The main theme that made Phantasm feel so good remains but overall the film is just not as impressive as the first two. The score is provided by Fred Myrow & Christopher L. Stone.
Acting / Characters
Just like the second film Reggie remains the central character and star of proceedings, it’s kind of more of the same. There are plenty of comedy horror moments with Reggie propelling the story along at a quick pace.
However the big change from the second film is the re-instatement of actor Michael Baldwin as Mike. Having been recast by the studio for the second film Don Coscarelli brings him back which is a nice touch.
Also back in the third film is Mike’s brother Jody played by Bill Thornbury having not appeared in the second film.
If you like the second film’s style Phantasm III is more of that style than the original. The acting is decent and of the same level as Phantasm II.
Conclusion: Phantasm III (1994) Film Review
The third film is definitely more like the second film, in essence it’s another road film. Reggie travels from town to town in pursuit of The Tall Man. The story is certainly nowhere near as good as the first two and struggles a little.
Ultimately like pretty much all horror franchises each film is a little worse than the previous one and that is certainly the case here. That said Phantasm III is still hugely entertaining but goes for way more comedy than the previous outings.
Personally I prefer the creepiness of the first film.
Right time to move on to the next film in the Phantasm series with the fourth film titled Oblivion…
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Conclusion: Phantasm III Blu-ray Review
Clearly time has been taken to ensure the third film matches the first two in terms of picture quality. The image is sharp and clear with the colours vibrant, furthermore there no signs of any speckles or dirt marks.
On to the extras and Arrow Video continues with Reflections of Fear: Phantasm part III featuring more on the special effects.
It’s also revealed that the budget was less than the previous films.
The extras included are pretty good considering this is the third outing.
Extras
- Reflections of Fear: Realising Phantasm III (23 mins)
- Behind the Scenes (9mins)
- Deleted Scene
- Trailers
- Gallery
Popcorn Cinema Rating: Phantasm III (1994)
MOVIE RATING: WORTH WATCHING
BLU-RAY RATING: EXCELLENT
Purchase Phantasm III (1994) On Blu-ray
Phantasm III (1994) blu-ray is available now, I’ve added a link below.
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Phantasm III (1994) Trailer
For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster…
Clip may not be representative of the Blu-ray version
That’s Phantasm III blu-ray review, if you have any thoughts on this film you can leave a comment over on Facebook.
Summary: Phantasm III (1994) Blu-ray Review
Movie title: Phantasm III (1994)
Duration: 91 mins
Director(s): Don Coscarelli,
Actor(s): Reggie Bannister, Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Angus Scrimm
Genre: Horror
- Movie Rating
- Blu-ray Picture Rating
- Extras
Summary
More comedy than creepiness but still worth a look.
