Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Angus Scrimm;A. Michael Baldwin;Reggie Bannister
• Director: Don Coscarelli
• Disc Format: Digital Sound, Dolby, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Rated: R
• Studio: Well Go Usa
• Release Date: September 18, 2018
• Run Time: 92 minutes

Although it may mostly just be more of the same bizarre supernatural horror as the first sequel, and in some ways it is an even more blatant attempt to recapture some of the successful elements of the first film, I tend to like Phantasm III more than any of the other sequels in the franchise. Even though they had distribution established, Phantasm III was made independently of a studio, allowing director Don Coscarelli to retain his artistic freedom once again. This meant the return of A. Michael Baldwin, as well as some of the franchise’s most graphic scenes of violence.

        One of the more interesting things about Phantasm III is the number of dangers in the post-apocalyptic world besides The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm). Mike (Baldwin) is taken by the iconic villain, leaving Reggie (Reggie Bannister) to save him. The only problem is that Reggie keeps getting kidnapped and robbed by random humans. Eventually he comes across a few trustworthy survivors, including a kid named Tim (Kevin Connors) who uses an assortment of grisly traps to kill off intruders in his home. Tim is clearly meant to be a stand-in for the younger Mike in the first film, as well as adding some fresh blood to the franchise. He is joined by Rocky (Gloria Lynne Henry), a nunchaku wielding woman they meet in a mausoleum.

        The humor and the camp feel amped up in this second sequel, complete with a zombie car chase with stunts that remain impressive even by today’s standards. For me, this was a positive end for the franchise, even if Universal only saw fit to release it on video after a limited theatrical release. The special features included on the disc include a new commentary track with stars Baldwin and Scrimm. There is also a deleted scene, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a trailer.

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6.5/10

Historical Significance:  5/10

Special Features: 5.5/10

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead Blu-ray Review

Although it may mostly just be more of the same bizarre supernatural horror as the first sequel, and in some ways it is an even more blatant attempt to recapture some of the successful elements of the first film, I tend to like Phantasm III more than any of the other sequels in the franchise. Even though they had distribution established, Phantasm III was made independently of a studio, allowing director Don Coscarelli to retain his artistic freedom once again. This meant the return of A. Michael Baldwin, as well as some of the franchise’s most graphic scenes of violence.

        One of the more interesting things about Phantasm III is the number of dangers in the post-apocalyptic world besides The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm). Mike (Baldwin) is taken by the iconic villain, leaving Reggie (Reggie Bannister) to save him. The only problem is that Reggie keeps getting kidnapped and robbed by random humans. Eventually he comes across a few trustworthy survivors, including a kid named Tim (Kevin Connors) who uses an assortment of grisly traps to kill off intruders in his home. Tim is clearly meant to be a stand-in for the younger Mike in the first film, as well as adding some fresh blood to the franchise. He is joined by Rocky (Gloria Lynne Henry), a nunchaku wielding woman they meet in a mausoleum.

        The humor and the camp feel amped up in this second sequel, complete with a zombie car chase with stunts that remain impressive even by today’s standards. For me, this was a positive end for the franchise, even if Universal only saw fit to release it on video after a limited theatrical release. The special features included on the disc include a new commentary track with stars Baldwin and Scrimm. There is also a deleted scene, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a trailer.

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6.5/10

Historical Significance:  5/10

Special Features: 5.5/10