When you watch this film, remember it was made in 1979, before Nightmare on Elm Street and all the other films of that genre. When I first saw Phantasm, it was on cable in a friends dorm room. Some of the scenes were so blasted startling that I literally fell over backwards in my chair! This is a creepy film. It's got some honest to goodness shocking moments. But Coscarelli (the director) uses "surrealism" as an effective tool. Nah, this isn't going to ever rate as one of the best films ever made, but it is a classic in its own right. It tells a good story, with decent acting and superb special effects (for the day). As horror films go this one is pretty darned good. Rent it or buy it and watch it with the lights off while you are alone - it WILL scare you. I promise!
