Phantasm IV: Oblivion
by Don Coscarelli
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DVD details
Actor: A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Bob Ivy, Heidi Marnhout, Reggie BannisterDirector: Don Coscarelli
Brand: Fox
Writer: Don Coscarelli
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-08-26
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
DVD Reviews of Phantasm IV: Oblivion
DVD Review: An excellent end to my favorite horror series
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite Phantasm's. It brings back the original actors in their original roles. It fell more into the realm of the first Phantasm with its hard to comprehend qualities. The more you watch it the more you come to understand.
I believe that some people will not like this movie, for the same reason some didn't like the first one. It has a surreal quality that film goers don't like these days. They prefer a movie that spells it out for you and lays it all up front. They lack imagination and expect the film maker to give them one. I'm all for this when I'm in the mood for some brainless fun. However that's not what you get here. If you find this movie confusing its because you haven't actually seen it. Watch it again until you figure it out. If you've made it all the way to OblIVion then I know you're already a Phan. Pay close attention to the end and it will become clear where the story went. It will make more sense as to why the film appears to be so disjointed. Like a dream perhaps? Read further and I'll try to explain.
SPOILERS!!!!
For those of you who were clueless about the end of the film and hate it for that reason here are my thoughts on Phantasm IV.
The whole Phantasm series was a dream in young Mikes head. Jody was killed in a car accident (dead from the very start of the series much like young Mikes parents) and Reggie was taking care of young Mike now that his whole family was deceased. When Mike and Reggie are in the Ice Cream truck together driving away at the end of Phantasm IV and you hear adult Mike say "I'm dying" and Reggie asks Mike "Did you hear something?" Mikes response was "It's just the wind. Only the wind". At this point Mike (young Mike) had given up his dream world and accepted the fact that Jody and his parents were dead and were never coming back and in this fact killing the adult dream Mike who never really existed in the first place. I think even "adult" Mike had an idea of what was truly going on and chose to end it.
Quote:
The Tall Man: "Ice cream man, it's all in his head."
Who knows if Tommy was killed by the lady in lavender in the graveyard or if he was in the car accident with Jody? It doesn't really matter if Tommy even existed at all or if he was just another creation in Mikes dream world. There were many characters introduced throughout the series that came and went without any real purpose. The only two that stuck it out from the beginning to the end were Reggie and Mike. This was due to the fact that they were the only "real" characters from the very beginning. Maybe Tommy was a creation to help Mike deal with Jody's funeral.
Go back and watch all 4 films from the very beginning and pay close attention to the things that happened that didn't really happen. Mikes encounters with the Tallman, Alchemy (Samantha Phillips) lying on the embalming table only to disappear when Mike turns around. Mike and Liz (Paula Irvine) being able to communicate with their minds. The endings to the first 3 films. Everything that happens in the 4 Phantasm films are hints that it's all just a dream. Even now I can hear The Tallman say "No, it's not!".
All the Tall Man was is an undertaker who young Mike thought of as taking away his family (which made him the antagonist in Mikes dreams), but really was just a creepy old undertaker. Perhaps just the sweet old man who offers Mike lemonade in his inter dimensional time trip.
End Spoilers:
I believe this was Coscarelli's intention all along and so many people complained that it was too vague or they just didn't understand it at all. It was after the complaints that talks for a fifth film began. After all, since when do artists ever feel the need to explain their vision. Either you get it or you don't.
In earlier interviews he said that Oblivion would be the 4th and final Phantasm, and that he intended to have a surprise ending that wrapped up the whole story. I feel that's exactly what we got, all that time to find out that Mike was still just a little boy with a dead family and none of it ever really happened. It was so surreal and I love it! I think it was an excellent end to an amazing trip.
Notice the use of dreamlike sequences throughout the whole series. Even the ones tossed out of Phantasm II by the studios.
There were some rumors about a possible Phantasm V after the remake trilogy fell apart (thank the gods of horror). However Don Coscarelli hasn't mentioned it in any of his recent interviews. When questioned about Phantasm V Angus Scrimm's exact words were "Don't hold your breath!". Not to mention the fact the guy is 82 years old. At Louisville's Fright Night Film Festival Mike Baldwin, Reggie Banister and Angus Scrimm all stated they weren't interested in a remake of any sorts.
I don't think Don Coscarelli's heart is really in making a 5th film in the series. Considering that his original concept of Phantasm IV was closure.
I could be TOTALLY OFF on this. However I like to think I'm on target. Since I don't see another film in the near future and definitely not with Mr. Scrimm who makes Phantasm what it is. I choose to let it end here and most certainly don't want to see my favorite series get the same treatment as the most recent Crow and Highlander installments.
For those of you still waiting on Phantasm II on DVD if you have a region free DVD player you can get the complete set via Region 2. The copies contained in the set are the exact re-released DVD's of Phan 1,3 and 4 plus you get a really cool bonus disc. So I'm pretty sure that if we ever get a Region 1 release of Phantasm II it will just be the same version issued on Region 2.
If you don't have a region free DVD player it's real simple to make 90% of current DVD Players region free. No hardware modifications.
Description of Phantasm IV: Oblivion
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