Phantasm (film)

Phantasm is a 1979 American supernatural horror film directed, written, photographed, and edited by Don Coscarelli, and stars A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Kathy Lester, and Angus Scrimm. The first installment of the Phantasm franchise, the film follows Mike, a teenager in a small Oregon town who, along with his older brother Jody and family friend Reggie, investigates strange goings-on at the local funeral home, which is operated by a mysterious mortician known as "the Tall Man".

Coscarelli based Phantasm on a nightmare he had as a teenager, which he developed into a rough screenplay. The film was a fully independent production, financed by Coscarelli, his father, and local investors, and with a cast and crew made up mostly of amateurs and aspiring professionals. The film was shot over the course of a year, mainly in and around Chatsworth, California. Coscarelli continued to alter and develop the screenplay throughout the filming process. A months-long post-production followed, during which the film underwent significant editing.

Avco Embassy Pictures acquired Phantasm for theatrical distribution in the United States, premiering it in Los Angeles in the spring of 1979. Following its expanded theatrical release, the film went on to become a box office hit, with an international gross of $22 million. It was met with mixed reviews from film critics, though it garnered praise for its visual elements and unique screenplay. In the years since its original release, it has become a cult film with a devoted following. It has appeared on several critics' lists of the best horror films and has been cited as a significant influence on the horror film genre. Film scholars have noted Phantasm for its surrealistic qualities and prominent themes of mourning, loss, and sibling relationships.

In 2015, the film underwent restoration supervised by Coscarelli and the production company Bad Robot, whose co-founder J. J. Abrams is an outspoken fan of the film. The restored version of the film was given a limited theatrical release in 2016, followed by several Blu-ray releases in the United States and United Kingdom.