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f?om avaiuiia.!* ** . is*****♦Phantasm II: Take It Back, Please*♦Nine years ago, the film “Phantasm” was released and became arsleeper hit. This dark, horror-comedy involved a mortician known as the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) who possesses superhuman strength and refuses to die. He abducts corpses and transports them to another dimension where he uses them for his owndemented purposes. A young boy named Michael knows of his evildeeds, so the Tall Man terrorizes Michael, sometimes appearing in his dreams Within the preceding paragraph lies the ideas, in one way or another, for three other films.Superhuman strength; refusesto die: Friday the 13th.Abducts corpses; transports them to another dimension:Poltergeist.Terrorizes Michael, sometimes through his dreams: A Night On Elm Street. These three filmsturned out to be mega-hits, but Phantasm enjoyed a more subdued success. Why? Because these films explain the events occurring within them. As this review continues you’ll understand what I mean.Phantasm II continues in itsrespective chronological order. It’s nine years after the original horror and Mike (James Le Gros) is somehow associated with theMorningside Psychiatric Institute, most likely as a patient. Mike has been receiving psychic messages from a girl named Liz (Paula Irvine) whose grandfather has just died. She claims she has seen theTall Man and Mike feels it is his duty to save Liz.In “II,” you finally find out the purpose of those flying spheres. They are keys that open the gate to the other dimension. Let’s stop here for a moment.First of all, of the spheres are keys, then why are they flying through the mausoleum trying to drill themselves into any available flesh? We never find out.Secondly, the viewer gets a brief glimpse of the other dimension just as in the first film. The scene is exactly the same. One would think that after nine years SOMETHING would have changed. Maybe I’m asking too much.On the other hand, “II” has interesting special effects and has successfully recreated the dark, sinister atmosphere that made the original so frighening. The acting, well, no one is paying attention to the acting because everyone is trying to figure what is going on. By the film’s end, you haven’t been enlightened on any other facet of the film except the spheres. Who is the Tall Man? Why can’t he die? Why does he do what he does? What goes on in the other dimension? Maybe a few of us writers can get together and develop a screenplay that will answer these Questions because “Phantasm IIdoes not.*Front Row Theater In AssociatiPresents Greatest RAP RecortFeaturing EleRUNf-i£■ - * • • WLK'.V-VV'/'V/.V.* * *RUN-DMC Nationally acclaimed Rj headline cavalcade of super stars!PlusThrilPUBLIC ENEMCHRIS THOMONDAY, JULY 2TICKETS NAt »h« Front Rowlocation* Chars#or Visa Call TaiatiCASH ONIBox Office IAM -6PMWilson NRed Carpi4353 Nort475-40DAY RATES AVAILAIWEEK DAY SPECIAL $25.3JUVA De LOUNGE 17324 Harvard AveA Gala DAWNEvery SunFRI. Ant2:00 iOR ROCK Biggest DmJay star m iosm ishtn!!! W: l Irv;All-New FBABY BACK RIBSCHILI FOOT LONG10% OFF VI
Newspaper Details
Call and Post
Cleveland, Ohio, US
Thu, Jul 21, 1988
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Rotten T.
USA 21 May 2021
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