Phantasm III : Le Seigneur de la mort

I have seen the first and second Phantasm films. I loved the first one and only mildly enjoyed the second one...so I was expecting to feel equally cold about the third film. Fortunately, I was wrong...it was MUCH better than I'd expected.

Like the second film, this one begins with some flashback scenes. It also, like the second one, shows that the ending you THOUGHT you saw isn't exactly what happened...and somehow Reggie survived in order to keep fighting The Tall Man. However, Mike IS gone...and he only appears in the film as more of a guest star. And, surprisingly, the dead Jody (Mike's brother) manages to appear in this one!! Considering the second film featured 'Faux Mike' (another actor playing this part), having the real Mike and Jody, even in small parts, was welcome. However, what REALLY was welcome were the two new players--Tim and Rocky. They were, by far, the best thing about this film. So naturally, they do NOT appear in the next two movies in the franchise!!

Basically, this film is much like the first two--with Reggie driving about the country fighting zombies, orbs and the like. This time, however, he's got some strange helpers...a tough-as-nails lady and a child who is like Kevin from Home Alone if he was merged with Rambo!!! Oddly, another helper is a 'nice' orb containing Jody...why manages to help them here and there!

The bottom line is that there is a lot of new addition to the film-- needed new additions in order to keep it from getting stale. And, combined with a little bit of Mike and Jody, it makes this one a winner. You just have to see Tim, the little boy, in action...what an unlikely and cool super-hero!!

Unlike many other reviewers, out of the Phantasm series, I liked this one the best. They really had fun with this one and didn't take themselves too seriously. And it was actually funny!

The movie picks up where the second one ended, but I don't think you necessarily need to see the first two movies to enjoy this one. There are plenty of flashbacks and, frankly, it's a pretty crazy story to follow in any case. I think this one actually made more sense than the first two.

The first Phantasm was an amateur pet project that was literally a bunch of friends working weekends putting together a horror movie for fun. It was and is a cult hit.

The second movie had more money behind it but, in my opinion, tried to take itself a little too seriously for such ridiculous subject matter.

For me, this movie had the perfect balance of horror and comedy. It was hilarious, horrific, and sometimes both at the same time. Good fun with decent make-up effects and an amazing car stunt with a hearse. I also really liked the way they introduced one of the main characters, the kid. I could see that idea being a great movie on its own: Home Alone done as a horror movie.

In the DVD commentary (yes, believe it or not, I even listened to the commentary) Baldwin asked Angus what the fan reaction to this movie was. He said that people either hated it for the comedy element or loved it because of it. I'm in the latter category.

If you're looking for top-notch acting and dialogue or a story that makes sense, this is not your movie. But if you like b-horror movies on the humorous side, I definitely recommend you give this one a shot.

As the title states A. Michael Baldwin and Bill Thornbury return as brothers Mike and Jody in Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead. It took about 25 years in between watching part 2 and part 3, but I think it is a good third installment in the series. Although I had minor problems with characters and the story. After Mike is caught by The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), Reg with his quadruple-barrelled shotgun and skullet in tow goes in search of Mike. He meets Tim (Kevin Conners) and Rocky (Gloria Lynne Henry) along the way. I did enjoy Rocky's character as she was armed with a nun-chunk and attitude for Reg to deal with. It was Tim's character I had minor problems with. It wasn't Connors portrayal, but rather the credibility of the character and his abilities with a gun of a kid who looks like he is 12. Also some villains comes back as laughing zombies. Guess what? Jokes are NOT scary. The more jokes Freddy Krueger cracked the less scary he became. With the story it was beginning to feel that Coscarelli is going back to the same well perhaps too many times by the third movie with some story points, but some of the new characters do assist with this (e.g. Rocky being the attempted love interest and giving Reg some attitude). By the fifth part the well is totally dry. The two points though weren't enough for me to not enjoy the movie as a whole and Scrimm is still and always was great in the role as The Tall Man. But, if you love the spheres they get a real showing here with a lot more info about them, so if that interests you that may be a plus for you as well.

Phantasm III keeps its promise of continuing with the Phantasm story and the Phantasm characters. Mike and Reg are back - and so is Jody from the first Phantasm. And let's not forget one of the creepiest screen villains in the last 30 years - Angus Scrimm as the ubiquitous Tall Man. This time around Reg and Mike continue to battle the Tall Man from the last scene in Phantasm II - eventually Mike is kidnapped and Reg finds some new pals - an eleven year old that has holed himself up in his house whilst battling intruders and killing many of them as well as a martial arts using woman with that Grace Jones look and the sizzle of speech that a film like this needs sometimes. We get the spheres, the mausoleums, the suspenseful, frightening scenes you know are coming but still are ill-prepared for, and some imaginative script-telling and directing from Don Coscarelli. Phantsm III has all that one might look for in a sequel like this and keeps the Phantasm flame burning gloriously brightly. The acting is as always very solid. Reggie Bannister is particularly good in his reprising role, and let's face it when Angus Scrimm says, "BOY!" that he makes even the most lithe heart beat a bit faster. Some of the plot elements like the little eleven year old are somewhat far-fetched as the three thugs in living and non-living form became tiresome. The layout of the film with its vast empty towns and sense of decay in the American heartland as well as the hugely reverential-look given to the mausoleum showcase Coscarelli's skills as a director with a wonderful eye for detail.

Mike and Reggie continue to hunt the mysterious Tall Man...

According to Reggie Bannister, Universal Studios refused to theatrically distribute the film due to a conflict with Coscarelli. The film was released direct-to-video in 1994. In 1996, the Los Angeles Times reported that "Phantasm III" was one of the top 100 highest selling direct-to-video titles.

Some say this is the weakest in the series. As I have not seen part four yet, I cannot comment with authority, but I will say it is not as great as the original or the sequel. I still enjoyed it, and it has some fun moments and good special effects, but little seems to happen overall. But I suppose any time you see Reggie with a flame thrower, that is a good thing.