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Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)

   
Produced, Written & Directed by: Don Coscarelli


Starring:

A. Michael Baldwin .... Mike Pearson
Reggie Bannister .... Reggie
Bill Thornbury .... Jody Pearson
Angus Scrimm .... The Tall Man
Heidi Marnhout .... Jennifer

Release Date: Supposed direct-to-video: July 31, 1998 (Canada); Supposed direct-to-video: October 13, 1998 (USA); Tokyo International Film Festival: October 30, 1999

*Photos courtesy at www.phantasm.com

Rating:

 

Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) is now under the power of Tall Man (Angus Scrimm). Even if he tries to escape from him he can't.
His older brother Jody (Bill Thornbury) who is in the worst position being under the Tall Man's power being a steel ball goes on a hunt to search for Reggie (Reggie Bannister) to try and help Mike before it's too late. Reggie declines at first but decides to go on and to find him.
Mike is also haunted by his past with his battle against the Tall Man as well when he travels through the dimensions of time.
During this time period, Mike and Reggie must battle the Tall Man for their lives as well for the lives of mankind.

 

No doubt the most boring one out of the Phantasm series. It does pick up a bit during a quarter of this film though.
Also, it's nice seeing footage never before seen from the original film during the flashback sequences which they probably shot intentionally for a hopeful sequel at the time especially during the very ending of the film which left a major impression on me.

The acting is still nicely performed as usual with the same actors like Michael Baldwin as he shows a good menacing and troubled behavior to his role dealing that he's one of the Tall Man's people now. There is nice footage on when he was younger too from the first film that was never shown before.
Reggie Bannister
shows a heroic charm as usual and displays great aggressions when he tries to battle any of the Tall Man's zombie's or steel balls.
Bill Thornsbury
delivers his part as strongly like his did in the previous sequel still proving his craft as the older sibling also being one of the Tall Man's people.
Angus Scrimm
delivers his lines perfectly like he does in the rest of the films with his creepy evil charm and charisma.
Heidi Marnhout has a small role in the film as an estranged woman in the film but she was not convincing at all I found and seemed too average.

Two steel balls pop out of a woman's breasts exposing her insides and then drills a hole in Reggie's hand.
Lots of alien yellow blood splattering here and there at times.

Don Coscarelli is at usual directing his actors and whipping them in shape.
However, his story as mentioned is at a very slow pace.
There's a perfect beginning shot on a cemetary with fog along with a car rolling in as well as a hallway in a mortuary with a dark shot on Angus Scrimm walking and two steel balls floating side by side with him.
We spot a nice perfect close up shot on Michael Baldwin driving his car with an evil expression on his face along with good clips on flashback sequences.
A good shot on Reggie Bannister with steel balls attacking him to the ground along with a shot on Scrimm looking down on him with his evil speech towards him.
More good shot on Baldwin driving and the dark road with some spooky moments too that involved Scrimm in the backseat of the car coldly talking to him.
We also spot a good shot on Bannister fixing a tire on his car and a steel ball zooming around him and later on a good surprise shot on Bill Thornbury talking to him in the back seat with Bannister griping to him.
There's also a nice battling scene with Bannister battling against supporting actor Bob Ivy as a demon trooper with good camera shots on them fighting in and outside Bannister's car as well as a nice shot on Ivy spitting yellow stuff all over Bannister which looked truly gross and he reacts well to this too grossed out.
There's a good moment with Bannister trying to rescue supporting actress Heidi Marnhout from underneath an upside down car before having it exploding but she doesn't react with her screaming all that well.
A good shot on them running away from the car showing a good explosion.
There's a good shot on Marnhout lying in bed with her shirt moving and Bannister trying to figure out what is going on and then a good shot on some steel balls implanted in her breasts trying to circle around him and attack him with a good shot on him whacking one of them to the ground with a sledge hammer and pounding on it. There's a nice shot on Marnhout lying on the ground looking possessed laughing at him and then a nice camera looking up on him with aggressive actions and then slamming down his sledge hammer.
There's perfect footage on Baldwin walking through a desert seeing the steel poles which leads to a transporter and then trying to hang himself as well as a great distant shot on Scrimm. We show some good scene's between the two of them as well as a flashback scene from the beginning. Although it's not a footage from the first film it's worth reviewing since Coscarelli did a great job on this about Scrimm being hung and then turning his head manipulating Baldwin to cut him down tempting him he will leave for good as it's a perfect and dark direction.
There's some nice camera takes on Baldwin walking around a rocky area with the killer dwarfs appearing and then rocks fall on them with him grinning.
We also have a great shot on a deserted city of Los Angeles with Baldwin looking around and a great shot on Scrimm slowly walking towards him.
We also see a good shot on Baldwin with Thornbury spying on Scrimm in a past life as well as a good shot on Baldwin holding a knife and looking menacing.
There's a good battling scene between Baldwin and Thornbury on a stretcher in the mortuary with Baldwin struggling to try not get cut by a steel ball. Later on we have a nice weak moment by Thornbury saying that he's dying.
There's a nice shot on a vehicle exploding near a beach and then Scrimm grabbing Bannister by the neck in the air.

Some great sharp hissing sounds which were used in a flashback sequence involving the Tall Man ans Mike along with some heartbeat sounds. There's some good low classical sounds too for many scene's with the darkest moments in the film.

There's a good rockin' songtrack at the end of this film with the rolling credits by Reggie Bannister's band Reggie B & the Jizz Wailin Ya Doggies with "Have You Seen It"

Reg: Jody, what the hell are you doing here? You're dead.
Jody: So what else is new?

The Tall Man: It's time now, boy.

Rufus: Do you think we're playing games kid? This is for real.
Tim: So is this.

Reggie: Thanks kid, I owe you one.
Tim: Two. By my count you owe me two.

Reggie: Dominate me, baby!

Reggie: Ever try vanilla?

Tim: Shit! What the hell are those?

Reggie: Cryogenics. All the mortuaries are into it now. These guys figure they'll wake up in a couple of hundred years with new bodies.

Rocky: Some folks never know when to give it up.

Reggie: [laughs] Now, look who's talkin.

Reggie: Sure fucked up my hallway.

Tim: You're in trouble. You're in trouble.

Reggie: I sure hope that ball got a better sense of direction than mine do.

Rocky: It's been nice knowing you boys, but this kickin' zombie ass just ain't my gig.

Reggie: Get out of here. It's all over.
The Tall Man: It's never over.