Coscarelli Talking Up ‘Phantasm’ Remake/Sequels Again
by Britt Hayes
It’s been 30 years since Phantasm first hit theater screens and introduced the Tall Man to the movie-going public in 1979. The classic film tells the tale of a young boy and his friends who must fight the evil, grave-robbing Tall Man, a mysterious foe armed to the teeth with terrifying weaponry. Writer/Director Don Coscarelli and stars Angus Scrimm and Reggie Bannister recently sat down with the LA Times to discuss the film, and as usual, the discussion turned to the status of a remake or sequel. Coscarelli had some interesting things to say:
On the subject of a remake, Coscarelli says, “I get a phone call every week, it seems, from somebody who wants to do it. It’s something I’ve been resisting for a while. I do think that, given the proper context, it would really be exciting to see what a younger filmmaker could bring to that story. It’s something I’m open to but I guess I’m seeking the right circumstances. Takashi Miike doing Phantasm, how would that be? Anything that would ever be done would have to be done with sensitivity to the appreciation that the fans have for it. They just worship Angus as the Tall Man and Reggie as the loyal trusted friend.”
Hmm. Takashi Miike? He does have the surreal sensibilities, and his filmmaking truly is visionary and visually engaging. Miike working outside of the Asian element would be interesting, at the very least. Coscarelli isn’t confirming anyone, but throwing Miike’s name out there does raise eyebrows.
When asked about doing a sequel himself, Coscarelli says, “It’s something we’ve talked about through the years but the timing hasn’t worked out or getting the finances exactly right. I’ve been cooking up a couple of incarnations of things that I can’t talk about now but hopefully in the near future we could get something in the Phantasm world happening.”
On the topic of portraying the Tall Man again, Angus Scrimm adds, “I’d jump at it. I’m a little protective of the Tall Man.”
So there you have it. We’ve been hearing comments like these for years, but Coscarelli still remains optimistic that something new from the realm of Phantasm will eventually come out. Until then, Phantasm II was finally recently released on DVD, and we have a review of it right here.
