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Phantasm (1979) (Third viewing)
You know the kind of film where you can see its flaws but you just can't bring yourself to care about any of them?
That's the kind of film that Phantasm is for me. And maybe one of the best things about it is just how rewarding it is on a rewatch. While the surreal horror plot is full of images and sequences that really capture your attention, it's the fragile relationship between Mike, Jody, and their friend Reggie that holds the heart of the movie.
This last time around I especially appreciated the nightmarish/dreamy quality of using the simple effect of so many scenes being windblown. An eerie whistle of wind and stark close-ups manage to turn simple shots into terrifying ones. Phantasm really exemplifies how horror on a budget can be so, so right, using practical effects and the power of suggestion to craft most of its most frightening sequences.
And undercutting the horror are some really relatable themes of fear, grief, and loss. The entire subplot of Mike's anxiety about his older brother leaving him--resulting in Mike obsessively stalking Jody whenever he leaves the house--gives an undercurrent of extra angst to the film. This is a movie without any traditionally comforting authority figures (unless you count the slightly sinister psychic Mike visits), and the sense that all Mike, Jody, and Reggie have is each other adds an emotional heft to every action sequence.
I often find that on rewatching a film, certain sequences will drag a bit, but every time I watch Phantasm I am all in. The Tall Man (pictured above) is a memorable villain, but the film wisely devotes plenty of runtime to the protagonist and making you incredibly invested in them. It's the kind of off-kilter, character-driven horror that really floats my boat.